By Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin.
To Allah belong all glory and adoration, the Lord of the worlds and mankind.
Life has been a journey of struggle, survival, existence, and manifestation. I have walked streets where silence overtook the sounds of the night, with insects and animals providing the only audible voices. I have fought battles in silence, only for God’s grace to appear where no man could stand. I have experienced life without a penny in my pocket, walking 8 kilometres or more to work while remaining steadfast on my path. One lesson has stayed with me: when you have not reached your destination, you do not stop walking.
It has been a remarkable 14,610 days of existence on the global map, forty years of gratitude from the day life was given, and a journey of thankfulness that will continue until the day life is taken away. After all, every soul shall taste death.
A maestro was born forty years ago in a town called Ikorodu (Ilú kékeré, ọkọ ìlú bantata, aṣojú mi tí Ìkòròdú máa di Headquarters). The celebration of his arrival stretched from Itundegun quarters, Alejo Compound in Isẹlẹ, down to Ijomu (Itunpate), as the community welcomed the song of a newborn baby boy. Lo and behold, here I am, forty years later.
Growing up was beautiful. Unlike the present computer age, we played hard, got our clothes completely dirty, rolled tyres and wheels down the streets, and played football on the roads. Life was particularly memorable during Ramadan. Despite the hardships our parents had to navigate to provide us with a better standard of living, childhood remained full of memorable experiences. It certainly was not easy, but those experiences shaped us.
My journey began in Ijomu, continued through Owolowo Street and Aga, and took me through adolescence in Aga, where I became familiar with the California guys. I also received my Arabic education on the same street through Ridwanullahi Missionary Association (RIDMAN). I later advanced my Islamic education at TAKIS (Tahazibu Khayriyyah Islamic School, Àgbàlá), under the tutelage of Sheikh Anees Zakariyyah (Ọmọ́dá), before proceeding to Western education at Olabisi Onabanjo University. My secondary education took place at United High School and Ikorodu High School, both in Ikorodu. Those schools had their own ways of training, humbling, and moulding students into whatever they chose to become, regardless of the quality of parental upbringing.
My professional and community engagements have equally contributed to the person I have become. I worked with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, within the Cooperative Department, for two years as a Cooperative Officer. My experience at Hon. SOB’s constituency office, his law office, and as a former member and executive of his Onward Movement, as well as my involvement with the Ikorodu Renaissance Research Team, are all important chapters of my history. These experiences cannot be erased, regardless of how history eventually unfolds.
I also learned the art of sewing and fashion designing under two different masters. That skill proved useful and rewarding, particularly during a period when I needed to clear my head from the political tensions surrounding my decision to walk away from partisan politics in Ikorodu. Yet, life had another political chapter waiting for me. I later walked through a door that changed the political landscape of Ikorodu. Joining the iCare Foundation family as a member of the Constituency Office was an opportunity many desired but could not attain. For me, it was another privilege to contribute to service delivery and support the good people of Ikorodu at large. The experience was rewarding and remains an important part of my journey.
Further down the road, I encountered the opportunity to migrate to another part of the world. North America presented an entirely different landscape and a new chapter of life. My migration became possible through marital and community assistance. I remain grateful because I am a beneficiary of community support, a reminder that some journeys are made possible through the kindness, sacrifices, and collective efforts of others.
Five years away from home, I have found a place to call home. These years have been about growth, adaptation, resilience, and nurturing myself into a better version of who I aspire to become. Along the way, I have embraced different responsibilities as a father, colleague, friend, and leader, taking the lead in various spheres of life while learning, unlearning, and continuously evolving.
To my family, thank you for believing in me and in what we can achieve together. To my parents, thank you for bringing me into this world and installing the title of “Aṣíwájú” upon me. I carry this responsibility with great honour and never take it lightly. To every individual and group whose path has crossed mine, I express my sincere gratitude for the shared experiences, intellectual arguments, constructive disagreements, mutual learning, and collective efforts towards becoming better versions of ourselves. Every encounter has contributed something meaningful to my journey.
As I step into another phase of life, I remain grateful for the journey, conscious of the responsibilities ahead, and committed to service. My story is still unfolding, and I look forward to the opportunities, lessons, and responsibilities that lie ahead.
Happy 40th Birthday to me!
Unto the next phase, I am here to serve.
Yours,
Qawiyy Adebayo Rabiu
MBA, PMP, CIFFA, PGCert HRM, AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
