A man of integrity, consistency and sincerity

By Starla Muhammad -Staff Writer- | Last updated: May 15, 2013 - 10:05:55 AM

Longtime friends share personal accounts and experiences over decades walking with and watching Minister Farrakhan

(FinalCall.com) - Chronicling the vast local, national and global impact of the nearly 60 years of consistent service, spiritual guidance and uncompromising advocacy for justice and truth exemplified by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is both undeniable and quantifiable.

Decades of fierce opposition fueled by lies, false propaganda and misunderstanding has failed to slow the momentum of the man, who became a student of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, and joined the Nation of Islam in 1955.

At 80 years of age, his influence continues to resonate with young, old, Muslim, Non-Muslim, Black and White. It permeates the realm of politics, economics, education, art, culture, theology, marriage, family and social justice.

Those who have known the energetic leader from his early days as a young Muslim in New York and Boston, to those who have recently met him, his influence is far-reaching and the over-riding theme many said describe Min. Farrakhan, is consistency.

“Minister Farrakhan fascinates many Black people because he represents a type of freedom and truth that they can only dream about. Even those who disavow him in public rely on him behind closed doors because he has the courage and capacity to confront obstacles that leave most Black Americans in fear,” said Dr. Boyce Watkins, an author, activist and college professor who hosted an economic, family and education forum recently with Min. Farrakhan.

Dr. Watkins, explained why people, particularly Blacks continue to flock to the Muslim leader’s message.

“He doesn’t bend, fold or change his tune due to corporate or political pressure, and he doesn’t spend his time tap dancing for White people. He also has a degree of ownership of his own being that is nothing short of extraordinary. The truth is that he has negotiated a relationship with White America in which they may not love him, but they do fear him and respect him. It is mutual respect from White America that Black people are lacking today, largely due to our inability to secure economic, psychological and social self-sufficiency. We get these things from Minister Louis Farrakhan.”

He shared what he learned during private talks with the Minister.

“When I met Minister Farrakhan, I felt like I was talking to my own father. As a Black man who has worked to teach myself to be strong and free, it’s difficult to find older Black men who understand my path and journey and can show me how to pursue that path more effectively. My three hours with the Minister in private conversation, my meetings with him in Arizona and our event in Chicago were all life-changing for me and in each case; I knew I had the rare opportunity to be a part of history,” said Dr. Watkins.

Minister Farrakhan evokes the same paternalistic feelings in thousands of Black men including legendary hip hop entrepreneur and business mogul Russell Simmons who in honor of the Minister’s birth anniversary, May 11 tweeted to his over 2 million Twitter followers, “Happy 80 birthday to the honorable @LouisFarrakhan. Saved soooo many black men proud to call him my 2nd father.”

When asked what qualities Black men see in Min. Farrakhan that prompt such sentiments, Student Minister Nuri Muhammad, of Muhammad Mosque No. 74 in Indianapolis said Allah (God) never removed from fatherless boys, the “longing” for a man to teach them understanding, life skills and how to be a man.

“As we grew older, it (longing) grew stronger. We met a man through audio tape, CD, DVD, YouTube and when we met that man— he was a superior father,” said Nuri Muhammad, who was introduced to Min. Farrakhan in 1992 at age 17 when his then girlfriend, who is now his wife, gave him an audio tape.

“I feel like I am a son of the Minister because he raised me in lectures more than my biological father. When we met him, we met more than the man we were looking for,” he added.

Through his example, training and teaching, Min. Farrakhan has molded and shaped men like Nuri Muhammad into becoming better husbands and fathers.

Yet Minister Farrakhan’s journey has not been without mixed feelings and controversy. The constant charges of anti-Semitism, racism and homophobia have been hurled at him since rebuilding the Nation of Islam in the late 1970s.

Attorney Lew Meyers, a long-time friend and companion, has continued to remain by the Minister’s side, even when it was unpopular to be associated with him. Atty. Meyers began working with the Minister in 1978.

“I’ve stayed with him because of his strength, integrity and because of his love for his people,” he said.

Louis Small of New York arranged and worked on Min. Farrakhan’s popular recordings, Heed the Call, A White Man’s Heaven is a Black Man’s Hell, and Benefit of Unity in the 70s and is struck by what he calls the Minister’s “humanity.”

