Ajiun: The mother who carried One Nigeria to war front

By Gesinde Fregene Adedeji

In the darkest days of the Nigerian Civil War, when artillery thundered across the Atlantic theatre and uncertainty hung thick over the nation, one woman walked calmly into the storm not as a combatant but as a mother.

Alhaja Jeminatu Ajiun Alabi-Isama stood beside her son, then Lt. Colonel Godwin Alabi-Isama, Chief of Staff to the legendary Benjamin Adekunle, Commander of the 3rd Marine Commando Division during the Civil War.

The photographs taken in Port Harcourt in 1969 remain a rare visual testimony of maternal courage in a theatre defined by gunfire and strategy.

Yet her story goes far beyond photograph as a mother in the midst of war at a time when even seasoned soldiers braced themselves for aerial bombardments and sudden offensives.

Alhaja Jeminatu Ajiun made repeated journeys into active war zones. These were not symbolic appearances. They were intentional, risky missions of love.

She refused to blend into the militarised atmosphere by wearing fatigues. Instead, she appeared in dignified traditional attire, a powerful civilian presence in a sea of uniforms. In doing so, she reminded officers and soldiers that beyond every command structure were mothers, families and a fragile nation yearning for peace. Her presence reportedly steadied nerves. In moments of tension, she radiated calm. In the face of danger, she embodied faith.

Service beyond motherhood
Alhaja Jeminatu Ajiun was not only concerned about her son, but she extended her compassion to wounded soldiers, offering moral encouragement, financial assistance and maternal comfort to young men far from their own families. She gave from her personal resources, believing firmly in a united Nigeria.
Her slogan was simple yet profound: “Go On With One Nigeria.”
In The Tragedy of Victory, authored by General Godwin Alabi-Isama, she was described thus: “My dearest mother, courageous and indefatigable… a guardian angel whose prayers, moral strength and financial guidance sustained me during and after the war.” Her sacrifices did not end with the guns’ silence. Even after the war, she remained a pillar of guidance and unity until her passing in 1984 at age of 74 years.

Recognition and legacy
The University of Ilorin honoured her memory in recognition of her remarkable contributions, an acknowledgment that her role transcended private motherhood and entered the realm of national service. Yet, history books have largely remained silent about women like her, mothers who carried courage quietly, who healed wounds unseen and who strengthened morale without holding rank.

A clarion call for immortalisation
It is time for the Ilorin East Local Government, the Kwara State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria to immortalise Alhaja Jeminatu Ajiun Alabi-Isama like other Nigerian heroines such as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Let a public institution, healthcare facility, monument or scholarship scheme bear her name.
Let future generations asked: Who was JEMINATU AJIUN ALABI-ISAMA? And let the answer inspire courage, unity and maternal patriotism.
If soldiers who carried rifles deserved honour, surely a mother who carried faith and compassion into the battlefield deserves remembrance. The Jeminatu Mother’s Nest is an iconic edifice standing at the heart of Ilorin, an effort by her. It shouldn’t remain the only physical mark pointing to the memories of such a heroine. Let governments at all levels follow this clarion call and history will continue to bear us witness.

Wars are often remembered through generals and battle strategies, but nations are sustained by quieter strengths of prayers whispered in the night by mothers who refuse to surrender hope and by citizens who give their wealth and comfort for national unity. Alhaja Jeminatu Ajiun Alabi-Isama was one of such rare souls.
Nigeria must not forget her.

*Gesinde Fregene Adedeji is the Editor of Thenewsliveth.