In life there is a time to be given birth to and a time to
die; but what matters most is how you live in-between this two natural
phenomenon. For many, they just come into the world and leave uncelebrated
without any significant contribution to humanity and the conspicuous absence of
any positive legacy that stamps their footprints on the sands of time. While for
a few, they live life to the fullest, with service to both God and humanity as
their motivation. They made the world better than they met it; they become a
blessing to their families, community and the world at large.
Baba Isiyaku Goje belongs to the second category of the very
few that made the world a better place because he lived a life of love, peace,
passion, integrity, hard-work, leadership and service to both God and humanity.
Even though an introvert, he was outspoken for what is right. When it comes to
leading a family, he is an institution that should be studied, and his love for
his community was indomitable even with his unassuming posture.
His children who are his greatest legacy epitomize those
characteristics that saturated Baba’s life, which include: humility, charisma,
integrity, discipline, courage and determination to make the society a better
place. As he always reminded his children to always be ambassadors of the
values that characterized his life and that the only inheritance his children
should look up to is that of education, which he did everything within his
power to give us. What had worked for Baba and aided his achievements in life;
is his adorable, hard-working and dedicated wife of almost 45 years of marriage
(since 1970); who he loved dearly, because she justified the cliché, behind
every successful man there is a woman.
In his drive for a better society he undertook all
responsibilities placed on his shoulders with unflinching determination to
honestly carry it out to the best of his ability; be it as a civil servant,
community leader or in the church. He was a man of admirable humility, a lover
of people and a staunch peace-builder. For instance, at the peak of the
district headship crisis in Yarkasuwa, he especially cautioned his children and
others that supported him to not hate those that opposed him or get involved in
it, but to see it as God’s design for him. No wonder he was appointed as a
member of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee under the administration of late
Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. Below is a brief account of Baba’s meritorious life.
Baba Isiyaku Goje came into this sinful world on the 10th
day of November 1943; to the noble family of Mr. & Mrs. Goje and Amaza
Usman in Mishawa, Yarkasuwa of present day Kaduna state. Baba like most of his
contemporaries grew up in an environment that recognized and upheld discipline,
high moral standing, hard-work, good neighborliness and courage.
Due to his obedience, comportment and hard-work; he was his
father’s favorite son, who almost did no wrong in the eyes of his strict father,
on occasions he fell short of expectations; he was pardoned unlike his siblings
who got punished for lesser offences. This and many more laid the solid
foundation for Baba’s adventure into life. His curiosity always got the best
out of him, and that was why when the opportunity presented itself for him to
venture into academic pursuit, he jumped into it with all the enthusiasm and determination
he could muster.
The little but great Baba was excited at the thought of
attending school, considering the fact that the society was more agrarian and at
the time western education was not as popular as it is today, but Baba’s
determination to stamp his name on the sands of time saw him stood his ground,
despite the pocket of opposition he faced. He started his education at S.I.M
Primary School in 1953, where he spend only one year before moving to Bisallah Native
Authority Junior Primary between 1954 – 1957, and later Soba Native Authority
Senior Primary School from 1958-1960. While in primary school he always
displayed his in-build leadership attributes, which saw him become an active
member of the Young Farmers Club and a House Captain.
Due to certain challenges, Baba had to stay at home for
almost two years, before heading to Medical Laboratory School, in Jos, Plateau
state. After which his unquenchable thirst for knowledge made him dedicate his
time to self-study in preparation for the Rapid Result College G.C.E from 1967
– 1969 (University of London). Upon successfully passing his G.C.E, he then proceeded
to the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology of Nigeria, both in Kaduna
polytechnic, for Basic Science; and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, for Chemical
Pathology, respectively from 1971 – 1977. After graduation, he went for his N.Y.S.C in
1978. He then traveled out to France for his Certificate Training Course in
KEM-O-MAT 2 HP” in 1982, before coming back to Nigeria to fully pursue his
career.
In 1969, while studying at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello
University Zaria, he was offered appointment by the Council of Ahmadu Bello
University as a Laboratory Assistant. While in 1977, he was offered full time
appointment by the Institute of Health Board Management, Ahmadu Bello
University, as Technologist II, in the Department of Chemical Pathology. Afterwards,
he moved his service to the General Hospital, Funtua, in the former Kaduna
state. As a result of the splitting of the state in 1987 into Kaduna and
Katsina states; his services was transferred to the Civil service of Kaduna
state in the same year as Principal Medical Laboratory Technologist, where he
worked at the General Hospital Kafanchan and Yusuf Dan-Tsoho Memorial Hospital,
Tudun Wada.
In recognition of his dedication to service and commitment
to excellence, he was promoted and transferred to the Kaduna state Ministry of
Health & Social Development in 1990, where he became the Assistant Director
and later the Deputy Director of Laboratory Services in 1994. After 35 years of
meritorious service he voluntarily retired in 2000. While Baba had it in mind
to retire into a quiet and peaceful life, fate had a different calling for him,
when his people called upon him to stand for the District headship of Yarkasuwa
in 2001. After a brief period on the throne, due to some challenges, he again
retired back to his private life. In 2012, he was invited by the government of
Late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa to serve in the Peace and Reconciliation
Committee as a member and the Kaduna State Scholarship Board as a member also.
Baba was a dedicated Christian; who gave his life to Christ
and was also baptized as far back as the 1960s. His passion for Christ pushed
him into joining the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) which he helped to
form in 1967 in Kaduna state. He was
proud of his origin and identity, and that was why he actively involved himself
passionately in promoting unity and development in Kurama land. He is credited
to have coined the Kurama (Akurmi) motto “SANU DOTE WA CIYE TATI NE UBUSA”,
when he was the president of the association in its early days. He was also central
to the organization of the first Annual Kurama Cultural Festival of Traditional
Dances and Shows from 1970-79; when he served at various times as the president
and organizing secretary of the organizing committee. He later on also served
as the President Akurmi Development Association in 1999 and also as a member of
Committee of Trustees of the Akurmi Development Association in the same year.
In recognition of his
legendary contributions to his community he was in the year 2000 awarded by the
Community Action and Rights Awareness (CARA) in appreciation of his selfless
service for the upliftment of the Kurama community in particular and Lere local
government in general. Furthermore, it was the struggle for the emancipation of
his people that saw him become an active member of the Southern Kaduna Elders
Forum on July 18th, 2006 and also a caretaker committee member of
SOKAPU. Baba had a brief journey into politics in 1970s, when he became a
councilor.
Baba is survived by his loving wife (Mrs. Mary I Goje), five
great children (Solomon, Adamu, Tani, Samaila and Yusuf), grand-children (Tahila
A. Goje and Abdiel Idzi) and other relations. Baba lives on in our heart!
