Tribute to Hon. Khadi Alkali Habib Tijjani father, husband, grandfather, mentor and esteemed public servant

Tribute to Hon. Khadi Alkali Habib Tijjani father, husband, grandfather, mentor and esteemed public servant

By Mohammed Habib

As George Bernard Shaw would say: ‘Life levels all men and death reveals the eminent’, today marks a decade since the passing away of our late father, Hon. Khadi Alkali Habib Tijjani, a man who touched countless lives and hearts during his lifetime. A father, devoted husband, cherished grandfather and respected public servant cum mentor whose legacy continues to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing him.

As I have always maintained in my annual tribute to him since his demise on 1st February, 2006, Baa (as we fondly called him) was a man of magnetic warmth quintessential wisdom, and pragmatic humor during his lifetime. He used to share jovial stories of his travels to Ngaundare, Douala, Garoua, Maroua, Tibati in Cameroon Republic, and across Mambila, Gembu, Mubi, Ngurore, Gashaka, Ganye, Tongou and Jada, where he married his first wife, Hajja Hadiza fondly called Mama Uwani (may Allah have mercy on her gentle soul).

His tales of growing up under the guidance of his late uncle, Alhaji Mamman Dafami in Dikwa, Gulumba, and Bama; also the lessons he learnt in entrepreneurship under the tutorship of his brother-in-law Late Alhaji Mallam Umara Kokari at Litinin Yerwaye (now Monday Market) in the late 1950s through early 1960s still resonate deeply within us. Even in death his kindness, humility and love for people continue to inspire many.

In line with his practice of taking us on road trips when we were young kids, I also took my children on a road trip recently to visit some of the towns and communities he lived and worked in during his years in public service and tried to establish ties with them. Some of such places were Zaria, Kano, Machina, Nguru, Yusufari, Karasuwa, Geidam, Potiskum, Hadejia, Katsina and beyond. Even though most of his colleagues and friends have sadly passed on, we were warmly received by their families.

For instance, we cherish the hospitality of His Royal Highness Late Mai Bukar Machinama of Machina Emirate, and his family whose son, the current Emir His Royal Highness Alhaji Dr. Bashir Albishir Bukar Machinama. OON, L’ONN, was out of the country to attend the graduation ceremony of Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 16th Emir of Kano, who was awarded a PhD in Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London.

While in Nguru, we visited the families of the Late District Head of Nguru His Highness Alhaji Zannah Medala Ali, Late Baba Abdu Alkali, Late Ba Zannah Maidodo (the Sarkin Hausawa Nguru) as well as Sheikh Uthmanu Fillatiya family. The eldest daughter of Ba Zannah Maidodo, upon realizing who we were broke down in tears crying uncontrollably.

My visit to the family of late Mallam Yusuf Kasuwan Dare also stood out because while introducing myself to the patriarch of the family (Alhaji Mamman Mallam Yusuf), he started shedding tears of joy and reminiscing about the past.

He reminded us of the deep relationship that existed between our late parents and expressed his happiness for reviving the ties and promised to sustain it. I lost control also weeping profusely with him in the middle of the road to the astonishment of onlookers and my children.

Before departing Nguru, we also used the opportunity to visit the families of Alhaji Mallam Baba Tela of Kadawa Ward, Alhaji Modu Musa (who was my primary School mate at Nguru Central Primary School), the families of Late Alhaji Bature, Alhaji Garba Nayaya and the family of Late Mallam Haladu Jajimaji. In my next visit, inshaa Allah, I intend to visit more families especially the family of late Alhaji Labaran Jika whom our family consider valuable as we still have a special place for him in our hearts for convincing our father to enroll us into the Nigeria Military School Zaria during the 1984/1985 session but for certain circumstances beyond our control that thwarted the good intention.
He personally procured the application forms for us at the Office of the then Sole Administrator of Nguru Local Government and ensured that we completed it with the prescribed passport photograph affixed on the form.

In fact, by now, myself and my older brother (Mohammed Alkali Habib a,k.a Bakura Habib) would have been Senior Officers in the Nigerian Armed Forces.

