The National Council for Women Societies, NCWS, has promised to continue its advocacy programme in favour of the women folk and to support Hajiya Zainab Nasare Idris, wife of Kebbi State governor, Comrade Nasir Idris to succeed. In this interview with our correspondent, HARUNA USMAN, Kebbi State chairperson of the NCWS, Mrs. Hadiza Muhammad Kola, speaks on successes recorded so far under her leadership. Excerpts:
Can we meet you ma?
My name is Hadiza Muhammad Kola, I am the current president of the National Council for Women Societies. I was sworn-in recently by late Lami Adamu Lau who came to Kebbi for the inauguration and the decoration of Kebbi first lady, Zainab Nasare as patron unfortunately she took ill same day after the event and died at Federal Medical Centre in Birnin Kebbi.
What was your council’s reaction to her death?
My executive and I, Kebbi first lady are all shocked and devastated by her death. We were so confused that we didn’t know what to do. You can imagine an important guest like her came to our state and died right under our nose, it is disturbing, Our relief came when the results were out which stipulated the cause of her death, doctors confirmed that she already had underlying health issues which has been occurring in the past so we got the calmness and we began to mourn her like we are still doing till today.
Let me use this opportunity to thank, most profoundly, the wife of Kebbi Governor, Hajiya Nasare who made the arrangements to fly her to Taraba for Islamic burial. In fact, we are yet to find our footing after her death.
Away from that unfortunate incidence, let’s talk about finances; how much did you meet in the NCWS treasury?
Unfortunately I met an empty account because my predecessor Hajiya Halima used the little cash to sponsor some national programmes. Already the council is cash-strapped because our support from the government since the time of Senator Adamu through to Nasamu and Bagudu to present Idris is just fifty thousand naira. So we have to save for four months to get two hundred thousand to be able to attend some functions at the national level. This is the reason we are appealing to Governor Idris to increase the support for the council, and we know he will. He is a kind-hearted man who listens to the cries of his people; we are sure he will assist us.
What are the responses of women in the northern part of Nigeria regarding your advocacy programmes?
Well, the responses are fair because the economy has taught them to rise to the occasion by engaging in trades to support their husbands, and their husbands now understand that a woman should not just be kept at home. She must do something for herself too to stand on her feet and to assist in the training of the children. Through the advocacy, we have been able to wind down the number of out-of-school girls in the state, because our main concern are the girls; they have high population and they have low enrollment figure.
Most of these women have benefited from Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu and Kebbi First Lady Zainab in the area of social interventions programme which aimed to better their lives by giving them lifeline through start-up capital after training them in their trades of choice.
Now that you don’t have operational vehicle and office accommodation, how are you coping?
Yes, it has not been easy. We usually hire shops to put furniture and we are using it as our state secretariat, but now our rent has expired and we don’t have money to renew the rent. Presently, meetings of the council are being held in my house till we are able to get office accommodation and a bus for our operations in the state.
Finally, how can you rate acceptance and popularity of NCWS in Kebbi?
When I came on board we were merely known, but Alhamdullah as much as I can. I have made the council known. We have made some engagements with the wife of Kebbi Governor, Zainab Nasare Idris, she works with us and has included us in every programme that has to do women, so we are grateful to her.
I can’t wind up this interview without extending deep appreciation of the council to Her Excellency Zainab Nasare for her assistance, particularly when we lost our national president. She flew her corpse to Taraba if not for her we can’t do it because we don’t have financial muscle to that. So we are grateful to her and her husband and all my excos I say kudos to them for being there. Let the world know that Kebbi NCWS is yet to recover from the loss of the national president and we are still mourning her. Our hearts and spirit are with her and her children.