By Adamu Tilde
Fortnight ago, gunmen stormed the pharmaceutical store of my brother at around 9:45pm in Tilde, Bauchi state. They were four in number. They asked who among the people in the store was Alhaji Tasiu. None responded. One of the men who was masked pointed at him. They dragged him outside after seizing their phones. He gave them money. They asked for more. He took them to his car and gave them more money. They drove him behind his store and shot him. It was a clinical shot at heart. He died instantly.
My brother’s death was a real shock to me. My father died when I was barely 14 and faraway in boarding school. I didn’t get to know of his death until like after a month. So in a way, my brother’s death was my first brush with death at a very close range.
I had never come close to a corpse. But here I was anxiously waiting, hoping and praying for a miracle as I watched over the dead body of my brother all through the night. The anticipated miracle did not happen. When I entered the room where my brother’s corpse was laid at dawn, I get it exactly where I left it around 4am. I had to accept the finality of my brother’s death when I used my hand to heap sand on his grave. Nothing can be more certain, more real than death. My brother is no more. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiuun.
I will restrict this tribute to two distinguishing traits of my brother: Love for his family and his generosity.
Alhaji Tasiu was everything you need in a brother: Caring, loving and supportive. When our father died in 2004, the older ones adopted the younger ones. As far as I can remember, none of us suffered any lack. We were supported until we came of age. Well, not really, because up until today, we rely heavily on the goodwill of our older brothers. Oftentimes, my brother gave his Zakat to our sisters who Providence did not favor. My brother complained that his Zakat may not be enough to go round, thus he enlisted the service of one of our brothers to come up with a list of some of our sisters that need support. He wanted to put them on a monthly stipend. He accepted the list presented to him. It was not meant to be implemented for my brother was murdered a week after. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiuun.
My brother’s support for his family was a given, what, however, distinguished his eventful 47 years of life on earth was his industriousness. He started his pharmaceutical business in 1996 and developed it into the giant business that it is today. He had over 20 stores. He had ‘freed’ and settled more than ten apprentices. On many occasions, he settled them with generous money. At his death, he has over fifty direct employees. I cannot imagine what is going through the minds of those employees. Many may have to start afresh. Good people never last.
Alhaji Tasiu was a generous giver. His monetary gift can drive you crazy. There is no better manifestation of this than the loyalty of his casual staff. I have known him to be together with his laundry guy, Mai dinkin hula, for more than twenty years. They built their houses courtesy of his generous payment for their services.
My brother hardly disengages the services of his employees, despite evidence of cheating and stealing. He doesn’t charge rent from his numerous houses. Oftentimes, cab men will refuse to collect my fare. When I asked why they will say it is your car. It is Alhaji Tasiu’s. Strangely, very few members of the family knew anything about this arrangement. Many people look forward to his Zakat period with heightened expectations because of the way he distributes it. Good people never last.
Someone jokingly said “Alhaji Tasi’u yaci kudin shi”, “he has no carryover”. He was right. My brother spent lavishly on himself and his family. You may say in a way that he was extravagant. But that is not entirely true. He just suffered no miserliness: He eats the best of food, sews the best clothes for himself, his wife, and children; his children attend the best schools around and ride the best cars. Two lessons my brother’s death taught me are: never delay doing good to your family, and never postpone enjoying life. Support your family, and spend on yourself. Death can come at any moment. And they won’t let you carry sisi to the grave.
It is true, good people never last. They leave when you need them most.
Alhaji Tasiu is survived by an aged mother, wife, and four children. Allah yagafarta mishi. Allah ya bamu ikon tarbiyyatar da yaran da ya bari.
