Tuesday 26 June 2012

Hard View (NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE)


NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE

"No justice, no peace" is the common theme emanating from the mouths of Nigerians on the social media and the throngs of the opposition. After thirteen years of undemocratic injustices, it seems that Nigerians have had enough from a ruling party that seems to be the very personification of injustice. But when one hears opposition parties speak about justice and peace, it is important to be reminded that the principle behind the slogan applies, not only to the ruling party, but to the undertakings of the opposition parties themselves.

It seems to have been widely accepted now that a number of the losses for the vast majority of the opposition parties in the 2011 elections happened because discipline and internal justice did not. They happened because unfairness and wrangling characterised the parties’ internal structure in the emergence of candidates to represent the parties in the primary stages of the last elections.

The best example of how internal party prejudice and injustice manifested itself in a catastrophe and defeat for the opposition is the case of CPC in Katsina, Bauchi, Kaduna and Kano States during the last elections. A specific case of how injustice within the opposition has led to a scenario where peace is yet to be realised within the party is the tug of war still stewing in the courts for the House of Representatives seat for the Nassarawa and Tarauni Federal constituency in Kano State.

In the case of the Nassarawa Federal Constituency, Kano State, Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed’s name was approved by the Board of Trustees and was submitted to INEC by the NEC of the party, in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the CPC constitution. However, despite the fact that Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed was the candidate that was recognised to have emerged from the process and despite the fact that at no time was his name ever removed or substituted, his opponent took the matter to court on the 16th of February 2011. In the suit that was filled, the plaintiff sued the CPC, INEC and Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed in a state High Court in Rano local government of Kano state. In the filling of the suit, none of the respondents, neither the CPC nor Barrister Ahmed was ever served with the court processes neither was the CPC officially notified of the impending matter.

In a strange twist, the court in Rano sat and ruled in the matter without the appearance of the respondents or their legal representatives. Investigation conducted in the matter suggests that the plaintiff, together with possible renegades within the CPC, allegedly organized a lawyer to enter appearance on behalf of the party without the party's official consent and that lawyer went ahead to admit to the plaintiff’s submission.

In its incredible ruling, the court entered judgment on the first and only day it sat for hearing. And that judgement was entered against Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed, the candidate that was officially recognised by the CPC and INEC. Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed went ahead to appeal the judgement in the Court of Appeal, Kaduna division on the grounds that; he had not been served by the High Court in Kano and therefore the process was devoid of fair hearing. He further submitted that the court in Kano lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because INEC, as a Federal agency, was involved in the suit and the court in Rano did not have jurisdiction to entertain a suit of that nature. Furthermore the case was heard prematurely because the eight days allowed by the rules of court to enter appearance did not elapse. On the day of the sitting, not only did the court not mention or hear the case, it delivered premature judgment against Barrister Ismaeel.

It is now an established precedent by the Supreme Court that, once a party, through the Electoral-Act process decides on their candidate and submits the name to INEC, no court can interfere or change that candidate as the representative of the party for an election. And since the CPC submitted Barrister Ismaeel’s name to INEC, the matter of who was the authentic CPC candidate for the Nassarawa Local Government constituency, Kano should never have really been in doubt.

The matter of Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed is not an isolated one and one can spend days writing on cases where justice was denied to the legally recognised candidate from within the party structure. Another case is that of Alhaji Farouq Salim who contested for the Tarauni Federal Constituency seat in the same Kano.

In the case of Alhaji Farouq Salim, his name was approved by the Board of Trustees of the CPC and submitted by the NEC to INEC. However, due to some alleged ‘voilĂ ’ within the ranks of the CPC, his name was removed and replaced with that of his opponent. Alhaji Farouq Salim instituted a case against this injustice in a High Court in Kano state. To support Alhaji Farouq’s case, the CPC’s legal team was specifically instructed to hold a brief in support of Alhaji Farouk Salim in line with the decision of the BOT. In spite of this, the lawyer sent by the team to represent Alhaji Farouq Salim appeared not to fully support the client’s case when the matter was heard in court. The case was ultimately dismissed by the High Court for want of Jurisdiction and judgement affirmed by the court of Appeal Kaduna.

In the case of Alhaji Farouq Salim, questions as to the conduct of certain elements within the CPC have again been raised. What seems obvious is the lack of support from among certain members of the party for a candidate whose name was approved and forwarded to INEC by the BOT of the CPC.  Alhaji Farouq Salim has appealed to the Supreme Court where his case has been adjourned to November the 13th 2012.

