The Man I want to be: A Tribute to my Father, Alh Adubi Zubair Abdulmalik

By Abdelghaffar Amoka Abdelmalik

I was about finishing my second term as the Director of Equipment Maintenance and Development Centre (EMDC), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and wanted to proceed on a sabbatical after the four-year administrative responsibility.

I always find National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to be an interesting Agency and wish to spend some time at the Agency on reseach. I forwarded an application to be hired for a sabbatical appointment. I had thought that I would be assigned to Abuja when hired. Contrary to my expectation, when I recieved the appointment letter, I was posted to the Agency’s Power Equipment and Electrical Machinery Development Institute (PEEMADI) Okene as my area of expertise is closely related to the mandate of the Institute.

I was initially not excited about the posting wondering how I would stay in Okene for a whole year having lived outside Okene for over 30 years. But on a swift second thought, I felt it was for the best. And I later found it to be a divine posting.

One of the best things that happened to me was the fact that NASENI gave me the opportunity to see my father frequently; not knowing he would not live till the end of my sabbatical in Okene.

Untill 2025, I have not had the opportunity to see him this frequent in the last 30 years before passing on October 16, 2025.

Alhaji Adubi Zubair Abdulmalik is an iconic name that we grew up to know. It is a name that commanded respect from everyone. His name is a landmark. He was a man who many wanted to be associated with. Telling anyone that you were from his house or his child got you covered. He was an era of hard work, courage, perseverance, and discipline. He was disciplined from moral to finance. He was a man who would not accept anything from you if your source of income is questionable.

He was born in before mid 20s in Ilorin and lost his father, Abdulmalik Umedino Omeiza-Ajigara, when he was about 13 months old. That necessitated the relocation of the family from Ilorin to Ihima.

While growing up, he chose to learn tailoring and his choice was respected by his mother. He enrolled as an apprentice and after a few years, he became a qualified tailor.

As a young man with tall dreams, he had a critical look at the life of tailors around him and had a reflection over his future in the tailoring industry. He realised he needed to do more and introduce something new to be able to have a fulfilling career with the attendant comfortable life. He realised there was no Singer (Tinko) embroidery designer in the whole of Ebiraland, Kogi Central.

He left for Kano with four other tailors to acquire Tinko embroidery skill. Two of them dropped out of the training and he was one of the other successful two to complete the training.

The Tinko Embroidery Machine was rare and expensive to acquire by tailors of his time. Being that he combine tailoring with grains (cowpeas) trading and peasant farming at Omuo-Ekiti in the present Ekiti State, he was able to raise sufficient fund to acquire a Tinko embroidery machine when he returned; thus becoming the first tailor to combine the knowledge of tailoring with the art of Tinko embroidery designs on attires in Ebiraland.

He applied the skills to very high standards which earned him a diverse client throughout Ebiraland and beyond. His workshop in Ihima became a beehive patronage by customers.

Owing to his growing popularity and acceptance, Alh Sani Omonori, the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland persuaded him to relocate to Okene saying that he had created a niché in tailoring industry. He chose to remain in Ihima but assured the Paramount ruler that he would make himself available at beck and call for His Royal tailoring assignments. He became a reason for high patronage traffic at his Ihima workshop. He trained dozens of apprentices.

There was this impression about many tailors that if you gave them a material to sew, rest assured that you would not get it the date they asked you to come. Alh Adubi was different. He combines quality service delivery with prompt delivery time. He built trust and strong ties between himself and his clients.

He told our elder brother, Abdulkarim, that one of the secrets of his success was that if you gave him a cloth that would take about a week to sew, he would rather request you to come for it in two weeks time even though he knew it would be ready within seven days. To him, this would take care of eventualities. Once the cloth is ready, he would deliver it at your door step. His charges were also modest.

Some people wondered how a tailor could build a house like his in the 70s. The secret was that he was always a step ahead of others.

He was believed to be affluent. Far from such assumption, he told our elder brother that inspite of public opinion about his material wealth, he never had ₦50,000 as a bulk money in his hand; even up till the early 1990s. He was financially disciplined, a careful spender, and very good at resource management. He would plan on every cash that came his way. When he gives you a financial assignment, you have to prepare a report on how the money was spent. Every Kobo is important and there was no room for any wasteful spending. I learn financial discipline from him.

