BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES: By Aminu Abdullahi Garba

Life Etched in Beautiful Memories: Celebrating One Year Anniversary of Meeting Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar — 27th February, 2025 Marks the Beginning of a New Dawn

By: Aminu Abdullahi Garba*

In every community, there are moments that transcend ordinary acts of kindness and become lasting memories. Such is the story surrounding Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, whose gestures have touched so many people. I, the narrator of this article, had never met the MD in my life until the first day he decided to meet me in person at the NAMA HQ.

It was one faithful day on 14th February, 2025, the same day my elder brother was getting married. I had a phone call; I looked at my phone and saw the number ringing. It was the PA to our boss, who had never seen the boy from Gombe. When I picked the call, I heard a soft voice, “Assalamualaikum.” I returned the greeting. He said he was the PA to the MD of NAMA and that the boss had instructed him to call and inform me to select a suitable date when I would be available in Abuja at the NAMA Corporate Headquarters. He wanted to meet me for the first time. He said I should select 27th or 28th February, 2025, or any suitable date in the first week of March, 2025. He also said that I should forward my details and that he would send me a token to pay for an airfare ticket to Abuja from Gombe, including accommodation.

I felt happy and flustered. It was the first time I was hearing that I should come and meet the boss. Immediately after I switched off the call, I forwarded my details and received a huge alert. For the first time in the history of my life, someone had blessed me with such an amount of money. I was very happy. I called back the PA, informed him of the receipt of the money, and selected 27th February, 2025 to be the date I would come for the meeting with the boss. He said it was okay and that I should inform the boss via his WhatsApp, and I did the same.

I was happy and briefed my family about this sudden development. I left Gombe on 26th February, 2025, and arrived in Abuja the next morning. I was at the NAMA Corporate HQ, met the PA, and he took me into the MD's office. I greeted a very promising, humble, and kind-hearted man sitting on his chair. At first glance, I saw the boss for the first time in my life—the first day he saw me; we had never met before. To cut the story short, I had never been to Abuja before. Even though airfare money was given to me, I did not buy a flight ticket; I rushed to the Gombe Line terminus and paid for a Hummer bus to Abuja.

The man looked at me, smiling with a beautiful face, and said, “Aminu, you are welcome. I have been seeing the kind of things you have been doing for me, but how did you get all these messages and my scheduled activities?” The boss appreciated me and congratulated me. He decided to offer me an appointment with NAMA. He called the PA and asked him to bring my CV. He took a paper, wrote and signed on it, stapled it to my CV, and told the PA to take me to the Director of Human Resources for appointment facilitation.

This is just the beginning of memories. I will cut the story short because I am compiling it into a book that is going to be published. A lot of things happened during my stay. I was a lucky guy to have him as a boss. The MD touched my life and treated me well like a son, for which I will forever be grateful for his gestures. I do not know the other side of others’ stories, but for my own side of the story, I was so lucky to have Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar (Danmajen Gwandu / Gamin Kabi) as a boss and mentor. I was not the only person he started with; there are over 100 people who can narrate to you his positive side. Sometimes his gestures toward me make me shed tears of joy because, among human beings nowadays, he is a man with a heart of gold. He gives without expecting anything in return; he does and forgets that he has done it. He is a leader worthy of emulation.

Why am I narrating this story? Today, 27th February, 2026, marks exactly one year since I met my boss physically for the first time—the day that began a new dawn in my life. It was the turning point that changed my story beyond my imagination.

I am deeply indebted to him, and I will continue praying that the Almighty continues to guide, protect, and strengthen him. May Allah grant him long life, sound health, greater wisdom, and elevate his status beyond imagination. May his kindness return to him in multiple folds, and may he continue to be a source of hope and inspiration to many more lives. Ameen.