By Femi Bolaji

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly known as Mama Taraba is dead.

She reportedly died in Cairo, Egypt at the age of 61.

An official of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, confirmed the report.

He also said an official statement by the party would be released on Saturday, May 8.

When Vanguard visited the family house of Alhassan Friday night, the entire residence was in a sober mood.

Sympathisers, including politicians, trooped in and out of the house to sympathise with them.

Younger brother to the former minister who got emotional when newsmen approached him for comment said the deceased was the backbone of the family.

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He however delegated a family brother to speak to the press.

Speaking to Vanguard, the family brother, Onyeama Edeh, described Alhassan as a lover of people who would be remembered for good.

According to him, “Aisha is a pillar in this family and second to none. We have lost a hero to death.

“I am a family brother to her and we grew up together in this house even though I am not the same tribe with her.

“She would be remembered for a lot of the good things she has done for the people of the state especially on empowerment for the youth and vulnerable.”

Who She Was

Aisha Jummai Alhassan popularly known as Mama Taraba is a prominent politician not only in Taraba State but the country at large.

She represented Taraba North in the Senate and was also a former member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet during his first tenure.

She was the flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the 2015 gubernatorial election in Taraba, which she eventually lost to Governor Darius Ishaku.

She left the APC in 2018 after she was screened out by the party before the primary election that would determine its flag bearer for the 2019 gubernatorial election.

She immediately pitched her tent with United Democratic Party, UDP, where she contested to be governor of Taraba state in 2019 and lost for the second time.

She however decamped to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in September 2019.

Vanguard News Nigeria