Again, it would be interesting to see whether the Supreme Court will adhere to its precedent in these cases of denial of justice for Barrister Ismaeel Ahmed and Alhaji Farouq Salim, the authentic CPC candidates whose names were submitted to INEC by the NEC. It would also be interesting to see whether the CPC uses these cases to look within its ranks to determine the internal saboteurs of the party. Chances are that those faces are the same fifth-columnists within the CPC that covertly collaborated on a grander scale to sabotage the efforts of the party during the 2011 elections.

For a great party like the CPC and other opposition parties to regain the momentum they started off with and maintain its dominance and superiority in their strongholds, they must clean up all the cobwebs within their houses, stop the internal wrangling and operate with the kind of fairness they demand from the PDP. The double standard exhibited by such practice where a sponsored candidate can be out manoeuvred by another candidate able to manipulate the system and the party supports the candidate that has committed the injustice breeds indiscipline, chaos and gives way for the kind of failure the opposition experienced in the last elections.

Every opposition party talks about the injustice and corruption within the PDP. They warn that, unless the ruling party is ready to be just, there will not be any peace. But sometimes, one wonders if some of the opposition really understand what this means as it relates to their own operations. With numerous cases of internal injustice orchestrated by opposition parties themselves, it is good for them to consider their warnings afresh, consider them in light of the noble ideals that the opposition represents and in the opposition’s too-frequent failings. Consider them as if it were those very opposition parties, looking for recourse after justice failed them. Because, to say that there will be no peace unless there is justice is not a threat. It’s not a prediction. It’s not even a warning. ‘No justice, no peace’ is a certainty! And it applies, not only to the PDP but to the opposition parties as well.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Hard View (They Dont Really Care About Us)


They Don't Really Care About Us


All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us
All I wanna say is that
They don't really care about us
                                               – Michael Jackson

On June, 25th, the world will mark the third year anniversary of the death of the late great Michael Jackson. Three years ago when Michael Jackson died, the world witnessed a joint frenzy of grief unlike no other time. For those of us who absolutely adored Michael, our appreciation of his achievements in music and the legacy of his philanthropy shows no sign of waning.

Michael left behind music that still echoes in every corner of the globe. In his melodious body of work, Michael told the world stories of unity, understanding, patience and peace. As I write my annual tribute to the King of Pop, I can’t help but recall that final image of Michael dancing just hours before he passed away. As Michael and his dancers navigated in military-style movements, the stereo blasted; “(Doom, Doom, Doom Doom) All I wanna say is that they don't really care about us (Doom, Doom, Doom Doom) All I wanna say is that they don't really care about us).

Michael’s song, ‘They Don’t Really Care about Us’ conveys the undeserving injustice inflicted on people together with the strife suffered by the innocent, in a world that is often cruel and uncaring. Michael expressed his songs in a highly personal way. They were often about what was going on in his life from his perspective, but his messages were almost always about the bigger picture. In this song, Michael represented himself as everyone in society who has been on the receiving end of abandonment. The song was one of his biggest hits and an aggressive hip-hop production about social ills.

One would be hard pressed to find any other country in the world at present that has more social ills than Nigeria. From the barbaric suicide mass-murder of innocent people, to the counter-accusations of a most sensational bribery case, to the ineptitude and disorientation of the densest leader we have ever had, to an increasing surge of ethnic suspicion and incessant bigotry, Nigeria has definitely seen better days. But of all these issues, the one that has left Nigerians in a daze is the degree of violence targeted at innocent citizens while the government looks on nonchalantly.

It would probably be fair to say that the final act in the tragedy of what Nigeria is becoming is yet to be written. But enough of the story has already unfolded to conclude that the Jonathan administration is a catastrophe that has failed to deliver on their primary duty to protect the citizens of this country. Judging by the bewildered look on President Jonathan’s face every time he is confronted with a tragedy, one wonders if, before he took his oath of office, anyone took the time to explain to him that an integral part of his responsibility as the Head of State is to protect Nigerians, take accountability for the welfare of the country and stop any destabilization of authority.

