SAM NDA ISAIAH: ADIEU MY MENTOR

The first time I read his article in the late 1990’s on Daily Trust, I instantly became a fan. What attracted me to him was his flair and forthrightness. Sam never minced his words as he clearly conveys to his reader that he is a true nationalist, a northerner and progressive. A group of mid-career journalists, Kabiru Yusuf, Garba Deen and Sam Nda Isaiah gathered and formed the Daily Trust at a time when the north has virtually no voice in the media circle in Nigeria of that time. Sam was a critical member of those luminaries that gave northern Nigeria a voice, especially with the political permutations, alignments and re-alignment for the unavoidable return to democracy, after the military clearly understood the writings on the wall as the popular agitations and cries for democratic governance swept the globe.

Singlehandedly, in 2001 he created the Leadership Newspaper Group that went on to become a household name in the media not only in the north but in the country. Our generation had lost an icon, a rare gem because of all the detribalized Nigerians I know of his generation, none stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Religion and ethnicity seems to be non-existent in Sam’s vocabulary. He stood for what is right and depended it. He envisioned a progressive north where we are all equal as one people not along ethno-religious divides. Sam has done to journalism in the north what no single northerner has done. He is the only one that creates and sustains a Hausa daily newspaper, giving young enterprising journalists a platform. And in his effort to promote creative writing published book covers for free in his newspaper. He established the Leadership Excellence award that stood out as the only award that is truly guided by excellence in the country. The motto of leadership newspaper “For God and Country” is truly lived to the fullest by Sam Nda Isaiah.

Sam Nda is truly my mentor considering he inspired me to aspire to become a columnist through his columns (Last word and Ear Shot) and the fact that we shared one stumbling block in common. He is a trained pharmacist that became one of the leading columnists of his time, if not of all time. Having studied Language and Religion in the university, Sam proved and showed the way for me that I could be what I want to be regardless of my area of studies. For years I nursed my ambition as I continue to watch Sam and few of his likes as they captivated their readers. It easily came to mind when reminiscing about that time, of people like Sunusi Lamido Sunusi, Mahmud Jega and Dr. Tilde for their inspirational role as great writers.

In my one year sojourn in Saudi Arabia in 2003 where I went in an effort to publish my book after receiving a recommendation letter from Muslim World League office in Abuja, it gave me my first opportunity to write for a newspaper. The editor of Saudi Gazette advised me to cull articles from my manuscript for publication. Upon my return to Nigeria in 2004, I found that there is a new private Radio Station in Kano, Freedom Radio, making waves in the ancient city. I immediately translated my articles into hausa Language and approached the station for a possible program. After meeting two of our fallen heroes in the media circle, the two Umar’s (Umar Dutse Mohammed and Umar Said Tudunwada), my proposal was accepted and I was cleared to start hosting my “Science and Religion” program coined “Tsokaci” by Umar Dutse himself. The program was well received by the audience and it ran for two years until when in one of my program I showed clearly the fallacy of late Jafar Mahmud Adam on the issue of eclipse. That created a friction and I left. The likes of Ibrahim Sheme, Al-Amin Ciroma, Ashafa Murnai and Nasiru Gwangwazo were employed by Leadership Newspaper and their presence led Sam Nda decided to start a weekly Hausa paper. Gwangwazo invited me to send for a column proposal with the Hausa weekly, patterned under my radio program. I was given a weekly column in Hausa Leadership for my first column titled “Ayoyin Kimiyya” (The scientific verses). The column also became a hit with readers to an extent that one day I received a call from a nomadic Fulani Man who told me he was calling from along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. I had a moving conversion with the man that almost led me to tears and made me realize the power of the pen. He told me that as we speak he is holding on to a copy of Leadership Hausa paper that he is savoring for month after reading my article on how the Quran explained the rainfall phenomena, something he confesses that astonishes him since childhood, but my article had explained to him succinctly the process and he believes more in the power of God. That call was a defining moment in my career as a writer and it made me resolved to research more and write more knowing somewhere, somehow you are influencing an unlikely subject just as Sam Nda had done to me.

One day I received another call from someone that introduces herself as Aisha Yola from Leadership Newspaper. She said she was fascinated with my Hausa column and had spoke with Sam Nda to give me a page in the Leadership Weekend paper. I jumped at the opportunity and started. Two years later in early 2008, I received the prestigious bursary award from Cambridge University for journalists writing at the intersection of science and religion. My English column on science and religion singularly brought this honor for me from one of the leading university in the world. Leadership published a tribute article for the honor conferred on me and Sam Nda invited me to his office. All these years I had never met Sam in person but when I reached his office he greeted me with that calm mien and call my name with such familiarity as if we had known each other all our lives. That same year, Aisha Yola, won the prestigious Chevening scholarship and went to Birmingham while I was in Cambridge.

In 2010, my paper “The Bible, Quran and Darwinism” was accepted for presentation at the National conference for African American studies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA. In the process of my Visa application I was asked to bring a cover letter from my employer. Being a freelance journalist I turned to Sam Nda Isaiah and briefed him about my conundrum.  He immediately summoned his brother Abraham Nda and told him to go and prepare a cover letter for me to the embassy which I got the same day.

The death of Sam Nda Isiah, was broken to me early in the morning and one of his friends, Dr Bello Salihu, who happens to be living and working in UK, also called me soon after I received the news. I was doubly shocked that early morning as Dr. Bello’s voice was cracky on the brink of tears. I never knew Dr Bello was a personal friend of Sam Nda until that morning. Having lived in the UK for the last three decades working in the oil and gas sector he recently sent me an article he published by Leadership Newspaper in 2015  calling on this government to diversify from petrol to gas usage in our automobiles (something the government is recently talking about). When he heard the death, he called to condole me knowing I am a columnist with the paper. Dr. Bello took several minutes explaining to me his close relationship with Sam, how much he cherishes him and the great loss he felt. My soothing words were no match for his agonies and it truly expounded to me the greatness of Sam Nda Isaiah not only in his life but in death.

Adieu my mentor, you have passed through the sands of time as a grain for just 58 years, even though you are now dead, you will continue to live in our minds through your legacies, which I have no doubt, immortalizes you as that single grain of sand that made its mark in our lives, region and country and you will be remembered as long as humans walk this side of our earth. I know we cannot replace you, but we will do our utmost and strive hard to walk in your steps.