The President (Female) of the Muslim Student Union of Nigeria, Lagos Area Unit, Hajia Hafsa Badru almost stunned me as she addressed a crowd of supporters at the Gania Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, recently. The occasion was the World Hijab Day, said to be observed all over the world ostensibly to proclaim the precept of chastity and propriety among Muslim . women as symbolised by the wearing of the Hijab. This is the fascinating headgear won by women in the Middle East, from where it spread to various Muslim communities across the world.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. While many of us were celebrating and getting busy with our spouses, some others did not for reasons ranging from separation to widowhood. However, my focus today is on grass widowhood (spouses temporarily living apart). Grass widowhood is a phenomenon that has been with us but has changed in nomenclature. In the 80s, as our economy took a downturn, one of the spouses travelled abroad to seek the proverbial greener pastures and remitted money home for the family. Not all of these adventures went according to plan: Some of the men ended up marrying foreigners to regularise their stay, while some wives saw the “better life” abroad and made their temporary sojourn permanent. Either way their marriages and families were the main casualties.

It is the reformer who is anxious for the reform, and not society, from which he should expect nothing better than opposition, abhorrence and mortal persecution — Mahatma Gandhi

I had an interesting two-hour meeting with an elder statesman recently; a man who has been in the corridors of power and influence in Nigeria for almost half a century, who knows— and is known—by past and present rulers, who is respected by political and business brokers in the country.

MR. President is clearly in fighting form at the moment because he has recently sacked, transferred or politely edged out a number of senior officials who were previously regarded as sacred cows.