My husband was a man of the people – Hajiya Fatima Abubakar
Daily Trust: What has life been like since you lost your husband? Hajiya Fatima Abubakar:
Alhamdulillah! God has blessed us and I am grateful that my children and I are still surviving. They are cooperative and help me in running the affairs of the house. Seeing them gives me comfort and a sort of relief. DT: What type of man was he?
Hajiya Fatima: My husband was a loving and caring man. He brought up the children well. He was also very selfless and intelligent. He was very supportive and generous. He loved me and the children so much. He was always around to play with his grandchildren. He has a lot of friends whom he visited often and they come over to the house as well. He touched people’s lives in a positive way. I admire the kind of man he was.
DT: How do you want your husband to be remembered? Hajiya Fatima: People have various ways of remembering him. Being a man of the people, he was jovial and friendly to a lot of people he had met during his lifetime. Some of his friends might remember him for the quality time they spent together, some for the jokes they shared, others might remember him for his doggedness in handling things or situations.
DT: What was he like at home with you and the family?
Hajiya Fatima: He was a selfless father; he loved his children so much and made sure he spent time with them. He laughed a lot. He carried his children along in most things he was involved in. He taught us all to be kind and generous. He loved his grandchildren too, and enjoyed being around them.
DT: What fond memories of him do you miss most?
Hajiya Fatima: I miss the music we both listened to in the morning before eating breakfast. He loved country music a lot, and Bob Marley. I miss him a lot because there
are times I need his support and guidance as a man.We were very close and shared lots of things in common.
DT: How have you been able to stay strong?
Hajiya Fatima: I have to be strong for myself and the kids; they need me now more than ever. I make sure I spend time with them to know what is happening in their lives. It is not easy handling all these alone but Alhamdulillah, God has kept me strong in handling the situations around me.
DT: How do you feel about the memorial dedicated to your husband?
Hajiya Fatima: Words alone cannot express how grateful I am. I really appreciate everyone who was present at the memorial. It is heartwarming knowing that I am not alone, that a lot of people cared and took out time to be with me and the children. I am also grateful that people have been saying good things about my late husband, how much he impacted their lives. That alone is very consoling.