By Muhammad Mahdi Garba
Your macabre, farfetched and pathetic exit came to me all of a sudden. I was set to the quick when I heard the message. If not because of these Quranic verse “And will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient’’ (Quran 2:155), I could have deny your martyrdom.
Hamid Ibrahim Zakzaky an optimist and a revolutionary has gone for good. A person who was born and grown up in intense hardship and trials. The history of the Islamic movement will never forget you, because it will never be complete without the mention of your name.
Voice of Islam conference hall, Lafia was the venue, I came to know you. Youth awakening was the theme. The confab was organized by the Abul Fadl Foundation (a youth wing in the movement). Allow me to share the excerpt that stick to mind forever. He said “ youth have much ability, that is why they are called the backbone of every society”. If a president wants to embezzle, is he in need of educated youths? No! he need fools. That is why the government started threatening the education sector.”
If you take a glance at any revolution in the world, you will find out that the student resist and seek for it. Because they study and think. Whether communist or whatever. Cuba and the Islamic Iran are example. Hamid said.
“We want youths to be studious, because the more you study, the more you know the world and the more you view Islamic movement as the way out” says Hamid. He emphasized much on Islamic resistance. In the 1970’s if Abba (as he called sheikh Zakzaky) haven’t act or resist, nobody would have tortured them.
I observed many things in him. He admires initiative in the movement and respect all participants opinion. Before the confab wrapped up, Hamid took a straw poll and many participants wore their heart on their sleeves.
He said “don’t think that after overthrowing the Nigerian government (Zionist puppets), the nation will live freely. Their masters will wage war against us. The last sentence I can remembered him saying is “if you don’t take action now, they will kill you”.
As if I knew we will never meet him again. I knocked his white Toyota sienna space bus, he came out from the car together with Musawi Hayattudeen, ISB Daurawa, Baqeer Maina and Usama Aminu Yabo. The pictures we took serve as a live to remember to me. And I left Lafia for Jos over the moon.
Hamid I know you are not dead, as the Quran informed us “ and reckon not those who are killed in Allah’s way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord” (Quran 3:169).
You will be remembered for your mysticism, craftsmanship and Islamic activism.