Salamatu is the eldest child of the late Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie. She and some of her siblings talk about their father with OLAIDE OYELUDE

Tell us more about yourself.

Salamatu: I am the eldest of a family of six. I am 46 years old and a graduate of the Bayero University, Kano where I studied History. I am a business woman and married to Safiyanu Gwarzo, an engineer. I have four kids and the eldest is studying International Studies at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. My second child is about securing admission into the university while my third and fourth kids are twins. They are taking the junior secondary school certificate examinations.

What can you tell us about your siblings?

Salamatu: The second child is Bilkisu. She is 44. She read Economics at BUK and married to Hussaini Jamo.

The third is Babangida and currently works with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja. He holds an MBA from Cardiff University, UK. He is married and lives in Abuja.

The fourth is 39-year-old Umma married to AIG Medical, Dr. Kaumi   Ahmadu. She is a graduate of Geography from the University of Abuja and also holds an MPA from BUK. She is a senior assistant registrar at the Federal College of Education, Katsina.

The fifth child is 37-year-old Jalila who studied Computer Science at UNIABUJA. She works at the NYSC headquarters and married to Aliyu Yahaya.  The last child is Muntakar; a 300-level Political Science student at the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.  Let me add that our mother, Hajiya Baraka, died in July 1996 and we have a stepmother, Hajiya Zainab Kurfi.

How was life growing up with your father?

Salamatu: We grew up under our father’s tutelage like other children. He gave us the best of education and encouraged us in whatever career we chose. Being an officer’s children, our choice of friends also cut across Nigeria. But in most cases, our outings were limited especially when we were in Lagos. We used to communicate with many of our friends on the phone.

Despite our mother’s death in 1996, our father ensured we never lacked parental care. He gave us a listening ear and one hundred per cent attention.

Bilkisu: He gave us pet names and he always called us by the names especially when he was in a good mood. For instance, he called me Commander-in-Chief or Bilqees. Babangida is even the pet name of Babangida. His real name is Ahmad.  The pet name he gave Salamatu is Salame and he called Muntakar, Mallam

Umma: He called me Ummmatti.

Jalila: He nicknamed me Hamira.

Did he persuade any of his children to follow in his career path?

Salamatu: No. Our father was not the type who forced career choices on his children.

Babangida: My father didn’t force any career on his children. Instead, he encouraged us to take our education seriously and not to joke with prayers. Whatever path one chose, he would always support one but one only needs to be mindful of the company one keeps.

It was interesting how I got the EFCC job. After NYSC in 2002, I was driving around Abuja one day when I came across Nuhu Ribadu who is more like an elder brother to me. He asked what I was doing then and I told him that I just completed the NYSC programme. He then invited me to the EFCC. That was how I got the job. When I got home, I told my father and he was not surprised as he believed Ribadu would be a good mentor. Of course, there is no way my father could have rejected my working under Ribadu as he knew him to be a forthright police officer.

That is how I became one of the pioneer staff of the EFCC. I don’t want to engage in self adulation, I would have talked about my character as a person. But I thank God I had someone like a former IG as my father who inculcated in us modesty, integrity, humility and forthrightness.

How did he spend time with his family during his free time?

Salamatu:  Whenever his children and grandchildren were on vacation, he would gather them around him to dance for him.

What was his idea of discipline?

Salamatu: A police officer will always be a police officer. He didn’t tolerate indiscipline. Indeed, he told us categorically that we should not see ourselves as superior to other Nigerians. Until he was turbaned as the Sardaunna, we always addressed him at home as Oga (boss). This is because many of his junior colleagues addressed him as oga too.

Can you recall anytime he beat you and what you did wrong?

Salamatu:  He never raised his hands to beat any of his children.  Whenever we did things right, he would shower encomiums on us. He taught us to respect one another and other Nigerians irrespective of their standing. He instilled in us the virtue of respect for one another, for humanity and need to maintain a spartan life.

Bilkisu: If any child offended him, his looks were enough to pass a message to that child that he had done something wrong. He never used the cane on us.

What rules did he give his children when they were young?

Salamatu: There were no rules but he taught us never to toy with prayers.

Would you have wished he was anything else but a police man?

Salamatu: No. He was a man every child would pray to have as a father. We are proud to have him as a father. His qualities, integrity, respect for mankind, no matter where they come from and their standing, are what we hold dear. All these qualities have also rubbed off on us. In fact, wherever we go, Coomassie’s name earns us good treatment and attention. Our individual actions and the qualities we imbibed from him, which we exhibit often, also add up to the special recognition we get from people.

What values have you imbibed from him?

Salamatu: To tolerate people and situations, to be patient, honest and faithful to the Almighty Allah. Whatever happens to us, it is God’s will.

Jalila: To endure situations and live modestly.

Muntakar: The value that we shouldn’t lead false lives and that we are all equal before the Almighty Allah.

How did he relax?

Salamatu: He didn’t joke with siesta. He liked watching traditional Durbar. He loved playing squash. He enjoyed documentaries on crimes and investigations.

What songs did he listen to?

Bilkisu: He enjoyed traditional songs.

How did he like to dress?

Salamatu: He loved native dresses. After dressing, he would call any of his children close by to assess him whether he dressed properly for the occasion he was attending before stepping out of the house.

What was his favourite food?

Bilkisu: He was a lover of local food especially tuwo and grilled brown meat.

What books appealed him?

Salamatu: He greatly enjoyed biographies and books on history.

What are some of the things people don’t know about your father? 

