Northern Nigerian Breaking News

Remembering Danladi Ndayebo: An amazing wanderer with a compass – Muhammad Danjuma Abubakar

By: Muhammad Danjuma Abubakar 
As a refresher, countless, reminiscences and tributes recently, about Late Danladi Ndayebo, following his sudden passing hardly left any impression, even to those who didn’t know him, that he was not a good man.

Greek philosopher, Solon said that ‘no man should consider himself truly happy until he is dead.’; because after death, people will reminisce on how good or bad man has lived.

Salon’s view is in congruence with what Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him, was reported to have said: (in paraphrase) that God accepts good testimonies of the close neighbors to the deceased-for as few as four and so forgives the deceased.

Therefore, even in death, Ndayebo should be a happy man!

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From the numerous good testimonies, it is evident that Mohammed Danladi Ndayebo was  cosmopolite with multi-stakeholder relationships.

For example, in reaction to Ndayebo’s death, his university mate, Paulinus Emennaa, recalled some fond memories this way ‘…there were countless incidents of Dman (Danladi Ndayebo) doing the impossible for us his friends…I have been married twice, both times he was my best man. When I lost my dad after the funeral he walked into my village in the most interior part of Igboland and stayed three days, then as serving commissioner. My uncles felt I was lying when I told them he was a high ranking government official. They came back in awe after they obviously went to Google. He maintained his humility.

Emennaa furthered in his tribute ‘…During one of the prolonged strikes in school then, and severe hunger dealing with us, he wanted us to take a walk; I told him I was hungry. He asked me to follow him, walked me to the common room, told me to sit down and walked up to the Mallam at the kiosk. I could hear him telling the old Hausa man. ‘Mallam that guy seated there is my brother and he is hungry (in Hausa) I could not believe when he was coming towards me with a Fanta and eggs roll.

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Worthy of stress, Ndayebo’s uncommon show of sacrifices and human service was not unconnected to his leadership position in the family.

Born on the 19th January 1975, into the polygamous family of Alhaji Mohammed Ndayebo, in Gbagunta community of Gbako Local Government of area of Niger State, Danladi Ndayebo was the first of the thirteen (13) children of his father; it is so, not surprising, that he had always shown sense of buffer against people’s sufferings across his vast and diverse web of network.

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In addition, he was gifted with phenomenal intellect. This writer for one, could attest to that through his writings. His works were always refined to their essential excellence. They are expository, informative and garnished with originality.

Ndayebo’s mastery of pen and understanding of story as a ‘sense-making device’, hardly leaves any impression that his first degree was in Textile Science and Technology from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

But an enabling mindset propelled him to wander towards journalism with great focus and self-belief; raising through editorial ranks in the Leadership Newspapers Group.

He understood the remit of every assignment that came his way, exhibiting apposite capacities, tact and knowledge of each responsibility. This explained why he was appointed at different times, as SSA Media and Publicity, Director General Media Relations and Strategy, then Chief Press Secretary and later Commissioner for Information and Strategy all under former Governor of Niger State Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu.

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Beyond the corridors of power, Ndayebo had continued to crisscross many endeavors to becoming the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors. He could have clocked  the age of 48, by January 2023, but for his sudden demise.

At this point, may God reward the good deeds of Late Alhaji Danladi Ndayebo, forgive his missteps and comfort his families. Ameen!

Abubakar lives in Minna, and can be reached on muhammadcares4u@gmail.com

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