Mama Taraba , Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan

If you call her a political amazon, you are right; a modern day Joan of Arc, correct and woman of substance, on point! Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly called ‘Mama Taraba, fits these characterisations. Unfortunately, she is dead! She was 61.
The former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development departed the world this Friday evening in an Egyptian hospital. She was reported to have battled some some complex health conditions.

Mama Taraba was in All Progressives Congress (APC), the party which gave her an opportunity to serve as minister in 2015. She decamped to the People’s Democratic Party from where she worked for one time Vice President Atiku Abubakar who wanted to be president.

Mama Taraba was born on the 16 September 1959 in Jalingo Taraba State. She resigned as the Minister of Women Affairs of Nigeria on July 27, 2018. She was appointed in 2015 to the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari after his election. She was previously a Senator, representing Taraba North senatorial district of Taraba State, Nigeria which she won under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). She later decamped to the main opposition party All Progressive Congress (APC) and became the gubernatorial candidate of the party in Taraba State for the 2015 general elections. She was defeated in the election re-run held on 25 April 2015, but on 7 November 2015 tribunal removes Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, declares Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress winner of April 11, 2015 poll, this was later reversed by the Appeal and Supreme Courts of Nigeria.