Maryam Abacha

Maryam Abacha was born in Kaduna on March 4, 1947. A native of Borno State, she is the daughter of Alhaji Sheikh Mahammad Jidah and Hajiya Ya Gumsu Nasara. She commenced her education at Tudun Wada Primary and U.N.A. Sabongari Primary School, Zaria and had the benefit of receiving her secondary education at Dala Girls' Secondary School, Kano. She got married to General Abacha, then a lieutenant, in December, 1965 and are blessed with nine children- six boys and three girls.

8 quotes found

"We thank God for His kindness and love for us. We also thank those that have been around us in these moments of grief. We are still waiting for those that have distanced themselves from us to reconcile and come back. We are not angry with anybody. We are still friends to everybody. We look forward to the Almighty Allah to provide us the fortitude to bear this loss. So life has been quiet and peaceful with us. We are one and a happy family."

"My husband’s death was like a coup. It was sudden and shrouded in confusion. General Abdulasalami [Abubakar] just called me, telling me to come and collect the dead body. We buried him like any other ordinary Nigerian. It was quite unfortunate the way he died. Allah knows best and unto Him we shall all return. May his soul rest in peace. I’m yet to fully recover from the shock of his death."

"We felt happy. Maybe this is the beginning of good things to happen to Nigeria; maybe reconciliation… President Jonathan is a young man, he is using his time and energy to bring peace and reconciliation. I think it is high time we all come together to lift the country and stabilise ourselves. I hope it is the beginning of good things to come."

"No, I don’t have any political ambition."

"Her teachers had described her as a calm, reliable and disciplined student."

"a promising public speaker in the debating club and excelled among her contemporaries in sports as a Table Tennis Champion."

"Maryam had already been an ardent believer in the cultivation of a healthy cooking culture which led her to facilitate the organization of a number of Cookery Competitions such as the Maiden edition in Lagos, in 1986, Ibadan, in 1987, and Jos in 1989."

"Cognizant of her determination to empower women with the skills that will enable them continuously improve the quality of their lives, Maryam Abacha, was at the Beijing Conference and appointed as one of the conference Vice Presidents by the UN."