… She was generous to a fault, stood by the truth in every situation”-Former Amir, MSSN Alimosho
…A very strong woman who acted in the capacity of men- Younger Sister
By Abdul-Mumin Abdul-Quadir
Muslim organisations in Alimosho area of Lagos and its environs, including MSSN, TYM, and Al-Mu’minaat, are still grieved by the passing of Alhaja Awwau Olaide Taiwo, the proprietor of Muhibat Memorial School, formerly Tolani Nursery and Primary School.
They are pained by the demise of the personage with whom they had a cordial relationship for decades.
The news of her death came as a rude shock in the evening of Friday, 7th March 2025, after a brief illness. Islamic funeral rites were performed on her remains in the early hours of Saturday, 8th March 2025, within the premises of the school before she was laid to rest at Muslim Cemetery, Jafojo, Agege, Lagos, on the same day.
Since her demise, many have spoken about her ideals and doggedness on the path of righteousness. A former Amir, MSSN Alimosho Area Council, Abdul-Ghaniyy Ayorinde, who recounted his experiences with Alhaja Taiwo, popularly known as Ummu Hassan, said she never hesitated to do what was right.
“We met Ummu Hassan then and suggested that she changed her school to an Islam-oriented one because there was no school in the area that taught Islamic values to children. Our interaction with her led to the change of the school’s name from Tolani Nursery and Primary School to Muhibat Memorial School.
“It was formerly a mixed school, and it accepted pupils, Muslims, and non-Muslim children alike. Tolani had 21 pupils before we met her. We interacted with her through Sister Saudat Shittu, but our proposition couldn’t have been accepted without thorough rethinking. It was indeed a tough decision to make.
“Hence, we kept engaging her 1994 through 1995, and in 1995, she was ready to accept our proposition. With her, we ruminated on how to make it work, what had to be done, and who does what. We eventually swung into action in 1996, and as expected, the decision affected a lot of things. Non-Muslim children were withdrawn from the school, and the figure dropped drastically. Even the staff of the old Tolani Nursery and Primary School discontinued with the New Muhibat. So, we had to go back to the drawing board.
“At this point, MSSN was charged with the responsibility of mobilising pupils to the school. So, we decided to make handbills for wide publicity. Ummu Hassan bore the cost of printing, and MSSN members distributed the handbills like their lives depended on it. We also made moves to augment the teaching staff. As such, some of our members who read education, including the likes of Prof. Gabadeen (now with the University of Abuja) sat down to brainstorm on ways forward. Some of our brothers and sisters worked in the school as partial volunteers, accepting whatever salary they got in good faith.
“Since then, we moved all programmes of MSSN Alimosho Area Council to Muhibat, except Central Branch Usrah, which was held at Alimosho Central Mosque. We also moved the area council secretariat to Muhibat, and a room that served as secretariat and store was allocated to the area council. That’s how Muhibat started, and since then, we’ve been in the cause together.”
“I was the Amir then, so I was really involved in the cause. I was Ummu Hassan’s first point of contact whenever she needed to get in touch. Muhibah became my home at some point. I reported there after work, and together, we deliberated on charting the cause forward. Sister Saudat also joined her, and she was actively involved in the running of the school.”
He disclosed that Umu Hassan proved to be firm and steadfast when the going got tough.
“We faced daring challenges while trying to execute our plan internally and externally, but Ummu Hassan didn’t go back on her decision. I remember her husband at the time was not in support of the decision. He was seriously against it, but her determination made him give in.”
Ayorinde described Umu Hassan as one who was generous to a fault, stood by the truth in every situation, and made peace among dissenting parties.
“There’s so much say about Ummu Hassan’s personality, and can’t even say it all. Right from the time we used to call her Aunty Laide, Ummu Hassan never hesitated whenever she knew the truth about a matter. All she needed was conviction on the truth. The rest is history. That’s why when some people pushed for Alhaja to eject us from Muhibat, she asked them why,
and when she realised that their reasons were intangible, she ignored their proposition.
