By Abdu Labaran Malumfashi.

                   3-1-2025.             

I dad been glued to one town for about two years until many deaths forced me to visit my necks of the woods for condolences over the week (Thursday). Two of the deaths occurred in my town of birth, Malumfashi, and the other two, in a far away Abuja, at different times and different circumstances.

A recluse of sorts that I became by necessity, the death of my aunt four days ago, Hajiya Amina (better known as Hajiya Jummai), who also was very close to my mother (of blessed memory), and that of 92-years-old Alhaji Muazu, popularly called Alhaji Basa, who, by the way, happened to be a very close confidant and acquaintance of my old man, who died 38 years ago, dragged me out of Katsina town.

There were also the death of Hajiya Indo (A’isha), wife of the late Alhaji Usman Hada and mother of Alhaji Sani Usman Hada, also known as ‘Babangida, (also four days ago), and that of a junior brother (of sorts), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abba Danmalam, who was the younger brother of Maiwada Danmalam (DG Media) to Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State, which, coupled with the other two, became a strong motivation for my first trip out of my adopted town of Katsina, since I was last invited to Malumfashi by the number one person in the District, on the 7th of May, 2023.

Malumfashi has a rich history of having highly connected and educated people as District Head, who have reached the pinnacle of their profession either at Federal level or state level. We have some of such people in Justice Mohammed Nasir, the immediate past District Head, and Justice Saddik AbdulLahi, Justice Nasir’s successor and current District Head.

Those I have not met or reached to personally condole with, should consider this as my condolence to them. I have in mind such people as Ibrahim Gide Malumfashi, past Clerk of  the Katsina State House of Assembly (KTSHA), Hajiya Zubaida Alhaji Usman Hada, wife of Tarnon Katsina, Alhaji Usman Isyaku (my former landlord, when I worked with the now rested Democrat Newspaper), Rabiu Gide Malumfashi, the former Deputy Accountant General of Katsina State (DAG), Alhaji Jamilu Alhaji Usman Hada, the late AIG Aminu siblings, Abubakar, AbdulLahi (Maikano), Hasana and Husaina, among many others too numerous to mention.

Before I am called a liar, or a pretentious person or a name-dropper, let it be known AGAIN that I am neither from the Malumfashi ruling dynasty nor am I from one of the rich families in the town, but those concerned will understand me very clearly.

 By the way, I cannot be any of the above, since I am long past the age of seeking for favours for, or (most importantly) any mundane responsibility. I am just contented to be the ORDINARY self that I have always been. I am a very weak person to carry out any responsibility successfully, without being unfair and unjust to some people.

Special appreciation to Alhaji Kabir Hashim, my wife Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar and my two sons, Muhammadu Sani and Abubakar (Bappa), who made the trip not only possible, but an experience to cherish for a very long time to remember. My siblings, Aminu , Magajiya, Gude and Usman, also contributed in no small way to make the trip very memorable.

May God forgive all the deceased people, and reward those involved in undertaking the enjoyable journey to Malumfashi, after such a very long time when I last visited the town.

Malumfashi wrote from Katsina.