Maryam Abacha: A Mixture Of A Mother And A Motherlode
By Bala Ibrahim.
As the world commiserates the demise of Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who died today at 88, the need has arisen, for us to revisit our conscience, by touching on the kindness of God. Nature is kind, very kind indeed, and it has demonstrated this benevolence in many ways, including the creation of queens with quick quirk and quintessential qualities. Also, in God’s limitless love for humanity, he built in some people, a combination of certain qualities, that cover colour, character and features or form, that give a pleasing sense of aesthetic sight. You may call it beauty. A beauty that resonates on the surface, to the applaud and appreciation of all, including those that may not necessarily believe in God. On the inside also, he gives some the comport of compassion, concern or care for others, in ways that conform with the commendable code of conduct. You may also call it spiritual beauty, which essentially means the internal radiance and character that transcends physical appearance. Internal beauty reflects the connection or association with virtue, inner goodness, and divine dedication. Such merger or mixture of beauty, (the outer and the inner), are rare and immeasurable for us as mortals. It touches on the individual’s sense of feelings and emotions, as well as his or her propensity to get or give joy and kindness. People that are fortunate with such endowment, always take delight whenever possible, to alleviate the suffering of others. And I make bold to say that nature has been particularly kind to Hajiya Maryam Abacha, by making her our mother and a motherlode, with internal and external beauty that radiate repeatedly.
According to Helen of Troy, the renowned most beautiful woman in Greek mythology, the only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart. This is so because beauty, particularly the inner beauty, encapsulates the idea that kindness, compassion, and integrity, are far more enduring and valuable than outward appearance. These qualities, which mother Maryam has in abundance, highlight the power of inner strength and beauty as a source of lasting attractiveness and the influence to better the lives of others. Yes, outer beauty attracts, but inner beauty captivates. Outer beauty pleases the eye, but inner beauty captivates the heart. Mother Maryam’s inner beauty has been the driver for her ardent desire to render self-less service to humanity. She is always in a hurry to help.
Mother Maryam’s history cannot be written without reference to the role she played in the development of the Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa (a Northern Women NGO) which resulted, among other projects, in the building of an Orphanage/Nursery School in Kaduna in 1973. Equally, Maryam Abacha, along with the wives of other senior military officers, helped in the re-activation of the moribund Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) and emerged as its 12th National President from 1985-1990. As First Lady, when her husband, late Gen. Sani Abacha was Head of state, Her Excellency, Mrs. Maryam Abacha, initiated the Family Support Programme (FSP), which focused on the family as a nucleus of social growth and development. The program focused on Health, Education, Agriculture, Income Generation, Disability, and Destitution among others. With that, she gave priority to public enlightenment and stimulated Government’s interest in the various FSP Action Areas, through the sponsorships of seminars and workshops on health; HIV/AIDS; Domestic violence; Disability; Destitution and Street Begging; Culture and Tradition as they relate to the sustenance of interest in traditional music.
Pursuant to the successes recorded in these endeavours, First Lady Maryam, persuaded the Federal Government to establish the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in January 1995. The Federal Ministry is the focal point for articulating development issues that affect women and children in Nigeria. It is in this context that she led the Nigerian delegation to the 5th African Regional Conference on Women, held in Dakar in 1994, and to the 4th World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China in 1995. At the Beijing Conference, mother Maryam Abacha, was appointed as one of the conference Vice Presidents by the UN. Also, because of her appeal for global peace, in her address at the conference, she was appointed as the leader of the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission Committee by the African First Ladies Committee on Peace. As part of her renewed efforts to improve the quality of life for Nigerian Families, and in consonance with Nigeria’s Vision 2020 program of development, mother Maryam launched the socio-economic aspects of the FSP called, Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) on 3rd March 1997. The program was designed to empower all families who constitute the local producers of goods, services, and potential entrepreneurs in the area of establishment of cottage industries.
9Maryam Abacha founded the National Hospital Abuja (originally known as the National Hospital For Women And Children) and established the African First Ladies Peace Mission. In recognition of her consistent and dedicated humanitarian services, Maryam Abacha received numerous merit awards from numerous organizations, locally and internationally.
Mother Maryam resides in Kano, Kano state, Nigeria. Apart from being the foster mother of the nation, she is the biological mother of three daughters and seven sons.
