One of the most tragic stories from the ill-fated
flight Dana Air 992 that crashed in Lagos on Sunday revolves around
Maimuna Anyene, a Connecticut-based Nigerian woman, who died along with
her husband, sister, her four kids, two cousins and her mother, Mrs.
Mijindadi.
Ms. Anyene, who is being mourned by friends,
relatives and colleagues around the world, was described by several
sources as having a boisterous laughter, a happy spirit and an
infectiously cheerful disposition.
One of the late woman’s spirits closest friends
captured her spirits. “When Maimuna laughed, she was always loud,
joyful, and even crazy in the good sense. She laughed spontaneously and
excitedly. It was a full-of-life kind of laughter that seemed to come
from deep within her belly. She laughed without inhibitions. She was
pretty and had cute dimples that made her round face memorable.”
Maimuna was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs.
Ndanusa and Birikisu Mijindadi on July 30, 1979. Her father, from Bida,
Niger State, was a professor at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Her
mother had worked for a few years as a nurse in the United States before
returning to Nigeria where she began and ran several enterprises,
including a large grape farm in Zaria.
Maimuna attended primary school in Zaria and completed secondary school at Queens College, Lagos.
She proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where she
studied Economics, graduating in 2001 with a Second Class (Upper)
degree. At UI, she made many friends, staying close to several of them
years beyond her university days.
One friend said she stood out as the most studious in
her circle of friends. “Maimuna was the one who talked to her friends
to focus on their academic work whenever she found them in danger of
getting too distracted by the many temptations of student life,” said
the friend. “No surprise that we called her ‘effico,’ a nickname for
nerds and bookworms. It meant she was efficient in organizing her study
and play time. She was diligent and hardworking, and simply never lost
sight of her priorities.”
Another friend said she fondly remembered how she and
others called Maimuna “effico.” “It was a term of endearment but also a
playful kind of derision. We derided her for keeping us honest by
enforcing group discipline. And, at last, we cherished her for keeping
us honest that some of us graduated with honors from Ibadan and other
universities.”
On graduating from UI, Maimuna returned to Zaria for a
few months before heading to Lagos for the mandatory one year stint as a
member of the National Youth Service Corps. She served with Citibank in
Lagos.
Maimuna was married to Onyeka Anyene, a lawyer who
has offices in Abuja and Lagos. Friends described the marriage as one
founded on religious tolerance and broadmindedness. A devout Muslim,
Maimuna married Mr. Anyene, a Christian.
A few friends disclosed that Maimuna’s parents were
at first reluctant to approve their daughter’s choice of husband-to-be.
Even so, Maimuna and Onyeka displayed their determination by heading for
the Marriage Registry in Ikoyi, Lagos to solemnise their wedding. The
ceremony was marked by a simplicity that was characteristic of the
couple; it was witnessed only by three persons: a close friend of
Maimuna’s from her U.I. days, and a couple who were friends of the
groom.
A relative said Maimuna was a woman of great
professional ambitions who was willing to work hard to prepare for the
realization of her dreams. This led her to Pennsylvania State University
in the United States where she earned a Masters degree. In 2005, she
relocated to Connecticut and lived there until her death in the Dana
Airlines crash.
Ms. Anyene and her husband had four children: Kamsi
(two-years old), twins Kayna and Kayne (one-year-old), and Kamal, also
known as Noah (seven-months-old).
One friend in Connecticut recalled how “Maimuna loved
to take pictures, to capture every memorable moment on film whenever
possible.”
One source said she had traveled to Nigeria to visit
with her husband, who lived mostly in Nigeria. “She also went to attend
the wedding of her younger brother, Ndako, scheduled to take place in
about a week’s time – on June 9,” added the source.
Source: Saharareporters.com
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