While passing through Wachakal, Dumsai Wachakal, Chumbusko, Chulumbuta, Garin Gawo, Alhajiri, Jajimaji, Bukarti, our journey took us to Gashua where we visited one of our father’s court messengers (Ba Musa Dawa) who accompanied us to Yusufari. I was telling my children that if not for time constraint, we would have spent the night in Gashua and visited the Mai Bade, His Royal Highness Mai Abubakar Umar Suleiman.

Even though he may not know us personally, but one thing I remember was that our late father was particular about his friendship with the Late Mai Bade, His Royal Highness Mai Saleh ibn Suleiman II, OFR who died in November 2005 while our father died in February 2016

According to our late father, his friendship with the Mai Bade started through Late Goni Aji Gashua during his appointment as the Mai Bade in 1981. While our Dad was the Judge Nguru Upper Area Court, the Judge of Upper Area Court Gashua at the time had died and our Dad was directed to oversee the Court from 1983.
Our father was being driven back to Nguru after closing from the day’s court session from Gashua when Mallam Aminu Kano’s death was announced on 17th April, 1983 (I still remember we were kids inside the Station Wagon Car). Gashua used to be the hub of Mallam Aminu Kano’s Peoples Redemption Party (PRP-SAWABA), hence the death was a colossal loss to the people of Bade Emirate.

The friendship of our late Father and that of the Late Mai Bade Saleh blossomed to the extent that the Mai Bade, in appreciation of our father’s consistency and loyalty to their friendship named one of his grandchildren after our mother (Hajja Fati). In my next visit to Yobe State, I shall In Shaa Allah visit the current Mai Bade to revive the ties between our families and find out about our mother’s namesake, Fati.
We drove through the night to Jakusko via Garin Alkali where I showed my children the house of the founder of the town where our father used to branch and spend some time with him.

As we reached Potiskum around 10pm, we drove straight to the house of one of our father’s Junior colleagues in the Judiciary and close confidants, Baba Alkali Abubakar Galadima. When our Dad was the Judge Upper Area Court Damboa in 1987, Alkali Galadima was the Area Court Judge of Chibok under the supervision of our Dad. From the moment our father died, Baba Alkali Habu Galadima has maintained and sustained a relationship with all of us as he likened our Dad to an older brother.
My intention was to rush my children to round up their greetings and head to Katsina enroute Kano, but he sat me down calmly and authoritatively asking that if Alkali my father was alive and I informed him of my intention to proceed on this night journey, would he allow me to continue the journey at this ungodly hour. As I answered in the negative, he then declared that:

‘Therefore if you regard me as Alkali Habib, I hereby quash your intention to proceed on this journey and direct that all your belongings in the car be offloaded.’ His words and reasoning broke my heart and I had to end the journey that night.
Ironically, the children and I confessed in the morning how we really enjoyed our sleep in the house with zero tension and stress.
Another interesting story Baba Alkali Habu Galadima shared with us was three pieces of advice our late father gave him growing up as a Judge.

According to him, our Dad counseled him to be conscious of the three things: firstly, he should be neat and smart in his dressing as a judge, secondly he should avoid public gatherings where people sit and talk casually as a Judge; and lastly he should never drive himself as a Judge.

Baba Alkali Habu Galadima confirmed to us that throughout his career in the Public Service he was guided by these advices.
In all the places we visited many wept upon seeing us; recounting the generosity, humility and love of our father. It was a profoundly moving experience, a moment of both sadness and pride as we realized that his values and legacy live on through us to date.

The next day we drove straight to Katsina where we visited the Commander-General of the Katsina State Hisbah Board Sheikh Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar) through whom we reached out to the family of Late Khadi Alkali Dodo who was our father’s senior colleague and friend.

Our visit to Kano was multifaceted. After visiting few family friends of our late father like the family of late Khadi Alkali Tijjani Yahaya Dukawa, we visited some of my wife’s relatives (the children and grandchildren of Late Alhaji Bala Dambatta family). Some of them were married to the Late Alhaji Abba Abdullahi Family, Late Alhaji Baba Nabegu Family, Alhaji Mujtaba Dantata family, Late Audu Bako Family, the former Military Governor of Old Kano State) etc.

