I don’t believe in pet projects just to make name- Borno First Lady

Madam, congrats for becoming the first lady of Borno State. We would like to know your background. Thank you very much for coming and it is a great opportunity to have this interview. I was born in the early 70s; I attended Lamisula Primary School and later got admission into Government Girls College, Maiduguri where […]

Madam, congrats for becoming the first lady of Borno State. We would like to know your background.

Thank you very much for coming and it is a great opportunity to have this interview. I was born in the early 70s; I attended Lamisula Primary School and later got admission into Government Girls College, Maiduguri where I completed my secondary education.

Between 1998 and 2004, I was at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) for my degree programme. I had no experience of public service but I engaged myself in business and animal husbandry as well as fish farming. This is in addition to being a wife, taking care of my husband, children and other household challenges.

 

As the wife of the governor, how do you intend to contribute to the development of Borno State?

You see, there are many ways one can contribute to the development of his community or the state at large and I believe as the wife of the Governor of Borno State, I can contribute by providing succor to the poor and vulnerable groups in the society.

The vulnerable form the bulk of the society, particularly in our dear state, Borno. This is mainly due to the high level of poverty and ignorance as well as some cultural and religious’ impediments.

Take for example, the plight of widows, the increasing rate of street children, infant and maternal mortality, poverty among women and other peculiar challenges that affects  the environment like desert encroachment which aggravates poverty and increase diseases’ among women and children. The consequence of desertification on the socio-economic lives of the people is also obvious.

All these challenges take their toll on women and children who form the bulk of the society. So, I believe by addressing or at least, alleviating the sufferings of these category of people, I think we are bringing succor to them which will in turn propel them to economic prosperity.

Do you have a pet project?

Well, I don’t think I have any pet project for now but I have projects that I have   special interest in. They have direct bearing on the people especially widows and street children.

I want to liberate them from the claws of poverty, hunger and disease. I intend to do so by coming up with projects that are viable and that will continue even after my tenure in office; programmes that will carry the beneficiaries along. I am afraid that many pet projects of first ladies vanish as soon as such first ladies vacate the office.

Personally and attitudinally, I always consult professionals on any matter or project I intend to do. Then engage the people, for whom the project is meant for. Get their views, reservations and know whether or not they are ready to personalize the project as individuals or groups before I make policy statements on the matter. And as a matter of policy, I always allow people to generate the ideas of their project for me to give them a helping hand or serve as motivator to enable them nurture their project to maturity.

I think and believe that by so doing, most projects will not die after the exit of the motivator, because it is the idea of the beneficiaries. It is their project and it is meant to serve them, hence the need for continuity.

There are thousands of widows and orphans in Borno.  Are you disturbed by their plight and how do you want to assist them to live a better life?

I believe this can be achieved by training them (widows and orphans) on various trades and giving them take off grants in form of soft loans to commence business after graduation. We can also help them by making Primary Health Care Services effective, efficient, affordable, available and accessible to all people in both urban slums and rural areas to enhance access to healthcare.

Other programmes we intend for this category of people is to revitalize all dormant skills acquisition centers in the state and make them functional and beneficial to the target groups. We would repair and equip the Bulumkutu Rehabilitation Center for the physically challenged persons. To reduce street begging among adults and youths, construct hostel for widows and their orphans, provide special welfare packages for all registered Tsangaya Islamic Schools and revive the long forgotten culture of tree planting to moderate the temperature, increase soil fertility, control erosion, reduce environmental pollution and enhance rainfall for agricultural activities.

We have given widows a sense of belonging during the just concluded Ramadan fast by providing them with food items like rice, sugar and wrappers.  We also set up a tree planting and distribution committee to provide sites in selected local government areas of the state for tree planting and after the launch of the tree planting campaign, the committee was able to plant 5000 assorted tree seedlings in three worst hit local government areas; one each in the three senatorial zones of the state.

Not only that, we were able to successfully launch the polio immunization campaign to kick out polio and six other child killer diseases in the state.

I believe you also know that the problem of insecurity has posed a great challenge to individuals and public office holders and the society at large. It also brought about increase in the number of widows and orphans in our state. Alhamdulillahi, things are now normalising and I am very grateful to all and sundry for their support, prayers, endurance, patience and understanding with this administration throughout this trying period.

We have seen wives of state governors establishing NGO’s and seeking donations and at the end of the day, hardly make positive impact on the people. What is your impression of this?

I don’t believe in coming up with pet projects just to make name. No, but, I always ask people to come up with useful ideas on how best we can initiateprogrammes or projects that will benefit them as a group or community. We also encourage women to form co-operative organizations so that I will extend my helping hand to them so that their dreams will be translated into reality, with the help of professionals on the field.

If the project ideas are generated by the people, and you help nurture the idea to reality, it is not your project but that of the very people who generated it and since it is the people’s project based on their interest or passion, they will succeed. I am only providing the political will and support for projects to last even after our exit.

On a lighter mood, did you ever dream of becoming a governor’s wife?

Honestly I did not.

What is your best moment in life?

It was when my husband was announced winner of the April 2011 governorship election. This I believe might not be unconnected with the saturated political climate at that time, the security challenges and the political tension that beclouded the entire state.

How do you do while on away time with your family?

To me it is normal and it makes no difference because I am used to taking care of my family, friends and well wishers. The position of the state first lady has not in any way changed me as a house wife, hence I personally carry out all my duties and responsibilities.

At the end of your tenure, how do you want Borno people to remember you?

Alhamdulillahi, I will highly appreciate if the people of Borno will remember me simply as a woman who once gave them a sense of belonging. A woman who gave a sense of direction to the poor and vulnerable in the society.

Finally, is there anything you want to say which we did not ask you?

My appeal to the people of Borno is that let them not relent in their prayers for peace and prosperity to return to the state. Borno belongs to all of us regardless of all differences. In one way or the other, one day, we will give chance to the younger ones to take over, hence the need for our mothers to keep the home front safe and ensure sound moral training of the young.