Salamatu:  He was a quiet philanthropist. He was a peacemaker who tried many times to ensure peace among people all over the country.  He was a detribalised Nigerian whose friends cut across Nigeria.

Bilkisu: He cracked jokes a lot and valued honesty and transparency.

How do people relate with you knowing who your father was?

Salamatu: At times, it took people some time to know that we are his children because he brought us up in a way that we carry on our lives as every Nigerian does. We struggle, interact and mingle easily with people. But sincerely speaking, when people eventually discover that we are his children, they express surprise at our simplicity. But that is the way he brought us up.

He taught us to cut our coat according to our cloth and never to lead a false life. We thank God that even before his death, all his virtues were already imbibed by us even without us knowing it. At times, where I buy items to sell, my fellow traders find it difficult to believe that my father was a former Inspector-General of Police.

Despite being a graduate, we all struggle together while searching for the items to buy. Their belief is that as a graduate and daughter of Sardaunna (the late IG), I am supposed to be in an office working as my father was there to get anything I needed for me. I only laughed and educated them that the same blood in them also flows in me.

Jalila: I recall that in 2011 on pilgrimage to holy land. I was in a queue with other pilgrims. People were surprised when my name was called and were looking at me that I was not supposed to be in a queue.

Umma: At FCE, many hardly believe I am Coomassie’s daughter as I never mentioned it to anybody. But you know, somehow people would know one’s background. Even during our university days, we could attend lectures with bathroom slippers and other students would wonder if we were truly his daughters. But our father taught us to lead a simple and modest life in everything we do.

How has his name opened doors for you?

Salamatu: Opening of doors? Our father did not believe in lobbying for his children. He would rather encourage us to try our luck wherever we intend to work. I was once a foreign correspondent of Today newspaper in Abuja. While on the desk, I covered foreign news and during Hajj, I was in Saudi Arabia where I covered the session for the paper. This was before I got married and I opted for business. But people appreciate and accord us respect when they know we are Coomassie’s children.

How do you feel being his child?

Salamatu: I feel great being Coomassie’s daughter.

Bilkisu: It is fantastic to be his child.

Umma: He was a great father. I will miss him a lot (sobs).

Jalila: It is a great privilege to be his child. He was an embodiment of discipline, honesty and forthrightness.

How did you view your father’s roles as the IG during the administration of the late Gen. Sani Abacha?

Salamatu: As a matter of principle, our father did not involve us on political issues or about his office. Most of the news we heard during the NADECO period were through the media and some of his junior colleagues. From what we heard, it was obvious that he was doing his job as his office demanded then. Even, if it was his family that was involved, he would have taken the same steps and action he took at the time.

He did not compromise with his work. If you look at his friends, they cut across Nigeria. But his best friends were from the South-West. He brought us up to be detribalised Nigerians. We also have friends from South-West, South-East and we still communicate with them till date.

Did your father regret working for Abacha considering the fact that there were agitations for the actualisation of the June 12 mandate given the late MKO Abiola at the time?

Jalila: We believe he would still take the same action if the situation was to reoccur. He was a very dutiful officer, who we are very proud of. Besides, to err is human, to forgive divine.

Your father died at 76 according to reports. What are the things that make you proud of him?

Salamatu: He was a great father. His simplicity, forthrightness and strong belief in Allah which he imbibed in all of us make us proud of him

What did he tell you about his views concerning Nigeria?

Salamatu: He was concerned about the security situation in the country especially the kidnap cases and he warned us to be careful.

Bilkisu: He was also worried about youth unemployment.

What did you learn from your father which you are most grateful to God for?

Babangida: It is his advice that we should not joke with our religion and prayers, maintain integrity, endure situations, forgive and empathise with others and treat everybody equally.

Who were your father’s friends?

Salamatu: Our father has friends across Nigeria. His friends included former President Abdusalami Abubakar, ex-Special Adviser to General Ibrahim Babangida, Ibrahim Ismail, Prof. Idris Mohammed, Dan Isan and the Founder, Al-Hikmah University, Chief Abdul Raheem Oladimeji, who has always been with the family. We have known him since 1993. He is our second father, if you permit the expression.

Babangida: Our father had several friends. When he took ill, ex-President Abubakar, Chief Oladimeji, among many others, pleaded with him that he should be flown abroad or taken to Abuja for further treatment. But he told them that he would want his last days to be in Katsina.

How close were you to him?

Muntakar: I was closest to him being his unofficial private secretary. At times, he dictated his papers for me to write. At times, he asked me to prepare his speech and he would correct it later. During the 2005 and 2014 National Conference of President Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, I was one of his volunteer workers.

He taught me patience because at times I could wait till 12am before he could attend to me as he was busy attending to people. He did not believe in lobbying for his children to get anything. He encouraged us to take education and prayers seriously.

How did you receive the news of his death and where were you when he died?

Salamatu: A week before his death, Bilkisu and I came to see him. Bilkisu spoke with him on Wednesday before his death, only for the story to change the following day when she called. But well, we are from Allah and we shall return to Him at His appointed time.

He told us to remain faithful to Allah no matter the situation we find ourselves. He taught us to always remember that whatever we do, Allah watches us. He urged us to treat all human beings equally whether they are rich or poor. He also said we should remain steadfast and strong in situations because no condition is permanent in life.

Jalila: I thank God for his well spent life. He was a father in a million who adequately prepared us to have deep faith in Almighty Allah that whatever happens, it is God’s wish. Who are we to query God? We can only abide by His decision.

Babangida: What I miss most in my father is his wise counsel.  We thank God that his counsel has continued to guide us in our relationship with people.

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