Actually, our plan was to visit two prominent people of our late father in the persons of Alhaji Abdulkarim Dayyabu and Hajjiya Najaatu Muhammad but I had to cut short the trip and return to Abuja where my attention was urgently needed. I intend to continue with my visit to all my father’s acquaintances i could not visit the last time In Shaa Allah.

It may interest some family members and other Nigerians to note that our father’s relationship and the two Kano personalities of high repute I mentioned earlier emanated as a result of their passion for social justice and fairness in the society.
I consider them as people of like minds. During the military regime, Alhaji Abdulkarim Dayyabu’s voice in British Broadcasting Corporation (Hausa Service) as well as Voice of America (VOA Hausa) and Deutsch Welle (DW Hausa Germany) was frequently and consistently boisterous on his opinions about policies of military regimes as they affected the masses being the Chairman of Rundunar Adalci (Vanguard for Justice in Nigeria) with his representatives spread all over Nigeria. Our father was impressed with Abdulkarim’s dispositions so much that anytime our father visited Kano, he used to visit Abdulkarim in his office on Beirut Road, thereby consolidating their friendship.

I felt embarrassed in the Office of the National Security Adviser when Alhaji Abdulkarim Dayyabu came to visit Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in 2024. As I approached him and introduced myself, his swift response was aptly understood when he said: ‘baku da kirki’. I had to apologize to him and typical of his mien, he instructed his son who was with him to exchange contacts with me. Since then Alhamdulillah I kept in touch with him.

On the eve of Nigeria’s democratization process to the current 4th Republic after the death of General Sani Abacha in June 1998, General Abdulsalami Abubakar who took over as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, outlined his transition to civil rule programme, whereby the hitherto ban on political activities was lifted. When the political class were regrouping, aligning and realigning, to form political associations, Abdulkarim Dayyabu was the founding Deputy National Chairman (North) of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) while Professor Udenta O. Udenta was the founding National Secretary of the party.

Knowing that he had no one in Borno State other than our father, Alhaji Abdulkarim Dayyabu sent a handwritten letter to our father through an emissary (one Yemen Staff in his office) and the Yobe State Branch Chairman of Rundunar Adalci who was resident in Potiskum. Remember at the time there were no means of communication other than landline phones used by privileged few in the society. I was in my 300-level in the University studying Political Science and at the same time the President of National Association of Political Science and Administration Students.

As the delegation arrived in our Old GRA House and briefed our father, I returned from school around 3pm after lectures of the day. Being still in active public service with few months to statutorily retire, our father introduced me to them as a student of Political Science for a better informed guide.

All they needed then was to comply with the strict guidelines for registration of political parties as associations were required 10% support and visibility in at least 24 states or more and the FCT to gain permanent registration from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the Fourth Republic transition by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar military regime.

The delegation came along with their already designed hardcover notebook indicating details of members to be filled as well as a structure to hire and paint the AD’s logo and colour urgently.
I carried them to our old family house in Fezzan Ward Maiduguri near the famous Lamusawa Chemist and mobilized few of our family friends in our Father’s main parlour to deliberate.

Those invited were from the families of Late Ba Alhaji Ashigar, Late Ba Alhaji Kaka (Makka-Makkama) of Ka’almari, Late Ba Alhaji Gado, Late Ba Alhaji Mamman Tela as duly represented by Ba Abba Ashigar, Mammadu Ashigar, Mamman Alhaji Mamman Tela Jnr, Mammadu Inaye, Mohammed Grema, (the present General Manager/CEO of Borno Express Corporation), Late Ali Gado (Garga) with Alhaji Kala and Alhaji Dunoma Umar (the current Permanent Secretary Foreign Affairs) as observers.

All the members present resolved to apportion the positions amongst themselves as prescribed on the record provided by the National Headquarters and unanimously selected Late Alhaji Kaka Jnr as the Protem Chairman of Alliance for Democracy for Borno State as required by the INEC regulations.