After last weeks’ tragic mass murder of innocent Nigerians, it was a forlorn looking President we saw speak about his despair, telling us in a rather pathetic manner that Nigeria must now look for God’s intervention. It is really ridiculous that a national tragedy occurs in a nation Mr Jonathan governs and all he can offer to a people who are scared, lost, disunited and confused is basically…, next to nothing. Meanwhile, his administration is diligent in colluding with oil marketing ‘armed-robbers’ to plant secret recording devices and mark dollar bills in order to thwart a report likely to expose their bosom-buddies.

Since the violence started, the president has made several hollow pronouncements on the state of security. He has told us of far reaching conspiracies, of boogie-men in his government and given us dates for the total amelioration of Boko Haram. But regardless of what he has said, even he has to come to terms with and address the yawning gap that exists between his shallow oratory of peacekeeping challenges and his ‘will’ and capacity to meet that challenge. The president’s words of ‘never again’ and ‘by June, it shall be over’ are of no comfort or importance to anyone unless he can put an end to the violence or give us an understanding of our Security forces inability to respond decisively to the present threat in Nigeria.

Towards the end of 2011 Mr Jonathan announced that he knew who the sponsors of the Boko Haram offensive were and that some were in government. But till this day, we have not seen those people exposed and brought to full justice. Instead, the one man who the world has identified to have been instrumental in igniting the initial conflict with the original Boko Haram, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, appears to enjoy a sort of presidential protection from Mr Jonathan.

To understand and learn from the still unfolding tragedy, the president must go beyond his rhetoric and answer hard questions about why his administration has been unable to translate its security commitments into effective practice. He must accept that he has failed woefully in his position to protect and make provision for the welfare of the Nigerian citizenry. He must confront the fact that the careless and stubborn choices he has made regarding who runs our national security and how they run it has contributed in bringing this country to the brink of total chaos.

The buck stops with President Jonathan! He is the commander-in-chief of the Nigerian armed forces; he has authority over the military and law enforcement. He has a duty to use all necessary apparatus to bring an end to the offensive against Nigerians. The burden to find ways to deter the mass murder and act on early warning signs to protect civilians before the death toll becomes uncountable is his and his alone. If the president feels overwhelmed by this primary duty, he can explore alternative options such as reorganizing his security in exchange for a team that is better able to handle the disaster. He can also ask for assistance from intelligent external forces or better still, he can step aside. Leadership is not meant for everyone and if President Jonathan cannot handle the job that he opted for, then he should just resign. The later option seems more pertinent now that Mr Jonathan makes the outrageous judgment of jetting out to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to attend a UN Earth Summit, at a time that the earth in his country burns and his people die.

We are witnessing dark days in Nigeria; days of abandonment, threat and undeserving injustice inflicted on people, together with a strife suffered by innocent people, in an atmosphere cruel and uncaring. People take the law into their hands because they feel anxious and they feel as if the people in authority don’t really care about them. As I consider the un-seriousness of our national security chiefs and ineptitude of President Jonathan and as I recall the desperate words Michael Jackson sang at a time he felt abandoned, I too am inclined to repeat his words and tell Nigerians, “All I wanna say is that they don't really care about us!”

Michael Jackson was my favorite singer. His inspirational songs and strong lyrics are very powerful and three years after his death, he is still very much missed. As we mark the anniversary of his passing, I believe that the messages his music conveyed still inspire and motivate people to change the world for the better. Let’s hope it can do something for us her in Nigeria.

Peace to you brother!

Twitter- @hanneymusawa

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Hard View (CELEBRATING A FATHER ON FATHERS DAY)

Hard View
CELEBRATING A FATHER ON FATHERS DAY

This Sunday the 17th, as the world honours fathers and celebrates fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society, I would like to use this forum to honor and recognize all the fathers in Nigeria who work and toil hard to put food on the table irrespective of the harsh economic conditions we find ourselves today. Sometimes our fathers are overlooked for mothers who appear to be more nurturing and involved in our everyday lives. This is a tribute to all those fathers and one in particular that I would simply describe as, “the greatest Dad in the world.”

Alhaji Musa Musawa is not only my father; he is my greatest role model, my inspiration and my rock. Even though every day I communicate to my Dad how grateful and lucky I am to have him as a father, every year I look forward to father’s day because it is a time that I can further express my appreciation to him for everything he has represented in my life.

