A Tribute to Late Saidu Yahaya Ojoo (PhD)

This is a tribute to late Saidu Yahaya Ojoo (PhD), Department of English and Literature, Federal University Gusau.

By

Nuhu Lawan {c2024}
(A Lecturer at the Department of English and Literature)
Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria

I cry
Losing a mentor like you,
a real mentor.
It scatters my liquor,
Floods out my tears
Beyond the eye bank like a tight shore. 

I cry.
I can't imagine life
Without you around.
I've cried, wiped, cried, and wiped again,
Weeping times without number
So you could change mind and return. 

I cry.
My seconds and minutes,
My hours, physique and spirit
Go badly, but all in vain
to the vacuum you created in
the Department arena we all belong.

I cry.
A hard heightened dismay
of an atmosphere with no academic soldier
As to calling to order,
the erring mentees as though friends.
Where would we go again? 

I cry.
To be without whom you love,
And loves you in return,
Retiring unannounced and
never to be seen here again.
I tried, cried and tried again. 

I cry.
My psyche lost, aural deaf,
Smell blocked and sight blind.
Weakened am I,
For my soul get feeble.
Where have you gone, Dr? 

I cry.
Now, I feel so blisteringly hollowed,
Unfilled, thrown off and emptied,
As though it's me that returns no more,
In my missing active action
of our life struggle.

I cry.
When will this heartache end?
My eyes, meanwhile,
fail to distinguish the daylight
far from the brightened moon’s.
I wished I could sight you again:
a man with a golden heart. 

I cry,
Weep and sound in vain,
but in hot and cold tears
like estoppels, I say:
Until we meet again
in Paradise, Dr.