Mamad Dustageer Juman, father of Eshan Juman, member of National Assembly, breathed his last at the age of 72 in SSRNH in the morning of Tuesday 17 September 2024. He was admitted about a month ago to the hospital on symptoms of heart problems and was moved to the ICU. His state was rather unstable, giving hopes to his dear ones that he would return back home at some times but making them fear of the worst at other. Finally, the respiratory infection had the last word.
I remember this inhabitant of Notre-Dame coming to visit his in-laws in Vale on his ox-driven cart, a popular mode of transport… Many rural families owned this non-polluting mode of conveyance and would drive to the sea-side on Sundays and on Ganga Asnan and Safar. Osman, father-in-law of Mamad, nicknamed Osman bazarier, was one famous cart owner; he was collecting the vegetable harvest of his village to take it 22 km away to the central market three times a week. He would depart at 2 am to reach central market on time for auction, would collect forage around the central market and Ruisseau Fanfaron, to feed his animal and would return with the cargo of his village shopkeepers from the shops in Louis Pasteur Street. The notable fact was that villagers did not complain about basic necessities being out of stock.
The life story of Mamad can be summed up “from rags to riches”. He had known hard days as the majority of the third generation of Indian immigrants. It was a time when many families could not afford to send their children to secondary schools. Every capable adult member had to join the workforce to make both ends meet. At a later stage, he became a fruit seller and Heavens had something special in store for him.
With his marriage with Nazma were born three children, two boys and one girl. Nazma is a very intelligent woman destined to join the QEC but could not as Osman had about a dozen mouths to feed. Eshan, one of the two sons started as a salesman and decided to start his own trading business. The business flourished slowly but surely and permitted Eshan to take his father on board. The worry to keep the wolves at bay stopped and Mamad could enjoy life, rather care free and free of tension as well. He could sit down, relax and watch the till ringing and the size of his son’s business growing. He still remained the charming, soft-spoken man with his heart on his sleeves.
Everything has an end. Life doesn’t escape that reality. It needed a little excuse. At this ending juncture, this man who had braved difficult odds of life, was an inspiration to his family and to his generation, had reached what is defined in Mauritius as life expectancy, was not granted extra time. He was laid to rest in Bois Marchand cemetery in the presence of a very large number of relatives and friends. May Allah swt grant him Jannat-ul-Firdaus. My sincere condolences to Nazma, Eshan, Shamima and to Mamad’s 8 grandchildren. May the Almighty give them sabr to bear their loss.
Dawood Auleear
19/09/2024
