Late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji
Lagos literally stood still, yesterday, as the President-General,
Association of Nigerian Market Women and Men, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, who
died last Saturday aged 96, was buried at the Vaults and Garden
Cemetery, Ikoyi, amidst eulogies.
Late Alhaja Mogaji was the mother of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former
Lagos State governor and national leader of Action Congress of Nigeria,
ACN.
Tinubu, who recalled his mother’s last moments, said: “On Saturday
afternoon, she had her lunch. After that, she took her drugs and rested.
The
Islamic burial rites for Late Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, The Iyaloja-General
of Nigeria, mother of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of
Lagos State Photo by Joe Akintola; Photo Editor, Lamidi Bamidele and
Bunmi Azeez
“While resting, death came and snatched my mother away. Immediately
she died, I felt her void. She taught everyone she came across
contentment, love and the act of sharing, especially to the needy.
“I will miss her lunch even when I am full. I am very happy that she
is my mother. She is a very successful mother and a good leader. She
departed this world peacefully without taking us through pains.
“She is so kind and God was also kind to her. She is a good thinker
and a compassionate person. She has left a very good legacy for
everyone.
“She did something when I was the governor of Lagos State that really
touched me and that was when she asked me to consider three women, who
had challenges paying their children’s West African Examination Council,
WAEC, fees.
“As a governor then, I began the policy of paying WAEC fee of pupils
in Lagos State public schools. Those are the things that will fascinate
anyone about my late mother.
“There are many lessons that women can learn from her. And one of the
lessons is to be resilient, committed and industrious in order to help
banish poverty in the country. She is a committed democrat.
“She believes in the one-man one-vote campaign. She will vote and
mobilise others to do so. Women must also be committed to the education
of their children, which is the antidote for poverty in the country.
Once we come out of this, the nation will make progress.”
At 8:00am, the Alausa residence of Mogaji became a beehive of
activities, as hundreds of party loyalists, relatives and friends to her
children thronged her premises to honour her.
Roll call
Some of the dignitaries at the various events that led to the burial
and Fidau prayers include Alhaji Aminu Tambuwai, Speaker, House of
Representatives; governors Rauf Aregbesola, Adam Oshiomhole, Ibikunle
Amosun, Abiola Ajumobi and Kayode Fayemi of Osun, Edo,Ogun, Oyo and
Ekiti states, respectively; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary of the
Commonwealth; Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Majority Leader, House of
Representatives; Mr. Femi Okunnu and Tom Ikimi.
Others were Mr. Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State;
Mr. Tajudeen Oluyole-Olusi, Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN chieftain;
Chief Rasak Okoya; Mallam Aliko Dangote, President, Aliko Group of
Company; Mr. Ademola Seriki, former Minister of State for Interior; Mr.
Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Speaker, Lagos Houe of Assembly; Mr. Muiz Banire,
former commissioner for environment Lagos State, and Amb. Musiliu
Obanikoro.
The wives of the south-west governors, led by Dame Emmanuella
Fashola, and chairmen of the 57 councils in the state were also there.
Fidau
The Fidau was conducted earlier in the day at the Central Mosque,
Lagos Island, before she was buried at the Vaults and Garden Cemetery.
The corpse was brought into the Mosque at 11:24am, followed by a short sermon.
Alhaji Muritala Giwa, who delivered the sermon, urged Tinubu,
Tambuwal, governors and the crowd at the Mosque, to always eschew
violence and exhibit good attitude.
Giwa said: “As the late Iyaloja General of Lagos impacted positively on the life of people, everyone should emulate such act.”
Tributes
Tambuwal described late Mogaji as “a great woman and a great mobiliser of women and an advocate of people’s right.
He said: “Her socio-economic contribution to the nation will
definitely be missed. She has left a vacuum in the nation. She was a
special gift to this country.”
A great national leader— Fashola
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, who is out of the country
on an official trip, in a statement through his Special Adviser on
Media, Hakeem Bello, described her death as a great national and
personal loss.