Often tributes are paid to people in the aftermath of their lives. But I want to tell my dad, while he still has so much life in him, just how much his struggles and hard-work have been appreciated by his “little girl.” I would want the example of how much of a good father he is and the bond that is so strong between him and me to serve as an inspiration this father’s day. And I don't mean to make a tribute to him in any kind of simple, celebratory way. Rather, this is a tribute worthy of him, one that brings together the good and the bad.

In the real world, where domination, bigotry, oppression, dishonesty and corruption intertwine with all aspects of our lives, there are no easy, uncomplicated sources of inspiration. But there are lessons. I have always looked to my dad for those lessons about how to struggle against immorality and dishonesty, as well as for lessons about the structures of prejudice and chauvinism that I was confronted with in a highly dogmatic and sexist atmosphere. In his example and lessons, I have been able to find both inspiration and warning, inseparably tied.

When I think of my Dads story, at first glance, it looks deceptively like a bootstraps tale of hard-won success and class mobility. But I think his resolve, opportunities and identity were shaped by much more than that. My dad was born in Bichi, Kano state on April 1st 1937. His mother was a religious young lady from Musawa, Katsina state, who passed away when my father was just a baby. His father never remarried after the loss of his mother and he was sent to his mother’s village in Musawa to live with his aunty, a true woman of substance who instilled a sense of independence, confidence and focus in him. He grew up in a very hard, rural environment, the youngest of three children in a family constantly struggling to make ends meet. He was sent back to Bichi to attend school and along the way inherited a healthy distrust of the autocratic and feudalistic actions of both the Colonial and the Native Northern Governments. He has always told me that, even as far back as then, he felt a driving and throbbing need to stand up for the downtrodden and poor in the society. It was also then he realized that he had what I like to call, ‘the gift of the gab.’

Though my dad came of age during the transition for independence of Nigeria, he never lost his gut sense of egalitarian ethics. He strongly believed in democratization, women empowerment and freedom of speech. Decades later as I was becoming politicized, he would confess that, he would forever remain a socialist; convinced that the staggering inequalities of our society were fundamentally wrong and we each had a duty to speak out against it and change it. I suspect that this core ethic contributed to his acceptance of so many things, amongst which, surprisingly, is feminism. All my life, I have watched him try to break down the rigid Arewa gender boundaries for his daughters with mixed success, in his relationship with my mother and his relationship with his sons in law. And in the process, I learned a lot about patriarchy, not the least of which is its frustrating resilience.

Struggle and hard work framed my father's young adulthood. Attending Kano Secondary School was never really a priority for a young man of his humble background, but with the encouragement of his aunty/mother forever playing on his psyche, my dad was determined to pull himself and his family out of the dearth in which he had seen his family toil in and he was determined to put himself in a position where he could speak up for the millions whom he felt did not have a voice. He knew that education as the only way he could achieve that. So he put himself through school and fought to remain and excel there and he skimmed through while also working. Around about the same time, Mallam Aminu Kano, the son of a noble Islamic scholar had begun a movement of young radicals eager to fight for change known as the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). It was an incontestably natural progression for my dad to join NEPU. He became Youth Chairman of NEPU in Bichi and together with the likes of Alh Ali Abdallah, Alh. Sobo Bakin Zuwo, Alh. Abubakar Rimi, Alh. Balarabe Musa, Alh. Sule Lamido, Alh Adamu Garkuwa, Alh Wada Abubakar, Alh Sadi Gabari, Alh Abba Musa Rimi and many others, they challenged the ruling elite in the north.

He went to the University of Ife, Ibadan to study Public Administration, after which he got a job with the BBC African Service. He stayed at the BBC for 5 years before proceeding to Cambridge to study Chinese. My dad then joined the Foreign Service and was posted to Uganda and then India.

Apart from when he speaks about his late aunty/mother and his late friend Alhaji Lawal Baloni, the only time I see my father speak in an emotional manner with tears welling up in his eyes is when he speaks about Mallam Aminu Kano. My father adored and looked up to Mallam Aminu Kano and was one of the closest people to the late hero. When Mallam formed the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dad was elected as the treasurer at the national convention and later contested for the governorship of Kaduna State in 1983 under the party.

