President Bola Tinubu has expressed his condolences to former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Attahiru Jega over the death of his wife, Hadiza Jega. Mrs Jega, who was 40 years old, died on Sunday. In a statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described her as a woman of uncommon grace and strong character. He praised her as a steadfast support to Professor Jega during his tenure at INEC and beyond.
Vice President Kashim Shettima attended the Janazah prayer held at the National Mosque in Abuja, where he delivered the President's message to the bereaved family. Tinubu specifically acknowledged Mrs Jega's work in education and community development. "Dear Professor Jega, it is with a heavy heart that I received the news of the passing of your beloved wife. Hajiya was an exceptional woman. I mourn this painful loss with you and your family and pray that God Almighty grants her Aljannatul Firdaus. I stand with you at this difficult time," the President said.
A 40-year-old woman's death draws presidential condolence, revealing how personal loss in public figures becomes national news. The attention given to Hadiza Jega's passing, with the Vice President attending her funeral prayer, underscores the visibility of elite personal lives in Nigerian politics. For ordinary Nigerians, such gestures may feel distant, even as the state marks grief with ceremonial presence. When a president personally mourns a private citizen's death, it reflects the symbolic weight attached to certain families in the national narrative.
