By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo anipr
It was a remarkable event at the residence of Former CJN, Justice Alfa Belgore: a naming ceremony of Adam Fareed Belgore, the grandson of Late Justice Ahmad Belgore. The event was supposed to be just a naming ceremony but it turned out to be the forum to unravel the good deeds, which were hitherto hidden, of the Former CJN, Alfa Belgore.
The renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Adam Yahaya Alfulany in his lecture at the event recalled the huge impact of Belgore’s family on him over the years through Late Justice Ahmad Belgore. According to him, the family is a kind that wipes tears of sorrow on the faces of people. These remarks are heavy enough for great minds to reflect on, hence they are reminiscent of my tribute to Late Justice Ahmad Belgore which centred on his kindness when he was alive.
Besides, historical accounts from our elders hold that Belgore’s family and Dembo’s family had shared cordial relationships long before our generation was born. So, whatever comments I make here about Sheikh Adam Yahaya Alfulany’s remarks on Belgore’s family would not be out of place, but a reflection and/or confirmation of what I had been told earlier.
In his account, Sheikh Alfulany said the Former CJN, Alfa Belgore was named after the great Sheikh Salihu Alimi Ibn Janta and that the name had reflected in the progress, ascension and attitude of his personality. This is not unconnected to the immeasurable assistance he had rendered to many. Perfection belongs to Allah(SWT), I know this piece would knock some people’s minds, most especially those who would never acknowledge good things about person, because they have not benefitted from him/her directly.
I was also moved to write this piece as a result of my philosophy about life. I would praise those who deserve it.The account by Sheikh Alfulany has reinforced the reality about the personality of a man who rose from a humble beginning of his career to become the Chief Justice of Nigeria. A position no Ilorin man has attained since our entire history as an Emirate.
There’s no way I would have captured everything that was said about Alfa Belgore by Sheikh Adam Yahaya Alfulany. But one thing I would say is that which I was told by my late eldest sister, May Allah be pleased with her soul, Hajiya Salamatu Iya-Aluko Gegele, about how the Former CJN Alfa Belgore rose to the occasion for her as a young judge in Kaduna. More so, she was equally offered a lot of gifts Justice from the day he got know that she was the daughter of Late Kawu Salihu Dembo in Isale Maliki.
In addition, when I was a fresh graduate after Youth Service,my eldest sister took me to GRA residence of Justice Alfa Belgore, where we met Late Hajiya Fatimah Belgore for possible assistance regarding my employment.Our aim was to meet Justice Alfa but he was not around then.What I saw in her that day was an affirmation of a complete family woman,who was willing to help. She told me; don’t worry I will give it to those who would work on it. As at that time Alhaja Halima Tayo Alao was a Minister of Environment and Housing.Hajiya of blessed memory gave me mints of 500 hundred naira notes.After some weeks when I returned to her without my eldest sister, she said she had made her moves and that I should continue praying to Allah to make it easy. That same day she gave me another mints of 500 notes. May Allah forgive Hajiya and grant her eternal rest in aljannah firdaus. Ameen
Alfulany also said Allah has kept Justice Alfa Belgore because of his act of kindness.He gave a short story about a butcher who usually distributed meat to people for free.He said the butcher was living very close to the residence of a rich man.He explained that people always disparaged the rich man and showered praises on the butcher.
Following the death of the rich man, many were cursing him and was buried without necessary honour. Sheikh Alfulany said after the fidau prayer, the butcher resumed his business and people came around for free meat as usual. It was then the butcher told them he had no capacity to give out free meat as his neighbour, the rich man was responsible for the free meat. He paid for the meats but instructed him not to disclose his act of kindness.The people were not elated and told him that he should have disclosed that when the rich man was alive.
By implication what Alfulany said was simply telling us that Alfa Belgore had been silently kind to people. May Allah bless Sheikh Alfulany for this revelation and may He bless the Former CJN too.
To digress a bit, Sheikh also eulogised Dan Amana Ngeri of Ilorin, Dr Tunji Nagode and described him as a generous personality who had been willingly and consistently helping the less privileged. He cited a situation where Dan Amana saved someone enmeshed in a problem.
The lesson I have learnt from the disclosure of Sheikh Adam Yahaya Alfulany about the Belgore’s family is that they have been of help to some people but do not make it to the hearing of their closest neighbours.
To buttress this, Dr Shuaib Belgore who is the son of Justice Alfa Belgore has helped a lot of people to gain employment into various paramilitary establishments, when he was the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Interior, prior his redeployment to Federal Ministry of Housing few years ago.
Indeed, the holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said: “Goodness never fades…” Keep doing good no matter how little, if some are not appreciating you, Allah does and some people will do. May Allah continue to bless those who have been kind to people at their lowest moments.
AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo writes from Minna and is an Associate of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations
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