Requiem for Coomassie, a friend and friend indeed

The sudden death of my bosom friend, Sardaunan Katsina, Dr. I.A. Coomassie, brought severe pains and great sorrows to mankind. His demise has irreversibly decimated the rapidly declining strength of Nigerian patriots. It is painful but glorious in the sight of the Lord when a faithful dies. At a time when Nigeria could hardly afford to dispense with the services of her brightest brains, best informed minds, most resourceful and patriotic citizens in the polity, the icy hands of death surreptitiously stole and froze the innocuous soul of Alhaji Coomassie in the evening of Thursday, 19th of July, 2018 in the Orthopaedic Hospital in Katsina. He was a technocrat of high profile, Superior Police Officer, a gentleman, a fine public officer extraordinary and a citizen of high integrity. His outstanding traits, expressive language, pleasant disposition and high level of civilization fascinated him consistently to mankind. Sons and daughters of Kings were often found among dignitaries in his company. His simplicity, unfettered humility, innate wisdom, astonishingly retentive memory and modesty impeccably sustained him as a fine example of decency among pious men whose praises are regularly sung in Scriptures.

A devout and a liberal true Muslim with robust FAITH who savours the tenets of ISLAM with malice towards none but with charity for all and a consuming compelling passion for doing good. He was a workaholic and a diligent public servant. Fortune favoured him as he became Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police during his impressive Career in the Public Service of Nigeria. He remained in the Public Service of Nigeria until he retired meritoriously in June, 1999. He stayed in Katsina majorly from year 2000 till his death in 2018. We will continue to admire, appreciate and love him even in death. His death is an irreplaceable loss in an inauspicious season. His demise is the greatest catastrophe that ever befell Katsina Community in Katsina State in recent times. Indeed, when beggars die no comets are seen but the Heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes.

Ibrahim Ahmadu’s impressive language and style were fluid, authoritative, instructive, comprehensible and convincing. He was a Super Detective in Investigation. He was properly groomed in the United Kingdom where he trained. He wrote and spoke English Language eloquently and so well that his friends, relatives and associates were always filled with admiration. He was good in character, his intelligence was an attractive quality, brilliant in learning and symbolically impressive in performance. He was highly talented, creative, articulate and disciplined. He never, ever acted beyond reasonable limits of decency. He facilitated the successes of many people particularly young, dynamic, poor and persons in need. He always helped people generally and more specifically orphans, widows, less privileged and the needy. He was generally loved by people.

He is a major part of anything good in this World. He was a source of great inspiration and a leader of impressive organising skills. He regarded life as a “vapour which appears for a while and suddenly disappears and the value of life being directly proportionate to the investments made in the lives of others”. He was an ebullient scholar, a rainbow to the masses and an envoy of the less privileged. He was attractive, civil and zealous in appearance; forceful, diplomatic, intellectual and convincing in speech; flexible and logical in arguments but firm in principles and very reasonable in conclusions. He had a successful tour of National duty.

Ibrahim Ahmadu’s success story drew its strength from the credibility his flexible leadership style, his intellectual empowerment, forthrightness, sincerity of purpose, sympathy for the poor, widows, orphans and the needy and which his judgments, verdicts and decisions brought into the Public Service of Nigeria, particularly the Nigeria Police Force.  He was a visible expression of Allah’s glory. He was immensely peaceful and well endowed with impeccable social, academic and Security credentials. He was diligent, resilient, resourceful, temperate, culturally healthy and professionally skilled. He was physically robust, mentally alert, emotionally stable and spiritually balanced. His organic effigy is unquestionably fit to adorn the Nation’s Hall of Fame as a living Legend of our time.

His tutorials, judgments, verdicts and decisions as a Public Officer of immense professional talents and as a citizen extraordinary were prudent, constructive and witty. He read avidly, consulted widely, related properly, communicated effectively, reasoned rationally, acted appropriately and researched extensively on diverse issues particularly those relating to Laws, Civil Service Rules, politics, health, religion and governance. He paid meticulous attention to details and consequently only very little could occasionally escape his attention. He was modest, unassuming, incredibly intelligent and absolutely innocuous.

Ibrahim Ahmadu lived, worked and died for Nigeria.  He served Allah, Nigeria and mankind faithfully, patriotically, diligently and selflessly. He consistently exhibited strict cardinal virtues of honesty, sincerity, resourcefulness, transparency and accountability expected of honest people who occupy public positions of trust, great responsibility and high visibility. He is a major part of anything good in this World. He was a virtuous pedigree, a success compilation, a residual of wisdom and a notable clear-thinking-headed personality. His quality as a person cannot be exactly expressed in words but suffice to say that he was disciplined, smart, valiant, sublime, informed and well connected. Nigerians are impressed by his kindness, patience, hardwork, sacrifice, decency as a person, courage, steadfastness and determination.

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Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie’s appointment as Inspector-General in Nigeria shot him prominently into global visibility. He held such a high position with diminished personal freedom and greater responsibility for the good of Nigeria. The history of the Development of our Effective Security System in Nigeria cannot be comprehensively and completely told without his towing intellectual contributions. He was tested, tried and volubly trusted as a public officer with impressive track records of patriotic Service. Besides, he wrote some of the most illuminating and intellectually powered Civil Service Rules, Regulations and Classified Security Papers for Nigeria. He interpreted civil laws, Regulations and General Orders carefully and thoroughly for societal well-being.

Ibrahim Ahmadu had a credible history of excellent performance in the Public Service of Nigeria. He ranked in the class of high profile technocrats in the Public Service of Nigeria. Truly, he is one among the best the Nation has produced. He had the requisite academic, attitudinal and professional credentials as well as the drive and guts with which he performed his duties excellently. Elegant and refined in language, with clarity of thoughts, boldness of vision, intimidating in mien and compassionate in disposition, he became a special “STUDY” in leadership.

Nigeria will continue to search for men of goodwill of the calibre of Alhaji Coomassie to fill positions of trust, service, sacrifice and high callings in her quest for sustainable development particularly in security and nation building. He was a visible expression of Allah’s glory. Every page in his life bears the Signature of Allah. His qualities as a person are immensely inspirational. He conducted himself creditably reminiscent of well known civilised conduct in the service of humanity. His ideas, opinions and pieces of advice were weighty, incisive, lofty, searching and penetrating. He possessed what is lacking in current most men and represents what is generally desired in society. He was frank, incredibly intelligent, unhesitating and the very model of a Military history.

Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie was a great family man. He was handsome, healthy and lively. He was loved by his parents, uncles, aunts, wife and children. He showered his wife and children with love and gifts. He is survived by one wife and an intellectual family of six children, four boys, two girls and grandchildren. The two girls are married.

Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie!!! you were a friend and a friend indeed. My memory of you will ever remain green. You were diligent, hardworking and sincere. We will continue to mourn you as long as the sad memory lingers on in our minds. We pray for the repose of your kind, simple, gentle, peaceful and lovely soul. May Allah forgive you for any act of transgression or disobedience and keep your soul in Paradise until that morning of the resurrection day when the living and the dead will be reunited to part no more. Rest in peace. Goodbye. Odigba. Odigbo se. Ominmkinbue.

Oyakhire, a former military administrator of Oyo and Taraba states sent this piece from Benin.