COTABATO CITY (February 13, 2023) – The late Wālī of the Bangsamoro Sheikh Khalifa Nando can be considered an epitome for the Bangsamoro youth.
“Talking about Sheikh Nando’s life story also means talking about the Bangsamoro struggle,” said Suhail Mamaluba on Bangsamoro YoutHours’ 43rd episode, on Thursday, February 09.
Mamaluba emphasized that the late Sheikh Nando, the first Wālī of the Bangsamoro and former Chief of Justice of Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Shari’ah Supreme Court, was a trustworthy man in his prime years as elders used to invite him in various community affairs.
“He used to be a close friend of elders who actually trusted him so much. In fact, he was trustworthy in his youthful days. Elders invited him to accompany them in different community affairs such as hunting, fishing, among other activities,” he said.
Moreover, Sheikh Nando during his childhood days was an obedient and respectful child towards the elders especially with his parents.
“Among the practices of our elders to show affection to an obedient child was they would often take with them their child whenever they do marketing,” he said.
“He was never angry and rebellious to his parents and he never had any trouble or dispute with his peers,” he added.
Sheik Nando, in his academic years, was one of the students of Madrasah Al-Rasheedah in Pandag, Maguindanao del Sur who was later granted with diplomatic scholarship at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt where he met the late MILF founder Sheikh Salamat Hashim, who was also his senior.
In the establishment of the Bangsamoro Government, Sheikh Nando became the first Wālī of the Bangsamoro, an elective position of the BARMM government as the ceremonial head of the region.
Among his functions include moral guardianship of the region, presides over the opening of the parliament session, administers the oath of office, dissolves the Bangsamoro Parliament as advised by the Chief Minister, calls for the election of a new parliament, and attends public ceremonies.
Further, Mamaluba noted that the Office of the Wālī of the Bangsamoro is not a service provider. However, there are several efforts conducted by the office including call for peace and unity to support the BARMM priority agenda in order to introduce the government to the constituents.
Meetings and consultations with various stakeholders were also conducted by the office. He also led the month-long Qur’an reading and memorization competition which was participated mostly by youth from different areas of the region.
Tilagad sessions, a traditional practice of the elders was also revived. It is a breakfast session in which traditional Bangsamoro leaders from different sectors are invited to discuss and address various issues, concerns, and dynamics in the Bangsamoro society.
Wālī is derived from an Arabic word that means governor. It is an administrative title used by the early Muslims during the Caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. In the BARMM context, it was reduced to ceremonial mandates alone.
The passing of Sheikh Nando on February 05 has provoked many realizations among the Bangsamoro people, especially the youth who will take the leadership in the near future.
Bangsamoro Youth Hours streams every Thursday, 4 PM to 5 PM at the Facebook pages of Bangsamoro Youth Commission and Bangsamoro Media Productions and airs at GABAY Radio FM 97.7 MHz radio station in Cotabato City. (BYC PR Unit/AAA)