“As most people are, they’re very awed by who he is, by what he has done and what he says. But I’ve spent some time with him personally. And just his humanity, how personable he is, that’s what I so much enjoy,” he added.

“I understand the persona that everyone sees when he’s standing in a mosque or a coliseum or in a stadium. But if you can sit one on one with him, it’s just an amazing thing.”

Minister Farrakhan with the band Zzaje who played beautiful jazz during the dinner at Salaam Restaurant.

Charlotte Anderson Bedford’s mother grew up with Min. Farrakhan. His mother and Ms. Bedford’s grandmother were long-time friends dating back to St. Kitts, the small Caribbean island where the two women were born.

“I remember as a child sitting at his feet while he played the violin and 10 years ago, he came to my 50th birthday party and he actually played the violin for my guests. He asked me what I wanted as a birthday gift and I said ‘bring your violin.’And he said, ‘No, tell me what gift you want?’ And I said, bring your violin,” she recalled.

Rev. Jeanette Wilson, senior advisor to civil rights leader, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson said she has known the Minister to be a consistent friend over the 30 years she has known him.

“When you think about the fact the Minister is now 80 and he’s been on a consistent case of fighting for people to have a sense of selfhood and personhood and at the same time demanding that the nation that they live in deal justly with them. That’s the consistent message and theme that has engulfed and embraced his life. So for that, we’re grateful.”

Rev. Al Sampson, senior pastor of Fernwood United Methodist Church in Chicago agrees. Rev. Sampson, who was ordained by civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. outlined the similarities he sees in both men.

“When I see him I see him like I saw Martin Luther King, intelligence, integrity and identity. He is prepared, like so many of us to die on behalf of our people and he’s not pretending about how God has moved him through the valley of the shadow of death,” added Rev. Sampson, referring to the Minister’s near death experience before what eventually led to a grueling and major reconstructive surgery in 2007 stemming from the after effects from his battle with prostate cancer.

Abdul Wahid Muhammad, a longtime companion of Min. Farrakhan said he first met him in Boston in the early 1960s. He along with Jabril Muhammad were instrumental in helping Min. Farrakhan rebuild the Nation of Islam in the late 1970s and he has witnessed significant moments, triumphs and trials and noted how effectively the Minister handles difficulty.

“He handles everything God’s way, and he’s been doing it ever since I’ve known him and that is what attracted me to him because he spoke in a universal language and even though he was speaking the Messenger’s teaching like all the other ministers but it was on another plane, from my perspective,” said Mr. Wahid Muhammad.

That’s why I migrated toward him and stayed with him ever since that time when he was 40, 50, 60, 70 , 80 years old,” he said.

In 1955 Thomas Jihad, another long-time student and follower of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was first introduced to the Minister, then known as Louis Eugene Wolcott at the annual Savior’s Day convention.

When the Minister began attending mosque meetings at Temple No. 7 in New York, Mr. Jihad was present when young, Brother Louis came to his first men’s training class, taught by the Nation of Islam. He described what he saw as commitment by the Minister to the spreading of Islam from the beginning.

“I was fortunate to be at that first F.O.I. class and I was a lieutenant under Captain Yusuf Shah and when he (Shah) called him before the men the first night and he said to us with tears coming down his cheeks that he had been looking for a man like this, meaning the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, all the days of his life,” said Mr. Jihad.

He said to us that night that he would take this message and deliver it to every nook and cranny throughout the hells of North America. And he’s taken it all over the world. I have seen a transformation that is unbelievable,” added Mr. Jihad.

Fifteen years ago, Mr. Jihad said a television personality in Jamaica asked him why after so many years he was so in awe of Min. Farrakhan.

“I said to him, I wasn’t in awe of him then, I’m in awe of him now. It’s like if you had a friend and you and your friend were walking home from school every day buddy, buddy, you wouldn’t be in awe of him. But if one day you were walking along the street with him and he began to levitate and leave the earth and to fly, you would be in awe. That’s the way I see him now,” said Mr. Jihad.

He added, “I’ve seen a marvelous transformation that Allah has blessed him to go to the pinnacles and he’s just beginning to fly.”

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