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Sermon: Dreams Die: Build a Legacy
By Babatunde Jose
“O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings,
and a Warner, And as one who invites to Allah’s (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading Light. (Quran 33:45-46)
In this verse of the Quran, Allah summarizes the legacy of Prophet Muhammad as the harbinger of good tidings, the warner, the summoner unto Allah, and as the lamp spreading light in a world that was plunged in darkness; a man who delivered a message to humanity that enlightened every aspect of human life, carrying with it solutions to every problem that humanity would ever face – political, economic, social, judicial, moral and spiritual – for all times, places and people, to take mankind from the darkness and oppression of man-made ways of life and systems to the light and justice of the System from the Lord of the Worlds.
There are many great characters in history, but none of their legacies impacted the world nor shaped the politics and lives of nations to the extent that the life and legacy of Prophet Muhammad. Indeed he was the most influential man in history, as agreed by many historians and writers, including Michael H. Hart, the American author, who ranked Muhammad as number 1 in his book, “The 100 Most Influential Persons in History”, writing, “Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s great religions and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive.”
First, is the unparalleled political system he pioneered and left behind through the Revelation of Allah – a system that was emulated by the Muslims following his death – and continued for 1300 years – right from the Khilafah Rashidun of Abu Bakr, Umar bin Al Khattab, Uthman bin Affan, and Ali ibn Abu Talib, through the Umayyad, Abbasid, and Uthmani Khilafah until the destruction of this magnificent state at the hands of the western colonialists and their agents in 1924.
It was a political system that was the embodiment of guardianship and care of the people and whose distinctive qualities were justice and accountability in governance as acknowledged by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. A system fashioned upon the words of Allah in Surah an-Nisa: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.” (Quran 4:135)
Apart from leaving a legacy of a sound political system based on justice, fairness and equity, the Prophet also left a legacy of good leadership. The Caliber of Leaders the Prophet left behind can be gleaned from the life of the Khalifs: Leaders who truly understood their heavy duty to be the guardians and servants of their people, caring for their every need. The prophet said: “Each of you is a guardian and each of you is questioned over his subjects, the Imam is responsible over the people and he is questioned over his responsibility.”
Leaders such as Khalifah Umar bin Al Khattab who during the famine in Medina refused to eat anything but coarse food. His health began to deteriorate and he was advised to take care of himself, but he replied, “If I don’t taste suffering, how can I know the suffering of others?” This was a ruler who would patrol the streets at night to ensure every single one of his citizens had their needs met and was cared for.
He left behind a legacy of leaders who would use their own wealth to make their people rich even if they died poor – like Khalifah Umar bin Abdul Aziz. Before he became a ruler he was a rich man; in fact it took 100 camels to bring his possessions to the city. But he died with only one shirt to his name despite the Khalifah enjoying economic prosperity at the time, because he had spent his wealth for the sake of his Ummah. This was a man who refused to use even a drop of public oil to fuel his lamp for his personal affairs or even use water heated with the state charcoal for his ablution due to his immense sense of accountability over state funds. Subhanallah!
Can we say these about our leaders? Do they even understand what it means to leave a legacy of service?
A leader’s legacy is established by leaving something of enduring quality behind for the organization and its people. Effective leadership occurs when the leader strengthens others’ capacity to learn, to reflect and to extract meaning from their learning.
In essence, “legacy” is what you leave behind when you’re gone. It’s that “thing” that you did either for better or worse, and it’s most often the “thing” for which you are most remembered.
Integrity is perhaps the most important principle of leadership because it demands truthfulness and honesty. … Integrity means telling the truth even if the truth is ugly. Better to be honest than to delude others, because then you are probably deluding yourself, too. Do our leaders pass this benchmark?
Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human. Research shows that without a sense of working to create a legacy, adults lose meaning in their life. … Being reminded of death is actually a good thing, because death informs life. It gives you a perspective on what’s important.
Let us live to leave a lasting legacy. May Allah guide us a right. It is understandable then why, George Bernard Shaw, the famous British writer and political activist once stated, “I have studied Muhammad – the wonderful man – and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.”
