By Dr Rislan Abdulazeez Kanya
With profound sorrow and submission to the will of Allah, I write this tribute to my beloved brother and friend, Dr. Awwal Bamanga, who until his passing served as an Assistant Director at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Indeed, Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un, “verily, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall all return.”
Awwal was a man of remarkable intellect, boundless generosity and unwavering dedication. He was not just a friend but a brother, a confidant and an irreplaceable part of my life and family. His presence was a source of wisdom and comfort and his impact will forever remain in our hearts.
My path first crossed with Awwal in February 2012 during our PhD journey at the University of Portsmouth, where we attended a Research Methodology class facilitated by Professor Carl Adams, now the Vice Chancellor of Cosmopolitan University in Abuja. In the same class, I also met Dr Chukwuka Onyekweane, now the CEO of the Centre for the Study of the Economy of Africa in Abuja. From that moment, our bond grew beyond friendship; we became family and pillars of support for each other in all our endeavours.
Awwal was more than a friend; he was a brother, always there with unwavering support. During a significant part of our PhD research, we were neighbours at Langstone Student Village, a place he helped me find and settle into. Living next to Awwal was an experience I will never forget. I never had to worry about food because he made sure of it. Our days were filled with brunches and late-night dinners, always lovingly prepared and served by his wife, Benazir, who, despite the demands of raising their young twins, Asna and Ayman, never hesitated to ensure we were well-fed. Her warmth and generosity made their home feel like an extension of my own.
Awwal had a way of pulling people into his world of hard work and dedication. He introduced me to the habit of working late into the night during our PhD research, something that was simply a part of who he was. He would spend countless hours in the lab, often staying past midnight and sometimes as late as two in the morning, we would then drive home together in his car, exhausted but fulfilled, discussing our progress and exchanging ideas. I still vividly remember how we spent the 2014 New Year’s crossover in the office, finally leaving just after 4 AM. His passion for research and innovation was unmatched. He was not just a scientist; he was a thinker, a problem-solver, a brilliant technocrat, a top policy expert and a visionary leader. He worked tirelessly, not for recognition, but because he truly believed in making a difference.
Even when his methodology and sample selection faced setbacks during his PhD, Awwal never faltered. He pushed forward with determination, refining his work under the excellent mentorship of Emeritus Professor Mike Fowler and Professor Graham Mills. His relationship with Emeritus Professor Fowler went beyond academia. In 2017 or 2018, Professor Fowler visited Awwal at his home in Lagos when he visited Nigeria, a rare gesture that spoke volumes about the respect he commanded.
Awwal and I graduated just a day apart. Ever the generous friend, he arrived in Portsmouth a few days before us and, without hesitation, booked and paid for my hotel accommodation. When we touched down in London, Awwal called to check on our connection to Portsmouth. I told him we were still waiting for our luggage and would update him on our movement. Unfortunately, just a few minutes later, we were informed that our bags hadn’t arrived due to a delay with our connecting flight from Frankfurt. Upon hearing this, around 7 PM, Awwal didn’t hesitate. He rushed to Gunwharf Quays and purchased a complete outfit for me, including a shirt, trousers, a tie and a suit. This ensured I wouldn’t have to spend the next morning searching for clothes instead of preparing for my big day or, worse, risk missing the event. Thanks to his quick thinking, I was able to focus on my graduation without worry.
Later that night, when my wife and I arrived at Portsmouth train station, Awwal was waiting to welcome us. With his characteristic warmth and generosity, he received us with open arms and then hosted us for dinner, transforming what could have been a stressful and exhausting night into one filled with kindness, laughter and the true essence of friendship.
His kindness extended far beyond our time in the United Kingdom. In Nigeria, he would battle the infamous Lagos traffic just to pick me up from the airport, no matter how inconvenient the time. I remember an occasion when I arrived from Abidjan at half past three in the morning. Awwal, ever thoughtful, arranged a taxi to take me to his home in Alaka Estate, Surulere, making sure I was safe and comfortable. His family became my family, I still recall teasing his twins, Asna and Ayman, during their visit to my home in Abuja, telling them I would not allow them back to Lagos they must stay in Abuja so they could learn Hausa and after I would take them to Yola to learn Fulfulde fluently.
