Dr Pantami: Worthy of Emulation -By Adamu Usman Garko

The making of tomorrow a fruitful one is based on the giant strides being taken today by people who believe that giving the future a better shape starts today.  That the journey to foster a brighter tomorrow is anchored in the sacrifices of  today as a threshold to that tough realisation. Tough realisation of the noble quest for a positive metamorphosis, a metamorphosis in  the general assumption that Islamic scholars should based their lives solely on the basis of attaining to the peak of only Islamic fields while abandoning the secular  education to the extent that exhibiting any  interest in it at all, is frowned upon and uncommon.

I believe the up and coming Islamic personalities of tomorrow growing up today must have seen the shortcomings of that old assumption and the ascendancy of those who have successfully carved a niche for themselves through marriage of the two types of educations. Emulation is what is imperatively significant and needed in all the lives of many Islamic scholars, those already calling the shots today and those coming up the ladders.  And there’s no greater emulation I will advocate than replicating the life and struggles of Dr Isa Ali Pantami on this course. His in-depth knowledge of Islam has not,  like many, spurred him to scorn the secular  education.  His thorough love and adherence to Islamic principles has not  made him a myopia who cherishes only things Islamic and traditional to the negligence of the secular  one and its abandonment in the hands of blind people. Yet, it is a well known phenomenon that to merge the two together is never an easy task,  and whoever does that successfully,  just like Pantami; requires enormously constructive encomiums.

Having acquired an in-depth knowledge of Islamic studies to a very vast stage from different local and international teachers of highly exceptional personalities and knowledge,  and having also extensively acquired the secular  education to the highest  peak from reputable and highly graded universities; he is highly qualified to satisfy any demand on the two fields from any quarter with vivid illustrations to ensure maximum understanding without a dread of being stamped down on any. And this broad understanding and exploits in the two has given him the enabling to make himself able to mingle and interact with anyone inside the country Nigeria,  or outside.

The reason why many people expressed their dissatisfaction over his ministerial appointment I think, has got to do with the strange unexpection of it as he is someone who is known to be deeply steeped in the knowledge of Islam and secular education, and has always been seen more as an internationally acclaimed Islamic personality. And the truth is that, those who aired this  dissatisfaction over his appointment are people from North who should have been rejoicing considering his unwavering inclination to doing good. This is because our Islamic scholars are seen as people devoid of the secular  education, so when he emerged with excellence in both fields it made many people uneasy. But nonetheless it is an indication of the type of  metamorphosis we need as we progress towards a much more impressive future, and people continue to  learn and relearn new imperatives for better tomorrow everyday, purposefully moving from darkness to light.

His stand today is an inspiration to many Islamic scholars most especially the younger emerging ones, as his stand as a personality worthy of emulation indirectly changing the mindsets of Nigerians that there is a dire need to blend Islamic education with the secular  one,  and a need for the good ones to come into governance to effect practical therapy to the many ailments bedeviling us as a nation.

It is now obvious, as an emerging Islamic preacher, the quest for your Islamic knowledge should never let you abandon the secular  education, in order to work with the progressive minded to be able to tackle the challenges of this new dispensation. Wear what the new generation has brought with good passion and  intention, blend the Islamic and the secular  education with conscious and pure understanding . Emulate Dr Pantami, and our tomorrow shall be bright!

Adamu Usman Garko is a secondary school students in Gombe state. He writes poems, stories and essays. His first debut book will hit shelves by October.