A Publication on the Sunday PUNCH, November 6, 2005 Pg. 40

WHAT THE WORLD OWES STELLA ——- Hajiya  Asabe  Yar’Adua

Though the first Lady, Chief  (Mrs)  Stella Obasanjo, is gone, her memories will continue to linger among her admirers. The wife of the late Gen. Shehu  Musa  Yar’Adua,  Hajiya Asabe  Yar’Adua, one of the deceased’s close friends, in this interview with KUNLE OWOLABI, suggest how best to immortalize Stella.

Stella meant so many things to different  people. What is the nation bound to miss because of her   death?

 Nigerians are going to miss the First Lady in so many ways. One, the management and staff as well as inmates of the NGO she was running would forever remember her. The kids will miss her because she was somebody who can confide in. Thirdly, in fact, Mr. President will miss her more because Stella did not see anything wrong with Mr. President. Whatever he did was good for her and she was his better part. She was not that kind of a person who thinks that this is wrong, that is wrong, you know. She was very accommodating and good.

She was a role model that every woman wanted to emulate. Stella was very nice. She was somebody that you can confide in. It is very touchy that she died the way she had. Anyway, in the God we come, in God, we shall go. God will give Mr. President the wisdom, fortitude, and strength to bear the great loss, I knew her for a pretty long time. I recall that when my late husband, Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua died, she called me, consoled me, and since then time to time, we talked. When she was in Asaba, the Delta State recently, I met her; we talked too. Well, anything can happen anywhere. Maybe why she went to Spain for the operation was because her specialist was there. But I think if she had gone to places like England, The United States, or Germany the situation would have been different. But it is God that is in control of every situation.

Did she actually deserve the accolades she received in death or it was the circumstance of her death that necessitates those encomiums even from her critics while she was alive?

This is a very difficult question. It is difficult because of a number of reasons. There is no honest, factual, and frank opinion I will offer about her that few individuals will say how else should one assess his friend. Others will claim that as a woman they are not surprised about my assessment because of the collective fight for the right of women across the world. But the truth of the matter is that Stella lived a good life. She did very well. She touched the lives of everybody positively. She was a peaceful person. She was somebody that listened to everybody. She had courage and carriage. She was a role model. She loved children, the disabled, the less privileged, the deprived, the poor, and the rich. Stella listened to them. She was someone you can confide in.

Stella symbolized the hope of the people. She was always at home in the midst of the people regardless of creed, religion, social status, or ethnic background. In fact, suffice to say that her first love was how to make the people by giving them direction that there are greater opportunities in the life of man in face of adversary, disability, or confusion. That there is no hopeless situation in life, that what you need is courage, determination, piety, endurance, and perseverance. Stella was an embodiment of these virtues. A lot of women would not be able to do what she did. It is not easy to be the First Lady. Stella had courage and confidence. She was sure of herself. It is not easy; she did her job with maturity and panache. She came from a decent background. In fact, she was missed. She loved kids, the less-privileged kids, motherless babies, and the deformed. She was always there for them. When you look into her life, you would know that this was somebody who cared about people.

How should Stella be remembered by posterity?

In life, Stella was an institution. That is why she was able to impact life o0f the people positively. She was able to bequeath to posterity the spirit of selfless service to mankind especially through her Non-Governmental Organization. Child Care Trust. The Impact of the NGO on the societal so far is indescribable. Through the organization, she was able to demonstrate a greater love to humanity, particularly children, women, the underprivileged, etcetera. Her NGO has become an institution not just recognized at home but throughout the world, espoused the virtues of love and empathy among mankind. So, Stella came to the world, espoused the virtues of love and empathy among mankind; she came to the world and propagated the virtues by founding the NGO. So, what mankind owes her now is to promote those sterling qualities she stood for. And this we can do by making sure that her NGO remains what it is; an institution committed to the promotion of service to mankind, especially the underprivileged. We must all make sure it waxes on. No price is too much for the nation to sustain the project because of its services to humanity.

How do you see the current debate in certain quarters on the need for another first lady?

I’m not surprised that some individuals are making such unnecessary comments now. The country is still in a mourning mood. We need time to get over the grief as our leaders continue to attend to official matters. To be frank with you. I don’t think Mr. President needs another First Lady. He should just take heart over the loss of his wife. He can get a good housekeeper who can run the house for him. That is what I think is better for Mr. President because I don’t think anybody can handle Mr. President the way Stella did. If he goes on foreign Outings, he might go with his personal secretary or maybe go with one of these women in the government like the Minister of Finance lady, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. She is Intelligent. He might go with her. I don’t advise Mr. President to get any First Lady at the Moment.

Source: A Publication on the Sunday PUNCH, November 6, 2005 Pg. 40