Fourteen years after losing her mother, Khadijah Aliyu, a journalist with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), has penned a touching open letter to her late mother, reflecting on the values, discipline, and love that shaped her life.
In the heartfelt piece titled “A Letter to My Late Mother,” Khadijah reminisced about her childhood experiences under her mother’s strict but nurturing guidance, saying those moments built her into the woman she has become today.
“I still remember those early mornings when you would wake me up after Subhi prayer to sweep the compound and wash the plates before heading off to school,” she wrote.
She admitted that at the time, she misunderstood her mother’s firm hand but later realized the lessons behind every act of discipline.
“At the time, I thought you were being hard on me. I didn’t understand. But now, I see clearly — you were giving me the foundation I needed, a ladder to climb toward greatness.”
Khadijah credited her mother for instilling in her timeless values of honesty, responsibility, and self-respect — virtues that have guided her personal and professional life.
“You warned me never to take what doesn’t belong to me and to always speak the truth, no matter the circumstances,” she wrote, adding that her mother also taught her how to “wash my clothes, cook good food, and care for myself with dignity and cleanliness.”
Describing her mother as her first teacher and moral compass, the journalist said the lessons she learned at home have continued to reflect in her work and relationships.
“Over the years, everyone who knows me can see the result of your efforts — my hard work, my success, and the person I’ve become. All of that began with you,” Khadijah noted.
As she marked 14 years since her mother’s passing, she concluded the letter with a prayer, expressing eternal gratitude and longing.
“It’s been 14 years since I lost you, but your memory remains fresh in my heart every single day. Thank you, Mother, for everything… May your soul continue to rest in Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.”