I never miss an opportunity to speak of what a great Dad I have and he never misses and opportunity to speak about how his greatest pride and joy are his children. He has always been a supportive Dad in our personal, professional and educational lives. And he has always made himself available to watch television, eat, play games, listen and have regular family picnics with his children. He struggled to make sure he gave us the very best education. And in the late seventies that effort led him to the UK where he enrolled us in the very best schools in England. I will forever be grateful to him for that priceless foundation.

Only those who truly know him realise that my father has the greatest sense of humour. And I can categorically say that I have never met anyone as funny, sarcastic and with a penchant to wittily-exaggerate the funny side of life like Dad. Many of my most inspirational moments with him are during our daily experiences when he uses humour to try to make a point.

My Dad is a great “silent” philanthropist who never publicises the deeds he does for people. Over the decades, I have seen him educate countless of youths to further themselves in school, build houses for people, sponsor the sick for medical treatment at home and abroad, build mosques, build schools, feed families and employ hundreds of people in his ‘beloved’ Manema farm. My father was the first to put the name of Musawa, Katsina on the map and sponsored a number of successful people from that town to better opportunities.

But there is a flipside to my dad. That is, he is far from untouched by tenaciousness, temperament and an over heightened state of self-esteem. In fact, some of the more poignant lessons I take from him have to do with his imperfections. Mostly, they centre on his worst demons, inextricably linked to the workings of our social order and the lack of acknowledgement for his struggles and his potential; the struggles and potential that Mallam Aminu Kano, more than anyone else, recognised in him.

I acknowledge his defects and successes but most of all, the inspirational role he has played in my life and the lives of so many others. Simply put, I would not be the person that I am today without him. He helped equip me with some essential reflective tools for challenging systems of oppression. He embodied a, not entirely, different way for me to look at myself as an independent Hausa/Fulani woman. And he taught me basic things, to confront my own struggles, to always stand up for what I think is right, to never forget how to cry and to never put myself in a position where anyone would undermine my integrity. These are lessons I religiously carry with me every day of my life.

I love my dad very much, even during the times he used to make us watch snooker and horse riding, and the most sincere way I know of expressing my love is never to compromise the ethics he strived so hard to instil in me, to learn from the mistakes he confided in me and to never ignore the privilege he has given me. To forget any of this would be the greatest disrespect to him. In this sense, I will continue to carry him with me and use him as a yard stick for honour and integrity. I pray for Dad’s speedy recovery as he bravely battles diabetes.

As we mark international father’s day 2012, I would like to thank Alhaji Musa Musawa, General T.Y Danjuma, Alh Isiyaku Ibrahim, General Garba Duba, Alh Aminu Dantata, Alh Mamooda Zayyan, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Alhaji Abdullahi Imam, Alhaji Nura Imam, Alh Lamis Dicco, all my fathers in Rafindadi, Unguwan-Alkali, Kaduna and Musawa for their support, guidance and inspiration. I wish them all a very fulfilling father’s day.

Thankyou Fathers!

@hanneymusawa

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Hard View (Fallen Angel)

HARD VIEW
FALLEN ANGEL

On the morning of Sunday the 3rd of June before the ill-fated Dana Air Flight 992 plummeted to claim the lives of at least 170 innocent passengers and people on ground, the gentle and beautiful soul of a wonderful young lady sat in the aeroplane anxious to land in Lagos in order to begin her job training. na Air Flight 992 Crash

Farida Shehu Kaikai, born on the 16th of November 1981 tragically died along with the victims of the flying coffin that Dana Air insisted on flying on that tragic day. Farida was the best daughter any parent could wish for, the best sister any sibling could have and the best friend anybody could have ever wished for. Her death, along with the passengers all destined to embark on their final journey will remain a scar in the psyche of every Nigerian for the rest of eternity.

She started her primary education at St Louis Primary School and finished in Aunty Ramatu Primary School, both in Katsina. She then proceeded to Hassan Gwarzo Secondary School in Kano & finished in Federal Government Girls College, Zaria. Farida stayed in Zaria, where she attended Ahmadu Bello University in order to study Economics after which she proceeded to the University of Sunderland, UK to do her Masters in Human Relations. Farida was one of the few graduating youths in Nigeria today who got a job at Aso Savings and Loans in Abuja. It was as a result of this job that she was travelling from Abuja to Lagos for a few days of job training…In order to get there, Farida took Dana Air Flight 992 on the 3rd of June!

Farida was always happy and was always ready to share that joy. She made friends with everyone who knew her and never discriminated. One of the glowing qualities of Farida was that she never forgot her friends and always tried to keep in touch with them, especially when it was their birthdays.

