INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIR RAAJI’UN
THIS week, on a blessed Friday, our Creator called home our mother, Baaba Hajiya Ramatu Awwal Ibrahim, the respected wife of our father, our King, our guid, His Royal Highness, the Sarkin Zazzau Suleja. A rare jewel has returned to her Lord.
Baaba Ramatu was not just a Queen in title; she was a Queen in faith, service, dignity, and sacrifice. She embodied the finest qualities of a Muslim woman devotion to Allah, compassion to humanity, and unwavering commitment to knowledge. Her life became a school from which countless women and men drank deeply, learning both religious and modern education from her exemplary character.
Through the years, Baaba taught in many schools, and even after retiring from government service, she returned home to Zazzau Suleja to continue the noble work of enlightening the community. She built schools and centres dedicated to the education and empowerment of women, placing special emphasis on expanding knowledge in all fields for both genders.
Her vision did not stop at academics. She established structures that continue to uplift those on the margins widows, orphans, the poor, the vulnerable. Her charitable initiatives, especially her foundation for orphans, the sick, and the elderly trapped in poverty, remain beams of hope across generations.
Among her most impactful legacies is the Ginshikin Matasa Foundation, through which she trained countless young people especially women in various skills to help them gain independence and dignity. Every year, the graduation was honoured with celebration and joy, often inviting me to witness the fruits of her labour. I believe that even if this were her only achievement, it would have been enough to stand as Sadakatul Jariya, (an everlasting charity on her scale) In Shaa Allah.
Personally, I will miss Baaba Ramatu deeply. She and her late mate Hajiya Wuse (Mama) never missed my Friday leadership column from the days I first started to wield my pen as a columnist. Their consistent encouragement, their private remarks, and their maternal blessings encouraged my journey as a writer. For this alone, I carry a debt of gratitude that only prayers can repay.
Today, as we mourn her passing, we also celebrate a life lived with purpose, faith, and boundless generosity. She was a fortress for the weak, a guiding lamp for the young, and a gentle mother to all who knew her.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihir raji’un.”
May Allah forgive Baaba Ramatu, overlook her shortcomings, expand her grave, and admit her into the vast gardens of Aljannah Firdaus.
May she and Mama be reunited with Sayyidina Rasulullah (SAW).
And may Allah strengthen our father, His Royal Highness, granting him patience, good health, long life, and divine guidance as he bears this monumental loss.
May the entire Zazzau Suleja Kingdom find comfort in the noble legacy she has left behind.
The Queen has gone home, but her light remains.
- Mairo Mudi writes from Suleja, Niger State and she can be reached via mairommuhammad@gmail.com.