On Saturday, Ghana lost one of her illustrious citizens, Lepowura Alhaji Nuru Deen Jawula, a traditional leader and former football administrator, who was once President of the Ghana Football Association.
The 74-year-old passed on in far-away Nashville, United States of America, where he had been flown for medical care a week earlier after being on admission at the University of Ghana Medical Centre in Accra.
He was a Muslim and as the Islamic tradition demands, his burial was not delayed, so he was laid to rest in the US on Sunday.
Back home, burial prayers were said in his memory on Sunday night in the family house at Accra Newtown simultaneously with the committal ceremony in Nashville.
By this piece, we want to inform the family that we share in their loss and want them to accept our sympathies.
This write-up is dedicated to Alhaji Jawula as our way of saying farewell to the Lepow
ura, even though we wish he had stayed around a little longer for the family, loved ones, Ghana and even the global community to tap from his wealth of knowledge and experience.
Naturally, humans are made to exit the earth one day, yet when death occurs, it mostly brings some pains and the pain is greater in the case of those who led exemplary lives and as such had become mentors and points of reference for various discussions and undertakings.
Popularly known as Alhaji MND Jawula in the Ghanaian public space, the Lepowura was one such person.
Among other qualities, he was a go-getter, assertive, principled, kind-hearted, supportive and exuded hope for those around him.
His path to prominence was enough evidence that he would not allow anything from stopping him to achieve what he had planned to accomplish.
His exploits as a football administrator add up to make him an icon at home and on the global arena.
As a public servant and traditional leader, he never gave anyone the cause to doubt his knowledge and competence.
Politically, he belonged to the Busia-Danquah-Dombo tradition for which he was a staunch member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, yet he mixed easily with members of the other political traditions and parties in the country.
Thus, Alhaji Jawula could be said to be the epitome of political tolerance and pillar of national unity, considering the fact that certain political stalwarts could use their clout to cause disunity and mayhem among people.
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He was jovial and those close to him remember some of his jokes.
One significant thing about Alhaji Jawula was that he could easily relate with people he had just met as if he had a long-standing relationship with them.
The Lepowura was one person who encouraged and supported people, particularly young ones who needed help.
Our limited space is not enough to pay appropriate tribute to Alhaji Jawula, but would regard our message so far as one to pay our last respects to him.
He may have shown some weakness or stepped on some toes, but what is not in doubt is that Alhaji Jawula was an exemplar due his illustrious personal life and service to his immediate community, the entire country and the world at large.
Fare thee well, Alhaji, and may Allah command His angels to meet you and give you blissful rest.