Farida was never married and her one wish was to find a good man that she could settle down with. In a recent wedding ceremony of a friend, after catching the bouquet, she turned to her friends and said, “Look I caught the bouquet and if the saying is true, I’ll be getting married next!” While Farida never lived to see that day, we pray that in Paradise Allah will provide her with a husband who will delight her heart.

Farida is survived by her mother Hajia Thayibba Shehu Kaikai and five siblings; Maryam, Mukhtar, Abubakar, Aisha and Yasmin. Today as Farida’s family mourn for her, her friends from Federal Governnment Girls College Zaria (Brown Checkers) pray and mourn along with them:

Yasmin Ahmed- “Farida was the epitome of a true friend. Never forgets memorable dates and always found a way to keep in touch with everyone, how she managed to do that I have no idea but one thing I know for sure is that she had a heart that was even more lovely than her ever so beautiful and radiant face. Ya Allah please forgive her shortcomings and grant her paradise.”

Asiya Zakari Muhammad- “Words cannot even begin to express my sorrow. Words seem inadequate to express my feelings on hearing of Farida’s death. Farida will always be in my prayers.”

Halima Bello Sani- “Allah gave me a wonderful friend in you Farida. You were a person whom I could trust with any confidence and your advice and guidance helped me in so many ways.”

 Zainab Lawal Gwamna- “I will thank Allah every day for having given me Farida as a dear and close friend. I will miss you in a way that words cannot convey”.

 Badiya Awak- "It was a joy to know Farida. We had become very good friends and we enjoyed each others company. I will love and miss her forever."

Yemisi Oshagbemi- “One of the saddest moments is when you hear of the death of a dear friend. Farida was that to me. My heart is broken today.”

Gbemisola Adegun-Elekula- "Mademoiselle Farie....pretty, outspoken, outgoing, loves life.....a beautiful light dimmed today! Adieu babes.

 Hadiza Mohammed- "May Allah enhance your recompense Farida and be generous in your calamity and forgive you and induce you with patience and multiply for us and for you recompense through patience."

Dyenaan Dawan-Labesa- “My heart is so heavy becoz F.s was a different person not becoz she has passed on but that lady was an Angel in disguise. I can't recall her fighting with anybody,she took time to call even when I didn't feel close to her. Lord mercy is all we ask for Farida Shehu Kaikai....”

Sharifa Mustapha- “Farida’s loss is shared by many friends who care and she will be in our thoughts and hearts and in our every prayer”

 Adama Lawal- “Your life was full of loving deeds, Forever thoughtful of our special needs, Today and tomorrow, my whole life through, I will always love and cherish you”

Maryam Lawal- “Gone yet not forgotten, Although we are apart, the memory of your friendship will live forever in my heart Farida”

Hauwa Ibrahim A- “Allah ya jikan Farida. She was an incredibly special person and a gift to the world”

 Saudatu Rimi- “The one thing I can now give my dear friend Farida in exchange for the years of loyal friendship is my prayers. May Allah open the gates of Aljana Firdaus for Farida”

Rukaiyya Amin- “Farida had the most radiant smile and peaceful soul. Her death is a heartbreaking tragedy.”

 Bilkisu Salihu- I am shocked and grief stricken to learn of Farida's death, and express profound sorrow and condolences for her and her family.

Binta Yusuf- “Farida was more than a friend to me, she was a sister. Today my heart weeps and prays for my sister.”

 Zainab Ibrahim Haruna- “If I could describe Farida’s personality while she was alive, I would say that she was a sunshine on a bright summers day. Her glowing heart and pious soul will never be forgotten.”

Halima Sule Ahman- “We pray almighty Allah forgive Farida's short comings and admit her into al-jannah firdous. I will miss her”

Zainab O. Zubairu- “I am so grateful for the life and friendship of Farida. I truly appreciated her. May Allah in his infinite mercies have mercy on her soul and bless her, grant her forgiveness and expiate her sins by mercy.”

Khadija Yusuf- “The gift of Farida’s friendship is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Allah ya jikan ta”

Hauwa Ndayako- “I was close to Farida and we used to joke alot. Today I pray for Allah to expand her grave, illuminate it and grant her wonderful and blessed companions in the grave.”

