By Yakubu Nasiru Khalid
When i sat down to write about this man, a pictue of his genial smile embracing an ambitious young immediately registered in my mind.Burji’s inspirational words were a turning point in my life and that of many others like me.
Truth is, no write-up can clearly tell about his generosity, humility, approachability, contentment, geniality, and his impact in building individuals and communities, I can only say a little I know as a tribute to the man of integrity.
Without a doubt, Burji is the most observant, attentive, generous and considerate man I have met. Humbly, he represents the man I wish to be. With a contagious smile and infectious laugh, he turns heads every time he talks. Whosoever knows Dr. Burji will exactly attest my words.Sir, genuinely your impact distanced far beyond adjectives or just a noun’s explain. You had the uncanny ability discovering the potential in me before I saw it in myself. I was unaware of my flair for writing, I was unaware I was a valued being, I suffered self-doubt before you injected can-do-spirit in me.
Alhaji Burji never dismissed my concerns or request no matter how vagues they seemed. Instead, he would share myriad of narrations of his own struggles which gave immense sense of direction in my struggling paths. You are such a rare gem anyone will need to have as a mentor, you are one person who never let his mentees’ goals dim.
I remembered a time, when I was overwhelmed and bereft of a sense of direction; my brain was clouded with unprecedented pressure and doubts, I sent a message to him with a question: “…sir, what advise will you offer to me?”. And he simply and maturely answered, “…patience and focus that only I can say”. These words gave me peace of mind and got me relaxed. I was mentored too. I was encouraged too. It’s my responsibility to do the same to you….”. I vowed to carry forward the wisdom you’ve shared, to be a source of inspiration for others, and to become a mentor who can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
I will never forget the time you sent me on errand to collect a form from a local government Secretariat for one of your children. When you assigned the task to me was the first time I understood the power of planning and extra push to meet a deadline or target. “You had better tell me a truth even it is better then to lie….”, he had said to me. His words were aim at ensuring that I met a target time.
My prayers to you are endless, may Allah bless and guide you, may fate continue kind to you. I see you always as a mirror. Our country, Nigeria needs people like you. we, youths need to be mentored, encouraged from people like you.
• Khalid writes from Kano.