Alhaji Zubair Adubi Abdulmalik Ajigara was virtually the last man standing among his age mates and circle of friends in Ihima and probably beyond that I grew up to know in the early 60s. He was an outstanding personality among his peers of that time who dictated the pace of modernity and civilization during their time. He trained as a tailor and he was one of the earliest tailors to combine the knowledge of tailoring with the art of embroidery designs on attires using the Tinko Embroidery Machine which was very rare and expensive to acquire by tailors of his time. He applied those combined tailoring skills to very high standards which earned him a wide clientele through out Ebira Land and beyond, as his workshop became a beehive for customers. He was also classically outstanding as a man who embraced fashion and decent dressing habit at all time, which made him a shining role model for the youths. He was one of the earliest to acquire the Vespa motorcycle which was then rare and regarded as a unique fashionable mean of transport then. He was humble, simplistic and humane with cheerful disposition towards his superiors, his age mate and the youths, some of the core attributes he exhibited till his last day. He was also a good and successful family man and a respected and trusted community leader and mobiliser. Taking his passage at a ripe age of 100+ and the quality of life and achievements he was blessed with, which of the blessings of Allah could he deny? With his passage, a colossus has fallen, he was about the last standing man among his peers, friends, age mates and socialites, safe for Alhaji Opotu Yusuf Otohinoyi (may Allah grant him longevity), that I grew up to know. He no doubt contributed immensely to positively shaping the socio-economic setting of Ihima, Ebira land and the other places where he had the privilege to interact and made his impact felt. He lived an exemplary life of dedication and devotion to his vocation, his community and his family. I commiserate with his immediate and extended families, Ohueta clan, Ihima and Ebira communities. My condolences to his children represented by Rt Hon Alh Abdulkareem Abdulmalik and his wives over the irreparable loss. My heart pours out to them in this moment of their grief. May Almighty Allah forgive him his shortcomings, ease the burden of the grave for him and grant him eternal rest in Jana’atul Firdausi.
By Alh. Abdulaziz Suberu. A retired Banker based in Abuja