Amina Ndayako- “The loss of Farida continues to break my heart evertime I remember her beautiful face. I pray for Allah to forgive her.”

Omotsome Olowodun- “Im in shock from this senseless tragedy that saw me loose my friend. May Farida find peacefully rest She will never be forgeten.”

Fatima Enagi- “Only people that are lucky in life can say that they have been blessed with a  truly good friend… I was one of those lucky people to have had Farida as a friend. I will miss her.”

Aghogho Okodaso-Omolegbe- Through the years that I have known Farida, I was certain of her as a good person with a good character. She always goes out of her way to be kind. May that goodness protect her in the hereafter.”

Hasiya Ghaji- “May Allah in his mercy grant Farida rest, may her grave be an abode of light and not darkness. May Allah (SWT) make her pass successfully in all the stages of the life after death (amiin)”

Lolade Bolarinwa- “If only we had known, we would have agreed on the lunch you suggested.”

Janet Arua-Alex- “My friend Farida is gone but will never be forgotten. May her gentle soul rest in everlasting peace.”

Fatima Yuguda- “With a broken heart, I pary for Allah to grant my sister Farida light in her grave.”

Amina Natsu- “Im devastated to learn of Farida’s death. No one knows when it is their time to go. May my friend rest in peace, Insha Allah.”

Faiza Usman Jibrin- “My darling friend is gone forever. May Allah give strength to the beloved family and friends she left on earth.”

Zainab Hammayero- “May Allah forgive all Farida’s sins and count her among the ones to follow Prophet Mohammed to Aljannat Firdaus. Ameen.”

Rashida Adamu Gumba- “Never thought Saturday will be the last time we would meet, so u came to bid me farewell siree? Allah ubangiji ya jikan ki da rahama. “

Asmau Ardo- “I pray to Allah to bless my sister Farida with His Forgiveness and Mercy. Allah ya jikan ta.”

Lauriya Baba- “Farida’s big heart is the reason why so many mourn for her and this is why we cherish everything she has meant to our lives. May her Sould rest in peace.”

Rukaiya El-rufai Mohammed- “May Allah grant Farida Jannah and forgive her sins; Amin. Indeed the way she died has the virtue of martyrdom.”

Fatima Jibrilla-“Fareeda was my Friendy. Our trip to the Holy Land will forever stay with me and Im gald I got to share it with you. Not only was a Farida a special friend and sister; she was a very, very special human being. She will be greatly missed. Allah ya jikan ta.”

Mary Bawa-Gomwalk- “Rest on dear friend. I will forever hold you dear in my heart.”

Ainau Sani Makudi- “The loss of Farida is a loss of titanic proportions. Those of us who knew her know that we have lost a gem and a great friend. May Allah grant her Jannah.”

Rukkiaya Sulieman- “My darling friend Farida, I pray for Allah to forgive you, comfort you in your grave and lighten your stay.”

Rumasau Mahuta- “Allah ya gafarta miki, my cousin my friend. Oh how my heart weeps. Im sad my children will not get to learn from you.”

Zainab Abdulrazaq- “To Allah we belong and to Him we return. My friend has returned to her maker. May she reside in Aljanna.”

Mardiyyah Ja'afar-“The departure of Farida is a great loss to all who knew her and I would like to tell the world how special she was and convey my condolences to her family.”

Halima Ango Abdullahi-“O Allah! Forgive my friend Farida, elevate her status among the guided people and look after the family that She left behind; Amen. I will miss her greatly.”

Fatima Dabo Aliyu-“It is with the great sorrow I learnt the death of my friend and sister Farida. May her soul rest in eternal peace and may Almighty give her family the strength to bear this irreplaceable loss; Amen.”

Aisha Iya Abubakar-“Farida’s death breaks my heart. This unexpected demise is something which keeps all of us in great griefxx. Farida was not a friend that I liked; she was a sister that I loved. Allah ya jikan ta.”

Saadatu Umitta Musawa Imam - -“I am truly saddened by Farida's death. Farida was an amazing person. Her passing will not only leave a void in our lives, but in the hearts of everyone who knew her. Her voice and smile will forever stay with me and I will love her forever.”

-Farida was only one of the many fallen Angels on that fateful day. May their gentle Souls forever rest in peace.
"FAREEDA, WE YOUR FRIENDS LOVE YOU, WILL MISS YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU!"