Amid numerous tales of security and economic challenges in the land, Nigerians increasingly seek stories that unite rather than divide the nation.
While more of these positive stories are getting harder to come by, the story of Pa Saidu Abdullahi, a 90-year-old Hausa man, rekindles hope that all hope is not lost for Nigeria.
A Twitter user, @sarnchos disclosed that his Yoruba father died in 1992 but not before entrusting his farm to Pa Abdullahi for safekeeping.
He said that for more than 27 years, Pa Abdullahi, who he affectionately called Baba, diligently looked after the farm and all properties on it even without pay.
“We call him baba. He has been here since before my dad died in 1992. For almost 27 years he has recieved no salary. He’s over 90. Yet he keeps faithfully tending to our property on the farm. Keeping it safe and watching over it like his own property. He’s hausa.
We call him baba.
He has been here since before my dad died in 1992.
For almost 27 years he has recieved no salary.
He's over 90.
Yet he keeps faithfully tending to our property on the farm. Keeping it safe and watching over it like his own property.
He's hausa. pic.twitter.com/tKBdYHGxfx
— Awe Onisokuso™ CAC-OFR (@sarnchos) March 24, 2019
“I don’t know how to reward him. I can’t tell him to stop farming because that is how he keeps up his activity in old age. He has no children that we know of. All we can do is feed him, which he hardly needs because he feeds himself from his farming activity. We’re indebted to him,” @sarnchos wrote in March 2019.
In a follow-up tweet on Tuesday, the Twitter user said Pa Abdullahi finally informed him his work was done on the farm and would be returning to his hometown in Kano State.
Baba finally told me today that he has fulfilled his promise to my mother to watch over the property till I fully took possession of it
He is returning to Bebeji (the same village where Dangote's mother hails from) in Kano state
He is very old, & wants to end his days at home https://t.co/g33dwOAaa3
— Awe Onisokuso™ CAC-OFR (@sarnchos) May 25, 2021
He described Pa Abdullahi as his “Guardian Angel” and promised to visit him in Kano as soon as possible.