This was meant to be a tribute to mark ten years since the passing of my father. However, on the 24th of September, I lost the closest person I had to a father in this year’s Hajj stampede, which prompted me having to put the original idea on hold.
In every family, there is that
one special individual who can best be described as the center of the universe
or the life of the party. This remarkable individual is usually the glue or one
of the strongest unifying factors that hold the family together. He is a
peacemaker, a guide, a guardian, a pillar of strength & support and a
beacon of light. In our family, that individual was Justice Abubakar Abdulkadir Jega.
Baba, Baba Justice or Uncle
Justice as he was fondly called, was an amazing individual. You could employ
various high sounding words to describe him; kind, generous, amiable, wise. The
best word, which in my humble opinion sums up his character, which is what most
people who came to commiserate with the family all seem to agree on, was that he
was a complete gentleman. Baba was such a larger than life character whose
influence and presence in the family was so strong we are finding it hard to
accept the fact that he is truly gone. Death is inevitable and it will come for
us all but when it comes in such circumstances where there is no corpse to be
seen or buried and you’re left playing a mental game of hopscotch between “maybe
he is and maybe he is not”, a sense of closure becomes elusive. But this is not
about Baba’s death, it is a remembrance of his life and how he touched us all.
Baba was the second male
grandchild of Alhaji Abdullahi (Magatakarda) Kakale Jega and the second son of
Alhaji Abdulkadir Jega (Baba Na Kakuri). Both men were primary school
headmasters. From what I’ve heard about the two, education, discipline and orderliness
were top on their agenda when it came to raising kids. Therefore, it is not
surprising that Baba realized the lofty nature of the responsibility and trust
reposed in him from an early age. Perhaps it was the nature of his upbringing
which influenced his decision to study law.
Family was very important to Baba.
My earliest memories of him was how back in the 90’s in Lagos, when he was the
Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, he made time on almost every weekend to
take us (my cousin Abba, my sisters and I) to the beach. While at the beach we
would each want to do different things; Abba and I wanted to ride horses while
my sisters wanted to ride on the ferris wheel. Baba would patiently watch over
two of us while my sisters rode on the ferris wheel or while we rode on the
horses. Considering how much Baba spoilt us with snacks and candy, I would say
we were all fortunate to be born with very good teeth hence we would have had
to visit the dentist monthly.
The extended family was also of
the utmost importance to Baba. He
kept very close ties with everyone in the family. I know he had the habit of
calling all or most of his brothers and sisters on a weekly basis to inquire
about their well-being. Weddings, naming ceremonies and condolence visits never
passed him by. His work schedule permitting, he always attended family
functions. As far as I can remember, my family always had a scheme to pitch in
and assist other family members financially during weddings, medical
emergencies and in other times of need. Baba was usually the designated
fundraiser/treasurer. He would usually call other relatives and remind them of
the urgency and urge them to make a contribution.
Baba was also a peacemaker. He
was at the forefront of reconciling relatives whenever they had a
misunderstanding. This, he seemed to do flawlessly. Not surprising though, when
you’re a judge settling disputes becomes second nature.
Baba’s generosity wasn’t just
limited to family. I can safely say anyone who walked through his door would
get the assistance being sought whether it was financial, a word of advice or
assistance in getting a job. I have on various occasions witnessed random
individuals come to him for advice or assistance. As long as your request was
legal and within his powers, even if he didn’t know you, he would stretch
himself far beyond his limits to make sure he gave the required assistance.
When my father passed away in
2005, Baba called me and in his usual calm manner urged me to be strong. His
exact words were:
“Abba,
be patient. I know you are hurting from your loss. You have to be strong. In
shaa Allah, for as long as I am alive, you and your sisters will never lack anything.”
For the past ten years Baba has
diligently kept true to his promise. Earlier this year when I fell ill and
required medical treatment in Dubai, Baba called me to inquire about my health
and what my treatment plans were. When I told him I was trying to raise funds
for the trip, he was furious. He said it was insulting that I would say such to
him after he had on numerous occasions told me I was under his care and all my
affairs were to be directed to him. Baba rallied the family and helped me raise
the funds I needed for the trip.
Religion was an integral part
of Baba’s life. No matter how busy his day was, every night after the Maghrib
prayers he would sit for one hour meditating and praying. Even though he never
told us to do the same, by his actions he influenced us to do so. I recall how
I would rise immediately after Friday prayers to fold my mat and put on my
shoes. Baba would tell me to sit down and at least express thanks to God even
if I had nothing to ask for rather than rushing off with the crowd.
Baba was an astute jurist whose
passion for the law was so evident you could see his eyes twinkling when he
spoke about it. It didn’t matter if you were a layperson who had no
understanding of the law. Baba’s passion for the law was so infectious one would have no
trouble making sense of the legal principles he was talking about.
I have always admitted that
Baba was my inspiration for studying law. While growing up I always marveled at
how he unraveled and dissected complicated matters with ease. But what struck
me more than anything else was his humility. Despite being a justice of the
Court of Appeal, he didn’t let his lofty position get to his head. He always
viewed his job as service to humanity. On the numerous occasions Abba and I
would chat with him about legal issues he would always close the conversation
with words of caution reminding us that at the end of the day we as lawyers
owed a huge debt to our fellow man as our jobs should be deemed a service to
humanity.
Respect for humanity was at the
heart of everything Baba did. He never looked or talked down at anyone. Due to
the nature of his job he was always busy during weekdays, but on weekends he
would sit down, go through his phone and return all the calls he may have
missed during the week. It didn’t matter who called him or how lowly placed
they were. Baba ALWAYS returned missed calls.
Perhaps it was childish naiveté
or denial, when I heard about the stampede, I had an unflinching belief that
Baba would survive it. I felt so because that was the kind of person he was;
surmounting challenges seem to come easy for him.
I could still be suffering from
some residue of childish naivete and denial, but not seeing Baba’s corpse or
attending his funeral has left me with a nagging afterthought that he may still
be alive. Then again, I know he would never let us go through
such pains of uncertainty if he was alive. I have to come to terms with the
reality of the situation.
When my father passed away, I
was left with such huge shoes to fill due to the lofty ideals my father
represented and stood for. Now with Baba’s passing, the shoes I have to fill
just jumped thirty more sizes.
Baba,
you may be gone but your memories and the great ideals you stood for will live
on in our hearts. We shall always miss you.
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