Fashola said she was a forthright defender of the people and their
right to economic empowerment, adding that this trait had been imbibed
by anyone that had the opportunity or privilege to meet her.
According to him, this peculiar trait was evident in the personality
of her illustrious son and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed
Tinubu, a leader with the love of the people at heart.
Fashola said: “Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji was a frontliner in the
commercial development of Lagos State, particularly Lagos Island, which
was formerly dominated by Lebanese and Greek merchants.
“She was one of the pioneer traders, who ventured into the capital
intensive and risky business venture of importation of consumer goods,
thereby breaking the monopoly previously enjoyed by the foreign
tradesmen and her business acumen attracted the attention of
multi-national enterprises operating in Nigeria then, who had no option
but to register her as a business partner and distributor of their
consumer goods in Nigeria.”
Describing the late Iyaloja-General as a great matriarch, Fashola
said Alhaja Mogaji did not limit her business and social networking to
the confines of Lagos State alone, she always sought the welfare of
market men and women and ways of opening up more business opportunities
for them.
“This attribute of hers must have informed the unanimous decision of
all commercial traders regardless of ethnic, religious or political
persuasion to select her as the pioneer Iyaloja/President-General of
Nigerian Market Men & Women. A position she handled with utmost
responsibility and diligence, he said.
Oshiomhole, Aregbesola pay tributes
In his tribute, Governor Aregbesola of Osun State said: “She was a
good mobiliser and a very good organiser. She was a philanthropist,
charitable and compassionate. She mentored us so much.”
Governor Oshiomhole of Edo State, in his tribute signed by Mr. Peter
Okhiria, his Chief Press Secretary, said: “I commiserate with you, my
leader, and indeed with the entire Tinubu family, on the passing of your
beloved mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji.
“I wish to offer the condolence of the people and government of Edo State and my personal commiseration over this loss.”
Abike Dabiri said: “She was a mother per excellence. I knew her from
my days at the NTA, and my mother also had a shop and she was under her
leadership. I covered her activities as a staff of NTA and I am ever so
amazed at her wealth of knowledge and experience and she doesn’t
forget.”
Other dignitaries that paid tributes to the late matriarch of the
Tinubu family were Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Senator
Gbenga Ashafa, Chief Segun Oni, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Mr. Femi Okunnu,
Mr. Muiz Banire, Mr. Henry Ajomale, Mr. Rasaq Muse, Joe Igbokwe, Prince
Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
“Our thoughts are with you and the rest of the family at this
difficult period. With her demise, the nation has lost a senior citizen
who contributed her quota to the growth of the nation. Mama was a model
mother, industrious woman and philanthropist who brought up her children
with the fear of God.
I have no doubt that you will miss her very much, my leader, as she was no doubt the pillar of the Tinubu family.
I also commiserate with the Government and people of Lagos State on this sad loss.
A great national loss—— Governor Ahmed
The , in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji
Abdulwahab Oba, said the demise of Alhaja Habibatu Magaji was a great
national loss given her prominent position in the coordination and
mobilization of market women for national development. “
“Mama symbolized hope for the hopeless, championed development and
empowerment for the less privileged and represented inspiration for the
younger generation”, Dr Ahmed said.
The governor urged Tinubu and all Nigerians to take solace in the
fact mama lived a fruitful life in the service of her creator and
mankind and prayed Allah to grant her Eternal rest and the family the
fortitude to bear the huge loss.
Senator Ashafa: Mama left a vacuum difficult to fill
The Lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, , In a
statement, described Alhaja Mongaji as courageous and selfless woman who
lived her life caring for others around her, adding that her struggle
for independence women movement would remain indelible.
”Iya Oloja General is a loving and caring mother that accommodated
everyone around her as her own children irregardless of tribe and
background.
“Mama Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the Iya Oloja General for the whole
federation will be remembered for touching the lives many across the
country. She influenced many lives and was a rare gem, she was loving,
caring, accommodating and as well as industrious through out her life
time. Mama passed on at this moment that we needed her most.
