Tribute to Hajiya Fatimah Alfa-Belgore

I formally met the late matriarch of the Alfa Belgore family in 2006 when I began work on the biography of her husband- Alfa Jeje-The Biography of Honourable S. M. A. Belgore,CON, GCON (formerly, Chief Justice of Nigeria). She gave me absolute assistance and cooperation and I had no hesitation in saying that she was indeed, one of the heroines of ourtime. She gave Justice Alfa Belgore, all he needed to excel including understanding, peace of the mind, calmness, uncanny love. I recorded the late Hajiya as saying the following at pages 434 and 435 of her husband’s biography:

“Although his (Justice Alfa Belgore) constant mobility took its toll on me, I was with him in spirit wherever he went. As a wife and mother, it was not initially easy for me to cope with bringing up the children without my husband by my side. As a Nursing Officer, seeking for transfer to wherever my husband was transferred to was not too difficult. However, we soon discovered that constant movement was detrimental to the education of the children. Consequently, we decided that I should stay behind in Kaduna and stick to my job at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, which provided a good setting to bring up the children.

Of course, there were challenges in the marriage as there were several thoughts and non-thoughts. On some occasions, I would cry myself out but had no option than to quickly adjust myself to the reality of the situation. It is not easy recounting the loneliness I went through when my husband was serving the nation. What one cannot take away from him was his love for and care of the children. He was always there for them. He praised when necessary; admonished when desirable; and rebuked when absolutely necessary.

A kind-hearted husband, he has a legendary spirit of generosity. He extends his love and affection for me to my father, my siblings, and other relations. A very pragmatic Nigerian, he calls a spade by its very name. Our marriage and the courage we put into it should be a challenge to young couples. They must be willing to sacrifice for each other for the sake of the sanctity of marriage.

In retirement, my husband is still very agile and always on the move. I am ever grateful to Allah for His mercies upon my husband. I do not pretend that I possess the kind of energy and drive that he has. Our marriage is blessed and we are blessed in every way. I give gratitude to Allah’’.

It is quite melancholic that death could snatch Hajiya away at this point in time. She was a contented wife solidly by her husband, and was the ever caring mother of her five children and several grand children. A wonderful hostess, she was ever willing to welcome all and sundry to their homes in Ilorin and Abuja. Alas, all that is gone with her demise!

But then, who are we to question the Creator of heaven and the earth. Allah is the Giver of life and death. He dispenses it as He wishes, even though the death of any human being diminishes us. Painful as her death was, she has gone to where every soul will return to.

While praying that Allah should grant her a place in Al-Jannah, we beseech Him to grant her husband, Justice Alfa Belgore, the children, the grand children and all those her life imparted upon, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss (amen).

Chief Fassy Yusuf, a lawyer and media scholar, can be reached through: [email protected]