Mairo Zabadi Laid to Rest, Remembered for a Life of Faith, Family and Service By Raymond Enoch
The remains of Mrs Mairo Istifanus Zabadi were on Friday, September 18, 2026, committed to mother earth at the Brigade of Guards Cemetery, Abuja, following a funeral service held in her honour at St. Matthew Military Church (Protestant), Mambilla Barracks, Abuja.
Mrs Zabadi, who died on September 3, 2026, was laid to rest amid an outpouring of grief and tributes from family members, friends, associates and well-wishers who gathered to honour a woman whose life was defined by family, faith, relationships and service to humanity.
The funeral rites began on Thursday, September 17, with a Service of Songs held in her memory at Family Worship Centre (FWC), Gudu, Abuja. The service drew a broad representation of mourners and sympathisers, reflecting the wide circle of relationships Mrs Zabadi built during her lifetime.
Family members from Adamawa and Taraba States joined friends and associates from across Abuja and beyond, while representatives of the military and other security institutions, the business community, political circles, the church and other walks of life also attended the church services.
The presence of members of the military community was particularly significant as the funeral service at St. Matthew Military Church brought together serving and retired personnel, friends of the family and other members of the military community to pay their final respects.
For the children of the deceased and other members of her immediate family, the ceremonies represented an emotional final farewell to a mother whose life and memories will remain closely woven into the family’s history.
The Service of Songs at FWC provided an opportunity for mourners to reflect on her journey, share memories and offer prayers for the repose of her soul, while the final interment at the Brigade of Guards Cemetery brought the funeral rites to a solemn close.
From Adamawa and Taraba, where family roots remain significant, to Abuja, where she spent part of her life, the farewell to Mrs Zabadi brought together people from different backgrounds and spheres of society, underscoring the relationships she cultivated over the years.
Her passing on September 3 marked the end of a life that, to those who knew her closely, was anchored in family values, Christian faith and enduring human connections.
As the earth received her remains on Friday, those who gathered to bid her farewell were left with memories of a life lived among family, friends and a community that came together to honour her.
Mrs Mairo Istifanus Zabadi may have taken her final journey, but the memories she leaves behind—in her family, among her friends and within the wider community—remain part of the legacy of a life that touched many.
