Photos: Nursing Mother Treks from Minna to Abuja with her 40 day-old Baby

Mrs. Alice Daniel, on her way from Minna to Abuja.

Since the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election in Nigeria, many Nigerians have been trekking in solidarity and celebration of his victory from different directions of the country to Abuja, the nation’s federal capital city.

The latest in the league of the trekkers is a 35 year old nursing mother, Mrs. Alice Daniel, who is now on her way from Minna to Abuja to fulfill a promise she made also,  just before the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Narrating her story in an exclusive interview with Newsline, Mrs. Alice, a mother of five, said it all started when her husband, Abdulwasiu informed her that he had a dream that President Goodluck
Jonathan was going to lose the presidential election to Gen.Buhari.

She said she told her husband that it would not be possible for an incumbent president to lose the election to an opposition candidate, adding that even if he won, he would not be declared winner as was the case in the 2007 and 2011. At the time, she said, she was heavily pregnant and due for the labour ward.

Mrs. Alice said prior to the election, the issue came up again in one of their discussions with her husband and three other people present, where she promised that if Gen. Buhari won the election and was declared winner she would trek from Minna to Abuja to personally congratulate him for the victory.

Mrs Alice Daniel and child taking a breather as she treks to Abuja. PHOTO: ABUBAKAR HASSAN 

According to her, she gave birth to her last child on April 2, 2015, and that she was determined to fulfill her promise with the declaration of Gen. Buhari as the winner of the March 28 presidential election.

Mrs. Alice, a Gbagyi by tribe, from Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State,  told Newsline that there were efforts by her husband, mother and some family members as well as friends to stop her, but that her mind was made up to fulfill the promise she had made to herself.

She took off on the foot journey at about 6:00am on Sunday, from Chanchaga bridge, and while sharing the experience of her mission so far, she said it was fun and that some motorists who were ignorant of her mission offered to assist her but she declined, while others gave her money.

When asked of the health hazard of her mission on her and her newly born baby girl, considering the fact that she gave birth just barely 40 days ago, she expressed optimism that nothing would happen to her and her child and that the only thing she looked forward to was for her to accomplish her mission.

Mrs. Alice, who resides at Anguwan Daji, in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, said if she reached Abuja she will head straight to Gen. Buhari’s campaign office where she hoped to be led to the president-elect.

Mrs. Alice said she intends to walk between 6:00am to 5:00pm daily and rest at intervals.
And as at the time of compiling this report, Mrs. Alice Daniel was already around Baidna Village, near Kwakuti, along Minna-Suleja Road where Newsline had this interview with her, Monday.