A LIFE OF HONOUR AND GUIDANCE: TRIBUTE TO YAYAN SABAN GIDA (ALH. BASHARI YOLA) 1936 – 2023
By Abba Garba Yaro
Today, while sitting and reflecting, I was overwhelmed with memories—remembrances of a super uncle, a disciplinarian, and a family patriarch. He was a descendant of Malam Jibir, the leader of the Yolawa Fulani clan who fought in the 1804 Jihad alongside other noble Fulani clans. His lineage can be traced directly to Umaru Nayaya, son of Malam Jibir. His father, Wakilin Arewa Wada, was the son of Barden Kano Abdullahi Lamido, whose own father was Madakin Kano Isma, the first among Umaru Nayaya’s sons to become the Madaki of Kano.
YAYAN SABAN GIDA, as we fondly called him, was given this name by members of my household after he built a new house and eventually relocated with his family to Dawaki to begin his post-retirement life. He was formally known as BASHARI YOLA from his early school enrollment. Born in 1936, two years before my father, he was modestly educated in both Islamic and Western knowledge. He rose from being a classroom teacher to the highest rank in Local Government affairs before retiring and returning to teaching—this time as a Qur’anic teacher and mentor. I personally learned the Qur’an and other religious teachings from him.
He shaped and inspired not only me but many others we grew up with through his inestimable kindness and generosity. He personally oversaw my progress in both Western and Islamic education and consistently guided me toward steadfastness, spirituality, and sound societal values. Many viewed our relationship with him as that of an elder brother to my father’s first wife. While that is true, what many do not know is that both my father and Bashari Yola shared the same lineage and ancestry, as my father was also a great-grandson of Umaru Nayaya.
Yayan Sabangida’s mentorship and encompassing love for uprightness were remarkable. His unbiased nature helped resolve numerous family issues, including challenges within my own family. I vividly remember during my childhood how he helped reconcile my parents’ disputes, contributing to the stability of their union to this day. I always felt his moral compassion. His detachment from worldly distractions in his early forties taught me a valuable lesson about the relationship between longevity and personal peace. His simplicity and blunt nature were remarkable traits, as he spoke the truth regardless of the circumstances.
His passing in 2023 left a vacuum in the family. It was a painful loss for all of us who were mentored, loved, and cared for by him. We pray to Allah (SWT) to grant him the highest level of Jannah and to continue blessing his family.
Allah ya Jaddada rahama ga YAYAN SABAN GIDA.
24/02