A Special Report by Alfijir Labarai
Hajiya Maryam Sani Abacha is one of the Nigerian women associated with humanitarian activities and programmes focused on women, children, families and community development.
She served as Nigeria’s First Lady from 1993 to 1998, during the period when her husband, the late General Sani Abacha, headed the country’s military government.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Maryam Sani Abacha was born on 4 March 1947 in Kaduna.
Biographical records state that she attended primary schools in Tudun Wada and U.N.A. Sabon Gari in Zaria before attending Dala Girls’ Secondary School in Kano.
She married Sani Abacha in December 1965, when he was a Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army. They later had children.
BEFORE BECOMING FIRST LADY
Before becoming First Lady, Maryam Abacha was already involved in activities concerning women and the families of military personnel.
From 1985 to 1990, she served as the national president of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association, NAOWA.
During her leadership, the association was involved in activities relating to education, vocational training, small-scale economic activities and assistance to people in need.
THE FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMME
One of the major initiatives associated with Maryam Abacha’s period as First Lady was the Family Support Programme, FSP.
The programme focused on various needs of families, including health, women, children, economic empowerment and community welfare.
Nigeria’s Agenda 21, a government policy document, described the Family Support Programme as an initiative established to support families, particularly disadvantaged households, with attention to issues including women’s access to land and income-generating opportunities.
THE FAMILY SUPPORT TRUST FUND
Another initiative associated with Maryam Abacha’s humanitarian activities was the Family Support Trust Fund.
Reports have linked the fund to the development of the National Women and Children Hospital in Abuja.
The hospital was commissioned on 22 May 1999, after the end of the Abacha military government, and was later renamed the National Hospital Abuja in 2000.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Many of the activities associated with Maryam Abacha’s public role focused on women, children and families.
From family-support programmes to initiatives connected with healthcare and economic empowerment, her period as First Lady provides an opportunity to examine the role that spouses of national leaders played in addressing social issues.
However, it is important to note that many of these initiatives involved government institutions, organisations and other stakeholders. Therefore, their outcomes should not automatically be attributed to one individual alone.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM HER LIFE?
The first lesson is the importance of using opportunities to serve society.
Positions of influence can provide opportunities to draw attention to social problems and support efforts to address them.
The second lesson is the importance of supporting women and children.
Programmes focused on healthcare, education and the welfare of women and children remain important areas of community development.
The third lesson is the value of economic empowerment.
Some of the programmes associated with the period sought to help families develop sustainable sources of income through vocational activities, small businesses and other economic opportunities.
The fourth lesson is the importance of creating institutions and projects that can continue serving society beyond the tenure of the people who initiated them.
The development of the National Women and Children Hospital, which later became the National Hospital Abuja, provides an example of an institution that continued to serve the public after a change in government.
The fifth lesson is the importance of collaboration.
Sustainable humanitarian and development programmes generally require cooperation between government, institutions, community organisations and other stakeholders.
AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION
The history of Maryam Sani Abacha cannot be completely separated from the history of the military government led by her husband, General Sani Abacha.
However, this report focuses specifically on Maryam Sani Abacha’s public role, humanitarian activities and programmes associated with women, children and families. It does not attempt to make a general judgment on the military government of that period.
CONCLUSION
Hajiya Maryam Sani Abacha remains part of Nigeria’s history as a former First Lady whose public activities included programmes associated with women, children, families, healthcare and economic empowerment.
From her earlier involvement with NAOWA to the Family Support Programme and other initiatives associated with her period as First Lady, her story provides an opportunity to examine the role of prominent Nigerian women in humanitarian and community-development activities.
The broader lesson is that public position and influence can provide an opportunity to contribute to society, particularly when attention is directed towards practical challenges affecting families and communities.
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