Muhammad Ibrahim Zango, of blessed memory, was my childhood friend. He died 20 years ago on January 14, 2004, when he was 38 years old.
We grew up together in Unguwan Sarki ward, near the Emir’s Palace in Biu local government area of Borno state.
According to Wikipedia, the name of Biu was initially called Viu which in Babur and Bura languages means high. The Biu kingdom was established around 1670 during the reign of Mari Watila Tampta. King Mari Watirwa (1793–1838). It is an ancient town on a hilltop.
Biu people are mainly farmers of beans, maize, guinea corn and groundnut. From Biu city, Maiduguri is to the east, Gombi to the south, Mubi, Garkida and Gombe to the west and Damaturu to north
Our childhood and primary school classmates were Honourable Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, Alhaji Usman Dawi, Sani Hassan Mustapha Yapati, Adamu Kyari, Audu Dan Fulani, Abdulahi Salisu, Dija Usman, Halima Alhassan Zara Dubanaka, Saidatu Mohammad, Patum Sarkis and many friends.
We were enrolled in 1971 at Biu Central Primary school. The headmasters were Alhaji Bemi Biu, Alh Maina Mamman, among others, who were on transfer from one school to another with few years intervals.
We passed with flying colours and proceeded to Government Secondary School (GSS) Biu, between 1979 – 84 as boarding students.
My friend, the late Muhammad Ibrahim Zango, was in Galadima House and I was in Sokotuma House and at different classes from A, B and so on.
When observing our duty schedule, we used to either fetch water from the river to water the school garden or we draw water from the school well.
When resuming school after the holidays, we hire a taxi from home to convey us with our provisions and essentials to school.
Most of us that completed primary school with flying colours secured admissions in either universities, polytechnics or colleges of education.
My late close confidant, Muhammadu Ibrahim Zango, later started working at the Ministry of Agriculture, Borno state.
The deceased was honest, dependable, diplomatic and cheerful. While growing up and especially during holidays, we meet in the morning, play, assist each other in going for errands from morning till dawn.
As adults and family men, he was transferred from Maiduguri to Biu zonal office and we continued relating well, even though it is said that 20 children cannot play for 20 years, we were engaged in other things, but had time to meet and joke about the past.
I married in 1992 and he in 1996.I joined the federal civil service in 1998 and have been working at the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, in Abuja while he was in Biu.
Leaving Biu for Abuja was full of challenges. I was leaving my ancestral comfort zone, family, friends, among others, for a different environment that was developing as the federal capital with people from different backgrounds with the zeal to develop Nigeria.
We wrote and replied letters via Nigeria Postal Service which took weeks. We met physically during December breaks, reminded each other of our youthful exuberance and exchanged pleasantries.
When GSM or mobile handsets were introduced, we subscribed, exchanged numbers and continued communicating though far apart until his death.
Communication was instantaneous because of the GSM connection, when I received a call and was informed of the death of my close and bossom friend in a brief illness at the youthful age of 38 years, I sobbed and prayed for the repose of his soul.
I will always remember and pray for Muhammad Ibrahim Zango.
Mai Ali Madu,
Abuja
