As Namadi bows out of NHIS…

By Zakari Suleiman

I know wonder will be the first impression you would have when you read this letter. That may even change to anger on realizing that I also made the letter to become public, just as it was the case with Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s letter to President Jonathan. As known to many, a series of letters exchanged hands between Sanusi Lamido to Jonathan, Obasanjo to Jonathan and a reply by Jonathan to Obasanjo. The latest is the one Sadiq Abacha wrote to Wole Soyinka. However, while all the above cited letters were written by some desperate individuals trying to be relevant at all cost, mine is quite different for it is a letter of appreciation- a thank you letter on behalf of those Kafin Hausa students who benefited from your immensely the generous scholarships and moral encouragement you provided.

I am also writing on behalf of hundreds of other people who benefited from your kindness, compassion, generosity and love. I am writing to congratulate and wish you a happy retirement life. I am writing to extend my profound appreciation for all that which you have done to me and my family. While I can thank you albeit not enough, for those unquantifiable financial and material supports you rendered me. It is hard if not impossible to ever stop praying for you for making me your brother. It is brotherhood that made you to stand as the host on the day of my wedding. It was also a show of brotherhood when you listened to my ever pressing problems and offered the best advices; brotherhood it is, that makes you to tolerate me despite my numerous faults. The symbols called words cannot completely explain the depth of my gratitude, to the extent that it can only be “articulated by the inaudible language of the heart”.

Mallam, may I use this medium to ask some questions and offer advises? I am assuming that you would give me a nod to go ahead. My question is what is the secret behind your kindness and generosity? Because many times I find it as amazing and even saintly that in a greed infested country like Nigeria, where love for money and worldliness is an act of wisdom, where good men and women are generally scarce, we can still find kind-hearted gentleman of your ilk. I know many people are pressurizing you to venture into the dirty terrains of Nigerian party politics. Some are even planning to dramatize the whole thing by hiring a crowd among the vulnerable rural dwellers to come and ‘beg’ you to join politics. I learnt many others will soon come in buses and on bikes to beg you on the same issue. So when they come, thank them and advise them to go and support General Muhammadu Buhari, if they really want to have good people in the helm affairs of this country.

While I agree that absence of quality leadership is vain to Nigeria’s development, I don’t believe these politicians are serious on their quest for true leadership towards solving Nigerian Problem. However, all they want is themselves, their children and their wives’ relations; It is my humble opinion to say that you are too decent to be in party with the caliber of these people. They are only trying to ride on your back and exploit your reputation that was long cultivated and set you against the very people that truly and most sincerely respect and like you.

Zakari Suleiman via zakskhs@yahoo.com