Humuani Alaga

"The rich and those in position of power should fear God, help people and be ready to account for everything. I could remember that my mother was always eager to render all accounts no matter how small the amount might be. She loved giving detailed account about every spending. She won’t lie and she hate liars."

"They should pray to God to give them the right husband. It is good to respect your husband and men should reciprocate that gesture. It will be a great mistake to be married to somebody who’s not God fearing."

"We should also make our children better off in terms of moral and religious training. In the 50s, 60s, people were not well educated about Islam but things are better now."

"In those days, they played politics with love, now it is money and power. That does not mean women cannot be better politicians; they should do it with honesty. For instance, the likes of my mother and Madam Funmilayo Ransome Kuti used the opportunity they had to help a lot of people; but now, we can’t get close to them. You must know what you want to do before going into politics. Our men should stop holding meetings late at nights. In other parts of the world, no political meetings at night. Going into politics does not mean there shouldn’t be time for the family. Many women are brilliant and will deliver if given the opportunity."

"It was my mother’s baby; it started with Egbe Ifelodun. Then, most schools were Christian schools. One of my sisters wanted to get to St. Annes’s school but could not, she advised her friends to start a Muslim school and God helped through Isabatudeen in Ojoo."

"Women should have contentment, no matter the little they have with God’s blessing. It’s unfair for a woman to be outside her home anything after 7pm. We need to be there for these children. But when you are not at home, so many things can happen."

"Child education starts from the beginning. I am in support of decent dressing and early training with regard to the use of Hijab by female Muslims because every girl-child should be well-protected. We should train the female Muslims how to dress well. Tight fitting clothes can be tempting, but that is not the way."

"Her concern for education was further demonstrated by the construction of the Sango Mosque in Ibadan, during the 1960’s. In this Mosque she personally paid a group of teachers to provide a free or cheap Muslim education for children.Being initially a unifying figure between the AG and the market-sellers, she became an intermediator between women’s organisations and market women, together with Mama Humuani Alade, another wealthy trader.Her stature and contribution were recognised by the British who awarded her, in June 1961, the prestigious title of Member of the British Empire."From a political point of view, she was one of the founders of the AG women’s wing in 1953. For merchants, she was the veritable AG voice in the market : she organized market women for party campaigns, she taught them songs and gave gifts to thank them for their affiliation to the party.""Her wealth and trade abilities, coupled with her charisma, a strong religious commitment – attested by her pilgrimage to Mecca in 1954 – and a particular concern for merchants’ rights, led her to become a rallying figure for merchants, a personality able to mobilise a great number of people, for economic and socio-political goals."