“With deep sense of sympathy and concern, I sympathize with the
entire family of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, all market men and women in
Nigeria and Lagos in particular and Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu and
other Obas in Lagos State and that Almighty God will give the family
the fortitude to bare the irreparable loss. May Allah (SWT) grant Mama
Alijannah Firidauz”.
Ashafa described the demise of the pioneer Iyaloja /President General
of the Market men and Women as a great national and personal loss.
The Lawmaker, however, enjoined all market leaders in Nigeria to
emulate the exemplary life of Alhaja Habibatu Mogaji by showing love and
living in peace and harmony with their members at all time.
Chief Segun Oni: She will be surely missed
Former Governor of Ekiti State, in his condolence message, through
his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said; “Alhaja Mogaji will
be sorely missed as a renowned market leader, who nurtured many
entrepreneurs to maturity and financial independence.”
He said; “Though Mama died at 96, her death cannot but be a great
loss to Senator Tinubu, the Mogaji’s family and the entire world.”
has commiserated with the former governor of Lagos State and leader
of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu over
the death of his mother, Alhaji Abibatu Asabi Mogaji.
“I therefore urge Senator Bola Tinubu, the people of Lagos State and
the entire market men and women in Nigeria to be consoled by the fact
that death is the inevitable end of all mortals and it must come when it
would come.
Ikuforiji: Exemplary leader
Speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, on his own said “Alh.
Abibatu Mogaji was an exemplary leader. She was available when Nigerians
needed her most. She had never shied away from her responsibilities of
offering her leadership service to people at the right time.”
Former federal commissioner of Nigeria, urged Nigerians to emulate
the leadership qualities exhibited by the late Alh. Abibatu Mogaji.
Former commissioner for Environment in Lagos state, She was a mother
to everyone. No one could have appropriated her to herself. She cater
for everyone she came across in her life time. It is a life worthy of
emulation by each and everyone of us so that people can say good things
about us when we depart this world.
Ajomale: She lived a fulfilled life
Chairman, ACN, Lagos state chapter, , described the death as a great
loss, saying that she had contributed immensely to the development of
markets in Nigeria and that her departure should be celebrated.
“She was a great woman, who lived a fulfilled life and contributed to
the development of markets in Nigeria. May her soul rest in peace,” he
said.
Ajomale commiserated with Tinubu for the loss of her mother, praying God to grant him the fortitude to bear the loss.
Igbokwe: A great woman of our time
Also, Publicity Secretary, ACN, Lagos State, simply said, “Mama
Tinubu, the great mother of our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu lived
an eventful and glorious life, a life full of activities, full of fun,
full of challenges, full of gains. May her gentle soul rest in perfect
peace”.
CPC vice chairman,
She is woman of the source who have contributed immensely to the
development of the country, as the leader of the market women in the
state.
They are all old and they have contributed their immense quota to the development of the country.
Prince Oyinlola
Former Osun state governor, and the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN
in the state, have described the death as a colossal loss. not only to
Magaji family but the entire nation.
The former governor in a statement in Osogbo yesterday said the late
Alhaja Mogaji’s death has made Nigeria poorer in quality counsel noting
that the tremendous support the deceased gave him and other successive
governors of Lagos state cannot be over emphasized,.
“Between 1994 and 1996 when I was the military administrator of Lagos
state, the late Alhaja Mogaji as the head of market men and women was
virtually a mother to me. Her counsel and support in those turbulent
political days were very invaluable.
“Even after my exit from the Lagos state Government House, the late
Alhaja maintained the bond so much so that she remained a mother to me
till the very end,” Prince Oyinlola said.
We thank God for her life, she lived a great life, a worthy mother
and a strong and committed woman. I think if you say you are celebrating
women, Alhaja Mogaji is a foremost woman to be celebrated because she
trained a lot of people all over the world.
Whatever she said was almost always well thought out and she lived a life of pride and admiration.
Kalu
A former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, urged Tinubu to
be consoled by the fact that not only did Alhaja Mogaji live up to the
ripe age of 95 but equally the impact of her life on a lot of Nigerians.
