Late Alhaji Shehu Malami
Prince of Sokoto, Serikin Sudan of Wurno and Chairman Board of Trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Shehu Malami just passed on at 85.
The former Ambassador to South Africa died in Egypt on Monday after a brief illness.
I greatly mourn the astute Diplomat I met in 1988. It was in 1988 when I was in the entourage of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamido Adeyemi 111 to the Uthman Danfodio University where he was Chancellor until his death. The University was having her graduation ceremony.
We Journalists stayed at his guest house. He also provided two cars for we reporters. He would come to us like a father and talk to us asking like the typical Nigerian parent whether we had eaten.
I remember when we decided to go visit the former President of Nigeria in the second Republic, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari at his private residence. We were having nothing on schedule. We met Alhaji Shagari eating Sugar Cane sitting on the rug in the floor. We were confused seeing our former President sitting on the floor.
He told us to sit down – on the floor! We starred at each other. My pal, Aliu Mohammed Olurotimi; late Onukaba Adunoyi and Segun Taiwo were the special quartet.
I was shocked when he called for introduction and Alhaji Shagari said he could recognise me. He recalled he saw me at the closing ceremony of the African Cup of Nations final match between Nigeria and Algeria at the National Stadium, Lagos (22 March 1980). We were at the VIP lounge at halftime. He had a couple of sticks of cigarettes while I among other Journalists downloaded a bottle of beer in a jiffy. I was still taking alcohol then. I stopped in September 1985.
Ambassador Malami told us Northerners see it as modesty to sit on the floor. He ordered for roasted chicken and ate with us in the expansive living room, and we sat on sofas.
I never met Alhaji Shehu Malami again.
What made Alhaji Malami to get my attention was his care and affection.
May the soul of the elder statesman rest in peace.
I was Yomi Kassim when I met him in 1988 but I incidentally wrote a piece on the Sokoto experiences in the Oyo State Community Concord as Eniola Olatunji that year. I was then Oyo State Editor, The Republic Newspapers.
