After Car Injury To Leader, Able Women Of Byazhin Abandon Community Project

In 2019, a group of determined women, known as the Able Women, from Byazhin Community in Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory, took initiative to repair the dilapidated and deadly roads in their area.

The roads, riddled with potholes, had claimed lives and caused accidents.

The women decided to step in after the community’s landlord association, composed of men, collected funds from residents and motorists but failed to deliver on their promise to fix the roads.

“People contributed money and materials like cement to complete the work. But the men could not account for the money,” residents in the area never get tired of telling the story to visitors in the area.

The Able Women tireless effort led by their Chairlady, Mrs. Bola Shitta and the Women leader, Mrs. Khadijat Yunusa gained them esteemed recognition, including the Daily Trust 10 Unsung Heroes award.

However, the women’s growing fame and popularity sparked resentment among some leaders of the Landlord Association, who relentlessly opposed and harassed them.

“We were arrested on three occasions by those people who were angry we replaced them. We have also been called names like thieves and ashawo.

“God sees our heart and knows that we only have a passion for humanity,” Khadijat, popularly known as Angle 90, stated in a previous interview.

Despite facing numerous challenges, the women’s greatest fear is being run over by angry motorists who refuse to pay the daily toll for road repairs.

Five months ago, their worst fears became a harsh reality when a car, driven by an inexperienced learner, skidded off the road and struck the chairlady of the group and the woman leader.

After the incident, the women ceased their road maintenance efforts, and their absence has become glaringly evident. The road, once kept in check by their dedication, has rapidly deteriorated, prompting many to inquire about their whereabouts.

THE WHISTLER paid a visit to the chairlady of the group, who suffered injuries to both legs in the accident, and she shared her harrowing experience.

“It was on May 25th. It happened after the Byazhin Police Station. I left the Landlord Association meeting where we were discussing issues regarding development in the community and came to meet my women on the road. I went to a corner off the road where we normally sit to rest. Thirty minutes later, the accident happened,” Bola explained.

According to the story, the female learner driver intended to press the brake but accidentally hit the accelerator, losing control of the vehicle. The car lurched forward, mounted the curb, and struck the two women.

Bola suffered serious injuries, including broken bones in both legs, while Khadijat escaped with minor bruises on her leg.

The chairlady who has been in and out of the hospital, expressed thanksgiving to God for sparing her life and commended the Medical Director of the Camek Orthopaedic Hospital, Gwarimpa, Dr. Charles Anakwe who started treating her immediately she was brought in which saved her life.

Chairlady of Able Women, Byazhin, Kubwa, Mrs. Bola Shitta after the accident.

However, even from her sickbed, Bola expressed distress over the road’s deteriorating condition, abandoned since the accident that injured her.

“That road close to Liberty Junction needs to be tarred. I need the government or any well-meaning Nigerian to put tar on the road. The water drainage is always blocked and because there is no channel to pass, it passes through the road, destroying it,” she said.

Mama Kpomo, as she is called in the community, also worries about the well-being of the women she had worked alongside on the road project.

She feared that their tireless dedication and selfless passion to serve the community might go unrecognized and unrewarded.

“My women worked with passion. I wish there was a way to reward them. I hope that help will come for them. We were dedicated and used every penny we got to fix the road,” she said.

She added that the group of about 15 women cannot return without her and the woman leader, because they can’t withstand the attack from some hostile community members who were against the good work they were doing.

However, Mrs Bola’s husband, Pastor John Shitta, stated categorically that his wife will not be returning to the road once she is healed.

“I will not allow my wife to go back to the road with the way some people in the community waged war against her and her group.

“Some community members are pleased about this setback. They labeled these women ‘thieves’ and ‘ashawo’ for trying to fix the road. They even questioned my masculinity, saying I wasn’t a ‘real man’ for supporting my wife’s community efforts. But I stood firm, believing in women’s empowerment. As a father of all girls, I’m proud to advocate for women’s rights,” he said.

Shitta, who is a pastor at the Deeper Life Bible Church, recounted the distress he felt upon receiving news of his wife’s accident.

He disclosed that his wife has had a similar traumatic experience 25 years ago which left her with severe injuries, including a damaged knee cap and femur.

“Her last accident had her hospitalized for almost five months. This is a challenging time for our family. We’re grateful for her recovery, but it isn’t easy. My daughter left her husband’s home since the accident to help care for her.

Despite the difficulties, Shitta expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support and kindness towards his family.

“I commend Carmel Hospital’s Medical Director, who compassionately prioritized saving her life without demanding payment upfront. The community rallied around us, with individuals showing support. My church, and even the police offered help. However, the community association’s lack of a unified visit disappointed me, reflecting their internal divisions.

“The Byazhin Police Station has been incredibly supportive, regularly checking on my wife’s well-being. They’ve consistently backed the women’s initiatives, even when faced with opposition from the landlord association’s former chairmen,” he said.

Shitta, while describing his wife as a female ‘Wike’ because of her hard work and passion to help develop the community, called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of Women Affair, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye and the FCT Senator, Ireti Kingibe to assist and support his wife and her group for their selfless service to the community.

“She needs assistance because she can’t do hard work any longer. I am also pleading to be a good spirited individual to assist in any way they can. Her children need a job. We have three of them who are not employed. If they are empowered, it will help the family.

“We are going back to the hospital at the end of this month. We have spent millions. The caste in one leg has been removed. We are looking at the other leg. We are going for Xray which will help determine the next action,” he said.