In His Own Words: Lessons from an Ex-Governor’s Son Who Died in a Road Accident

• Former Governor Ahmad Makarfi of Kaduna State faces an unimaginable tragedy as his first son, Faisal, dies in a road accident along the Kaduna-Zaria highway
• Faisal, a civil engineer and entrepreneur, was pursuing his PhD in London, embodying the values of discipline and hard work instilled by his father
• In a reflective interview before his death, Faisal spoke about the life lessons learned from his father, including the importance of education, the power of words, and choosing the right life partner

Former Governor Ahmad Makarfi of Kaduna State confronted the unthinkable: the loss of his first son, Faisal.

At the hospital, the ex-governor received the grim confirmation that his son, involved in a road accident along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, was gone.

For any parent, burying a child is a heartbreak beyond words, an inversion of life’s natural order.

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For Makarfi, a politician long familiar with the volatility of power and public life, this personal tragedy was unsparing in its cruelty.

Faisal Makarfi, a civil engineer by training, was more than the son of a former governor.

Educated at Kaduna International School and Adesoye College in Offa, Kwara State, he pursued higher education at the University of Greenwich in London, where he earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees and was in the process of completing a PhD.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish FAMCO Group of Companies, and though still in his late twenties, Faisal's future seemed to shimmer with promise.

Faisal’s reflections on life and fatherhood before his passing

In a reflective interview with PUNCH, Faisal had spoken about the life lessons he had absorbed from his father, particularly about the value of hard work, education, and discipline.

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"My father has the golden rule which says, 'Everything in its own time,'" he had shared, recalling his father's advice to focus on academics before anything else. Faisal’s admiration for his father was clear, describing him as honest, courageous, hardworking, and determined—traits he aimed to emulate in his own life.

He also spoke candidly about politics, the subject that defined his father's public life. Ahmad Makarfi, he said, had been measured in introducing him to the political arena, prioritizing Faisal’s education above all. “He believes in the power of words,” Faisal said. “He taught me to guard my tongue because words, when uttered, cannot be taken back.”

Amid the teachings on education and discipline, there was also the fatherly wisdom passed down in more personal matters.

On relationships, Faisal revealed that his father advised him and his siblings to choose life partners who were loving, patient, supportive, and reliable. In the end, the advice extended to a lighter note, Faisal adding with a smile, "He sent me a funny joke strictly for the men on wives."

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Former governor’s son dies in Kaduna road accident

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Faisal Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, the son of former Kaduna State Governor and ex-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has died following a road accident.

The fatal incident occurred on Saturday evening along the Kaduna-Zaria highway, a family source confirmed.

Source: Legit.ng