Borno college loses principal who slumped while delivering speech

Students of the El-Kanemi College of Islamic Theology have offered prayers for their late principal who collapsed while giving a speech at a gathering within the school premises in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Many students who spoke separately yesterday described late Hajiya Bisola Rahama Zakariyya as a ‘caring mother’ for all her students at the female section of the school.

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They eexplained that she died on Tuesday as a result of her collapse during a speech on Monday.

“I was sad to hear the sudden demise of Mrs Zakariyya. She was our principal, always counseling students whenever she had the opportunity whether in private or public, and she was more like a caring mother giving advice to her children,” said a mourning student, Maryam.

The student added that apart from other organised group prayers, she and other fellow students had had different sessions of Qur’anic recitation and offered prayers for their late principal.

“I am saddened with the death of our beloved mother, lecturer, a woman of integrity, a woman with a sincere heart, a hard-working woman ever found in our school,” another student added.

Mrs Zakariyya, as she was fondly called by members of staff and students, was for over a decade the principal heading the girls’ section of the prestigious El-Kanemi College.