Creative Industry

THANK YOU MOM-Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa

Published

2 months ago

October 29, 2025

Written by Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa

…Every day I get to celebrate and honor being a mother, and honor my mother. Joining grateful children and mothers around the world to give gratitude and celebrate the special gift of motherhood is a priviledge.

I celebrate the blessing of motherhood every second of the day because it is the ultimate gift. I celebrate being a mother and having the most special mother every moment and want to give a loving shout out to my mother.

Anyone who knows my mother, Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa (nee Yusuf Gurshe Rafindadi), will be aware of what a difficult task it is for me to attempt to find the words to describe her. A role model to all who know and love her, my mother lives her life with great humility. Her selflessness and kindness to others knows no bounds. She is a fantastic person who has been blessed with a great sense of humor, a kind nature, and an unassuming ability to make all those around her feel special and loved.

To have the blessing of being able to call Hajia Ladi, ‘Mom’ and Alhaji Musa ‘Dad’ is, perhaps, the greatest fortune of my life. Continuously, I learn and grow from the pure example set by them.

The energy my Mom pumps into the love and caring she displays to all those around her and beyond is boundless. She continues to be a source of inspiration to so many that she meets by her unselfishness, dedication and Faith in Allah. She unceasingly encourages her children, family, friends, neighbors and associates to work hard at life but always to put Allah first. Her faith cradles her and her loved ones even during the times when life throws curve-balls. The courage she always shows in the face of adversity and her inner strength are truly what great people are made of. She is a true blessing.

My greatest wish for my Mom, as I watch her dedicate her life to encouraging, supporting, educating, protecting, helping, loving, and caring for all those she comes in contact with on a daily basis, is for her to be able to see herself the way the World sees her; which is as a blessing, an incredibly special and amazing person. A woman who is indeed a pure soul with a pure heart, a remarkable role model and a woman with great faith.

Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa is a shining gem and an angel. She has incredibly strong values. If ever there was a portrait of a Godly mother, it is she. I am convinced that anything that is pure and good in me, Allah has planted it in me directly from my Mom and Dad.

My Mom is big on teaching. On a daily basis, she teaches me to live my life, make my decisions and conduct myself as if I am teaching my children and the next generation. One of her favorite quotes to me is one of Ghandi’s. “Hannatu, always be the change you want to see in the world…” she would say. This quote consistently reverberates in my head and sticks with me wherever I go. It is exactly how Mom lives her life.

Some of the greatest values I try to uphold; defending my honor religiously, keeping integrity, trying to do right, caring for the downtrodden, were instilled in me by Mom. Her lessons and example influence every good part of my life and positive thought process.

Mom teaches me the difference between right and wrong and urges me to constantly try to make good choices. She teaches me to be faithful to myself, to my family, to my culture, to my community, to my calling, to people around me, to my identity, to my bloodline, to my Father’s name, to Nigeria and especially to Allah. She encourages me to be more focused and strive and finish things that I start. She always urges me to try as best as I can to keep my word and learn to accept and take correction. And she always worries and counsels me about tempering the fiery temper I inherited from my equally incredible late Dad.

Mom teaches me that the things I should treasure should never be made with human hands. She teaches me that it is through giving that I will be filled and fulfilled. She teaches me that originality feeds the soul and energizes the mind. She teaches me to exercise greater patience and always try to endure. She teaches me the difference between right and wrong. She teaches me not to use my power to hurt others. She teaches me to always strive to give more than I receive. This is an example that she lives with daily. Throughout her life she has always been known to help people, even at her own expense. It is the way she lives, even now. She simply loves being there for others and making their lives easier. It is the times that she helps people that you can see the greatest joy in her eyes.

As a little girl, she often took me and my siblings to orphanages, shelters and hospitals so we could see people who were suffering; so we could develop a desire to help people who are suffering. She made us touch and feed lepers in the days when people shunned them. She worries for everyone more than she worries about herself. She tries to do all she can to fix other people’s problems. Her charity was to everyone she interacted with, anyone who needed her and that was what made people gravitate towards her. That is the kind of woman my Mom is.

For the duration of my life I will dedicate every morsel of who I am, everything I have achieved and all that I have ever done good and right to my Mom and Dad. I thank them deeply for loving me so much and being the brightest light in my life. I thank them for showing me what I should be and teaching me how to be free and how to dream. I thank them for being the ultimate example of forgiveness, compassion, friendship, kindness, strength, generosity, honesty, elegance, beauty, resilience, selflessness, care, hope and love. I thank Mom for telling me she loved me every single day of my life. Even when we were not together, she finds a way of getting the message across to me, even if it was just through her energy.

Mom is my rock, my anchor; my strong, beautiful, vibrant angel; my heart and my precious gift from Allah. I am beyond proud of her and everything she is. From the time I was a little girl, Mom and Dad have always been all I have ever needed in my life. My submission to the Almighty comes first beyond everything else and my dedication to Mom and the memory of my Dad I draw through that faith. I truly have exceptional parents. My siblings and I truly won the loterry as far as parents go! We thank The Almighty with everything that we have for the grace and gift he has given us in the form of parents.

…Every day I get to celebrate and honor being a mother, and honor my mother. Joining grateful children and mothers around the world to give gratitude and celebrate the special gift of motherhood is a priviledge. I want to encourage everyone to celebrate and pray for their Mom every single day whether she is living or passed.

