Yilwadta Pays Tribute to Late Mother, Celebrates Her Legacy of Faith, Resilience, and Service, Says “Mama Offered Her All For Us”

By Onwe Wisdom|Pan Afric Reporters

The Plateau community was united in grief and gratitude as the family of Yilwatda laid their matriarch Nana Lydia Yilwatda to rest, celebrating her remarkable life of faith, resilience, and service despite decades of illness.

Born in 1942, the late mother of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mama Nana Lydia Yilwatda according to the son, the national chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda was diagnosed in 1978 with a life-threatening illness and given only two years to live. Against all medical expectations, she survived for 47 more years, undergoing multiple surgeries and living on medication until her passing in August 2025. She was 36 years old at the time of diagnosis.

“For us as a family, we shed tears in 1978 because we thought we had lost her. Today, we are celebrating her while celebrating God for adding 47 years to her life,” Yilwadta recalled in his tribute.

Despite her health challenges, she was known as a hardworking entrepreneur. Rising as early as 5 a.m., she would fry Akara and pap at the motor park, later managing a grain shop at the market. Her industry sustained the family and funded the education of her children.

“She paid our school fees and got us into private schools. My father was a missionary who earned almost nothing, but my mother provided the finances and support. She always gave the money to my father, who passed it on to us as though it was from him,” he said.

Her neighbors also remembered her for her generosity and humanitarian spirit. She frequently offered food to people around her home and extended kindness to all, irrespective of tribe or religion.

She was equally respected as a disciplinarian who instilled in her children the values of hard work and education. Daily chores, strict routines, and constant monitoring of their schoolwork were part of her parenting style.

“In the morning, you washed the beans, cleaned the house, cooked breakfast, fed the chickens, and went to the shop. Every evening, she checked our books, marking what was right and wrong. That’s how she brought us up,” Yilwadta recounted.

Her spirituality was a cornerstone of her life. She prayed daily for her children, often laying hands on them in blessing. “Every single week, Mama would call me to kneel down so she could pray for me. Those prayers have kept us together as a family,” he added.

Describing her as a woman who gave everything for her family, Yilwadta declared: “Mama offered her all for us. She fought a good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Today, we celebrate her as God has reserved a crown for her.”

The late matriarch is survived by her seven children, grandchildren, extended family, and a wide community of friends and well-wishers who continue to celebrate her life and legacy.

Expressing gratitude for the solidarity shown to his family during their period of grief, he said: “Thank you for your words of comfort. Thank you for standing by us at this difficult time. When you look back and you see a shoulder, a pillar that you can hold on to, when you shed your tears and a handkerchief is given to you by a friend and well-wisher, that is what you’ve offered me. On behalf of myself, my younger ones, and every member of my family and the entire Plateau State, we thank you so very much.”

If you see any tears amongst us, it is a tear of joy, of what this woman has done for us. Like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, she has fought a good fight, she has finished the race, and she has kept the faith. God has reserved a crown for my mother.”

He concluded with a call to continue in her footsteps: “My prayer is that the same faith she kept, the same good fight she fought, and the race that she finished, let that also be our testimony.”

Dignitaries at the service of song were the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR represented by secretary to the government of the federation, Sen. George Akume, others were the Deputy Gov. of Plateau State, immediate past gov. of the plateau state Simon Bako Lalong, Ministers, former Deputy Governors, senators both servicing and former, Former SGF, Boss Mustapha.

Also at the tribute service were former Deputy senator president, Omo Agege, former mister, Pauline Talen, and others.