“If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.” — Benjamin Franklin.
On Friday, 24th Day of December 2021, a great rare gem seized to breathe on this mother earth.
He was reported to have had a brief illness of stomachache before he passed away after Magrib prayer. May Allah have mercy on his gentle soul.
Malam Ado Gwaram as he was fondly being addressed had lived a simple but cherish-able life.
He had carved his good tittle of Malam (scholar) on the people’s hearts and not on a thumb-stone.
He was indeed quintessential of a God-fearing and down-to-earth gentleman.
I remember very well about my last minute with him.
It was in the afternoon immediately I returned from a particular high court for a matter. I sighted him with my elder cousin’s brother Mr. Abdullahi Shamsu (Loan Chairman MOJ Kano) as I approached the ministry of justice stare case.
It was indeed a surprising moment to me, I jokingly greeted and threw a question to him, while we were seeing him up to where his driver parked the car. He told me he came purposely to look for his ex messenger (Malam Bala). I was wondering why could not he send or call any of us to deliver this message. That was how humble and down-to-earth Malam was.
The testimonies he had received from the President of Nigeria and No 1 indigene of Kano State as well as other distinguished personalities about his unadulterated principles of discipline, hardworking honesty, trustworthiness boldness, firmness, spine, and his relentless speaking truth to the power call for an ovation.
He has accumulated nothing throughout his lifetime but a large amount of integrity and fear of God. He, therefore, succeeded in building a solid and concrete reputation worthy of emulation.
He had only served in accomplishing the transformational agenda of the Kano state.
Furthermore, out of his patriotism and exceptional love for Kano state he served the state diligently in different capacities in the educational sector and administrative endeavors.
Therefore, history will forever do justice to him.
He was a true teacher who has bequeathed a legacy of selfless service to humanity with his sterling qualities as a teacher, a seasoned administrator, and a role model for many public & civil servants.
The interesting thing about him (being one of the first set of people trained as professional teachers with NCE in 1963 to 1966 (at Advance Teachers college Zaria) is that he was one of the leading figures who shaped the administration of education in Nigeria with emphasis on Northern Nigeria.
In the year 1968-1969 Malam had his Tesel Diploma at Moray House College of Education at Edinburg in UK
He finally bagged for his BSC English at Ohio University of Anthens in the state of Ohio united State in 1969-1961..
He, together with his like minds kick-started an oiled quality teaching in Northern Nigeria.
Malam was a director in service from 1973 to 1976. He was later on appointed as a Secretary to the Scholarship board kano from 1976-1977.
In 1977-1978 Malam Ado continued on his chosen career as an Executive Secretary to Science Senior Secondary Schools Board.
He was made a principal at Advance Teachers College Gumel in the year 1978 -1979 and thereafter he was returned to Kano and he became the principal of Rumfa College Kano from 1980 -1982).
He thereafter, rose to Director Agency for mass education Kano State in 1984 until 1985.
In the same vain, in 1985-1986, he was elevated to the permanent Secretary for ministry of education.
In 1987-1988 he was made a sole administrator for Nigerian Labour Congress Kano State.
He equally became another permanent secretary Research, evaluation and political affairs from 1988-1990.
In 1990 -1992 he was appointed a Secretary to the military Government, and Secretary to the Kano State Government in 1999-2003.
He had equally served as a National Commissionerfor the National Electoral commission (NECON) from 1995 to 1998.
The list of Malam’s relentless service and positions held in this country can not easily be exhaustive in an eulogy excerpt of this nature.
Out of his pervading humility he used to walk down to the market to purchase for his household needs despite his numerous house workers.
He was a wise and smart leader. It is important to bring into display why I opined Malam to be a true leader.The following wise saying is very instructive in this wise;
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” — And that was what Malam was.
Short-while after he was made a permanent secretary in one of the ministries here in Kano State.
The following morning being a punctual civil servant assumed the function of his office as early as possible.
When it was 9 o’clock he started going around the offices of directors and other officers in the said ministry to supervise his workers.
Almost all his directors were virtually not in the office by that hour apart from their messengers.
What Malam decided to do was to greet the messenger and ask his boss. Once he replies that he was yet to arrive. he would tell him to let his boss know that one Malam Ado came around 9 o’clock to greet him but could not meet him.
Funny enough, any late coming director that came thereafter would quickly upon receipt of that message runs to the permanent secretary and give his peculiar excuse. He did not utter a word.
The next morning everybody was on their seat before 8 a.m.
That was the simple message that gave a sense of direction to all the workers in the said ministry. That was a wise way of correcting a matured civil servant.
And this has brought revolutionary changes to that ministry he led.
Abubakar Ado Gwaram (Firstborn) once told me how bold and carefree about the consequences of his honesty Malam was while speaking truth to the power and related an incident involving his dad during a military regime.
It was during a particular military governor here in kano that once assembled high ranking officers and officials of which Malam was part of and lambasted the gathering arrogantly and called them names.No body could utter a word among them but before he took a deep breath, Malam stood up, took exception to all his harsh wordings against them and addressed the said military Governor squarely. Thereafter Malam walked out of the meeting leaving behind the attendees and left the office immediately.
The military governor was extremely astonished as to why was he so that courageous. The governor could not let go of the scene Malam made. An investigation team was constituted to confirm and verify whether Malam was saying the truth.
To the greatest surprise of the military governor, it was found out that Malam was then living in their family house in Kabara here in Kano. And despite his long years of service and various higher positions he held he could not afford a house of his own then.
Upon the above revelation, the governor had to find his ways to make peace with Malam.
One peculiar attribute to Malam is that he does not always look back to see what he did to you positively. He equally scolded his family members to keep away from the reach of anybody whom they knew Malam has made him a somebody in this material world. And that has been one of the key norms in the family of Mr. Gwaram. And that was the reason why he does not go to anybody for a favor but people come to him.
During his service years, he does not use to bend the rules and compromise his principles for the sake of anybody including his superiors.
Conclusion
On the account of the above great qualities:
Malam Ado was made a role model to many civil and public servants including the writer of this eulogy. To this end, I pray for Allah s mercy and reposition on the soul of Malam Ado Gwaram.
