- Photo: Mallam Dayyabu*
My first encounter with Mallam Dayyabu was when I served in the ICT team under Kaduna state, responsible for capturing the data of Kaduna State pilgrims arriving from Nigeria in 2009. Mallam Dayyabu was also in Bauchi reception team in King Abdulaziz international airport in Jeddah.
That was when each state had its own reception team at King Abdulaziz international airport in Jeddah. Mallam Dayyabu will be at the receiving point of any state pilgrims arriving from Nigeria and I started to wonder whether this Man is working for Saudi spy agencies. Kaduna arrives, see Mallam Dayyabu, Kano pilgrims, it is Dayyabu, it is time to arrange pilgrims movement from Jeddah to Madina or Makkah, Mallam Dayyabu will be there.
Since then, there is no year that Alh Dayyabu will not be at the centre of hajj operation. I mean, a practical field operations.
Go to Pilgrims 32kg luggage centres and you will meet Mallam Dayyabu assisting pilgrims, come back to accommodation in the evening, Mallam Dayyabu will be right there distributing meals to pilgrims.
Mr Dayyabu is known for his trademark loud speaker used to announce the arrival of buses in front of pilgrim’s accommodation in Misfala whenever movement of pilgrims to Mina begins. There is no assignment being undertaken by Bauchi state hajj officials that Mallam Dayyabu will not be involved.
He moved up and down assisting elderly pilgrims to enter elevators in Bauchi state pilgrims’ accommodation located at Ibrahim Khalil Road in Misfallla.
The most amazing facts about him is that you hardly see him sitting down or sleeping anywhere within pilgrims accommodations.
May Almighty Allah rewards this extra ordinary man.
