A former director of the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited, Hajiya Halita Aliyu, died yesterday in Abuja at the age of 66.
Family sources said she died after an illness. She left behind her husband, four children,three grandchildren and numerous relations.
She was buried yesterday evening at the Gudu Cemetery in Abuja after funeral prayer led by one of the Imams of the National Mosque shortly after the late afternoon, Asr prayer at the mosque.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Yayale Ahmed, led others in offering prayers at her graveside where he enjoined everyone to pray for the deceased and remember that death is the final destination for all.
Her only son, Mohammed, helped by others, lowered her body into the grave with numerous others including former PDP Chairman, Bello Haliru, former Senator Lawan Gana Guba and former FCT Minister, Architect Ibrahim Bunu, former MD of Jaiz bank, Mustapha Bintube and INEC Commissioner, Engineer Abubakar Nahuce at the funeral.
Until her demise, Hajiya Halita was a shareholder at Media Trust Limited, publisher of the Daily Trust titles.
She was also a director of Peoples Media Limited, publisher of Peoples Daily newspaper; and also founded and operated one of Abuja’s popular book stores, TarbiyyaBooksPlus.
Born in 1954, she was a civil servant, technocrat and an administrator.
The Borno State indigene joined the services of the Uthman Dan Fodio University (then University of Sokoto) as Establishment Officer, from where she rose to the post of Assistant Registrar, before she moved to the then Nigerian Telecommunications Company Limited (NITEL) in 1985 as Senior Manager, Personnel.
Between 1989 and 1996, she was at the managerial level at NITEL, and retired as Executive Director (1996), following which she founded Akklaim Telecoms where she held the position of Chairman/CEO.
She had also held the position of Chairman/CEO of Nigerian Mobile Telecommunications Limited. She was also Executive Chairman of Zamfa Global Links.
She was a member of the TY Danjuma-led Presidential Advisory Council, 2010-2011.
She attended Central Primary School, Maiduguri; Government Girls Secondary School, Maiduguri-1967-1971; School of Basic Studies, Zaria, 1972-1973; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1973-1976.
She was a recipient of the National Honours Award of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR); National Productivity Merit Award for a distinguished career in public service (1991); Manager of the Year Award, NITEL, 1990 and 1991; Queen Amina Award for Excellence by her alma mater, ABU, 1994; Corporate Achievers Gold Award, 2001.
