Kolade Olaoluwa (The immediate past Senate President) said once, “One man with courage can make a majority.” Atala Yusuf went on to say, “You will be remembered for two things: the problem you solve or the ones you create.” Both statements remind me of my NANS Senate President and Nigeria’s patriotic son, the late Donald Onukaogu to whom this tribute is devoted.
Donald that I know believes that African leaders – for that matter, Nigerian leaders are not above the law. According to him, Nigerians need leaders who are not only servants of his people but who also should be answerable to the people, and that the practice of praise and worship singing many Nigerians are accustomed to, makes these leaders feel indispensable; therefore, the attitude that our leaders can do no wrong should not be entertained. While some of them may have good intentions, the hypocritical practice of the praise and worship singing, turned them into dictators that cannot tolerate any criticism especially from leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). As a result, they are not about the people’s business but are ONLY concern about themselves, their families, friends and those who will follow them BLINDLY.
Based on the aforementioned, on behalf of my humble self, community of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and the National Secretariat of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) led by the indefatigable Comrade Yinka Gbadebo, I wish to condole the families of Comrade Donald Onukaogu, Comrade Abdulazeez Oladimije, Comrade Jerry Soccar, and Comrade Japhet Duru who died in a ghastly motor accident in Ummahia, Abia State on Thursday 13th June, 2013 while travelling on an official trip to the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to intervene on the recently crisis that led to the death of 4 Nigerian Students in UniUyo.
But I guess that’s the point…no matter how much preparation one has, death is so permanent and so isolating for those left behind, you don’t ever really “get it”, until the person is gone and no matter what you might post on Facebook or Twitter, the person you want most to reply, isn’t going to.
With the death of Comrade Donald Onukaogu (The Senate President of Our Time), Nigerian Students has lost a consummate and cool-headed fighter for the emancipation of Nigerian Students right and social justice in Nigeria, in fact Donald died when Nigerian Students needed him most in order to review the NANS CONSTITUTION AND CHARTER OF DEMAND.
Comrade Abdulazeez Kabir Oladimije, my leader, friend, brother and consultant, I am not sure all that I have learned from Abdulazeez I know I haven’t yet realized all the ways that he has impacted me with his life and death. I just know that God showed me in a big way that it doesn’t pay to hesitate in life and in pursuing friendships. If you are in someone’s life and they are in yours, ask yourself why that is. What I am saying is, if you meet someone and think you could be a good friend to them or they to you, or both…ask God to create the opportunity for it to happen…don’t walk away and do nothing. Right now, all I can think is Abdulazeez (my co-traveller and sometimes my roommate) was such a great friend and I would have had SO much more time to get to know him, if I had just reached out. I’m glad I did reach out when I did, but a life altering lesson has been learned by me.
Question to ponder: How Am I Going To Give You Your Kaftan Now That You Are Death?
Myself, Comrade Tijani Usman Shehu and Comrade Abdulazeez Kabir Oladimije travelled to Abeokuta, Ogun State for NAPS Convention and as at then all his cloths were in my bag, after the meeting in Abeokuta we never meets again to give him one of his KAFTAN that was in my bag. Right now I don’t know how to get to his family *Crying and Praying*.
According to Shakespeare “All The World Is A Stage And All Men And Women Merely Actors And Actresses, They All Have Their Entrances And Exits, And Five Men In His Time Plays Many Parts”: Hence The Late Comrade Donald Onukaogu and 4 others has indeed fought a good fight and finished their earthly course and kept abiding faith in the goodness of the Lord.
Finally, May almighty God grants the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Adieu Great Comrades
Comrade Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah
NANS SSA Public Relations