“Umu Hassan had a great challenge, but she never let it hinder her from doing nothing. She attended all our programmes, went to Al-Mu’minaat camp, and joined our activities despite her challenge. We had confrontations with her former husband. Had issues with the neighbours when we started praying at Muhibat. We had other issues, but Ummu Hassan stood with us through thick and thin. That’s one thing I find striking about her personality.
“Umu Hassan never hesitated to spend for a cause. She’s extremely generous. She was ready to spend whatever she had. She decided that she was going to turn her life around, and she did. She devoted her life to the cause of Allah.
He affirmed that he learnt great lessons from the life of Umu Hassan, adding that they’ve been in touch over time.
Alhaja Saudat Shittu, who worked very closely with the deceased, extoled her spiritedness over decades. She could barely respond to questions. She only recounted some memories she held dear.
“Umu Hassan and I, despite her challenge, will go from Egbeda to Alimosho or Pleasure Bus Stop for programmes. Because of her, we had to relocate some programmes to Egbeda. She won’t stop attending programmes and it was not easy for her”
Olulola Taiwo, younger sister of the late proprietor, described her as a mother.
She said: “She’s like a mother to me. We lost our mother when I was thirteen, and since then, she took me up. I’ve stayed with her, worked with her, and done a lot with her. I came to live with her after secondary school in 1997, and since then, she has been a sister, mother, confidant, and all I ever wanted her to be.”
She described Umu Hassan as an exemplary personality.
“My sister is a very strong woman who acted in the capacity of men. In fact, she’s worthy of emulation. She tries to achieve whatever she wants on her own because she doesn’t want to be a burden to anyone.
Ruqayya highlighted some remarkable lessons from the life of her late sister.
“The first thing about her that I feel more people should emulate is the way she related with family. She was always in touch with everyone. She tried to maintain a good rapport with family members, including distant relations, and that’s golden. She also took life very simple, and she was always ready to guide others. Most importantly, she doesn’t joke with obligatory and super-rogatory acts of worship.”
The Amir MSSN, Alimosho Area Council, Muftau Olowoyobiojo, expressed grief over the sad incident.
“The shocking death of Alhaja Awwau Taiwo, the owner of Muhibat Memorial School, Egbeda (formerly Tolani Memorial School – for those who know), and grand matron, pillar of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Alimosho Area Council, compelled me to write this! Definitely, her death isn’t the first I’ve heard this year or during this ongoing Ramadan, but hers is particularly touching.
He attested to the matriarch’s contribution in the area till she breathed her last.
“Ummu Hassan will always be remembered in the Alimosho community and its environs, as her abode has been an instrument for spreading the sound creed of Islam. The aged MSSN Alimosho Area Council, barely 32 years old now, has been one of the founding and old fonts of Sunnah in this neighbourhood. Many of us owe our spiritual growth to Ummu Hassan’s selflessness. Probably, many of us wouldn’t have encountered Sunnah if she hadn’t permitted MSSN to use her property for the cause of Allah. We now have many scholars and Muslims with pristine Islam within and outside the community, who began their journey to pristine Deen through lectures at Muhibat. I am a living testimonial of that.”
Staff of Muhibat Memorial School have said so much about their late boss who never bossed them around, saying: “She didn’t treat us as her employees. In fact, we were treated as if we were family members. She was very accommodating, and extremely generous. Whenever she wanted to do correction or criticism, she did it constructively, without hurting the person in question.”
Old students of the school have also spoken highly of their aunty.
Amina Oseni, who had her primary education at Muhibat Memorial, said: “Although I was very young then, and I didn’t really relate with her personally, but I remember she didn’t just act like a school owner. She took all of us as her children, not pupils. She was very accommodating, not only to pupils, but even her members of staff. She loved to share whatever she had. Muhibat is home to all because it is open to everyone. Moreover, she wanted to see us excel.”
Many have prayed that Allah accepts her return and accommodates her, like she accommodated His religion when she was alive.
