Memories of a heroine like no other

Ina lilahi waina ilayhim Rajiun {From Allah we come, and to Him is our return}. The words of Allah are true. All souls shall taste death; so it was on 28th August 2016, my mother, my love, my mentor, my guide- Alhaja as we fondly called her answered the call of her creator. Alhaja Ajoke […]

Ina lilahi waina ilayhim Rajiun {From Allah we come, and to Him is our return}. The words of Allah are true. All souls shall taste death; so it was on 28th August 2016, my mother, my love, my mentor, my guide- Alhaja as we fondly called her answered the call of her creator.

Alhaja Ajoke Kimbo Mohammed-Mama Iyabo, Mama Shehu, was a woman that epitomizes all that is virtue. Born into a Christian home some 80 years ago to the family of Jeje Adumadeyin of Ilesha, Allah bless her with guidance, she made the Shahada {testimony of faith} on marrying her husband in 1954. Ever since her acceptance of Islam, she never looked back, she devoted her life to the religion of Allah.

Alhaja was an epitome of patience. She demonstrated this with the manners she approached issues. I still recall vividly how she patiently took care of her four male children who all happened to be sickle cell patients. She lost three of them to the disease. Alhamdulillah, she bore all these tragedies with patience and prayers. She would constantly admonish others to be patient and put their trust in Allah. Being her only surviving son, she took care of me and monitored my health closely even till her death. To her, even though I maybe above 50 years of age, I was still her baby and she treated me as such.

Alhaja’s typical day started by 4am when she woke up to observe tahajud (early morning voluntary prayers). She continued to observe her tahajud till the time for Subhi prayers. She would remain at her prayer place till 10am. During this period, she continued to do her supplications and remembrance of Allah. She never missed the voluntary fasts of Mondays and Thursdays except when she was ill. I remember during the last Ramadan how she and my daughter started their Sitta Shawwal {the six days Sunnah fasting in the Islamic month of Shawwal} immediately after the Eid-fitri. That was my mother for you, in her devotion to her creator.

My mother taught me and my sisters to be forgiving, prayerful and also to be good towards others. As succinctly put by my elder sister when consoling me, ‘’Shehu, always remember the way our mum lived. Which is every good deed neutralizes a bad one”.

Alhaja always saw the good in all. “The second is the act of prayer, make that part of you too”. I can’t agree less with my elder sister on her description of Alhaja. I still remember how she constantly admonished me to worship Allah by being good to all my siblings and all other people I come in contact with.

Alhaja took special interest in all her grand children. She would ensure that she bought Sallah clothes for all of them. She extended her generousity to all and sundry, never minding spending her last kobo to get others relieved of their distress. She was a unifying factor of the family, always upholding the tiers of kinship. Her children’s friends were her children.

Alhaja was an Ijesha woman to the core, enterprising and hardworking. She built her business on her tailoring business and sale of clothing materials. I still recall when growing up, her travelling to the South-West, mainly Lagos and Ibadan, to buy different clothing materials for sale in Kaduna, travelling in “Daily Times” Peugeot vans by night and getting to Lagos or Ibadan in the morning. She would then join same vehicle back in the night to arrive Kaduna in the morning.                                                       She sold for cash and credit. One remarkable thing about her selling on credit was that she would never pressurise her debtors for payment. Instead, she would give them ample time to pay back at their convenience. She had her hope in Allah to ease her own affairs, thus making things easy for others. This unique attitude my mother passed to us, her children.

The testimonies of people-friends, neighbours, acquaintances and  family members, testify to Alhaja’s goodness. My prayer is that Allah accepts all these testimonies in her favour. Saying that my mother left a vacuum in me and other children’s lives is an understatement. But  what can we do? “All souls must taste death”!

My prayers is that Allah (SWT) grant my mother easy reckoning, forgive her shortcomings and grant her al-janatul Firdaus. Amin.

Mohammed writes from Abuja.