I wail as I write. This loss is colossal. I am Zaha’s
daughter. I love Zaha Hadid. She is my mother. When I cannot sleep at night,
when I draw and draw, far into the night. The image of Zaha Hadid fuels the
tank of my adrenalin. She showed me that I could make it in world referred to
as a man’s world. Time and time again, when I got rejected from projects where
I was competing with men, I kept faith because Zaha Hadid did. She is the light
that shines for the female architect. She brought her uniqueness to the table
and the world could not ignore it..
Hungerburgbahn | © Hafelekar/Courtesy of WikiCommons
Zaha is my mother, when I toil and sometimes foil, I
think of how she modelled herself with her unique style that captured me and
made her my role model.
Oh my Zaha, my mother , my mentor, it pains me that I
never got to meet you. There was a flicker of hope when you invited Nigerian
architects to your office in London. Alas! We will never meet face to face in
this world, I wish there is a life after here where I will seek you, meet you
and learn at your feet.
My “Queen of the curve”, the first woman to receive The
Royal Institute of British Architects Gold Medal, the first woman to receive the
Pritzker Prize, twice a winner of the UK’s most prestigious award, winner of
the RIBA Stirling Prize and so winner of many other awards. You were full of
fight and you left in sudden flight.
The heart attack took you to a place where your light will
shine brighter. You will be celebrated. You will be missed. Your dainty, unique
and iconic footprints are so big for us to fill. There is hope that we will
rise higher because Zaha Hadid did.
Rest in peace dear mother.
Arc. Patricia Kio MNIA
Port Harcourt.
The pictures above are of Zaha Hadid's works.
See her unique works at
