Mogaji: Exit of a Great Merchant

Until her demise recently, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji was a force to reckon with in the public space of Lagos, not just because former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu is her son, but specifically due to her involvement in the South-west politics before independence. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes Recently, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, mother of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, passed on. Although she died at 96, Mogaji’s death has been described as a huge loss by political leaders of the conservative and progressive wings alike. Apparently, the volume of condolence that poured in after attests to her wealth of influence across the public space during her lifetime. Until death on June 15, Mogaji was the President-General of the Association of Nigerian Market Men and Women, a position that earned her two different national awards and two other honourary doctorate degrees from different institutions. But as a market leader and gender activist, she had ardently leveraged her influence both at the state and national levels to fight injustice and pursue the course of progressiveness. Indeed, her footprints remain indelible on the sand of time, especially taking into cognisance of lifeline she had given political actors seeking various elective offices under different political dispensation ranging from 1950s to the time she breathed her last. Though some of her strategic roles might get historians’ attention, Mogaji’s political leverage had rallied overwhelming support for Alhaji Lateef Jakande during electioneering in 1979. Until she finally bowed out of the world scene, Mogaji was Chairman of the Lagos State Market Development Board. She was a woman who dedicated her life, largely to protecting the interest and rights of merchants and traders of all categories. This earned her respect across all sectors due to the success she recorded in mobilising market women and men for greatness and innovatio. Prior to 1979, Mogaji was an ardent supporter of the Action Group. In the face of stiff opposition from National Council of Nigerians Citizens (NCNC), she rooted for Late Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, who sought an election to replace Bashorun Jaiye K. Randle as a councillor in the Lagos Town Council. With Mogaji’s supports, Dawodu pitted the NCNC chieftains Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Alhaji S.A Adewale, Otunba TOS Benson, Chief Adeleke Adedoyin and Dr. Ibiyinka Olorunnimbe against each other. Born in 1917, Mogaji started off well in life. She did not undergo higher western education; yet she was a voice of the voiceless. At the absence of western education, Mogaji learnt trading from Madam Pelewura, a successful and influential trader during the colonial period. The Amazon woman gained freedom after she served her boss meritoriously and carved a niche for herself. She rose very fast to establish her dominance in the market politics as a leader of women and even men. After starting her own business, she became a champion in the trade and recruited several apprentices to learn under her tutor where she taught them the principles of achieving success in trade without cutting corners. She also exposed many traders to varieties of trading, customers’ relations, confidence building, lending and borrowing with dignity and keeping of trading promise, among others. Late Mogaji was often described as a focus trader and employer of labour in the informal sector. Many who came to her as apprentices later became so intimate with her. As some of them attested, ‘’Yeye treated us like blood relations. As a parent, she groomed us without sparing the rod to spoil the child. This informed the reason his son, Tinubu was disciplined and focused in life, which eventually brought him fame.’’ Different accounts revealed Mogaji’s magnanimity. She impacted in people’s lives at her own discomfort and sponsored many to holy pilgrimage to Mecca annually from her purse, just as her country home was a place where many found rest and solace. Several people who went to her house often came out smiling. It was a common phenomenon to see market women chanting and eulogizing her name at public occasions. Mogaji was a front liner in the commercial development of Lagos Island, which was formerly dominated by the Lebanese and Greek merchants. She was one of the pioneer traders, who ventured into the capital intensive and risky business venture of importation of consumer goods, thereby breaking the monopoly previously enjoyed by the foreign tradesmen. Her business acumen attracted the attention of multinationals operating in the country, who had no option, but to register her as a business partner and distributor of their consumer goods in Nigeria. Mogaji’s lifeline in economy and politics explains why Oyo State Governor, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi described her as one of the country’s greatest commercial and political matriarchs. He acknowledged her involvement in politics from her days as a member of the Action Group (AG) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which he said, left her footprints on the political space, especially in the mobilisation of women. Tinubu her son said, ‘’Mama was the reason behind the decision of his administration to begin payment of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees of secondary school students in Lagos State. I was so touched when she brought some women to me that I should pay for their children’s WAEC fees. Then I was the governor and I decided afterwards that henceforth, I will be paying for the examination fees of school children either rich or poor. This same principle my successor, Governor Babatunde Fashola continued when he assumed office in 2007.’’ culled from Thisday