She was an inspiration to many women, especially during the military regime in Nigeria. As a lecturer and minister where she rendered her stewardship, she stood out. For what she was worth while she was alive and even now in death, she remains an unforgotten hero; writes SUNNY IDACHABA.
Except for anyone that ever passed through the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, or preferably had ever lived in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 1994 and ’98, it would be difficult to match the name, Prof Mariam Ikejiani Clarke with anything in Nigeria, but she was foremost in all that she did while on this side.
Mrs. Ikejiani Clarke was a professor of Political Science in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she taught for so many years before former Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha appointed her into his cabinet as a minister and deployed her to the FCT as minister of state alongside the late Gen. Jerry Useni as Hon minister.
Her popularity was therefore not only in the ivory tower where she spent a greater part of her life, but also in Abuja where she became a cynosure of a sort to everyone that worked with her because of her sterling performances in the cabinet.
Prior to her stewardship in Abuja, she was a renowned political scientist and professor who made significant contributions to education and governance as a professor of Public Administration and Political Science in UNN where she also held various leadership positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
While there, she inspired many students and colleagues with her intellectual prowess and dedication, a sterling quality she carried with her to Abuja where she earned respect for her dedication to duty and policy initiation.
For instance, during her tenure as minister, she implemented policies that promoted dignity of labour such as directing construction companies to stop conveying their workers in container trucks like commodities meant for sale. The compliance was instantaneous; unfortunately, long after her exit, it has long become business as usual. One of her legacies too is that she inspired women to believe in themselves and strive for excellence in their respective chosen fields.
She was indeed an indomitable individual. One remarkable aspect of her life that no one can take away is her achievements as a woman in a male-dominated field, for instance, as the first woman to occupy the position of minister of state in the FCT where a General was in charge. She was also the first woman Professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria.
Her exploits, no doubt, was like removing the lid that covered women and paved the way for future generations of women in academia and politics to excel even among unfriendly male folks.
Following her death in 2011, at the National Hospital Abuja due to cancer, the entire UNN community where she returned to after her stewardship in Abuja was turned to mourning because a star just passed away. Also, notable Nigerians like former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar and Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state, paid tributes to this woman for her contributions to education, governance and the intellectual community. Atiku said, “A tall tree in the forest of knowledge had just fallen.”
According to him, her death is not only a loss to the country, but to the intellectual community because she was an accomplished intellectual.
On his part, then Gov Obi said, “While she was alive, she was our worthy ambassador and she shall be missed by all, especially those of us in Anambra state.”
Before then, precisely between 1992 and 1993, she served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Anambra state chapter and led the state delegation to the National SDP Convention at Jos in 1994. She was at a previous time a member of the National Constitutional Conference Commission established by Gen. Abacha.
In 2008, the late President Musa Yar’Adua appointed her as a member of the Presidential Committee on Honours & Awards. Even out of office, her voice was never low on pressing national matters; for instance in 2009, she spoke on the faulty electoral system in Nigeria which, according to her, allows politicians to manipulate the period they spend in office.
When the news about her demise started passing round, staff and students of the university where she relocated expressed shock over her sudden demise. Her premises on the campus suddenly became very quiet with no one in sight except her military driver named Lamido who sat alone at the Boys’ Quarters of the duplex with about three cars, a metallic ash Camry, a deep blue 504 saloon and a light green Mercedes packed at the garage.
Lamido was quoted as saying that her madam complained of malaria to her husband Clark who was at home a week before her death and both decided to travel to Abuja for better medication.
“I drove madam to Abuja and returned to Nsukka to pick her passport to travel to Canada for treatment only to be called on phone that she is dead. I am here waiting for directives from madam’s husband,” he had said.
On hearing about her death, the wife of Nigeria’s first president, Prof Uche Azikiwe, who also resided in Nsukka, expressed rude shock over the devastating news. According to Prof Azikiwe, “Her death is numbing and reminds one of King Solomon’s admonition that life is transient and vain.”
Former FCT minister Senator Bala Mohammed, now Bauchi state governor, also extolled the late Professor Ikejiani-Clark, describing her as an “outstanding amazon of excellence” who contributed her quota to the development of FCT and the nation at large especially during her tenure as FCT minister of state. Bala said he received with shock the news about her demise and regretted that the territory and Nigeria at large have lost an intellectual giant and great patriot.
The minister recalled the late university don’s sterling professional career as a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she shone brilliantly like a colossus for several decades. He also recalled the legacies she left behind in the FCT such as the Dei-Dei Modern Building Material Market which she and the former minister, Lt Gen Jerry Useni (rtd) conceived during the regime of late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
Bala said, “Professor Mariam Ikejiani-Clark’s life was defined by the virtues of hard work, excellence, diligence and commitment. She was an Iroko in the field of knowledge. She was a patriot who dedicated her life to the service of Nigeria and contributed immensely to the development of FCT.”
He stated that it was not mere happenstance that the late academic passed on in Abuja, her second home where she rendered outstanding service to her fatherland as minister in the late 90s.
According to him, Ikejiani-Clark as an elegant and strong-willed leader stood out as a role model for younger women. He further described her as a thoroughbred and experienced Professor of Political Science.
“There is no doubt that she will be dearly missed at a time when the FCT and the country in general still need her valuable contributions.
“My heartfelt sympathy goes to her family, her husband, children and extended family. She contributed to the development of the nation both as a university teacher and a public officer. She was one of the elder stateswomen of both the FCT and the entire country. Certainly, she will be remembered for her goodwill, thoroughness, motherly affection and perseverance,” Bala said.
According to Chuks Oluigbo, a newspaper columnist, Prof Ikejiani is a thoroughbred and accomplished academic who was appointed minister during the military regime of Gen. Sani Abacha and she served creditably in that position.
He said unlike many academics who abandoned the teaching career once they got close to the corridors of power, Mariam diligently returned to the classroom, her primary constituency, after leaving the ministerial post. Thereafter, she authored many books, one of which is the highly celebrated ‘Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria: A Reader’.
He said the late prof and ex-minister is a woman who never felt intimidated in a male-dominated society.
In an interview Prof Ikejiani granted months after she left office as minister, she gave account of her stewardship saying, “I was FCT minister and sold nobody’s land or enriched myself at the expense of the society. I have not been indicted in any manner after leaving office. The signs of my office and tenure are still there because I built the most modern market in Abuja in my days in office, a market with clinics and other facilities. We rehabilitated people rather than throwing them out into the streets.”
She is truly one of the heroes of our past whose legacies cannot be forgotten.