Alhaj Husseinali Nurmohammad Ladha was born in Bukoba on 13th June 1942. He was the fourth son in the family of Alhaj Nurmohammad Ladha. He started school in 1951 in Government Indian Public School and passed his senior Cambridge examination in 1962. At School he was friendly to all his fellow students of his age group and even of younger and older age groups. He was a distinguished scout and had won the Jamboree trip award. He was always in good books with the school authorities and served as school monitor almost permanently.
After completing senior Cambridge in 1962, he went to Poona Wadia College where he completed his Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1968. He came back to Tanzania and was employed at the Directorate of planning by the Tanzania Government. But after the death of his father Alhaj Nurmohammad Ladha, he was obliged to leave public service very earlier and joined his brothers, the Ladha Brothers at Bukoba and became chief advisor and one of the main directors of family business of tenders and supplies to schools, hospitals and other Government and private institutions.
He married in 1968 to Miss Marzia Ramzanali Jivraj of Kigoma. He was blessed with 3 children Noormohammed, Gulamabbas and Sakina.
Alhaj Husseinali Ladha was a man of great charisma and a friend of all, the poor, the rich, the young, the old, and people of all caste and creed. He was very humble and sat with any group of people and talked and joked with them on equal basis. He was a man who loved equity, justice and piety and respected all religions. Similarly, he had friends among Christians, the Sikh, Hindus and Muslims of all branches.
Being a philanthropist by nature he supported works for the pleasure of Almighty Allah (SWT) all his life. He served our Community as Managing Committee Member, Jamaat’s Trustee, Represented Jamaat in many meetings within and outside our region and was also Bilal Muslim Mission’s Coordinator. He also served under G.C.G., IY Mens’ Union and also was very fond of sports and was Jamaat’s Sports Conveyor, and he was also a member of Bukoba Gymkhana Club – Cricket was his favorite game.
Since 22nd June 2002 he became chief organizer and supervisor of Masjid Noor Islamia, Kwembe village in Dar es Salaam, that was completed in a very short time and people have started praying in that Mosque.
The last time he had been at Masjid Noor Islamia was on Saba Saba Day (7th July 2005) when he personally supervised the foundation of the Madrassah. On the same evening his health deteriorated and travelled to India for further treatment at Jaslok Hospital. He was eventually called to the mercy of Almighty Allah (SWT) on Thursday, 2nd September 2005, at 4 a.m. local time on, Day of Meraj. All throughout his illness, his only concern was to see to it that Masjid Noor is completed with a Mosque, Madrassah, Islamic Library, Imam’s house and a good place for wudhoo, he departed this world with good intensions of the noble work.
He was buried in Dar es Salaam and a multitude of people from all communities attended his funeral. Marhum followed a simple life and was kind and generous. May Allah (SWT) grant him high status and maghferat, Ameen.
Marziabai Ramzanali Jivraj was born in Ujiji/Kigoma in 1940’s. She was the 3rd born of 12 children of Ramzanali and Mariambai Jivraj. She did her primary and secondary education in Aga Khan School in Kigoma. At that time, Kigoma could offer education upto Standard 10 only, so she had to go to Bukoba for her 11 and 12. She was staying with her father’s uncle Nurmohamed Ladha Asser in Bukoba. In the year 1963 she did her Std. 12 Senior Cambridge Examination in Bukoba and excelled with good grades. In 1964, she went to Bombay, India and completed her graduation in 1968 in Bombay Hospital College and qualified as a Midwife and Nursing.
In 1969, she got married to Husseinali Nurmohamed Ladha and settled in Bukoba. They were blessed with 2 sons and 1 daughter Nurmohammed, Gulamabbas and Sakina. In the year 1970 she joined the dispensary of Dr. Kiaruzi on voluntary basis. Later on she joined the Regional Government Hospital. In the year 1975 Lions Club opened a Dispensary in Bukoba through Dr. Kanabar. She joined this dispensary under Dr. Habib Bhanji and worked on voluntary basis upto 1986. Her routine work was at nights to visit the Senior Citizens who were sick and required medicines and injections. She used to serve people of all the communities and all her services were on voluntary basis. She was also active in communal work. From the year 1976 to 1986 she was the Principal of Ithna-Asheri Nursery School. At the same time, she was also the secretary of the Ladies Managing Committee and Husseini Madressa of Bukoba Jamaat in the 1980’s.
In the year 1986, she settled in Dar es Salaam and was the secretary of LMC – Dar es Salaam Jamaat for the term 1987 – 1989. In the year 2005 she migrated to the United States of America and settled in Boston with her son Nurmohammed. She is also a Zakira and recited majalis, nawhas and qasidas in Bukoba and Dar es Salaam and still continues to do so in U.S.A.
We pray to The Almighty for her good health and her continued services to the community.
Source: Federation Samachar Issue No. 4 Rabi ul Awwal 1427/April 2006 (Title: Bringing Community Together)
Photographs: Courtesy of Murtaza Jivraj, Gulamabbas Rustamali Ladha and Gulamabbas Husseinali Ladha.
Article prepared by Murtaza Jivraj (Kerbala)
SECRETARIAT
AFRICA FEDERATION ARCHIVES SECTION
11th December 2020 (26th Rabi ul Aakhar 1442 AH)