Our last face-to-face meeting was in December. Despite his packed schedule, Awwal picked me up from Civic Towers in Victoria Island after my meeting hosted me for lunch and then dropped me off at the airport. We spoke at length about Nigeria and the challenges ahead. He had been considering relocating, but I urged him to stay, believe in Nigeria’s future and be part of the solution. He agreed. We also discussed Asna’s aspirations to become a medical doctor while nurturing her entrepreneurial spirit and Ayman’s growing passion for software engineering, inspired by his training at Aptech. During this meeting, I also shared news of my resignation as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of IT, Research and Innovation at Baze University. We also spoke excitedly about our shared vision to establish an innovation lab focusing on digitalising west and central Africa’s circular economy, marine and blue economy value chain.
Awwal was deeply passionate about Africa’s marine and blue economy and its untapped potential. When he called me in January, we discussed extensively on leveraging our proposed innovation lab to drive research, innovation and policy dialogue, bringing together experts and young talents from across the continent. This project was close to our hearts, a dream that may never come to fruition.
Even in the face of professional setbacks, Awwal remained steadfast and optimistic. I remember when he was nominated by NIMASA for the role of Director-General of the Marine Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Abidjan based on his track record of professionalism, technical training and deep engagement and network in the ecosystem. We were all thrilled, only disappointed when it did not materialise. But Awwal, in his calm and reassuring way, simply said to me and our very dear friend Abdullahi Abubakar Dangaladima, “Rislan, it was never my time now to be head of MOWCA, something better, something bigger will come inshallah.” That was the kind of person he was, never dwelling on losses and always looking forward.
In one of our recent conversations, we spoke about collaborating more deeply on climate change and its consequences; he pledged to commit more time to the work I am coordinating at the Centre for Climate-Smart Agriculture, Abuja as well as our plans for early retirement and stepping away from the relentless demands of bureaucratic and corporate work to focus on capacity building. We dreamed of travelling and exploring the world’s hidden treasures and documenting the devastating effects of climate change, particularly in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Awwal also planned to spend more time with his family in northern Nigeria after nearly three decades in Lagos and abroad. He was deeply committed to contributing meaningfully to the development of Adamawa and by extension, Nigeria through research, innovation and stakeholder engagement. His dedication to his home region was evident in his real estate investments across Abuja, Kaduna, Yola and Mubi over the past two decades, reflecting his long-term vision for the growth and development of the region and to fully settle very close to his family and friends.
It has been four weeks since we last spoke and there has been an unusually long silence between us. I called him on the fifth of March, but his phone did not ring. I tried again via WhatsApp, but there was no response. I assumed he was travelling, as we often did. Then, on the twelfth of March, I called again to wish him Ramadan Mubarak. There was still no reply. I simply sent a message via whatsApp: “Slm, Mallam ya Ibada?” We always called each other Mallam, meaning teacher. It was a message he would never reply to.
Then, on the morning of the 17th of March, as usual, I reached for my phone as soon as I woke up. I noticed a missed call from Suleiman, Awwal’s younger brother, whom I had first met in 2013. Without hesitation, I called him back.
When he picked up, he asked urgently, “Have you spoken to Awwal recently?”
“No,” I replied. “I’ve been calling and messaging him, but he hasn’t responded. The message has been delivered, I hope he is fine.”
Before I could say more, he cut me off with words that shattered me.
“Awwal has returned to Allah today. I just arrived in Lagos to arrange for his body to be transported to Abuja for the Janaza.”
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
I was devastated. Overcome with grief, I broke down and wept uncontrollably.
Now, he is gone!
Awwal was more than a scholar or a civil servant. He was a man of immense kindness, generosity and resilience. He touched the lives of so many, always putting others before himself. He had no enemies, only friends, admirers and loved ones whose lives he enriched.
His passing is a devastating loss, but his legacy lives on. It lives in the family and friends he cherished, the research he dedicated himself to and the countless lives he impacted.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. May He also grant his family and all of us who loved him, the strength to bear this profound loss.
Rest in peace, my dear brother. You will forever be missed.
Benazir, Asna, Ayman and Aisha, Allah ya baku hakuri da dangana.
Dr Rislan wrote this tribute from the Centre for Climate-Smart Agriculture, Abuja