By Mahmud Jega, Tuesday, June 16, 2026
This story that is trending on social media these days, that a young and attractive Fatima is having trouble finding a husband, or even just a suitor. Reason: because she is the daughter of the late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.
Imam Abu Mohammed ibn Mohammed Abubakar al-Shekawi, as he pompously introduced himself at the beginning of his propaganda videos, for many years created pain, fear and anxiety in millions of Nigerian and even foreign hearts. The group he led killed hundreds of thousands of people, destroyed untold public infrastructure including schools, hospitals and water projects; destroyed an untold number of homes, shops and businesses; assassinated thousands of village heads and clerics who disagreed with his “teaching;” killed thousands of soldiers and security agents; created two million IDPs; destroyed the very rich Chad Basin Agricultural Project; shot and killed Madu Fannami Gubio just when he won the ANPP governorship ticket; shot and killed the legendary Civil War commander General Mohamed Shuwa; made Sambisa Forest the most notorious place in Nigeria; sent suicide bombers to bomb churches, mosques, motor parks, police stations, prisons, military bases and highways; exploded bombs all over Borno State and in Yobe, Kano, Gombe, Bauchi, Jos, Kaduna, Abuja, Adamawa, Daura and Sokoto; and at one time even sent threatening messages to the Presidents of USA, France and the Prime Minister of Britain.
But, what has any of that got to do with Fatima? Her exact age was not mentioned in the posts but from the looks of her, she could well be under 20. Therefore, she could not have been more than two or three years old when her father started his murderous insurgency in 2009, most probably abandoned her with her mum in their native village while he embarked on his “jihad.”
The law says no one should be punished for the crimes of another person, not a parent, not a sibling, not a spouse, not a friend, not a colleague, not a teacher. Trouble however is, in Northern Nigerian Muslim society [and quite likely in many other Nigerian and African societies as well], as soon as a young man approaches a family to seek their daughter’s hand in marriage [and vice versa], the family will commence a wide search into the origin, nature, character, occupation, social standing and criminal record of that family.
Imagine a meeting of Northern Nigerian Muslim family elders, made up of senior uncles, aunts and elder brothers, waiting to hear the result of the search after their son reported to them that he found a wife. An elderly Auntie walks in silently and says, “She is Shekau’s daughter!” I can imagine them fleeing in all directions! No further questions asked!
It reminds me of the story that a colleague told me when we were in New Nigerian Newspapers. He said a highly respected elder in his hometown had two enterprising sons who dealt in motor vehicles and other trades. One evening they travelled to Kano, and early the next morning, it was reported that they died in an accident on the highway. Because their father was highly respected, the entire community assembled in front of his house, waiting for the corpses to arrive for the funeral. As they waited, rumour seeped into the crowd that actually, it was not an accident; that they committed armed robbery on the highway and were shot by the police. One by one, all the assembled elders crawled away, picked their shoes and fled the scene!
That should not happen to Shekau’s daughter. With all the millions of young, able-bodied boys we have roaming around, could one brave Gen Z boy kindly step forward, ignore the sorry record of Fatima’s father, ignore the rumours and jests of people and kindly marry this attractive young woman?
@Mahmud Jega, 21stcenturychronicle.com
