DABO TOLD ME HE WOULD DIE SOON, ASKED FOR PRAYERS

By NBF News

And that was not the first time! I can recall at least three occasions last year when he asked me to pray for him and that he was sure he was going to die. I encouraged him to have faith in Christ and forwarded his message to some pastors to pray for him. That was last year. Why I did not do the same to his last prayer request baffles me.

That I now relate to Dr Godwin Dabo'Adzuana as late attests to the ephemeral nature of life. The following day after his last prayer request, Daddy sent me an MTN recharge card. And just four days later on March 15, 2012 he breathed his last.

The late Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, who turned 70 last December was a man of many parts. He was a politician and a philanthropist, who deployed his resources to the pursuit of public good, especially in assisting the downtrodden, widows and orphans. This writer not only tasted Dabo's milk of human kindness but can attest to his generosity to many.

For instance, on Friday July1, 2011, I was present in Clitonia Hotel, Apo, Abuja, with NTA's Femi Johnson when Dabo hosted some widows who are members of the National Council of Women Society, FCT Chapter. On that occasion, he empowered each of the over 30 widows with N20,000.00 cash. He also issued cheques to some women to pay their children's school fees.

On several occasions that Daddy Dabo invited me to Abuja, I met many people waiting to see him. One by one they were called inside and the smiles on their faces confirmed that their mission was not in vain. I am aware that he has since 2006 empowered about 3,000 widows and 1,500 orphans spread across the country.

I remember about a man who lost his job and read my article titled 'How Dabo'Adzuana makes widows happy' published by Saturday Sun of August 6, 2011 on page 53, and pleaded with me to ask Daddy Dabo for an assistance. I forwarded the man's message to Daddy and he immediately asked me to give his phone number to the man. The man later told me that he was offered a job.

Dr Dabo'Adzuana was selfless! His philosophy of life was to stand for justice, fairplay and honesty. During my M.Sc Economics course at UNIJOS, he ensured that I lacked nothing. Apart from crediting my account on a regular basis, he bought me a laptop computer and a generating set. Many times that he passed through Jos to Bauchi, he always asked me to wait for him at the UNIJOS Naraguta hostel gate. And he would always give me money at that spot.

Daddy Dabo was humble! A particular incident made his humility clearer to me. He told me that he was in Yola in Adamawa State. Due to the nature of how he related to me, I asked him to buy me kilisi, a sun-dried suya. Unlucky for me, a lady who claimed to be his daughter read the text message and took an offence with me, saying that it was disrespectful of me to have asked her Daddy to buy me the kilisi. The lady then ordered me not to communicate with her father again. But to my surprise, the following day, Daddy Dabo asked me to wait for him at our usual meeting spot in Jos, that he was on his way from Yola. He gave me a bundle of kilisi wrapped in an old newspaper, which he put in a nylon bag! That was Dr Dabo'Adzuana at the zenith of his humility!

Daddy Dabo told me about the love of his life, Barrister Christy, an Ugandan whom he married over 31 years ago. He told me about his well-trained and well-behaved children. His first daughter Hon Aodona Sharon Catherine Daboh-Adzuana was former member of the House of Representatives. His first son is Dr Godwin Jnr, a medical doctor based in the USA.

Other children he told me about were Oluchi who is happily married and based in Victoria Island, Lagos, Linda and Eva both based in England. There is also Dooshima who just got married last year.

I have personally lost a helper, a caring dad and above all, a confidant. Yes, he was a close friend. I remember his telling me at twelve midnight the news of his appointment by President Jonathan. Until his death, Dr Dabo'Adzuana was the Chairman, Presidential Fuel Subsidy Removal Monitoring Committee (PFSRMC).

Within the little time I interacted with Daddy Dabo, I saw wealth, kindness and humility personified in one man. Our elites should take a cue from Dabo, who though not stupendously rich, shared the little he had with many. Just as Mr. President described him as 'a very active man, who was not afraid to stand firmly for the principles in which he believed', I urge his surviving biological children to maintain the legacy of their late father. I pray that Almighty God would grant the soul of Dr Godwin Dabo'Adzuana sweet repose. Good night Daddy.

•Obaka, Abel Inabo, an Economist writes from Ajaokuta, Kogi State. : Phone;08032061373 (SMS only)