01/08/2025
BATULU MOHAMMED GABDO: Daughter of Royalty, Mother of Service
By Kamal Hammajo Adam
Freelance Journalist | +2347069274878
Born into royalty, shaped by education, and defined by service, Hajiya Batulu Kaltume Mohammed Gabdo has emerged as one of Taraba State’s most inspiring public figures. As the Sarauniyar Gashaka, a veteran media professional, political leader, and committed advocate for women and youth, her journey is both historic and humbling.
EARLY LIFE AND ROYAL HERITAGE
Born in June 1966 in the historic town of Serti in Gashaka Local Government Area, Batulu was raised in a household of tradition and discipline. Her father, the late Lamdo Gashaka, Alhaji Hammangabdo Muhammadu Sambo, was a revered Emir and custodian of Fulani heritage. From an early age, Batulu imbibed the values of humility, courage, and leadership.
She began her formal education in Serti, continuing in Maiduguri and Yola, and later attended Government Secondary School, Fufore. Her academic journey led her to the University of Maiduguri, where she studied Mass Communication, a fitting choice for someone born to lead and speak for the people.
A MEDIA TRAILBLAZER
Batulu began her media career at Gongola State Television before moving to Adamawa Television, where she served as a Producer and rose to become Head of Programs. She later transferred to Taraba Broadcasting Corporation, where she advanced to the position of Director of Research and Planning.
As a journalist and communicator, she used her voice to inform, educate, and advocate for the voiceless, laying the foundation for a life dedicated to public service. Her communication expertise earned her widespread respect and paved the way for her entry into public leadership.
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE
Hajiya Batulu is a trailblazer in every sense. In 2000, she was appointed Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development under Governor Jolly Nyame. Her leadership earned her further trust, and in 2003, she made history as the first woman to be appointed Secretary to the Taraba State Government (SSG), a landmark moment for women in the North.
Her journey continued under the administration of Alhaji Garba Umar (UTC), then Acting Governor, where she served as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development. In that role, she championed policies promoting girls’ child education, gender equity, and maternal health.
SARAUNIYAR GASHAKA: Queen with a Mission
In an unprecedented move, her royal father conferred on her the revered title of Sarauniyar Gashaka, making her the first woman ever to bear that title. With the crown came a new sense of duty. She launched the Sarauniya Charity Foundation under the umbrella of an NGO known as the Sarauniya Conservation Development Initiative, focusing on the following areas:
• Supporting brilliant but underprivileged students
• Empowering rural women through cooperative skills training
• Disbursing food aid and relief items during festive seasons
• Initiating clean water and hygiene campaigns in underserved areas
Through her foundation, she has touched hundreds of lives across Gashaka, Taraba, and beyond.
FAMILY LIFE: A Mother at Heart
Despite her high public profile, Hajiya Batulu remains a committed housewife and devoted mother. Her family life reflects balance, humility, and compassion. Colleagues and relatives often speak of her calm presence at home and her unwavering attention to both her duties as a mother and her role in public affairs.
LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT: A Voice in the House
In 2023, Batulu achieved yet another milestone, elected as the Member representing Gashaka Constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly under the All Progressives Congress (APC). She became the only female lawmaker elected to represent the good people of Gashaka Constituency in the State House of Assembly, serving as a strong voice for women, youth, and the underserved.
In the Assembly, she has:
• Sponsored a bill on r**e and drug abuse prevention.
• Advocated for policies to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
• Championed motions to improve infrastructure in Gashaka-Gumti National Park Communities.
• Supported youth empowerment programs and palliatives.
• Recently commissioned two newly constructed bridges at Garin Buba and Iqra/Balewa Communities to ease rural connectivity.
• Also championed the construction of the Gayam/Gangumi Bridge, which is now 100% completed and awaiting commissioning at the time of writing this article.
Her presence in the Assembly isn’t just symbolic, it’s strategic, impactful, and deeply rooted in the dreams of her people.
A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
Hajiya Batulu Mohammed Gabdo is more than a politician. She is a pathfinder, a mother of mercy, a Sarauniya with substance, and a testament to Northern womanhood. Her story is one that every young girl in Gashaka-Taraba and beyond should hear, and believe in.
In her, we find tradition and transformation, power and compassion, royalty and responsibility, all beautifully blended.
To know Hajiya Batulu is to respect her. To work with her is to admire her. To be led by her is to trust her.
She is royalty with results, a homemaker with a high calling, a mother with a mission, and a public servant with purpose.
She does not chase attention, yet her actions command it. She does not seek applause, yet her works deserve ovation. She is proof that leadership doesn’t have to be loud, flashy, or boastful. It can be graceful, grounded, and genuine.
As Taraba State and Nigeria continue to look for leaders who listen, serve, and inspire. Batulu Mohammed Gabdo, stands tall, not because of her titles, but because of her heart. And if leadership is about legacy, then her story is already etched in the hearts of her people.
As a mother, lawmaker, and humanitarian, she continues to walk a path guided by faith, love for her people, and an unshakable belief in building a better future for Taraba and the nation at large.