He loves knowledge and was a disciplinarian to the core. He always emphasized that not having western education has denied him a lot of opportunities and did not want his children to be at any disadvantage.

He sacrificed to ensure that his children are educated. He would monitor their progress on a daily basis. On our return from school of every day, you must take your workbook to him. Be ready for the accompanied query and discipline if you did not do well in school. He was in possession of our school end-of-term report cards. He would walk to the school anytime to inquire about the progress of his children.

He eventually raised veteran Journalist who cut his professional teeth at the old DailyTimes Newspapers and later rose to become General Manager of a Radio Station, author, publisher, media aide to a governor and Director-General of State Bureau of Information Services and Grassroots Sensitisation.

He has also produced a university Professor (the first Professor from Ohueta); a senior Nursing Officer, and a Deputy Director in a Federal Ministry in Nigeria. Among the grandchildren are also European-trained Electrical Engineer, a Lawyer, a Ha’fiz (memorized the entire Quran), among several others. He has produced several University graduates in diverse fields among his children and grandchildren.

He was a community disciplinarian who helped to shape the society. He was one man that commanded the respect of everyone. When he spoke, everyone listened. Even the most stubborn person shivers when he hears the name; Alhaji Adubi.

I came back from school one afternoon in the early 80s and for some reasons that I can’t remember, I refused to go to Quranic school that was meant to start by 2pm. He got home a bit past 2pm and met me home. He did not want to hear why I refused to go for the Quranic class. Aside from sickness, he sees no other reason that should stop you from going to school.

He chased me to the school and followed me to the class. He got into the class and met my two older brothers playing. He disciplined them right there and the whole class that was noisy became quiet. Everyone knew that Alh Adubi had the capability to punish the whole of the class. He was a role model that want to raise role models from his kids.

He was a respected and trusted community leader and mobiliser. He was also in active politics right from Nigeria’s First till the Third Republic. His Eminence, Alhaji Badams Rahma of blessed memory was one of his close political associates and friend; a relationship the duo maintained till the death of the former. He retired from active politics in 1993.

He was a decent politician that abhor thuggery. His last political activity was the election of Senator A.T. Ahmed to the Senate and Dr Jimoh Abdul Akpoti to the House of Representatives under SDP in 1992. I followed him to mobilise voters for the election and I served as an SDP Agent during the election.

He had an honest living and lived a life of truth, justice and fair play. He won’t take a gift from his children without asking how you got the money for the gift. He encouraged hard work and decent living. A local government chairman once gifted him a Sallah ram for Eid Adha.

Meanwhile, there was a piece of information that local government staff were yet to be paid. He returned the ram with a message thanking him for the gesture with an appeal that he should sell the ram to pay the LG staff. That was Alh Adubi.

As described by one of my elder brothers, Nasir Anaza, who has been based in the United States for over 40 years, he wrote: “He was classically outstanding as a man who embraced fashion and decent dressing habits at all times.” He added that this made him a shining role model for the youths.

Concerning fashion, I could remember that he always complained about my habitual casual dressing. To him, I don’t dress well.

He was humble, simplistic and humane with a cheerful disposition towards his superiors, his age mate and the youths. He exhibited these core attributes till his last day.

Even at his age of over 100 years, the idea that he was still there meant something to the society.

Ihima has lost the last man standing among his peers, friends, age mates and socialites.

His immense contribution to the socio-economic setting of Ihima, Ebira land and the other places where he had the privilege to interact and made his impact felt will never be forgotten. He lived an exemplary life of dedication and devotion to his vocation, his community, religion and his family.

The last tree standing has fallen but his slegacy will continue to live with us forever. While leaving for the university in 1993 you told me that you know that I am focused, don’t lie, and don’t steal but stubborn. And you advised me to avoid trouble. I will painstakingly pass the advise to my children.

Good night, Adami.

Abdelmalik is a Professor of Physics, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.