Remembering Hajiya Zainab: A Mother To All

She never held public office or lived in the spotlight of society women. But she lived an impactful life and was always in the public eye in the local communities where she touched lives with her extraordinary devotion to the well being of others. She personified humility, love, and selfless service to society.

 Hajiya Zainab (Iya) passed on in the early morning of 29th August 2025, marking the end of a life lived with grace, peace, and extraordinary love. She passed on after battling a prolonged illness, and left a deep void in the lives of those she touched while on earth.

Her legacy of love, compassion, and commitment to the welfare of others around her were unmatched, and the light she lit in others would continue to shine brightly in the hearts of all who knew her.

She was a humble woman who lived a modest life amongst local communities in Borno, Kano, and Yobe.  In all the places she lived, she always stood out as the caregiver, playing motherly roles and always the advisor on family matters. She was a simple housewife, married to late Alhaji ABDULLAHI Mohammed,
a retired police officer and farmer, popularly called (Mallam Gana).

Hajiya Zainab was a role model for all the women who interacted with her. She trained herself as a midwife and made sure that all families are united to pursue honest earning through petty businesses and farming.

She was a rare soul, a woman whose strength was measured not in power or possessions, but in her ability to bring people together. She was a great unifier, a peacemaker who built bridges across differences and nurtured harmony wherever she went. Friends, neighbours, and strangers
alike found a home in her kindness.

Her children’s friends knew her not just as “someone else’s mother,” but as their own. She embraced other children as if they were hers, and treated them with the same love and concern she gave her own
family. Her open heart and genuine warmth allowed her to move freely across communities and regions, creating friendships that crossed ethnic and cultural lines.

Within her family, Hajiya Zainab was the pillar of unity. She was the tender thread that held the family together, the pacifier who calmed things and the mediator who ensures that peace reigned. She loved
family and maintained relationships with friends near and far, and ensured that family ties remained strong. She was the quiet force that nurtured togetherness and the compassionate hand that soothed
divisions.

Hajiya lived peacefully throughout her life, embodying patience, dignity, and kindness until her very last days. Even as she faced illness, she bore it with courage and faith, reminding all around her of the strength that comes from trust in God.

Her passing is a great loss, not only to her family but to the wider circle of friends and acquaintances who were touched by her life. Yet her memory continues to guide, her values continue to inspire, and her
love continues to unite those she left behind.

She is survived by nine children, including Alhaji Bashir Abdullahi, an Assistant Commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force, National Cybercrime Centre, along with many grandchildren and extended family.
Her children and descendants also carry forward her values of kindness, unity, and peace.

As we remember her, we pray that Almighty Allah grants her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus and bless her family with strength and patience. Her legacy of love and unity will forever remain a light for
us all.

Rest on, Mama!