Hajiya Bilkisu : An Embodiment Of Morality And Humility -By Abba Anwar

Late Hajiya Bilkisu

Though I read a lot of her journalistic work during the defunct Citizen Magazine, my first meeting with the popularly known Bilkisu Yusuf (mni) was way back in 1998, when herself, Major General Ishola Williams (rtd), Hajiya Zainab Sa’id Kabir, Oby Ezekwesili, Rev Father Matthew Hassan Kukah, Hajiya Fati Mu’azu and other notable and respected Nigerians were putting heads to form a Nigerian Chapter of Transparency International (TI), a global coalition against corruption. Hajiya and some of the founding members of the group were attending an inaugural meeting so to speak, of what they termed Transparency in Nigeria (TIN), at the Afforestation Programme Coordinating Unit (APCU) Conference room, in Kano.

I was opportuned to be there, not because I was somewhere near the notable Nigerians mentioned above, from whatever angle you may look at it. I was there representing my boss, Comrade Sani Zorro, the former President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). That time, Zorro floated a vernacular newspaper called Al-Ahram, when he invited me to join the new media outfit. Since then, Hajiya moulded my thinking of the Nigerian state, nurtured my too tiny, too little professional sojourn, drilled my understanding of commitment for better, re-directed my frontiers of friendship across my faith, region and tribe and above all taught me that service to humanity was paramount.

This piece deliberately refuses to look at Hajiya Bilkisu from the point of view of being a veteran journalist. Not because she was not,She was far ahead of that. Does my reader remember that she was the first female Editor in Nigeria? The aspect of her professional excellence is left for those who knew her, professionally speaking, from scratch to stretcher.

Belonging to civil society organisations like TIN during the regime of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, was deadly, risky and suicidal. It was Hajiya who encouraged me to first and foremost endorse for my inclusion to the larger think-tank group. That was the very beginning of my engagement in civil society activism. With the fiery nature of Abacha’s rule, Hajiya had always encouraged me to maintain the momentum inside me. Stressing that since what we were doing was to better our country, I, Abba, must keep my contact with them and remain committed, dogged and steadfast. That has greatly impacted in my life.

From there she made sure that I was coopted alongside with big people like General Williams to start making national paper presentation (from my side of the coin) on Fraud Detection and Anti-Corruption. I was made to present national papers at the British Council office in Kaduna and the other one at Hill Station Hotel, Jos, Plateau state. She was instrumental to alleviating my fear for paper presentation since during Abacha era. Before those presentations, I was supervised by Hajiya Zainab Kabir, while General Williams stood by the side as a Referee to tell me that I must deliver those presentations. All for my own good.

It was my late mentor, Hajiya who facilitated my friendship with her son, Mashhood. She was fond of telling me that her son wanted to meet with me and say hello. So also her sister, Amina Ali, became my sister too courtesy Mashhood’s late Mummy. This tells you how humble and morally sound she was.

For over a decade, the two of us never missed exchanging Friday Text Messages. Friday being the most influential day in the week, Muslims developed the habit of exchanging text messages to remind ourselves the challenge awaiting us in the next life after death.

The last text message she sent to me reads, “Salaam. Hal Jaza’ul Ihsan Illal Ihsan. Indeed the reward of goodness is nothing but goodness (Q55:60). May all your good deeds and Ibadah be abundantly rewarded, fortunes, material or otherwise. May the strife and insecurity of recent years become things of the past. Juma’at Mubarak.”

One scenario that keeps on reminding me how submissive to the Almighty Allah she was, was some years back when she was invited to deliver a speech at Bayero University, Kano, over 10 years now, on the fate of education in Northern Nigeria. After the lecture which took place at the University Theatre One, Old Campus, when she came out to pick her car, it was disgracefully discovered that the car had been stolen. Wow!!! She wasn’t destabilised. That day I saw real and total submission to Allah’s Will. I followed her to where she parked the car. She had only one worry, The fact that she had a prepared paper for another presentation the following week outside the country in the handbag that was left in the car. As Allah wished, the bag was sighted dumped on the ground, few metres from where the stolen car was parked.

She asked me to take her to some few places she wanted to visit that day. As I was driving the car, Hajiya was too busy reciting the Holy Qur’an offhand. She stopped at a point and said to me “Malam Abba I am glad that this bag was not stolen too. I have a prepared paper for presentation next week outside the country, and I don’t want to disappoint the organisers of that Conference, having communicated to them that the paper was ready. I also haven’t sent them a copy yet. “

I was seriously shocked about that, that she didn’t utter a word on the stolen car. Very shocking and strange. When I wanted to discuss the issue of the car she dodged vehemently. She even refused to utter a single castigating word against the hopeless thief. That was Hajiya for you. Before we left the campus in my car, I read from the face of the then Vice Chancellor, Prof Attahiru Jega, how disturbed he was. So also was the entire University community.

Hajiya we miss your mentoring at this hour,

When we need your calmness just like flour,

Nigeria is taken aback due to your absence.

You called me into the mainstream all day,

Neither did you change your face someday,

Just because I erred because of my ignorance.

Ignorance of the real life which you re-shaped,

And was replaced by truth not stage-managed,

Life style far below bread and its slice.

You instilled in me courage and commitment,

That which can’t be given without engagement,

Hajiya you taught me right things with patience,

I do remember your honesty and integrity,

In doing things without laziness and notoriety,

For that you became a star up to Greece,

It is all allowed for all and sundry to say Bilkisu,

Had reached the zenith of piety Ya Bilkisu,

To other parts of the world without decadence.

Mashhood hold your sister our sister Nana,

Let’s appreciate Aunty’s respect from Ghana,

To Naija, so also other nations for us to balance,

Oh Hajiya you departed truly as a Shaheedah,

When other Pilgrims were trooping to Jeddah,

Going different directions of the world’s face.

Ya Allah we know You love her the Most,

We pray You place her in the Upper Most,

Abode, and help her children with Grace.

May your gentle soul rest in perfect peace. So also other Pilgrims who face similar blessed tragedy. Ameen thumma ameen.

– Anwar wrote in from Kano and can be reached at fatimanbaba1@gmail.com