When Professor Ibrahim Bulus, a devoted member of the Board of Trustees of Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF), went to be with the Lord in 2010, many might have quietly expected that his passing would mark a gentle withdrawal for his wife from the life of the fellowship they had both served so faithfully. Grief, after all, has a way of drawing the curtains inward. But Mrs. Martha Bulus was not one to retreat into the shadows.
In the midst of her loss, and while bearing the full weight of raising her children and holding her family together as a widow, she stepped forward—steadier, stronger, and even more committed. She took on greater responsibility within the fellowship, rising to serve as the Zonal Coordinator of CCF in Mangu/Pankshin. With quiet determination and tireless energy, she nurtured its growth, ensuring that the flame of fellowship did not flicker but burned brighter. Under her watch, members from the zone became a consistent and vibrant presence at the annual retreat in Miango, a testament to her diligence and persuasive grace.
Yet her service reached even deeper. She embraced the delicate and demanding role of coordinating the widows within the fellowship—women who, like her, carried silent burdens. She became their anchor and their encourager, especially to those who were underprivileged. In gatherings where conversations often circled around marriage and shared life between couples—spaces that could easily stir sorrow—she stood as a quiet strength, a living reassurance that loss need not extinguish purpose. She inspired them not merely with words, but with the dignity and courage of her own life.
It was, therefore, no surprise that not long after her husband’s passing, the fellowship recognized her unwavering commitment by appointing her to the Board of Trustees, stepping into the very role her husband had once occupied. It was not just an appointment; it was an affirmation of a life poured out in faithful service.
Beyond the structures of fellowship and leadership, Martha Bulus was grace in human form. Humility clothed her naturally, and her smile—warm, generous, and ever ready—had a way of lighting up even the heaviest of moments. She possessed a delightful gift for laughter, drawing people in with ease and leaving them lighter than she met them. Her home then on Road 8, Senior Staff Quarters, Bauchi Road and later in Rayfield in Jos and in Mangu, became more than a residence; it was a sanctuary. Many undergraduates from the University of Jos found shelter, comfort, and belonging within her walls. Her hospitality knew no boundaries—friends, church members, strangers near and far all found a place at her table.
Her life was a tapestry of service, woven with threads of devotion to the God she encountered at the tender age of sixteen in Panyam in 1976. From that moment, her life found its direction. She served faithfully within the Church of Christ in Nations, contributing on various councils and standing as a committed pillar in the Couples’ Fellowship. Her love for God found a particularly beautiful expression in music. Singing was not merely an activity for her—it was an offering. So profound was this passion that she founded the choir in Sabon Layi, creating a space where voices could rise together in harmony, worship, and unity.
Her love for education was equally enduring. As both student and teacher, she pursued knowledge with admirable diligence, advancing through tertiary education to earn a master’s degree. Though she began a PhD programme, she laid it down upon retirement—not out of inability, but out of love—choosing instead to devote herself to the care of her grandchildren, a role she embraced with evident joy and tenderness.
Even beyond the classroom, her industry flourished. Martha Bulus was a committed farmer, deeply engaged in large-scale agriculture. Her passion for the land was not casual but sustained and impactful. Since 2005, she served as an ex officio member of the Farmers’ Cooperative in Pankshin, and from 2004, she contributed to the broader agricultural landscape as a member of the National Association of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management. Through these roles, she left an imprint not only on the soil but also on the lives of those who worked alongside her. She also ran the family printing press.
In all these—her faith, her leadership, her generosity, her intellect, her industry—Mrs. Martha Bulus lived a life that quietly yet powerfully transformed others. Even in her final days, as she battled cancer—a burden she bore with remarkable grace and faith, known only to a few—she continued to embody hope and strength. She passed on Friday, February 13, 2026, in Kano, barely a week after her 67th birthday.
Hers was a legacy not merely spoken of, but deeply felt—in the lives she touched, the burdens she helped carry, and the hope she so faithfully sustained, even in the face of profound personal loss, including the passing of her son, Nandom Bulus. Christian Couples Fellowship (CCF) will greatly miss her. Rest in the bosom of the Lord. Adieu, Maman Chin.