PROFILE
as written by
Abdullahi Sheikh Ahmed
(bayero71@yahoo.com)
Muhammad Sa’idu Jimada was born into the family of late Alhaji Sa’idu Bagudu Jimada on the twenty-first of the eleventh month of the year 1957. Mallam Jimada’s childhood was tied to lots of travels as his father bridged the nation’s demand of his office and experience with much civility and discipline through Lokoja and Idah in present Kogi State, Jimeta in Adamawa State, Sokoto in Sokoto State and finally Minna in Niger State; which later became the family’s base. These hurdles came to be the beginning of Mallam Jimada’s exposure to people and places. Being a studious individual, Jimada was always the new pupil in class and at most times ahead of his classmates. According to him, he enjoyed “free and sponsored public education with committed training under evident modest secured economic conditions in the institutions and polity.”
Mallam Jimada’s writings began during his days at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with essays; prominent among which was the annoying thought provoking one titled REALITY OR RREEAALLIITTIIEESS that challenges fate, culture and belief. The developmental thinking ability in the face of conservative free thinking acquired from Ahmadu Bello engineered the writing of A TRIALOGUE ON THE POLITICO-ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DIREECTION FOR NIGERIA which debates issues like religion, ethnicity, national unity, ideology, etc and lures Nigerians into understanding the need for policy taming in the face of globalisation. That was after LIVING MEN ECONIMICS AND ECONOMY that was dedicated to Nigeria’s impatient leaderships and their greed for wealth. THE COMPLETE PROCEEDINGS OF OUR CONSTITUTION DRAWING COMMITTEE (a play) tries to highlight the complexity in constitution drawing for a country like Nigeria. TO THE PHILOSOPHER KING AND PRINCES has been used by Mallam Jimada to campaign for a radical approach to cleanse the Nigerian society of the menace of corruption as he also exposes the challenges therein for all stakeholders.
It is easy to conclude that Mallam Jimada’s exposure to mysticism by his father was what gave birth to the seven major publications of Sadaqatu Tayyibatun Foundation (a charity guarantee liability outfit founded by Jimada himself). The books are:
- THE BASIS OF ISLAM which dwells on the unity of Allah as affirmed by all Prophets and Messengers.
- THE ORIENTATION OF A MUSLIM which is a code of conduct that gears into the fold and shade of the Creator.
- ONE WAY OF MAKING A LIVING streamlines the path to be pursued for a satisfactory Here and beneficial Hereafter.
- THE PATH FOR THE IDENTITY OF A MUSLIM draws attention to the fact that the Path of Allah is defined by trials and can only be attained by dedication to worship, perseverance and humility.
- THE PRIMARY STATUS OF MAN IN ISLAM points out elements that define the status of both Muslims and non-Muslims in this world and in Islam.
- AGAINST EXCUSES discusses at length the favours of Allah upon His servants, the Day of Judgement, the blessings for those who win his favours and a warning to disbelievers.
- O BELIEVER, KNOW YOUR LORD relates lessons from stories told in the Qur’an.
Mallam Jimada’s epistles further exposes his eloquence in poetry. This is evident in his books: WHY WE MUST… , NNA’MINA TEACH and the second chapter of A FATHER’S KHUTBAH TO A DAUGHTER which were written to some of his family members as LETTER TO GHAZZALI MUHAMMAD was.
Mallam Muhammad Sa’idu Jimada settled for a disciplined and principled life and is “…lucky to be polygamous, with wards, sons and daughters and in-laws…trying to build a responsible family relationship platform for those who find it attractive to copy.”