By Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Adamu (Gumel)
Innalillihi wa inna ilaihi Rajiun!
Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!! Allahu Akbar!!!
“Kullu Nafsin zaaikatul maut”(Surah 3: Verse 185)
On the fateful Friday of 21st April, 2023 at exactly 1:39pm, while I was reading WhatsApp messages, I came across heartbreaking news of the sudden death of Dr. Bello Ado shared by Dr. Mukhtar Bello Maisudan. I became stuck-still, trying to determine if it was a dream or if the language used was alien to me.
I immediately called Dr. Mukhtar to confirm his upsetting message, and he assured me that what he had posted was genuine. I informed my colleagues in the Department and later realized that the rest of the Bayero University community was also informed of the tragic news that had plunged the entire university into mourning.
Between 3pm and 4pm, colleagues, friends, students and sympathizers were all trooping from all nooks and crannies of Kano to his family house in a traumatized and depressed mood for a funeral prayer. The funeral prayer took place immediately after the Asr prayer of the day at Gwangwazo (Mai Babban Daki open area) and was attended by countless number of Muslim Ummah. We accompanied the body to his eternal resting home at Sagagi burial ground. I prayed that countless of Angels of Allah were there to welcome him to the other side of subsistence, Insha Allah.
Dr. Bello was born on 17th November 1972, at Tudun Wuzirci quarters in the ancient city of Kano. He had his primary and secondary school education from Jarkasa Special Primary School and G.A.C Gwale all in Kano respectively.
He had a Diploma in Mathematics Education from College of Art and Remedial Studies (CARS), Kano before he bagged his B.Sc, M.Sc and Ph.D degrees in Economics, all from the Department of Economics, Bayero University, Kano. Because of his passion for teaching profession, he attended a Post-graduate Diploma programme in Education from Federal College of Education, Kano.
Dr. Bello’s dedication in search for Islamic knowledge was beyond our thoughts. Until his death, he was an active student in the quest of Islamic knowledge in Qur’an, Hadith, jurisprudence, and morality. He was well-known for being a fervent adherent of the Salafiya principles, and for consistently being at the forefront among those who attended Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil Majalis.
Painfully enough, we were together in his office on Wednesday, April 19th, that was two days before his demise and discussed on how to share the exams scripts for the course we taught together for marking. We concluded sorting the scripts according to departments, and then shared them for marking. At that point, I was having some issues off campus that needed my urgent attention. I left him in the office and said Bissalam until after Eid Fitr. La yaalamul Gaibu illallah, I have no idea, that was our last encounter on that day. May Allah have mercy on the departed soul.
I first got to know Dr. Bello in 2012, when he was employed as an academic staff in the Department of Economics that was a few months after I was employed. Since then, we became colleagues, we shared office and exchange ideas and enrolled into Ph.D programme same year before I voluntarily pull out and left for Malaysia.
Before he joined the Department of Economics, Dr. Bello had a long-standing teaching career from M.V.A. Kuka secondary school and the famous College of Art and Remedial Sciences, Kano (CARS).
Dr. Bello was a model gentleman who had lived a life filled with virtues. He was a good team mate, intelligent, the personification of poise, patience, tenacity, and composure to the point where many joked that he was being overly reserved. It is challenging for any of Dr. Bello’s colleagues or students to recall a day or time when he expressed disquiet. He was a nice man with a brilliant mind, one who was religiously intact, honest, and morally upright, as well as generous, considerate, modest, flexible, and exceptional in interpersonal relationships. What really impressed everyone was how polite he was to everyone he met. He was a dynamic individual who would be remembered for his coolness. He was a saint who lived a life of serenity. His life was brief, but it was well spent because he had a great influence on many people’s lives. His abilities as a teacher, researcher, and experienced level coordinator are also attested to by colleagues and students, and his selfless services to the Department and the University at large will never be erased.
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Even though Almighty Allah had predestined his untimely death, there are four extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Late Dr. Bello’s death that every decent Muslim would yearn for. First, Dr. Bello passed away after observing the holy moon of Ramadan, which is the month of forgiveness and repentance and where forgiveness is a crucial component of each stage of a servant’s path to his Lord. Prophet (PBUH) said, “Whoever fasts throughout Ramadan in the honest belief that he would receive Allah’s bounties will have all of his prior transgressions pardoned (Bukhari: 38). May Allah accept his good deeds and exonerate his transgression. Secondly, he observed the Eid prayer in congregation. Whoever does that would see their good acts (Hasnah) multiply much more. Thirdly, it was Friday, and according to the Prophet (PBUH), “No Muslim dies on the day of Friday, nor the night of Friday, except that Allah protects him from the trial of the grave” (Musnad Ahmad: 6359). Lastly but not the least, he passed away at a point he was strengthening ties of kinship by extending Sallah greetings to family and friends. Prophet (PBUH) said, “Kinship (rahim) is derived from Allah. If anyone maintains ties of kinship Allah maintains ties with him. If anyone cuts them off, Allah cuts him off.” (Al-adab al-Mufrad:55). As a result of these good deeds and in accordance with the precious day (Eid and Friday) that Almighty Allah has loved him with, we wish him Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.
Allahu Akbar, glory is to Almighty Allah the lord of the world, his death is not only a great loss to his family but also to the entire society. Colleagues, friends, students and people around his family house commend him for his collegialities, devotion to Islam, adore, care and concern for people, they have praised him and I quote a few.
“Dr. Bello led us in Asr prayer yesterday Thursday, and today he is no longer with us, we beseech Allah’s forgiveness to grant him Jannatul Firdous”.
(People around his family house before the funeral)
“Really we lost a charismatic, dedicated colleague and a brother. May Allah enrich his grave, enlighten it and grant him generous wonderful and blessed companions in the grave, Amin.”
(Colleagues)
“A good man of unquestionable integrity, a proper hybrid of pure character and an in-depth learner. An Economist per excellence. May Allah forgive his sins and grant him Jannatul Firdouse”
(Students)
Lastly, I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to Dr. Bello’s immediate family in particular his aged mother, wife, children and the family. Equally, I would like to use this medium to extend my condolences to the Bayero University community over the demise of the University registrar Mal. Jamilu Salim. Allahu Akbar! We all love them but Allah loves them more! May the Almighty Allah (SWT) grant the grieving families and mourner’s the fortitude to withstand the irreparable loss. May Allah (SWT) pardon their inadequacies and grant them Jannatul Firdous. May Allah (SWT) place them among His righteous servants, Amin thumma Amin.
Adamu, writes from Department of Economics, Bayero University, Kano.
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