By Aliyu M. Hamagam
The news of the death of Habiba Alabura, an ace broadcaster and practising journalist with the Niger State Television (NSTV), is a painful reminder of the fragility of life.
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Her passing away on October 26, 2026, left a void that words can hardly fill, particularly for those who knew her, worked with her and drew strength from her courageous battle against cancer.
Habiba was not just a journalist, a broadcaster or a colleague. She was a woman whose life became a testament to courage, resilience, hope and the determination to keep fighting even when the odds appeared overwhelmingly against her.
For nearly a decade, she fought a battle that tested her physical strength, emotional endurance and faith in life.
The dreaded disease confronted her with painful realities, but she refused to allow that to define her existence.
Rather, she chose to confront it with uncommon bravery that even in the darkest moments, she could still find strength to stand tall.
The battle was not without setbacks. She suffered two relapses, each presenting another difficult chapter in an already demanding fight.
Yet, on each occasion, Habiba summoned the courage to continue and endured the uncertainty.
What made Habiba exceptional was not that she fought cancer for so long, but that she turned the battle into a source of hope for others.
At a time when many patients battling the disease needed reassurance and confidence to face another day, she offered them something invaluable as a woman who understood their pain and refused to surrender to despair.
Through her motivational lectures and engagements, Habiba became a voice of encouragement to those navigating the difficult journey of diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
She spoke from experience, and her words carried the weight of someone who had walked through the very darkness she was helping others to confront.
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She understood that cancer was not merely a medical condition; it was also an emotional and psychological struggle that could leave patients feeling frightened, isolated and uncertain about the future.
In many ways, Habiba’s contribution extended beyond the broadcasting studio.
She became a symbol of hope to people who needed to see that a cancer diagnosis did not immediately extinguish the possibility of courage, purpose and meaningful living.
As an ace broadcaster, Habiba also made her mark in journalism, a profession that demands dedication, discipline, curiosity and a commitment to telling stories that matter.
Until her death, she remained a practising journalist, continuing to identify with a profession that had become an important part of her life and identity.
Her colleagues will remember her not only for her professional contributions but also for the remarkable personal battle she fought away from the cameras and microphones.
Behind the voice of the broadcaster was a woman confronting an illness that would have tested even the strongest of spirits.
Sadly, the disease that she had battled for nearly a decade gradually took a devastating toll on her health.
The final months of her life were a painful chapter in a long and courageous struggle.
It is difficult to accept that a woman who spent years encouraging others to keep fighting has now taken her final bow.
But even in grief, there is a powerful lesson in the life Habiba lived.
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Habiba may have lost her battle against cancer, but her life was never defined by defeat. She fought with dignity and endured with uncommon courage.
May Jannah Firdaus be your final abode. Adie!
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