Maryam Babangida: Family Remembers First Lady of First Ladies

HighLife

Esteban Montejo, the Cuban African slave said that it is best not to die, because a few days later no one remembers you, not even your closest friends. In many ways and for many people, Montejo was right. However, this is not the case for the wife of former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Maryam Babangida, the woman who cast a large shadow upon Nigeria between 1985 and 1993; a shadow that appears to coalesce as the days go by.

A few days ago, on December 27 precisely, the entire Babangida family remembered this person who put the ‘First’ in ‘Lady’ and were joined by many others to honour her memory.

Memory is like a sieve that can only contain the largest bits of human life and history. Maryam is the largest of these bits for the Babangida family, and one of the tallest pillars of virtue to ever take root in the history of Nigeria’s administration. She is remembered for defining the position of the First Lady, polishing the overly masculine presidential presence with a feminine flair, and taking drastic steps to improve the lives of women and children everywhere.

Maryam is remembered for her remarkable contributions to the social and economic growth and development of the African family, with a special focus on the woman and child. Until her death in 2009, Maryam was a champion for this cause. This led to her initiating the Better Life Programme for Rural Women (BLPRW) in 1987. Today, that programme which is managed by Maryam’s daughter continues to assuage the plight of African rural women, giving them access to health and education, as well as economic opportunities to sustain themselves.

Maryam set up an entire legacy for Nigerian First Ladies. Ever since, it has become a custom for her successors to push for the social and economic freedom of women, rural or semi-urban, low-class or illiterate. Indeed, her imprints cannot be easily erased by the hands of time.