The widow of the late Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has remembered him as a man whose integrity, humour and selflessness touched countless lives, even as the demands of high office meant she often had to share him with the nation.
In a tribute at the state funeral on Friday, August 15, for the eight victims of the August 6 military helicopter crash, Hadiatu Murtala Mohammed described her husband as “a man of deep faith, God-fearing and humble,” who “always chose the right path, even when it was not the easy one.”
She called him “trustworthy and dependable, the kind of person you could call at any hour, knowing he would answer.”
In a story that drew both laughter and tears, Hadiatu recalled phoning him for help during an incident on the road. “He picked up right away and listened patiently,” she said. “Then he said, ‘Ah… my dear, the President has called me.’ It was then I realised I wasn’t just sharing my husband with family and friends, but with the President of Ghana too.”
Despite his demanding role, she said, Mohammed always made time for his loved ones, from letting his daughters “comb” his bald head to playing horse with his children.
“He had a wonderful sense of humour that could light up a room, and a heart that was always ready to help,” she said. “More often than not, he put others before himself. He worked hard not for recognition, but because it was in his nature to serve.”
Her voice broke as she closed with a prayer: “Mohammed’s life was a blessing to us, and his memory will forever be a treasure. Rest well, my husband. May Allah grant you Jannatul Firdaus. We love you, we miss you, and we will carry your light with us always.”
Dr Mohammed died alongside Defence Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah, NDC Vice Chairman Samuel Sarpong, former parliamentary candidate Samuel Aboagye, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator Alhaji Limuna Muniru Mohammed, and three Ghana Air Force crew members when their Z-9 helicopter went down in the Ashanti Region.
Read the full tribute below;
TRIBUTE BY WIFE OF DR. MURTALA MOHAMMED
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
God is Great, God is Great, God is Great
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and the Sustainer of the World’s.
“To Allah We belong, and to Him is would answer. our return”
Today, we gather with heavy hearts to honor the life of a man whose presence was a gift to all who knew him my beloved husband, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed
For almost a decade, I had the privilege of walking through life by his side. Together, we raised our beautiful children, and in every step of that journey, he showed me and everyone around him what it means to be kind, patient, and full of love.
Mohamed was more than a husband and father, he was a man of deep faith. God-fearing and humble, he lived his life with integrity, always choosing the right path, even when it was not the easy one.
He was trustworthy and dependable, the kind of person you could call at any hour, knowing he would answer.
“I remember once, an incident on the road. Of course, he was the first person I called. He picked up right away, and I told him my situation, expecting him to come rushing to my rescue. He listened patiently, sympathised, and then said.”Ah… my dear, the president has called me.”
In that moment, I realised I wasn’t just sharing my husband with friends, family, or the community. I was sharing him with the President of Ghana as well!!
That was Mohammed, always in demand, always important to someone, but still finding the time to care for his family.
His daughters would comb his hair or perhaps I should say his head.. because he had no hair to comb. He loved to play horse with the children, these were the moments I smiled because then he was not wearing the hat of a Minister of State but that of a dad.
He had a wonderful sense of humor that could light up a room, and a heart that was always ready to help. More often than not, he put others before himself.
Hard-working and determined, he gave his best in everything he did, not for recognition, but because it was in his nature to serve and to care.
Mohammed’s life was a blessing to us, and his memory will forever be a treasure. He has left us far too soon, but his love, his laughter, and his example will live on in our children, in our hearts, and in the countless lives he touched.
Rest well, my husband. May Allah grant you Jannatul Firdaus and surround you with eternal peace. We love you, we miss you, and we will carry your light with us always. Insha Allah
“Daddy, we love and miss you so much. Forever in our heart,” Hadiatu.