AS I sit and watch him talk a few days ago, it baffles me that this amazing old man will clock 87 in the next few days. He is still as smart, as observant, as alert as I remember with a keen analytical mind. Of course, age has its toll on him, but Baaba doesn’t act or look 87 one bit.
A son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and a friend- a happy person and with a very big heart.
Baaba’s blessings and teachings has been the bedrock of our success all of us – all 23 of us. It has always been what has kept us going. Personally, today, all grown up and having stuck to his values, I feel extremely proud to be his daughter.
As I penned down my thoughts on his birthday this year, I decided to share some of his teachings that I imbibed at different stages in life and are dear to me.
Again, this tribute is about my father, our Baaba.
Baya goya marayu, uban marasa uba, masu uban ma, ga uban su. My life has been blessed beyond measure because of my father, Alhaji Salisu I Kabara.
Reflecting on his influence in my life, there are some specific characteristics that stand out; traits that are directly responsible for my success in life as a daughter,sister and a wife.
I will never be able to fully appreciate how much my life has been empowered from my father’s love. He always managed to find ways to show us how much he cared, without saying.
Growing up, I am sure I and my siblings at a point in time used to think we were foster kids because who rehearse before asking their father permission to go out?
We literally had to rehearse everything before asking. I remember asking for a pen a night to when I needed it, because if I had asked in the morning I wouldn’t get any, same goes to everything we needed. At this point of life, I appreciate that, I know what it means to always plan ahead.
Traditional is Baba as he does not openly show physical affection to his children just like the typical northern father, but we had no doubt that he loved us all – with every bit of him.
Waking us up for subhi prayer everyday. When one is reading the Quran and Baaba comes to wake us up, he recites the Ayah with you and you greet ‘Barka da asuba’ kuna lafiya? He asks waye be tashi ba? When you have pending offense, trust Baaba to call everyone’s name ignoring you. that hurts but that’s your punishment.
On some days, when he comes to wake us up,he sings Hafsan Baaba, Ramlan Anty and on some days, it’s him listening to his radio and listening to those ancient songs of dankwairo and the likes.
As a year 3 student in the university, Baaba boiled water in the kettle for me whenever I had morning lectures. It’s always like that with each and everyone of us- he made all of us feel I am Baabas favorite.
He doesn’t give you the princess treatment but make you feel like a princess at the same time. With Baaba there’s nothing like a daddy’s girl but he makes each and everyone of us a daddy’s girl likewise the boys- Men they are more like his friends. growing up I realize and appreciate this upbringing.
There was a day he looked at my brother walking and folding his Babbar Riga and said with Amusement ‘Ubale an zama mutum ‘ I looked at my brother who is 50 plus and at Baaba,right there it dawned on me we will forever be his babies
I can proudly say I can live anywhere with the type of upbringing I had. We can be ajebotas and can hustle,All thanks to Baaba. Eating from the same plate with Baaba is so fun, especially the locally made bandashe da nama, he stops eating when it’s almost finished, Rukayya,Mu’azzam and ummi are always mischievous, they set aside the meat until Baaba stops eating, they they dig on it.
Sajida his first grandchild will always say she can’t keep up with us and we tell her she didn’t grow up in ‘gidan yawa’ as we jokingly call ourselves. Growing up in a house of 23 siblings and 70 grandkids and counting. We didn’t really have everything; but most importantly, we had love – abundant love.
Baaba is living a life of thankfulness and core virtues of Islam. I see Baaba as a bridge between Islam and politics because it amuse me how these scholars come to the house in batches to greet him, we peep through his kitchen door ga mallam wane ga mallam wane, wanting to be called for serve refreshments since we only see them on tv or hear them on radio. these scholars always have something to say about him and how he helped the sunnah, how they regard him and pray for him. Mallam Abdulwahab will always say’ ku kula da dattijo’Likewise the people in politics, Baaba participated right from the onset of NEPU to the days of Rimi.
Baaba’s sense of humour is legendary – and we all got that trait from him. you can come in on us and find us laughing at something someone did with him,When we laugh behind our scarfs he asks us ya aka yi? We fill him in and he laughs with us. He always sits upfront and wait for us to come back from weddings, it amuse him how we go out with head gear, high hill and come back holding them in our hands.
That cracks him up, he asks, Ina kwalliyar? With all of these and more, Baaba is a disciplinarian -big time. When he is not in the mood, one glare will take you back to your senses.
Those who know me personally, know that my trait is inherited. I’m nowhere close to my Baaba when it comes to relating with people.However, now I give to myself (at least try filling up my cup so that I may pour into others’ peacefully). I realise that he was subtly trying to teach me about the thin line between greed and self-care.
Baba doesn’t like celebrating birthdays, he calls it yahudanci- westernization. I celebrate his birthdays because I am celebrating life. I am thanking my perfect Rabb for sparing his life to watch us grow and be the Men and Women we are today. To seeing us succeed., to seeing us go places in life,We have every reason to celebrate his life, Alhamdulillah.
Kabara, a fashion entrepreneur, student of History, writes in from Kano.