“Hajia Ladi Binta Musawa, I wanted to tell the world about the essence of you, my salute to you so they can celebrate with me on my great blessing of you, so they can celebrate their mothers too. You impact the world around you more than you realize. I love you on your good days and on your bad days. I see your sacrifice and struggle day after day. You are not just a mother, you are a role model and an advocate My heart will always belong to you and I want to say “May Allah always be with you.” May we witness many more days together by Allah’s special grace. I LOVE YOU MOM… I THANK YOU!”

Written by Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa

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Creative Industry

Aunty Talatu Reads Foundation Rekindles Children’s Reading Culture With New Book Launch

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Amid growing digital distractions driven by modern media and lifestyles, the founder of the Aunty Talatu Reads Foundation and patron and trustee of several literary and creative organisations, Mrs. Teresa Oyibo Ameh, has launched two new children’s books aimed at inspiring reading, cultural pride and hope among children.

The newly launched titles — The Rise of the Phoenix and Mariamo and the Bowl of Cashews — address critical social issues affecting children. While The Rise of the Phoenix offers hope and healing to children affected by war and trauma, Mariamo and the Bowl of Cashews tackles violence and emotional pain.

Speaking at the launch of her ninth and tenth children’s books on Monday in Abuja, Ameh explained that her writing philosophy is rooted in a deep understanding of the child’s mind, interests and attention span.

With over 20 years of experience in children’s literature, she said her books are intentionally designed to be colourful, engaging and concise to sustain children’s interest and encourage a love for reading.

“I don’t write for adults; I write for children. Children have short attention spans, so the books must meet their needs. They are colourful, not voluminous, and the size is just right. When people say my books are small, I tell them clearly — they are not meant for adults,” she said.

Ameh attributed her success in children’s writing to her background in child psychology, which she studied as an elective at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). According to her, writing for children requires deliberate training, research and sensitivity, not assumptions.

On the declining use of school libraries across the country, the author called for deliberate strategies to revive children’s interest in reading, including stronger collaboration with the media.

She revealed that her books place strong emphasis on Nigerian culture and identity, encouraging children to take pride in their heritage. Ameh cited her book The Freedom Day Party as an example, noting how cultural expression and traditional attire became a source of admiration and opportunity for the characters.

Responding to questions on whether she plans to write for adults, Ameh maintained that her focus remains on children, stressing that adults who do not read today are products of poor reading habits formed in childhood.

On addressing sensitive issues such as trauma and gender-based violence (TBV) through children’s literature, she disclosed that her earlier book The Thorn Petal tackled violence and emotional pain, while The Rise of the Phoenix reinforces hope and healing for children affected by conflict and trauma.

“The message is simple — no matter what you have been through, there is hope. Trauma can destroy a child, but with the right support, that child can still rise and thrive,” she said.

Through the Aunty Talatu Reads Foundation, Ameh has donated libraries to orphanage homes in Gwarimpa, Abuja; awarded scholarships; sponsored reading and spelling competitions; and donated books to schools and book clubs.

In 2025, the Foundation launched the “500 Books for 500 Children” initiative, reaching students at Dominican College, Abuja, and St. Clement College, Lokoja.

A civil servant and Kogi State indigene, Ameh is a former two-term Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Chapter, Nigerian President of the 1000 African Women Network, and a member of the FCT Basketball Caretaker Committee.

She has received numerous awards, including the CSW Award (2023) for promoting gender equality and a Trailblazer Award in Educational Development at the 2025 African Women Conference in Accra, Ghana. She was inducted into the Igala Noble Women Initiative (INWI) Hall of Fame in 2019.

In her address, the Director at the National Commission for Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and Migrants, Mrs. Fatima Daura, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting reading culture and improving access to education among internally displaced children across Nigeria.

She disclosed that the Commission actively supports initiatives that provide books and learning materials for children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, noting that such interventions are vital to restoring hope and improving the welfare of vulnerable children, especially the girl-child.

According to her, the Commission established Transitional Learning Centres in 2020 in states with high numbers of displaced persons. The centres are designed to provide accelerated learning programmes that enhance literacy and numeracy skills, while preparing children for integration into formal intervention schools.

“We currently have transitional learning centres in Wasa IDP, Kaduna, Bauchi, Zamfara, Cross River and Imo States, and we hope to expand to more locations as resources become available,” she said.

Daura noted that children’s books written by Nigerian authors play a critical role in shaping positive values and aspirations among displaced children, describing such initiatives as relatable and inspirational.

“This is very important because it is written by a Nigerian author who also works with the refugee commission. It gives our girls a role model — someone they can look up to and say, ‘I can also write for children,’” she stated.
She affirmed the Commission’s readiness to extend similar programmes nationwide to reach displaced persons, refugees and migrants.

“We want to be everywhere there are displaced persons or persons of concern. That is the work we do,” she said.

Addressing concerns about persistent moral decline despite the abundance of children’s books focused on values, Daura stressed that books alone are not sufficient.

“Books are complementary. Reorientation starts from the home. Our family systems need to improve, and religious and traditional leaders must play their roles. Schools and books only support what is already instilled at home,” she said.

She concluded by calling for collective responsibility in rebuilding values, noting that education, supported by strong family and community structures, remains a powerful tool for shaping a better future for displaced children and Nigerian society at large.

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