Barka Juma’at and Ramadan Kareem
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has formally resigned his membership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), citing deepening internal crises and the need to protect the broader interests of the people of Kano State.
The governor announced his decision in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa. According to the statement, Yusuf has written a formal resignation letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward of the NNPP in Gwale Local Government Area.
The resignation takes effect from Friday, January 23, 2026.
Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation to the NNPP for providing him with a political platform and support during his engagement with the party.
However, he pointed to persistent internal disputes and unresolved legal challenges that have continued to destabilise the party’s structure at both state and national levels.
According to the governor, the prolonged disagreements have widened internal divisions and weakened cohesion within the NNPP, making it difficult for the party to function effectively.
He said his decision was guided by the need to prioritise stability, governance, and the collective interest of the people of Kano State.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that he is not dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the recent wave of defections in his party.
Makinde said this after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
When asked if he’s also considering joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), like his former colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Makinde said he is comfortable with the PDP.
“I am comfortable in the PDP,” he stated.
Makinde maintained that addressing Nigerian problems requires bi-partisan approach with contributions from all political parties in the interest of the country.
“We may have issues in this country where you need a bipartisan approach, where there won’t be an issue of APC talking alone or PDP talking alone; where we will have to look at what is the best foot forward in the interest of our nation. So, when you get to that junction, you need everybody on board,” he said.
The Oyo governor arrived at the Aso Villa shortly after Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who recently defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Both governors were received separately and proceeded to the president’s office.
Makinde was a key member of the group of five PDP governors, popularly known as the G5, who opposed the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election.
The G5 governors argued that the PDP had violated its informal zoning arrangement by presenting a northern candidate after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also from the North.
The group maintained that power should rotate to the South in the interest of fairness and national cohesion.
During the 2023 presidential election, Makinde and other members of the G5 openly worked against the PDP candidate and supported Tinubu, who eventually won. Other members of the G5 included former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom; former Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and former Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
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After Calling CAN ‘Conflict Entrepreneurs’, Police Make U-turn, Confirm Mass Abduction of Kaduna Churchgoers
Bare 24 hours after denying reports of the abduction of worshippers from three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the police have reversed their position, admitting that the attack “did occur” and many people were kidnapped.
The police admitted the incident in a Tuesday night statement issued by their spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin. This followed a public condemnation of the police’s initial stance.
Recall that terrorists, loosely referred to as “bandits,” invaded the area on Sunday, 18 January, kidnapping over 160 worshippers.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told this newspaper that 172 people were initially abducted but nine escaped and the remaining were marched into a nearby forest.
The statement signed by its spokesperson, Reuben Buhari, listed the affected churches to include the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Albarka Cherubim and Seraphim 1 and Haske Cherubim and Seraphim 2.
Both the Kaduna State government and the police disagreed with CAN, challenging it to present evidence that there was an abduction.
Addressing reporters on Monday after a security meeting with state authorities, the police commissioner in Kaduna, Muhammad Rabiu, described the incident as a “falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna State.”
Also the chairperson of Kajuru Local Government, Dauda Madaki, denied the attack, citing local authorities in the area.
But in the Tuesday night statement, the police said their new position on the incident followed subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources.
The Police said efforts were underway to “safely” rescue the victims and restore normalcy to the area.
The Police said the incident generated widespread fear and anxiety, leading the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to convene a meeting of the State Security Council at the Government House in Kaduna.
During the meeting, some individuals from the affected local government reportedly disputed earlier reports of the abduction, describing them as false, a development the police said created uncertainty and necessitated further verification.
According to the statement, the abduction had earlier been confirmed by the police, but the conflicting accounts led security agencies to exercise caution before making “conclusive” public statements.
The police explained that comments made by the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna were aimed at preventing “unnecessary panic” while investigations were ongoing.
The remarks, the police added, were not a denial but a response pending confirmation of details, such as the identities and number of those affected.
According to the statement, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and intelligence assets to the area.
The Police said the response includes the deployment of tactical units, intensified patrols, and targeted search-and-rescue operations.
The Police appealed to the public and the media to rely on official communications for verified information, warning that sensational reporting could “jeopardise ongoing operations or heighten public anxiety.”
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