By Ibrahim Isa Abubakar
Great men live and leave, but their deeds and footprint remains forever. They enter the stage, gracefully dazzling the spectators and moving the audience; and exit amid rowdy cheers and outburst. Similarly, the ‘great’ are not only their own pride, they are societal in the gross motivation and rare inspiration they constitute for potential stars within the wider superstructure.This is obvious why, at the climatic launch of the historic book, “Hard Etches of a man,” written on the deceased, the first elected governor of Abia state, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, lamenting the moral collapse of the Nigeria system in general remarked that “Our heroes should be remembered and honoured, so that Nigeria may be encourage to embrace the timeless value that they have exhibited.”
In fact, great men liVe through a savory present and leave in their wake a memorable past which makes cases for sporadic turn back necessary and palatable.
The eventful life of late Musa Isa (May his and other souls rest in peace) is full of tales humility, care, self-less compassion and philanthropy par excellence!
From the accounts of his bereaved spouse, Nafisa, through his elder sister, Hajiya Fatima Hassan to his biological brothers: Musa had been generous loyal and objective personality whose understanding character added every value to his open kindness. Professionally Musa’s contribution and finest practice was proved beyond reasonable doubt by those who worked above and under him.
Barrister Nuhu Yusuf, then Executive Director of FRCN, Kaduna recalls nostalgically his zealous determination to ensure success of every mission in his front and his commitment to deliver every program, with all he could, to its logical conclusion.
Musa’s touch of excellence and creditable performance did not stop at fast and effective service delivery; nor even at the corporation’s headquarters in Kaduna. His meticulous attention to work bagged him several perks where during his transfers to other states, he made indelible marks that garnered larger audience for the station and acquainted him with many business and professional associate everywhere.
“…When he was leaving Owerri, most of the NUJ colleagues were really sad’’….’’And even though Owerri was not a Hausa State, he impressed upon them so much that the government and the people of Owerri had known the existence of Radio Kaduna to the detriment of the network station… So they were not happy when he was recalled from Owerri.
“After coming from Owerri, we took him to Yobe State, which just newly created…and Musa made his mark there .He was known all over. He (had) brought Yobe to limelight. When he was recalled (back), the governor came back to solicit for his retention. But it is our policy that all correspondents must go round. The Governor was vividly unhappy to hear that Musa Isa wasn’t going to be posted back to Yobe… This is just to show how as easy as anything for him to mix freely .As such he gets on well with any society. I can send him to work anywhere…His colleagues realizing his potentials, (they) unanimously selected him as the chairman of the NUJ to steward the affairs of the organization and he made a mark, he explored and (he) succeeded. He injected responsible journalism…”as quote the authors of his memoir Ibrahim Isa and Jeb-Toa Hassan.
The NUJ in particular will remember him forever for he introduced, among others, initiating symposia, workshop, car and handset loan packages to members in strict furtherance of professional quality.
In the same breath ,Mr. Allen Agbor, assistant Director News and current Affairs recounts his good days with the late icon whom he describes as “diligent ,cool, easy going personality” and “a motivator”.
“And as someone who had served under me, I had never found Musa Isa wanting in the discharge of his duties. He had never failed to carry out the jobs assigned to him and he made sure he carried it to the latter with great enthusiasm he carried out his assignments .He was very diligent and was someone greatly in love with the job he does .Some characters work not because they like to, but because they have to do it, Musa works because he loved the job he does.
“One thing that Musa did for which he would be best remembered by me and other colleagues in the journalism profession was the hosting of the NUJ week in Kaduna, which was in fact the biggest event ever to be hosted by the union in the history. As chairman of the chapter state, he organized the most successful press week event in the history of the state.
“Moreover, while serving as the chairman of the FRCN chapter of the NUJ he had made landmark achievements in the history of the chapel. It was during his tenure that the chapel evolved a rolling program that was aimed at assisting members of the union economically and socially” he stated, similarly ,may the soul of Dan masanin Kano Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule rest in peace and may the Almighty Allah grant the nation the fortitude to bear his loss. You hear similar encomium from Malam Buhari Auwal and all others who worked alongside late Musa.
Mathew Giwa, a staff of his commercial outfit, Modesty Communication describes him as simple friendly”. He brings himself down to the level of every staff working in the company… Musa Isa also shares his office with us the staff, he allow us to use the computer system in his office to do customers job, every time he sees us sitting on his chair working on his computer he feels very happy and pleased,” he said.
Musa was born 21st January 1958 in Kaduna where he attended his primary education (1965-1971) and proceeded to Katsina Teachers College to obtain His Grade II teaching certificate (1972-1978) and later bagged a Diploma in law from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (1982) after which he joined the Federal Radio Corporation which enabled him to undertake many professional courses, locally and abroad. The Yobe state NUJ council posthumously awarded him “MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE PEN” in December, 2012.
We hear his inborn peace ability and natural obedience from childhood days in the words of his aged mother, Hajiya Hadiza Isa who had series of strange talks with Musa on the fateful Friday (5TH July, 2002) hours before his last journeyon earth:” Musa is a son to me, he was generous, respectful, compassionate and always careful. These were the virtues that he grew up with. Moreover, he also headed to instructions and never violates the code of conduct in the house. He was very respectful to elders and never engaged in arguments with his elders…and does not fail to go on any errand he was sent…,”the mother narrated.
So, to the memory of the shocking news of his accident, we say you to this beloved siblings (Musa) have lived your life, with a sense of mission, a testimony of a great vision, (and have) implanted in our hearts, the vacuum of your death; But it was (on)a call to duty ,a duty of a father; to serve the fatherland; in the realm of the fourth estate; when Allah wills; Fate performs it”. You practiced “the profession of nobles; the watch log of the society; (and you left) at the face of adversity; upholding to tenets of a free world”. (May your gentle soul in peace and May posterity emulate your clean deeds).
Written by; Ibrahim Isa Abubakar (08036423166).
