Tribute to Justice Mamman Nasir

His short stint as Justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria and his long sojourn as President of Court of Appeal were legendary; judicious, historic and prosperous. It was therefore not surprising that his retirement from active public service sometimes in 1992 was rewarded by crowning him as one of the most important title holders (Kingmaker) of Katsina Emirate Council and its district head of Malumfashi local government area.

This set a stage for Galadiman Katsina Justice Mamman Nasir’s untiring efforts in family unification, philanthropy and giving a voice of wisdom and guidance to Malumfashi, Katsina and North in particular and Nigeria in general.

He was a man of different personalities at different places; a passionate husband and father, a trained engineer and a minister of the first republic (a politician).

In the year 2012 when I went for a familiarisation tour as a magistrate of Kastina state sitting at Malumfashi, my first point of interest was a small prison facility adjacent his palace, as it’s the custom to pay a courtesy call on traditional rulers in one’s jurisdiction.

We therefore walked to the secretary’s office and registered our presence to which the police officer in my company remarked; “Your worship, you seems to be at home” and finally withdrawn to have allowed me continue with the protocol due to the warm reception we were afforded.

My visit to him was a homecoming and formality of a sort, as I have been part of the larger family Galadima fathered and mentored by his beautiful and large heart.

At his modest and large room and in presence of his wives; Galadima gave many words of wisdom and advice, prayed for guidance in discharge of my duties and concluded with his charismatic humor by asking me to “take up his case against my mothers in the room”, I was only able to replied him with a laughter…

May jannatul Firdaus be your final resting place…

Umar Faruk Kabir, Funtua, Katsina state

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