Elisha Cliff Ishaku was one of the earlier progenitors of health activism. At a time it was a taboo to talk HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, this Adamawa born burning with pulsating youthful zest took the world by the jugular. He challenged the status quo and dared those who discriminated against people living with HIV/AIDS. He sued government establishments to court and argued in defense of affected persons. I am talking about the early days of the HIV/AIDS scourge- around 1999 to be precise. He travelled round the country creating awareness on the deadly and devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. He was the darling of tv stations as newspapers ambushed him for no hold barred interviews. Like late Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh who saved humanity from the ruins of Ebola, Elisha battled HIV/AIDS scourge in Nigeria using education.
Our path crossed around 2000 where I was part of the Peer Health Educators spreading the messages of HIV/AIDs. In three months, we toured 37 secondary schools in the FCT educating young secondary school students on this scourge. And one man was the darling of the students – Cliff could mesmerize the students to full class interest. After Benny Atagame Alli, Elisha laboured and sustained the fight against the dreaded scourge. He was jovial, intelligent and sacrificial.
I left for the university and left the likes of my mentor Ayodele Sebiotimo, Audu Maikori, and Elisha mentoring young Nigerians on the need for healthy living. I didn’t hear from Cliff again until I saw his picture on the wall of Andrew Alibbi announcing his ascension as a Senator, the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was happy for him and praised his resilience – that at last, his toils have paid off, his sacrifices to save many from the embrace of the HIV/AIDs has materialized in beautiful rewards.
Just yesterday, after many years, I saw Elisha in the Senate chamber of the National Assembly not as Cliff the advocate but Cliff the Senator! We embraced and promised to see him again. Barely few hours of parting, I saw a disturbing video of a man gravely assaulting a lady. I was livid with rage and wished I had access to strangle the man in the ugly scene. Then his identity dawned on me and I became more enraged. Why now Cliff, I mumbled.
Indeed the hubris of life can be ironic, one man sacrificed his young age in defence of a vulnerable population only to be consumed by a stupid moment of uncontrolled rage in his flourishing prime! Indeed the saying that village people are after some people is real. There is absolutely no defense for such a cowardly moment- it is just despicable and it stands all roundly condemnable! One moment of rage has soiled many years of relentless advocacy. And like an orphaned, Cliff is left alone in the drench of the rains- self-drawn rains.
Something interesting happened, the IGP ordered his arrest, another fascinating thing occurred, he surrendered himself to the police and swiftly apologized for his uncalled rage and needless assault on a defenceless woman. This action showed a man in total regret of his flawed decision. While the law takes its course, time we use the compassionate part of our heart to forgive this remorseful being who fell to the weaknesses of time, power and anger. In whatever we do, we must be guided by the buttons of emotional intelligence, self-control and reflective decision. For Senator Elisha, it was a tragic moment of weak decision.
Abdullahi Haruna, is a writer,poet, youth activist,leadership mentor.
Twitter Handle: @Haruspicee