My former colleague in the New Nigeria Newspapers Limited, Midat Joseph, broke the news on his Facebook account that Barrister Hauwa Shekarau has gone to the great beyond to be in the bosom of Jesus Christ, her Lord and personal saviour.
I struggled with myself to believe that she has actually left this sinful world to rest finally from the hustles and bustles of Civil Society where she has made her mark as a gender equality champion.
I first met this confident and brilliant advocate of gender equality in Kaduna many years ago at a workshop organised by Barrister Ranti Daudu, the former wife of former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) and I attended it as a reporter.
Read Also: Aisha Buhari and the Pantami video: Some guesses
She really impressed me during her presentation that I became very much interested in knowing much about her after she had returned to Abuja her base.
This was one legal mind that was thoroughly immersed in the politics of NBA at the FCT chapter and contested elections until she got elected as the chairman of the chapter which is to me a rare feat for a woman.
The deceased and Mrs Daudu (of blessed memory too) were concerned about the plight of women and promoted women’s emancipation and made a lot of contributions in this regard.
Time was when I engaged her about the All Nigeria Editors Conference held in Lagos some years back while I was working in the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
She actually attended the conference as a resource person and I pleaded with her to send me electronically a soft copy of the paper she presented then. But I failed to get it in as much as she expressed her willingness to do so.
Another encounter I had with her was in respect of the sad news I got about the divorce between her late friend, Mrs Daudu and her husband. That incident she never liked at all and she made it clear to me.
But it seemed her friend had made up her mind to call it quits and lead an independent life prior to her demise in spite of the fact the marriage has produced lawyers of no mean repute.
When the COVID-19 pandemic was raging she stressed the need for people in the FCT to adhere to all non-pharmaceutical protocols because she was ready to ensure that nobody visited her at home just as she would not attempt paying visits to anyone.
Stay home and stay healthy was her dictum then. For this elegant lawyer life must be taken seriously and she was always at her best in all activities she got involved in.
I wish to condole with her family and pray that God grants those she left behind the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss of a great women’s advocate.
Adieu Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau!
- Obassa is based in Abuja
