Prof Abba Tahir pens down glowing tributes on fallen elder statesman, Sen. Zwingina
The erudite scholar, school administrator, seasoned broadcaster and Public Relations professional, Professor Abubakar Abba Tahir PhD, KaaKaaKey the mouthpiece of Adamawa Emirate and Fombina Dynasty has called on the Adamawa state government to immortalise Senator Jonathan Silas Zwingina of blessed memory in an emotional outpour of glowing tributes.
In Tahir’s touching tribute to the fallen hero Friday, Zwingina’s sojourn as an erudite scholar, rhetorician, selfless-service public-servant, pure-minded politician, servant-leader, hero and mentor among other qualifiers, is poetically recollected, stimulating an eye and thought for the spirit of immortality.
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While calling on Adamawa State government to immortalize the fallen hero, Abba said, “Adamawa would do good to Zwingina’s legacy, If a building at SPY or the NOA office is named as Zwingina House; any would be a very befitting immortalization to a lifelong patriot who gave his all to his people and country.”
Find below the full text of the glowing tribute:
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR JONATHAN ZWINGINA:
1 The name first rang in my ears since I was teenaging
2 Then I was hardly able to spell or call it out correctly
3 All along I thought the name meant “Zangina”
4 Meaning I could construct, in Hausa language
5 Or better still, to others it could mean I can build
6 The twining of letters Z and W was also tough for me
7 Until the career broadcaster in me began to roar
8 One thing about him was characteristic outspokenness
9 A man blessed with uncommon scholarship and erudition
10 Aside from his academic exploits at the old CPS
11 The late Senator made a mark on the National scene
12 He shone so brightly as a federated parliamentarian
13 His voice was always anticipated on all issues
14 He was one of the leading lights at MAMSER
15 The Mass Mobilization Agency under Jerry Gana
16 President IBB mandated Gana to recruit the brightest
17 To lead the agency in all the States of Nigeria
18 Zwingina came in handy for the defunct Gongola
19 Much later, I was on NYSC under Gana in Lagos
20 I had reasons to come closer to Dr. Zwingina
21 At this time AbduRahman Abba was among his trusted boys
22 Zwingina, Dr. Musa Moda of Bauchi and a few others
23 Had to frequently be calling on their big boss
24 I was merely an Information Assistant at MAMSER
25 Meeting and learning from the greats so early
26 I admired their engagements and camaraderie
27 MAMSER much later metamorphosed into NOA
28 Zwingina was one of Gana’s most trusted aides
29 He was one of the most performing Directors at MAMSER
30 Gifted with a SilverTongue, he was unstoppable
31 In the classroom, his courses were hotter cakes
32 In politics he was the focus of public attention
33 At the home-front he was the family rallying point
34 At public events we scrambled for his handshake
35 Senator Zwingina always remained option alpha
36 Yes, because he could construct public psyche
37 “Zangina” he seemed to say and indeed engaged all
38 Imbued with a captivating sense of sophistry
39 Entangled with a remarkable sense of humor
40 A man of all men who hardly had any privacy
41 A teacher, politician, community servant and all
42 His students transcend the classrooms and academia
43 They are everywhere, at the workplace and the marketplace
44 His demise leaves multiple vacuums in all destinations
45 In politics, community, country and the world
46 Silas remains a household name all over Gongola
47 And indeed his larger constituency of Nigeria
48 In academics, a familiar terrain he will never be forgotten
49 In governance his imprints in legislative engineering are golden
50 In society the great name remains a shining symbol
51 Indeed an exemplary beacon for generations
52 At seventy he has paid his dues to humanity
53 As a role model his mentees will miss him less
54 Less indeed because he left them a legacy
55 They would have missed him more if unmentored
56 I wish he had taught me formally in the classroom
57 That I missed the chance to be his formal student
58 I got enough informally from his vast intellectual farmhouse
59 Many others learnt hugely from his immense wisdom
60 Any citation on this rare Gem could be very irresistible
61 Adamawa would do good to Zwingina’s legacy
62 If a building at SPY is ever named after the great man
63 Or if the NOA office is named Zwingina House
64 Any would be a very befitting immortalization
65 To a lifelong patriot who gave his all to his people and country!
