Hajiya Ramatu Halilu Bala Usman, President, National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, speaks on the strides made by women over the years, moves to end the long-drawn rift within the organisation and how the womenfolk can better their lot in the society. She spoke with DIPO ALAJE
Q: What is your appraisal of the 30 per cent affirmative action for women in Nigeria?
A: As far as the 30 per cent affirmative action in Nigeria is concerned, we are yet to attain it. Though in the last 15 years we could say Nigerian women have come a long way, as far as the Beijing platform of action is concerned. But the country has not even reached 20 per cent.
Q: How best do you think women and children can be empowered?
A: Women and children can be empowered in all aspects of life, i.e. intellectually, religiously, morally, politically and health wise. The issue is obvious. If women are given more critical positions in governance, they will obviously fight the cause of women. For now, our number is very negligible in all positions of governance. That is why we are appealing to the federal government to support the struggle of women to get to where we should be by giving us our due right. Countries like Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and so many others have reached 50 per cent. As a result of that well taken decision at all levels of governance, issues of women are always taken care of. But it is our own quest to make sure that we get the 30 per cent and even more so that our plight would be reduced.
Q: Please, tell us more about yourself.
A: I am Hajiya Ramatu Halilu Bala Usman, the National President of National Council of Women Societies, Nigeria. I render service to humanity. I started humanitarian work as a unionist in 1977. That was when NYSC was scrapped for NCE graduates in 1979 under Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s regime. I was then the National Treasurer of all Advanced Teachers’ Institutes and Colleges of Education in Nigeria, ATESAN. We requested for three things, which became a reality. The idea of scrapping the NYSC for NCE graduates came into being as a result of frustration that NCE graduates were facing in their places of work, especially in educational institutions where only graduates were made form masters, house masters and so on. The graduates then were only Ghanaians and Indians. So, there was a need for us to ginger our Nigerian NCE graduates to further their education. I was into unionism. I engaged myself in humanitarian works, I became an active member of National Council of Women Societies in 1985. Then I was vice principal of a secondary school. I was a co-founder of Country Women Association, COWAN, in Nassarawa State among other NGOs.
As an individual, I support activities of women in all aspects, be it Christian or Muslim, because we need to empower women generally. I have been secretary to Nassarawa State Hospital Management Board from 2000 till date. We collaborate with the government on free medical care for pregnant mothers from one month to the time of delivery. And till date, that programme is still on. I was the first government school principal in the then Plateau State to readmit female dropouts and pregnant mothers. Most of them are now either NCE graduates or degree holders. Some are even civil servants now. The quest to serve humanity made me to attend a course in the state of Israel on women empowerment and management of people and organisations. I don’t wish that I leave until I have been able to share the knowledge God has given me with women in the country. That was why I struggled to become the state president of NCWS to qualify me to contest for the national president post, which I did and won. I was at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in 2006, which qualified me for MNI membership.
Q: How do you intend to restore the lost glory of NCWS?
A: The solution is already at hand. The crisis has been on ground for so many years, even before my tenure, but we are making considerable progress. If you had gone through our history, you will realise that the crisis started even as many as four tenures before I came on board. But God has been able to help us through the reconciliatory process and very soon you will see that all the aggrieved persons will come back together at our 50th anniversary that will be coming up soon. To initiate ideas and give Nigerian women their place in the nation is our primary aim. By the grace of God, the council won all the court cases against it and it is the council of all, not a few women. If you read THISDAY of 19th November, you will see that we are calling back all Nigerian women. As we continue to give respect to our elders, we expect them to continue to support us in order to move the council forward, so that those to come in the future will be able to inherit a good legacy they can build on. We are going to be 50 years soon. We expect that Nigerian women will come out enmasse and speak with one voice as it used to be.
Q: What is your message to Nigerian women as they celebrate the global Women’s Day in the country?
A: As the umbrella body of Nigerian women non-governmental organisations, speaking for Nigerian women all over the world with one voice, our message to Nigerian women is that we need to count our blessings. How far have we gone in our struggles and how do we go forward. It is time for us to unite and network better than ever before towards positive change within the womenfolk and indeed Nigeria as a whole.
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