Late Bar. Yahaya Mahmood SAN...

ADIEUS TO A GREAT LEGEND…
Many have lived an exemplary life, but only a few lived a life worthy of mention and remembrance.
In my few years of existence I have heard and read stories of people with great minds and hearts; people that are kind, trustworthy, honest, generous and sincere. You can hardly find a man with half of these qualities, but am lucky to have met one with not just such qualities but all. Bar. Yahaya Mahmood SAN, is not just an ordinary man, he's a legend, a mentor, a father, a husband, a teacher, a leader and above all a friend.
Though a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Yahaya Mahmood a down to earth, humble soul, that all his staffs, colleagues, mates, family, neighbors and ordinary acquaintance can testify that he's the easiest going person they have ever met. A man like him is a rare find, a gem of its own class.
He's so nice and jovial to his staffs that they interact with him not as a boss but a colleague, a brother, a friend or simply an adviser. He's so generous that even on his sick bed, he has given gifts of money, perfumes, clothing materials, food stuffs, and even cars to those in need. There's no amount of word that can be use to describe this legend, but this little epistle of mine will be able to introduce you to the man called Yahaya Mahmood, an idea of what you have missed if you haven't met him before, and a tip of the iceberg to those who have met him.
Innalillahi Wa'inna'ilaihir Raju'un: It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the death of our father, uncle, brother, grandfather, mentor, boss, colleague, friend and everything, Bar. Yahaya Mahmood SAN, principal solicitor Arewa Chambers. He died today Friday the 15th of Nov 2013 around Magrib after a protracted illness. He died at the age 61, living behind a wife, five children, legacies and a vacuum that can never be filled.
Now that you're gone we do not have anything to offer, just like when you were alive, but this shall stand as a testimony that your impact to our lives shall forever be remembered. And we pray that may Aljannatul Firdausi be your final abode.
Allah ya jikan ka uncle Yahaya Mahmood, yayi maka rahama, ya kuma sa aljanna ne makomar ka da mu gaba daya. Allah ya hada mu a aljanna.
RD Bawa
For the Dalhatu Bawa's

STILL COUNTING THE YEARS LIKE YESTERDAY (a tribute to late Alh. Dalhatu M Bawa)

Late Alh. Dalhatu M Bawa 1945-2001

Tuesday July 15th 1945 saw the birth of a bouncing baby boy, whose first baby crying echoes deep to the ears and hearts of every soul around waiting for his arrival. Little did any of them know that that child will grow to become a voice not just for them, but to many. This child is none other but Late Alh. Dalhatu Mustapha Bawa.

            His early age and life has given him so many nicknames, due to either an effort or an achievement.

"Kawun Siniya" (Senior Uncle) a nickname he earned simply for being one of the few to have made it to the then Senior Primary school. Which sent him to far away Sokoto to attend the then Arabic Teachers college Sokoto. Before his Graduation from higher institution, he became one of the first few youths to own an automobile, and has what was then regarded as the elites cut (The Afro cut), this new status earned him a another nickname "Yaro da Kudi" (which is part of an adage that simply means A rich young man, is a friend of the elders). he earned himself more nicknames most of which are after he had start work with the Nigerian Television Authority the NTA. One few that lasted longer than the rest are "Kawu Bawa" from his "Yaran Manyan Gobe" Children TV show and "The Puppet Master" during his tenure as the first HOD production of the then newly created NTA TV College.

            Who is this man called DM Bawa? To many he's simply that multi-talented Broadcaster, a presenter, producer, writer, director and actor. To some he is that foster father who is more of a paternal father, to others he's a teacher, a guide, a mentor, an uncle, a brother, a friend and a husband. But to me he's my everything.

My father was, is and will forever be my best friend, I learned virtually everything I know from him, he thought me what no teacher could teach, he guided me through what no experience could guide through, he believed in me more than how I ever believed in myself, at a point I thought I was the favorite child, but little did I know he gave that which he gave to me to all his 11 children, his wife, his siblings, his colleagues and friends. He was so generous with his kind heart that many believed he's too nice to a fault.

            I hardly forget any moment we spent together, which means I have in store in my brain hundreds of thousands of gigabytes of memories, but one that keeps popping up is the only memory of him that does not include him in particular. Yes, it was on the 24th of November 2001, I was in Kaduna, which I believe he's either in Jos, Lafia (our home town) or Abuja. It was during a fasting period then Ramadan has just began, at least that was the 9th day of Ramadan, I was getting ready for an outing which was more of a hustle, but the motivation behind it, Is that I will be using the money to buy a gift for my then found new love.

