Why I Donated My Last N1m To Buhari – 95 years old Woman Finally Reveals

Hajiya Fati Maitalle Tara, made
news recently when she made a
personal donation of One Million
Naira out of her business savings to
General Muhammadu Buhari’s
campaign when he visited Kebbi
state.
She tells Leadership’s YAHYA SARKI
why she thought Buhari deserves to
win:
The APC Presidential campaign to
Kebbi ahead of the 2015 elections
witnessed unprecedented turn out
in Kebbi state. Thousands of people
including married women and
children came out and waited for
about thirteen hours to catch a
glimpse of the party’s presidential
flag bearer, Muhammmadu Buhari.
The mammoth crowd gathered at
the Sir Ahmadu Bello International
Airport and lined the streets all the
way to Haliru Abdu Stadium in
Birnin Kebbi, the venue of the
campaign rally.
The event was also characterised by
three major side attractions which
included the procession of 500
donkey riders, the procession of
over two thousand people
comprising artisans, hunters,
fishermen, hawkers who trekked on
foot covering more than 35
kilometers from their destinations
in Jega to Birnin Kebbi just to catch
a glimpse of the gap-toothed
General that seems to have won the
hearts of millions of Nigerians.
The third most striking side
attraction which captivated the
eager crowd took place at the
airport where a 95-year-old
woman, Hajiya Fati Koko popularly
called ‘Mai Talle Tara’ waited for
over nine hours to see Buhari and
register her support for him. For
the old woman, age does not matter
in deciding the future of Nigeria.
Hajiya Fati, a popular business
woman in Koko, Koko local
government of Kebbi State, had
made a personal donation of
N1million to General Buhari’s
campaign when he visited the state
out of her business savings. This is
despite her other contributions
which ran into millions of naira for
the success of APC in the state.
LEADERSHIP was in Koko and met
the 95 years old woman, who
despite her immense contributions
to what she termed a worthy cause,
seemed unassuming. Calmly seated
by her pots containing variety of
soups in her restaurant in Koko,
she narrated why she endured for
many hours at the airport despite
her old age to see Buhari and why
she made such a huge financial
sacrifice for his success at the polls.
According to Hajiya Fati, her
natural likeness for the general
whom she described as an honest,
principled and God-fearing
gentleman dates back to 1983 when
he took over as Head of state. She
explained that the genesis of her
rise to moderate riches was due to
Buhari’s honesty which many
Nigerian leaders lack.
According to her,“I was a
contractor at that time. When
Buhari took over, I executed a
contract at a school in Gummi, now
Zamfara State, worth about
N40,000. Payment for the job done
was denied me by the then Sokoto
State government. I took a loan
from several people just to execute
the contract. But under Buhari, a
committee was set up for
verification which objectively
inspected the project and
recommended immediate payment
without any kick back. I
constructed two blocks of
classrooms but because the then
government did not want to pay
me, they accused me of conniving
with the engineer to carry out
substandard work. But as I said,
Buhari’s committee came and
verified my work as one of the best
and I got paid eventually,” she
said.
Hajiya Fati recounted how the
verification of her contract was
carried out with honesty by the
committee members. “Yes, at that
time during Buhari’s regime,
honesty and transparency were the
order of the day. One of the
committee members used a digger
to hit the blocks I had constructed
with several times but it showed no
sign of cracking and he said “this is
a good work,” she said.
“I have respect for Buhari, for his
honesty and discipline and for that,
I always dream of his leadership
style again in Nigeria where
corruption would seize and
discipline would be restored in the
society,” she added. Fati further
explained that time has never
wavered her love and support for
Buhari and she has followed his
political journey from ANPP, CPC
and now APC with keen interest.
“My late son, Lawali and I have
made several sacrifices to the
success of Buhari’s career both
morally and financially. When
Buhari was denied the leadership
of this country in 2011 under the
platform of ANPP, I decided not to
take keen interest in politics again,
but any time the name Buhari
comes up again for president, I
jump back on the train for a better
Nigeria. I completely trust him to
turn around our fortunes in this
country”.
Apart from her financial
contributions to his campaigns, she
has also succeeded in converting
many supporters of PDP to join the
APC. “The people here know it and
they can testify to that as I am
talking to you now, APC has
overrun Koko 99%”.
The old woman was respectfully
and gently treated at the airport
when Governor Wamakko of Sokoto
State greeted her and ushered her
to see Buhari on his arrival. Upon
landing, Buhari himself headed
straight to greet Hajiya Fati.
When asked how she felt when he
greeted her warmly, she simply
said, “He is a man of the people. I
was offered a seat near him. We
greeted with joy, happiness and I
said, “Baba, you have come”, he
replied “yes” and I said “God bless
you! Carry on with your good
intentions for the people” and he
said “I will”. Thereafter, we
snapped a photo together,” she said
smiling.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Hajiya
Fati Mai Talle Tara does not charge
a kobo at her catering services
when ever the APC is having any
event in Koko area. She is also said
to give special discounts during the
visit of Buhari to Kebbi.
Her advise to Nigerians: “My
fervent wish for Nigeria is to
receive General Buhari not only in
Kebbi, but all over the country to
experience the rebirth we
desperately need. I believe the man
to take Nigeria to the promised
land is Buhari, my politics is simply
for Buhari till my life ends.”
Hajiya Fati is well known in Koko
town for her restaurant business.
According to her, she started food
selling twenty years ago but she
was into trading with her late son
long before she ventured into
restaurant business. According to
her, she has fifteen children and
many grand children. Despite her
age, she shows no sign of slowing
down.
Her final words to people, “Change
comes with time and Buhari
personifies the change we need at
this point in time. He is the change
we are all clamouring for. I prayed
for Buhari and asked clerics to do
same and the result is manifesting ,
Buhari’s enemies have now become
his lovers”, adding “Do you know
why I still like Buhari? He stands
for truth and bears the name of my
late father,” she concluded, smiling.