Hajiya Saratu Shehu Shagari, the last surviving wife of Nigeria’s first democratically elected president, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, has died at the age of 89.
The matriarch passed away on Monday at exactly 3:00 p.m. in Sokoto after a prolonged illness, family sources confirmed, marking the end of an era for the influential Shagari dynasty.
The announcement came in a heartfelt statement from Capt. Mohammed Bala Shagari (retd.), the late president’s eldest son “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Hajiya Saratu Shehu Shagari, the last surviving wife of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR, Turakin Sokoto,” the statement read in part. He described her as “an embodiment of grace, humility, and quiet strength who lived a life of dignity and service.”
Further details on funeral arrangements will be shared soon, with prayers requested for her soul’s eternal peace.
Born in Sokoto, Hajiya Saratu led a life of quiet devotion, steadfastly supporting her husband through his ascent from educator and regional minister to the helm of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Shehu Shagari served as president from 1979 to 1983, steering Nigeria’s fragile return to civilian rule post-military dictatorship, until a coup led by Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari ousted his administration. The former leader himself passed in December 2018 at 93, leaving Hajiya Saratu as the family’s enduring pillar.
Tributes poured in swiftly, reflecting her profound impact. Her grandson, Bello Bala Shagari, mourned on Facebook: “We lost our matriarch, the only surviving wife of our late grandfather, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari. May Allah reunite them in Jannah.”
Hajiya Saratu’s passing evokes nostalgia for Nigeria’s Second Republic, a time of democratic promise amid economic turbulence.
As a devoted mother, grandmother, and philanthropist, she embodied the unsung resilience of first ladies who shaped the nation from the shadows. Her legacy of compassion endures, even as Sokoto and the nation prepare to bid farewell to a woman whose grace outshone the corridors of power.