I was so excited and eager to leave my grandmothers (where I was staying). When my mom's uncle Baba Jafaru arrived and we exchanged pleasantries, I was so sure that he's not his usual self that day, but I wasn’t paying attention as I was eager to bail out and hit the road. After taking my bath, my grandmother summoned me and asks me to get ready to travel to Lafia, I tried to make excuses not to, but she insisted, saying that my vibrant, energy flowing father is admitted in the hospital and he has particularly asked for me. "DARAM" the bomb, deep inside my heart I felt the lost but my heart and stubborn love for the TV veteran refuses to accept it, and I was forcing myself to believe that he's just lying down there on his sick bed. I arranged my things and to the greatest of my surprise my grandmother insist that my mom's younger brother Hadi, escorts me, I thought it was to the park, but I was shaken more when he ended up paying for both our fares. We roll on the journey and for over 7 hours throughout the journey, we said nothing to each other.

We arrived at Lafia, just few minutes to the iftar (Breaking of the Fast) period and we went straight to our house, but meet the absence of the whole house members, instead we met a couple of friends who also just arriving from Jos, and one of them Moh'd Nazifi starts condoling me almost immediately, I chose not to hear, and ask them the whereabouts of everybody and we were redirected to our family house, we headed out to "Kofan Zanwa" our historical family house and I saw the huge crowd gathered in front of the house and the "Zaure" (Hallway), there I knew there is no more denial, but courageously and hopefully I make way into the house, hoping to meet someone to give me a good news, something away from the worst that I fear the most.

"Wayyo Allah" the shouts and screams of members of my extended family attacks my ears, disrupting the rhythmatic sound of my blood pumping heart beat. My presence has reminded many of my late father, and so they continue to cry, some even asking and saying how will I coupe without the man I grew up closely too? I looked around for someone from my immediate family members and from a far angle in an isolated corner I saw the figure of my mom, in a dark over large Hijab, and an extraordinary long Charbi (prayer beads), it is now answered and proven that that man I wish to grow old with is no more. but feeling like a strong-man I walked gently to my mother who is sitting beside my immediate elder brother Ahmad and I manly called up to her wanting to ask her where is daddy, but immediately after I called "Mama" she raises her head and I was not blind to see the streams of tears decorating her sad and agonized face. I fell down to my feet and bury my face in her lap, and I cried for as long as 3 whole hours. I refuse to hear anybody who is trying or console or calm me down, and the only thing I could hear is my own voice saying, "I have not seen him for almost a year, you should have called me to see him when he was actually sick"

            After accepting the truth, I learnt that daddy had died since yesterday the 23rd of November which coincides with the 8th of Ramadan that same year. 8th of Ramadan on the Islamic Lunar Calendar, that means that Late Alh. Dalhatu Mustapha Bawa, the Magajin Rafin Lafia and Shatiman Kayarda has spent 12 Lunar years in his grave yesterday the 8th of Ramadan.

From Mama Haj. Mairo A. Dalhatu, to my siblings and I; Haj. Hadiza Mohammed, Mustapha, Ahmed, Rufa'i (Me), Dahiru, Bashir, Fatima Ummaty, Sa'adatu, Abdulhameed, Jamila and Moh'd Auwal we say like always Baba we remember you yesterday and today again. It has been 12 years and still counting the years like yesterday.

RD Bawa...

Who Am I?

Many people have written about 'Who They Are' in many pages of long grammars, I have always wondered why they choose to write that long. So I decided to make mine as short as possible: My name is Rufa’i Dalhatu Bawa, popularly known as RD Bawa. A fourth child of the house of eleven, I am physically challenged as a result of a severe Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, though living with Disability am blessed with so much Abilities, that earned me the nickname ‘The CREATIVE GENIUS’ amongst friends and colleagues. A graduate of NTA Television College, a trained Writer/Director with the British Council under the ScriptNet/Connecting Futures Project tagged “REEL DIALOGUES ”.
I have worked in so many places and achieved a lot, my most recent works are with the BBC Media action where I served as a writer for GGK Seasons 11 & 12, I am currently the 'The Senior Operations Officer' OF Savannah Broadcasting Television. Writer/Director and crew member of so many films and documentaries that have been nominated, screened or won awards in many festivals in and around the world.
I have a passion for developmental and enlightenment projects, as a result of my passion I was able to work on projects like ‘Shan Inna’, a documentary on Polio for UNICEF.  Also worked on ‘A Dawo Lafiya’ and ‘In Kaki Ji’ all radio drama’s on HIV and Family Planning for SFH and PPFA respectively. My objectives are to creatively and confidently contribute to any organizations objectives with a great sense of commitment and accountability and also to translate the organizations ideas into concrete and tangible results and also to actively participate in more developmental and enlightenment projects, both in film and radio. Apart from my Writing and Directorial skills, a posses Good Communication and Powerful Oratory skills, and am also a Creative Thinker. I am Proficient in computer; possess great morals, Integrity, Honesty and Trustworthiness. My Disability doesn’t hinder me from doing my job as I possess an ability to work under pressure and without supervision. I am very resourceful in team work and have an excellent flare for Excellence and detailing in organizational ability.