PEN WIZARD
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This poem by Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi is dedicated to Malam Mahmud Jega on the occasion of his birthday, celebrated on 28th July, 2026.
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A wizard walks
Where noble ink
Has flowed
With truths
As lantern on life’s
Winding road.
Malam Mahmud Jega,
Steadfast, wise,
Whose words
Lift minds
And cause ideals to rise.
Your pen
Has built
What swords
Could never claim.
A timeless legacy
Beyond all fame.
Seasoned by decades
In the press’s fire,
You climbed
With honour,
Never sought for hire.
The craft
Became your covenant
And creed,
You sowed
With patience
Every righteous seed.
Young voices
Found direction
In your light,
Inspired to make
The written record right.
You stand
Where human dignity
Prevails,
Defending justice
When oppression fails.
You speak
For those whose voices
Fade unheard,
Restoring hope
Through every
Honest word.
The weak
Have found a guardian
In your name,
A fearless soul
Untouched
By fear or blame.
An encyclopedia,
The press you are,
A guiding compass
And a northern star.
Each page
You’ve penned
Preserves both fact
And truth,
A living school
For age
As well as youth.
Within your mind,
Rich chronicles reside,
Where wisdom,
Experience abide.
Editor
Par excellence,
Calm yet keen,
You polish every sentence
Till it’s clean.
With disciplined
Precision,
Sharp insight,
You separate
The shadows
From the light.
Your careful hands
Have shaped
Both prose and men,
Refining minds
With every trusted pen.
Among the finest columnists
Our nation knows,
Your thoughtful
Commentary
Gently flows.
You neither flatter
Power
Nor worship praise,
You write
To illuminate
Uncertain days.
Your balanced
Judgment,
Strengthens public trust,
For every line is measured,
Fair and just.
Historian of moments
Great and small,
You faithfully
Have chronicled them all.
The past survives
Because your records stay.
A bridge
Connecting yesterday
With today.
Generations
Yet unborn shall read
And harvest knowledge
From your noble seed.
Kindness adorns
The greatness
That you wear.
Your gentle spirit
Eases every care.
Considerate in counsel,
Rich in grace,
You leave
Warm memories
In every place.
True greatness shines
Through humble hearts
Alone.
A priceless truth
Your daily life
Has shown.
You count true knowledge
Richer far than gold,
A treasure
No possession
Ever can hold.
For wealth may fade
Like footprints in the sand,
But wisdom
Strengthens every heart
And land.
You teach that learning
Crowns
The faithful soul
And makes humanity
Forever whole.
Easygoing,
Yet unstaggaring in principle,
You lead with calm
That makes
The difficult simple.
No pride obscures
The kindness in your face,
You welcome all
With dignity, grace.
In every gathering,
Strangers become friends,
For peace attends
Wherever Jega treads.
A leader
Mindful of the ones behind,
You lift your team
With heart as well as mind.
Your care has nurtured
Many soaring wings,
Preparing future voices
For great things.
Long
May your pen illuminate
Our way.
Happy belated birthday,
Sir, we say.
May Allah bless
Your years
With endless light
And keep
Your noble purpose
Burning bright.
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© Bashir Yahuza Malumfashi,
Monday 19-02-1448 (Hijriyya)
03-08-2026 (Miladiyya)
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