Maryam Babangida: Remembering a colossus five years on

queen, the queen of women emancipation in Nigeria. Nigeria and indeed humanity lost a colossus. That day, Niger State was gloomy and was cast into sober mood as a result of the death of that great daughter of Niger State, Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Indeed, Hajiya Maryam Babangida was the mother of the nation, being Nigeria’s finest First Lady when Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, her husband, was the military President. She was a woman who touched the lives of many Nigerians positively; one that brought better lives for rural women. She was a woman whose smile filled the hearts of many with joy and fulfilment. A true Mama Africa she was.

As the First Lady, late Mrs. Maryam Babangida launched many programmes in order to improve the lot of the w oman folk in Nigeria. As President of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA) in 1983, Hajiya Maryam commissioned schools, clinics, women training centres and child day care centres, proving that she was indeed a mother who cared for all.

The great and highly respectable Mrs. Babangida brought glitz, respect and glamour to the office of the First Lady of Nigeria between 1985 and 1993. It was, and is, a ceremonial office but Maryam Babangida, typical of her ever effervescent charisma and undying spirit, transformed the office into that of championing the course of rural women. She founded the Better Life Programme for Rural Women in 1987, which led to launching of so many co-operative societies, cottage industries, farms/ gardens, shops/markets, women centres and social welfare programs, all for the benefit of the women of her fatherland. The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development was established in 1993 for research, training, and to mobilize women towards self-emancipation. According to reports, the programme launched 7,635 co-operatives, 997 cottage industries, 1,751 new farms/gardens, 487 shops/markets, 419 women centres and 163 social welfare programmes across Nigeria. That was indeed phenomenal much as it was commendable.

Also, under her leadership, Nigerian women were empowered to improve their lives through programmes on adult education, primary health, agriculture, crafts and food processing. These women not only moved towards self-sufficiency, but in some instances, they were the vanguard of agricultural production in their districts, making significant progress by increasing food production and thereby strengthening the economy somehow.

She never relented in driving forward the course of women. She reached out to the First Ladies of other African countries and to emphasised to them the effective role they could play in improving the lives of their people. Like her husband, making life better for Nigerian women was paramount in her heart and she did achieve it. Thumbs up for her!

A fighter for women emancipation, a role model to many Nigerian women, an empress, a heroine, the most glamorous and most photographed First Lady in Nigeria’s history, Maryam Babangida will forever be remembered for her passion, determination and influence for ensuring a better, self reliant, independent and strong Nigerian woman. She was a woman who brought smiles on the faces of millions and made sure women got their rightful place in the Nigerian nation. Late Hajiya Maryam Babangida founded El-Amin International School in 1995, in Minna, Niger State. Some wondered how come a woman with all the connections in the world, would go into primary and secondary school proprietorship instead of owning oil blocs and making so much money for herself. Well, the reason is not farfetched. She believed in empowering people for life through education. This is more so when you factor-in the humble beginning of that wonderful woman.

The primary school section of the Al- Amin International School is appreciably affordable. Most middle class parents in Minna have their wards or children schooling there. Most gratifying is the standard and academic excellence of the school. The performance of the pupils of the school is simply outstanding. This can be proven by the fact that even when the pupils graduate and find themselves at higher schools, their performance is in flying colours. Their academic endeavours speak for themselves.

El-Amin school is now under the care of Dr. Mohammed Babangida (her son), as the Executive Director and has made the school leap to new heights of performance. Dr. Mohammed is humble, obedient, respectful and having the less endowed people at heart. Mohammed’s respect for every body is as profound as his adherence to his religion (Islam). To drive home this point, the school held its Parent Teacher Association (PTA) on 1st November 2014. At the occasion, a former veteran sports commentator in NTA, Mainasara Illo (Fagacin Gwandu), relived to the audience the managerial skills as well as human relations predisposition of Dr. Mohammed Babangida. Owing to his birth’s circumstance and privilege in life, Mohammed could have ventured into international business that could earn him millions of dollars, all at the expense of running the school. But instead, knowing full well that the school was his mother’s priority, Mohammed stayed the course. Since he took over running the school, he has not compromised standards. He went out and scouted for more qualified, experienced and capable hands. As a result of his undeterred efforts, today Ms. Denise Ejoh, an expert in administration and academics is now the principal of the school. Ms. Ejoh brought a lot of innovations and today, the school is of international repute and standard. Hajiya Maryam’s other children, Aisha, Aminu and Sadiya are not left out, as they have continued to represent their parents well, both in public and in private.

In conclusion, let me point out that dear Hajiya Maryam, while lying in your grave, you will never be forgotten because you lived a life worthy of emulation. We will continue to remember you all the days of our lives. The Nigerian woman has a voice today because you gave her that voice. She is heard today because you made her to be heard. She lives today because you put her on the pedestal of how to live a meaningful life. So also the knowledge you imparted in the pupils of the school you built, continues to define their lives positively in this ever competitive and challenging world. Thank you. You are indeed Mama Africa. May Allah (swt) grant her Aljannat Firdausi, amin.