We will carry your light always – Widow of Dr. Murtala Mohammed pays tribute
At the state funeral held in Accra for the eight victims of the August 6 helicopter crash, Hadiatu Mohammed, wife of the late Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, delivered a tribute filled with faith, love, and quiet strength.
Her words offered a glimpse into the life of a man who was more than a public servant; he was a devoted husband, a playful father, and a man of deep conviction.
She began with a prayer: “In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return”.
Her words carried the weight of loss and the comfort of belief.
Dr Murtala Mohammed, who served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, was remembered as someone who gave his best not for recognition, but because it was in his nature to serve.
Hadiatu spoke of their nearly ten years of marriage, marked by kindness, patience, and laughter.
At home, he was a father who let the children comb his head and play “horse” on his back.
“These were the moments I smiled because then he was not wearing the hat of a Minister of State but that of a dad,” she said.
She recalled a moment when she called him during a roadside emergency.
He listened patiently and replied, “Ah… my dear, the President has called me”. It was a reminder of the quiet burden he carried and the humility with which he lived.
“We will carry your light with us always. Inshah Allah.”
Her tribute closed with a prayer for peace and a promise to keep his memory alive.