Balami, today is your final physical presence on this earth as they are taking you to your final abode in the womb of mother earth. I least expect this from you. But it is not your making.
As l am dropping these lines, bold tears in round balls erupt in volcanic manner to painfully mark your painful exit. I can see from afar the priests and undertakers around your final place of rest in the city of Maiduguri of historic flood a few days ago. The great dies with great signs from nature as the week of your death is the week of the great flood of Maiduguri. It marks a great day in the history of flooding in Maiduguri.
Balami, when l cast back my forensic mind, all that we went through, the pains of the academia, the failures, successes of the system and bringing up thousands of academic enthusiasts across the nation for forty-four years, your good human relationship and standing for the truth always, your healing humour, your kindness particularly to students, the great power of your intellect in your field of academic endeavour, your resilience in wanting to be left alone to design who you want to be which we all respected to this point, l can say we have been living a fulfilled life.
Only God knows the great knowledge you have impacted upon your students and others. Without fear of contradiction, you and Abubakar Othman, who were great pillars of the English Department, have left too young and too soon as we grieve over your departures.
Balami, l wish you could peep from your casket to see the flood of tears surging behind you to your eternal abode of rest. Balami, barricade this stubborn path of death to shield your family, loved ones, friends and colleagues from following your sudden path.
May God in His infinite mercy grant you eternal rest.
Balami, as you are going, let us tell you that you have left behind a lot of souls in pains. It is Idris Amali of Generals Without War saluting our departing Generals at War in our stubborn days. Farewell Balami and goodbye forever, Dr Abubakar Othman, as your suns have set too early to comprehend life.
* Idris O.O. Amali is a Professor of Oral Literature at the Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State
