- This tribute was written four years ago
Death, as we all know, is a necessary end which comes at it’s appointed time. For Ahmed Ibn Lauwal his appointed time was Tuesday 3rd of May, 2018 exactly 12 days ago after a brief illness. His remains was buried at Anguwar Rimi cemetery after Jana’iz prayer at the Misbahu Jumua’at mosque, Anguwar Rimi low cost, Kaduna.
Many in Adamawa do not know him much less the fact that Ahmed Ibn Lauwal was a Yerima, or prince of Adamawa Emirate, a banker, an ‘elder brother’ to me and a friend that was faithful and just to all.
The late Ahmed Ibn Lauwal was the son of Yerima Hammawa Ahmadu and the grand son of Lamido Ahmadu who was Lamido Adamawa from 1946-1953 when he was dethroned on the 26th July, 1953 after seven years on the throne as Lamido Adamawa.
The death Ahmed Ibn Lauwal would remain indelible in my memory just as the death of his grandfather Lamido Ahmadu who, upon his dethronement in 1953, was banished to Biu, Borno state where he lived until his death on 1st November, 1978.
On the day Lamido Ahmadu died in 1978, I was in Form two in Aliyu Musdapha College, Yola and I recall on that fateful day, we were lined up on both sides of the street in front of our school in white school uniform and solemnly waived at the motorcade that brought his corpse from Biu to Yola. That was the first day I heard of Lamido Ahmadu.
Ahmed Ibn Lauwal’s and I worked in Habib Nigeria Bank in Kaduna. Not only was he kind to me, he encouraged but also scolded me at work depending on the circumstances.
We were friends on Facebook for several years where he corrected a lot of my writings. When we disagreed with each other’s views on Facebook, I usually give in by saying “you are right Hammirawo,” even if I believed he was wrong.
I cannot forget Ahmed Ibn Lauwal because on my birthday last year, he sent me a very large drawing of a human heart in my Facebook inbox. He also sent with it a bouquet of flowers; which is a symbol of affection and the love he had for me. He wrote underneath “Happy Birth Day Babban Lawyer”. My response was “mi Yetti Hammirawo” in Fulfulde which means “I am grateful my elder brother”.
I worked closely with Ahmed Ibn Lauwal in Habib Nigeria Bank. Whereas I joined the Bank in May, 1990 as a fresh graduate, Ibn Lauwal joined in 1993 as Controller (Principal Manager) from Universal Trust Bank (UTB).
Late Ibn Lauwal worked in the Credits department. He used to call me on the intercom to ask me one or two legal questions as Credits and Legal departments work hand in hand.
Even though he was from Yola, I didn’t know him before we met in 1993 because Ahmed did not grow up in Yola. He attended Federal Government College Port Harcourt as a young boy. He attended the School of Basic Studies (SBS) ABU, Zaria and ABU, Zaria from where he graduated with a Bsc. (Buss. Admin). He also did a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a second masters degree in the same university. He later enrolled for a PhD, but died while undergoing the course.
So Ahmed Ibn Lauwal lived as a young man in Port Harcourt, as an adult in Zaria, Lagos and at old age in Kaduna, where he died while he was a PhD student in the same ABU where he intended to join the academic line to lecture what he knew best – Business Administration and Management. He died with his dream.
In Habib Nigeria Bank, late Ahmed Ibn Lauwal liked me so much and played the role of an elder brother to me. He would scold me when I am at fault in my dealing with workmates in the office and always encouraged me to work harder. I still recall however, that anytime he found it necessary to scold me, I never looked up to meet his eyes. Till today, I can’t really tell why he liked me. All I knew was that we were close at work only.
I cannot forget Ahmed Ibn Lauwal also because both of us once stayed on Ramat Road in Anguwar Rimi Low Cost, Kaduna before I was transferred to Lagos. In fact many of us from Adamawa state lived on Ramat road Anguwar Rimi Kaduna at the same time during which we bonded together. From the far end of the Ramat road was Kaura road where Shehu Abba Girei was. At the beginning of Ramat road near Shehu Abba to the west lived Alhaji Bello Raji, one time Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary, Gongola state Ministry of Justice and later Company Secretary/Legal Adviser Nigeria Agricultural Commercial Bank (NACB). He is deceased. Next on the street was my cousin Muhammed Bello (Hamma Chubado). He too is deceased. Next to Muhammed Bello was Aminu Iyawa, former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Mexico. Next was Babangida Jibrilla Mubi, the cousin of Gov. Bindo Jibrilla, former Adamawa State Governor. Next was my house and next to me was Ahmed Ibn Lauwal, who is the subject of this tribute. After Ahmed Ibn Lauwal was Umaru Ardo Jada of FCT FIRS, then Ahmed Bappa Madagali formerly of Corporate Affairs Commission. And off that road was Mallam Abubakar Ahmed Jimeta. All of us from Adamawa state.
That was my best time in Kaduna. We lived as brothers and so were our spouses and children. We loved and cared for each other. Now we are dying one by one.
Three of us – Alhaji Bello Raji, Ahmed Bello and now Ahmed Ibn Lauwal are dead. They have reached their appointed time. This, more than any thing else, tells me that my end may as well be near.
I cannot forget Ahmed Ibn Lauwal also because of his courage. He contested the position of Lamido Adamawa when the longest serving Lamido of Adamawa, Lamido Aliyu Mustapha, died on Saturday, 13th March, 2010.
I was surprised at this move of his because as a Kaduna man I thought he would not be interested in going back to stay in Yola. When I asked a close friend of his as to why he contested for the position despite his cordial relationship with the then Chiroma Adamawa, (now Lamido Adamawa Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha Ph.D), I was told by his friend that Ahmed Ibn Lauwal had a very cordial relationship with the then Chiroma Adamawa, Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, who was considered the natural successor to his late father Lamido Aliyu, late Ibn Lauwal contested for the position not to win or challenge the Chiroma who is the present Lamido, but that he contested to keep the bloodline of his own side of the Adamawa royal family alive so that future generation of of his family and indeed the world would know that they too are entitle to be Lamido of Adamawa.
I was in Yola waiting for the conduct of the APC Ward Congresses when Ibn Lauwal died on Tuesday 3rd May, 2018 in Kaduna. I could not attend his funeral nor pray at his grave side. So I went to Kaduna yesterday and condoled with his wife Sa’adatu. I prayed with her and the kids.
I invite you to kindly join me in praying for the repose of the soul of late Ahmed Ibn Lauwal.
Allah yaafu mo, Jaumirawo feunan mo, Allah Lamido hokkumo Aljanna Firdausi. Ubangiji Allah ya jikan shi da Rahama.
