Final funeral rites for Mahama’s mum performed (photos)

Hajia Abiba Nnaba, who died in Accra on June 14, aged 85, was described by the President as a woman of strong conviction.

As a devout Muslim, she was buried in her hometown Busunu in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region on June 17 in line with Islamic tradition

Among the mourners were former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, and a former First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills.

There were also representatives of the some African countries including Niger, Togo, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.

Also in attendance to mourn with the President were leaders of political parties and chiefs including the President of the National House of Chiefs, Wulugu Naba Pugansoa, Prof. John S. Nabila.

Cultural performances from across the regions including performances by the national dance ensemble were staged at the funeral ground.

Charity

The family of the late Hajia Nnaba has decided to give the funeral donations to the National Cardiothoratic Centre in Accra.

She came from the Gonja ethnic group, which is one of the over 30 Guan ethnic groups whose history dates back to the 16th Century.

Many of the mourners were in the prescribed dress code of black and white.

Eulogy

In a brief eulogy, President Mahama celebrated his mother’s desire to give her children the best of care and upbringing.

He said Hajia Nnaba also cared for everybody.

Quoting an excerpt from his book “My First Coup D’etat,” he described the late Hajia Nnaba as a mother, teacher, mentor, and an enterprising woman.

President Mahama thanked Ghanaians and people from other countries who commiserated with him during the period of mourning.

In their tributes Mr Alfred Mahama and Michael Mahama, siblings of the President, said they owed whatever they had achieved in life to the good nurturing their late mother gave them.

 Chief Imam

The National Chief Imam, Sheik Osman Nuhu Sharabutu, led a short Islamic rite to bid Hajia Nnaba farewell and said she had lived a life worthy of emulation. 

He used the occasion to call on Ghanaians to appreciate the goodness of Allah by living in peace.

 “As we mourn the death of Hajia Nnaba, let us be reminded of the fact that it is not the will of Allah to pay evil with evil. Let us forgive one another and pray for the peace of the nation,” he said according to graphic.com.gh.