October 12, 2024, was a sorrowful day for not only the family, friends, well-wishers, and political associates of H.E. Senator Ahmad Mohammed Makarfi, OFR, but also for those privileged to have known his son, Faisal, who tragically passed away in a car crash along the Zaria-Kaduna expressway.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” – To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.
For all who knew him, it marked the end of an era.
Faisal was a young man of many talents, a civil engineer, farmer, businessman, and philanthropist.
My first encounter with Faisal took place in December 2009 at the Medway Campus of the University of Greenwich in London, where I was visiting my friend Lawal Bello Moriki.
Our meeting soon blossomed into a friendship that spanned nearly fifteen years.
At UK universities, Muslim students from Northern Nigeria often cross paths during daily prayers, and it was during the Zuhr prayer that my friend introduced me to Faisal.
We exchanged greetings, and as we walked to the Faculty of Engineering, he asked for my phone number, which marked the beginning of an enduring relationship.
Sadly, this relationship was cut short by his untimely passing.
Just a week before his death, I had a final conversation with Faisal.
Around 9:45 pm, he called me, inquiring about my family and saying, “Malam Ibrahim, Insha Allah, next week I’ll come, it’s good we meet.”
I responded, “Engineer, Allah brings you safely, greet Madam and Boy for me.”
Little did I know, it would be the last time we spoke.
To fully tell the story of Faisal’s life would require a book.
One poignant memory is from about a decade ago when Faisal was posted to Katsina for his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) assignment.
I joined him as he prepared for camp activities, and I was struck by his resolve.
Unlike many privileged youths who sought to avoid the rigors of camp, Faisal, with his deep sense of discipline, was determined to participate fully.
His father, a former governor, had instilled a strict sense of duty in him from a young age, and Faisal took it to heart.
He often shared how, despite his father’s high position and the availability of many private schools in cities like Kaduna and Abuja, he had been sent to Offa, Kwara State, some 600 kilometers away, for his secondary education, a journey that was fraught with difficulties but one that shaped his character.
Faisal was a man of few words but vast generosity.
He was a social democrat in his beliefs, humble, unassuming, and deeply compassionate.
His life was dedicated to others, and he never sought personal gain or material wealth.
He was widely loved and respected, not only by the influential but also by those in less privileged circumstances. His humility was evident to everyone he encountered.
As a young man, Faisal was drawn to the private sector, where he saw opportunities for business creation and employment generation.
He had a particular passion for agriculture, believing it was vital to Nigeria’s food security.
Faisal invested in rice production and poultry farming, although his poultry farm suffered due to insecurity.
His rice brand, FAMCO Rice, however, became well-known in Kaduna State and the Federal Capital Territory.
Faisal had also planned to venture into vegetable and sunflower cooking oil production before his life was tragically cut short.
Faisal was born and raised in Kaduna, where he completed his primary education.
He went on to attend the prestigious Adesoye College in Offa for his secondary education, where he excelled in his WAEC and GCE exams.
Faisal then pursued a B.Eng. in Civil Engineering at the University of Greenwich, UK.
After completing his National Youth Service in Katsina, he returned to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Nottingham, earning an M.Eng. in Civil Engineering.
His thirst for knowledge led him back to the University of Greenwich for a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering.
During his studies, Faisal attended international conferences at top universities worldwide, including in Budapest, Stockholm, Heidelberg, Amsterdam, Rome, and Warsaw.
His travels broadened his perspective and global outlook.
Faisal’s life was a testament to honesty, integrity, hard work, and patriotism.
He was God-fearing, meticulous, and responsible, embodying humility and discipline.
His legacy will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and all who knew him.
We will remember his warm smile, his gentle manner, and his positive outlook on life.
Faisal is survived by his father, siblings, wife, and son.
May Allah grant him eternal rest in Jannatul Firdausi and forgive all his shortcomings.
Ameen.
Yahaya wrote from Abuja.
