Kaduna NUJ Chair pens tribute to late wife

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, has described the death of his wife, Hajara AbdulGafar as the most painful blow of his life, especially coming after their narrow escape from captivity.
Alabeleww’s wife died at the age of 33, barely one year after surviving a harrowing kidnap experience alongside her husband and two sons.
Hajara passed away in the early hours of Sunday, August 24, 2025, leaving behind her husband, four young sons, and what many described as a legacy of service, sacrifice, and compassion.
Alabelewe, who is also the Kaduna correspondent of The Nation newspaper, recalled that her final moments were marked by gratitude to Allah.
“Her lips repeatedly uttered Alhamdulillah, acknowledging the blessing of her Rabb before she breathed her last. That was her final testimony of faith,” he said in an emotional tribute.
Until her death, Hajara worked as a nutritionist, teacher, and administrator at Zabib School and ventured into farming, while also managing her home with devotion.
Tributes have poured in from government officials, colleagues, and community leaders. The Kaduna State Government sent delegations led by the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Sani Liman Kila, and Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, with Chief Press Secretary Malam Ibraheem Musa.
Also, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, in a condolence message, described her as “a symbol of guidance, compassion, and integrity, whose humility and wisdom will continue to inspire many.”
Equally, the NUJ national leadership, Kaduna and Kano Councils, Zone A executives, Senator Shehu Sani, AYCF President General Alhaji Yerima Shettima, and several professional colleagues also expressed sympathy and solidarity.
For Alabelewe, overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers, thanked all who stood by the family, praying that Allah grant his wife Aljannatul Firdaus and the family strength to bear the irreparable loss.