After the necessary documentation, the delegation sought to inspect the structure identified along Engine Katako (Shehuri South) near the house of Late Baa Shettima Ahmad Shettima Mukhtar ye (father of Alkali Abubakar Shettima, the former Grand Khadi of Borno State). The sum of N40,000 per annum was paid and immediately the structure was painted and fixed with all the necessary furniture and records ready for inspection and final confirmation by INEC.

I intentionally absolved myself from being an active participant but worked tirelessly behind the scene until the association was fully registered by INEC in 1998 as a Political Party. Even though the party did not make any prominent visibility in Borno State, it successfully secured the Governorship seats of all the six States in the South Western part of Nigeria.

Recall that when the Late Mala Kachallah was facing serious opposition within his defunct political party (ANPP) in the build-up to securing his second term in 2003, the only viable, solid and comfortable political party that came to his mind was the Alliance for Democracy (Yanci).

The pioneer Executive Committee members led by Late Alhaji Kaka was replaced with Comrade Hassan El-Sultan of the same Fezzan Ward and what followed later I was not privy to, since my detachment from the system after the general elections and handing over to civilian administration at all levels in Nigeria on 29th May, 1999.

As late Rt. Hon. Dr. Chuba Okadigbo (former President of the Senate 1st Assembly) enthused: ‘it is a sign of political sagacity to understand political arithmetic; it is political strategizing to join together with brothers/sisters horizontally and vertically to victory’, that, all the then governors elected under the Alliance of Democracy party trooped to Maiduguri to show solidarity and support to Late Mala Kachallah’s re-election bid in 2003.

The governors who were the pioneering Class of 1999 transitioned Nigeria to civilian rule were: Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State, Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State, Lam Adesina of Oyo State, Adeniyi Adebayo of Ekiti State, Adebayo Adefarati of Ondo State and Bisi Akande of Osun State. Notwithstanding all the arsenals of these Governors and the sympathy of the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo for Late Governor Mala Kachallah, God had destined Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to be the Governor of Borno State in 2003.

Similarly, while I was still in the University, being a Union Leader and after reading about the struggle, resilience and sacrifices made by Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad in her quest to be the President of Students Union at the famous Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, where she defeated all the Male contenders to become the President, I got the inspiration to write a letter to her through my Secretary-General who was the then President of Kano State Students Association of University of Maiduguri (Hon. Ali Bukar Ahmed a.k.a Mandelan Doguwa as fondly called by Engr. Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso). Ali hand delivered the letter to her and pleased by the content of the letter, she even gifted him some money.

Hajiya Najaatu, bearing in mind my letter to her, sometimes in 2001 visited Borno State and sought to be taken to our house by the protocol officials of Borno State Government. Unfortunately, I was in Cross River State (Obubra Camp) on National Service (NYSC) then but she met our father and revealed to him the circumstances behind her visit. She was in Maiduguri on a Peace and Reconciliatory visit as appointed by the National Secretariat of the All Peoples Party (which later metamorphosed to All Nigeria Peoples Party) when the crack between Late Mala Kachallah and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff became protracted.

Late Alkali Habib (as he was fondly called) devoted 35 years to public service, rising to the position of Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of Borno State (1991–1998). Throughout his career, he served with integrity, humility and fairness, often under challenging circumstances from routine postings to punitive transfers.
Whether in Gamboru Ngala, Gujba, Buni Yadi, Nguru, Gashua, Askira, Geidam, Damboa, or Gwoza, he always upheld justice, compassion, and professionalism, earning respect from communities, leaders and national figures he came in contact with.

His life was a model of virtue, discipline, and service. He taught us respect for one another, care for the less privileged, loyalty to knowledge and teachers, patience, fair to all manner of people, humility and independence of thought. Even in moments of darkness, his principles guide us, giving strength, hope and courage.

Alkali Habib Tijjani’s legacy is more than his achievements, it is the lives he touched, the love he shared and the lessons he instilled in all of us. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus and may his memory continue to inspire peace, unity and service in our family and communities for generations to come, Ameen.

Habib (Baba Kaduna Alkali)
(goodhabib@yahoo.co.uk)
1st February, 2026.