LATE DR ABDULAZEEZ UMAR FAROUQ (1938 – 2023)
Kogiflame
By Haroun Opotu Yussuff
Born in 1938 and died in 2023, our renowned Medical Practitioner, Pharmaceuticals Manufacturer, Politician of immense repute (Elder Stateman) and lover of the youth, Daudu (Tafida) Dr. Abdulazeez Umar Farouq, will be remembered by us in particular because of his contributions to the growth and development of the youths during the formative stage of the Ebira Youth Congress (EYC).
It would be recalled that a “Retreat Programme” was planned and held at the Government Science Secondary School, Ogaminana in 2001 which precipitated or snowballed to the First Ebira National Youth Summit of September 22, 2001, in the Federal College of Education’s Auditorium, Okene, Kogi State (under the auspices of the National Youth Council of Nigeria – NYCN) consequent upon the formation of the now famous, formidable and result-oriented EYC in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
If Oscar Wilde’s axiom is something to consider thus: “The only duty we owe history is to re-write it”, (without distortions), permit me to posit in this brief and special glowing tribute to the late Sage and Tafida of the Egbira-Nation, that he was one of the foremost personalities we contacted/consulted when it became obvious to form a “counter-insurgency” against an ethnic insurgency/hegemony in Kogi State in order to avert the looming spectre of political annihilation or extinction.
Being the Kogi Central Senatorial District Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and by the rare privilege/virtue of my position as the Pioneer State Chairman of the NYCN, l led a delegation of two duly registered Clubs (Dynamic People’s Forum – DPF and Ebira Youth Development Forum – EYDF) of the said Council in July 2001 to the late Leader’s Karaworo residence to discuss our worries with him. Without hesitation, he supported our intent and purpose based on the template of forming a peculiar Central-Voice for the youths in KCSD, distinct from that of the NYCN, to tackle our worries.
He was so overwhelmed that such a template for constant interactions/meeting of minds for our communal discourse by the proposed body was not only imperative but timely because of social re-engineering for relevance and self-discovery.
To cut the long discussion short, Daudu Tafida instantly pledged his financial support. He redeemed it without delay. Infact, he was the first sponsor of the programme. Coupled with the subsequent and immediate response from the then Deputy Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Chief Patrick Adaba, mni, the stage was set for the said “Retreat Programme” after due consultations with other veritable registered affiliates to the NYCN, Pals Collective, National Association of Ebira Students (NAES) and by extension, our like-minds in Ogori-Magongo. The success of the “Retreat Programme” led to the super-result of the First Ebira National Youth Summit that birthed the renowned EYC – Our Pride.
Premised on the above highlights, we mourn the demise of our revered Tafida Ebira-Nation, Daudu, Dr Abdul Azeez Umar Farouq because of his ardent contributions and frank discussions with us. He will be surely missed.
It should and must be remembered that in the long history of the universe,only a few generations can play the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. Therefore, we, the forebears of EYC shall never shrink from this responsibility. We welcome it as pontificated by J.F. Kennedy, during his inaugural Address as the President of the United States of America on January 20, 1961.
We mourn late TAFIDA because “Man is history after his demise”. It is our belief that the only way to uplift the sprouting youths is to care for them by impacting positively on their intellectual vegetation. Let us endeavour to be a pleasant history for others to emulate based on youth development.
MAY THE SOUL OF DAUDU, TAFIDA EBIRA-NATION, DR ABDULAZEEZ UMAR FAROUQ REST IN THE BOSOM OF THE LORD. AMEN.
Adieu ! Farewell ! Nyaatu ! Nyiooka !
……………HOY………..
