Shettima Hails Abibatu Mogaji’s Legacy, Links Values to Tinubu

Vice President Kashim Shettima has paid glowing tribute to the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing her as a woman whose legacy of service, discipline and community leadership continues to shape national governance through her son.

Shettima made the remarks on Sunday in Abuja during the Annual Grand Prayer Session held at the National Mosque in honour of the late Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, who died on June 15, 2013, at the age of 96.

Representing President Tinubu at the event, the Vice President said Abibatu Mogaji’s impact was not defined by public recognition but by the lives she influenced and the structures she helped strengthen, particularly within Nigeria’s market communities.

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He said the values she instilled in her family, especially in the President, continue to reflect in national leadership. According to him, President Tinubu’s political journey and governance philosophy were shaped by early lessons in service, sacrifice and accountability learned from his mother.

“It should surprise no one that the son she raised carries the same fire into the highest office in our land,” Shettima said, noting that the President’s commitment to democracy and public service was rooted in his upbringing.

He added that Abibatu Mogaji taught that leadership is a responsibility owed first to ordinary citizens, stressing that her influence extended beyond family life into commerce and community organisation.

The Vice President described her as a stabilising force for market women, saying she transformed informal trading groups into structured associations and gave voice to those often excluded from decision-making processes.

“She served before she sought to be served,” Shettima said, adding that she was known for mediating disputes, supporting the vulnerable and promoting fairness within trading communities.

Praying for the repose of her soul, Shettima asked God to forgive her shortcomings and reward her service to humanity, while also praying for strength for President Tinubu and his family.

He also expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome its current security and economic challenges through unity, collective responsibility and sustained prayer, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to reforms aimed at improving national welfare.

Earlier, convener of the prayer session and Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Kabir Masari, said Abibatu Mogaji’s legacy continues through humanitarian projects undertaken in her memory.

He disclosed that over 250 boreholes have been provided across nine northern states, while plans are underway to establish an Islamic centre in Abuja and a modern mosque in Kaduna State in her honour.

The event drew senior government officials, governors, traditional rulers and Islamic scholars who joined in prayers for national peace, unity and development, as well as for the peaceful repose of the late matriarch.