Not to her knowledge, yesterday, I took what I consider to be one of the few right decisions about my family life.
My 6th child, Rukayya, a student of EE at ATBU celebrated her 20th birthday yesterday. For two hours in that afternoon, I battled with the idea of buying her a car as a gift because she is a child that any father would like to have: brilliant, simple, obedient and preoccupied with learning.
I even asked a car dealer to survey the price of the TOYOTA MATRIX she dreams of riding. He got back to me with a list which didn't look farfetched at all. I told him I will get back to him soon.
Suddenly, I realized that she still has 18 months to complete her studies and there is something she loves more than a car: C - Programming, which she started learning in her just concluded SIWESS programme with a company in Abuja.
Why not a book on C-programming at this time instead of a car then? My brain was ruling against my heart...and very fast too. If she will master everything in a C-programming book very well, it reasoned, that will be better than a car now because it will earn her many cars in the near future... I was swayed on conviction to go for the book. Within few minutes I was in Achison Bookshop, Jos, shopping for one on C - programming.
When it was time for the birthday dinner, I told her that I had a gift for her. The smilee, surprised, asked jubilantly, "What's it Baba?" I said, "A book." She unfolded the wrap and saw "Programming with C." Wao! She exclaimed. From then, the excitation of owning the book couldn't leave her to enjoy the rest of her dinner.
Immediately after the dinner, she disappeared into her room to start cruising on its pages...probably TDB. I am sure she will be done with it shortly.
Reflecting on the episode this morning, I felt satisfied that I did the right thing: A book is better than a car, now and ever, for a child of her age. (Though she wouldn't like to still be called a child at 20. To her father she will remain one even at 60).
The car will come, isA, before or as she completes her studies, anyway. But right now, karatu, karatu, karatu is the focus. This may be the only time I may have the opportunity to buy one for her as it won't be possible after her marriage, something in which I operate a strict policy of zero-interference.
Walili (her home name) has been a good and hardworking girl since her primary school days at Millennium Academy here and her stay at St. Louis, Kano. A token, even in form of a modest car, can hardly express the gratitude of a father for having such a trouble-free child (yes, child).
Happy Book Day, Walilin Baba! 
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