…As FOMWAN loses pioneer National Amirah
The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has lost its pioneer National Amirah, Hajia Aisha Lemu
The association in a statement jointly signed by its National Amirah and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr Halimat Jibril and Dr Sumeya Fadimatu Hamza respectively, said the first National Amirah of the association, Hajia Aisha Lemu, died on Saturday 5th of January 2019 at the age of 79 after a brief illness.
“The demise of the founding member of our association came as a great shock to the members of this great Islamic women association, and the entire women folk in general.
“Our hearts are still flowing with sorrow and grief as it is hard to believe that our own Aisha Lemu has answered the Divine call; we know that every soul shall taste death.
Mrs Lemu, until her death, was the Chairperson National Board of Trustee of FOMWAN, a passionate Foundation member who served the Association diligently with her resources.
The statement described her as a symbol of unity, sincerity, integrity, justice and piet, adding that she did her best to propagate Islam with her wealth and health using FOMWAN and other vibrant religious avenues as good platforms.
“She took FOMWAN beyond Nigeria and remained a Role model to Muslim women.
“Her memory and the inspiring legacy she left shall forever remain in our minds and in the history of spreading the message of Islam across the Glob” the statement added.
The unio prayed Almighty Allah to forgive her shortcomings, reward her efforts and grant her highest place in Al Jannatul- fridaus.
Meanwhile, she will be buried at IET Minna on Sunda (January 6, 2019) by 10am prompt.
FOMWAN urged all states and international branches to organise prayers for her in their respective branches.
∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆
Aisha Lemu is a British-born author and religious educator who converted to Islam in 1961 and now resides in Nigeria.
Lemu was born in Poole, Dorset, in 1940, as Bridget Aisha Honey.[1] At the age of thirteen, she began to question her faith and began exploring other religions including Hinduism and Chinese Buddhism.[2] She studied at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), pursuing her interest in Chinese history, language and culture. While there, she met Muslims who gave her Islamic literature to read and she converted to Islam at the Islamic Cultural Centre in 1961, during her first year of study.[3] She subsequently helped to found the Islamic Society at SOAS, becoming its first secretary, and also assisted in the formation of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies.[3]
After graduating from SOAS, Lemu studied for a postgraduate qualification to teach English as a foreign language and while doing so, she met her future husband, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, who had been studying at another college of the University of London and was involved in the Islamic activities around the institution.[2] Having obtained her Postgraduate Certificate in Education, she moved to Kano in Nigeria in August 1966 to teach at the School for Arabic Studies there, where Sheikh Ahmed Lemu worked as headmaster.[4] They married in April 1968, with Aisha becoming his second wife. She subsequently moved to Sokoto to take up the position of principal of the Government Girls College.[1]
Sheikh Ahmed Lemu was Grand Qadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the State of Niger when it was founded in 1976, and Aisha was principal of the Women’s Teachers College in Minna from then until 1978. The couple founded the Islamic Education Trust, which now operates in several Nigerian states has offices and a library, includes a publisher, primary and secondary school and adult education centre for women.[3] Lemu was a member of the Islamic Studies Panel, set up by the Nigerian Educational Research Council, which was to revise the national Islamic curriculum for different school levels.[3]
In 1985, Lemu founded the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) with other Muslim women and was elected as its first national Amirah for four years. Lemu served as a civil servant after this term of office.[3]
Died on January 5, 2019 at Minna, Nigeria.
Culled from Wikipedia
