‘Why NGOs need to be self-funded’

WT: Your organisation is relatively unknown, can you briefly tell us what it is all about? Hajiya Maryam: The Concerned Women of Nigeria was established to fight for the rights of women in their homes, work place and anywhere as long as it affects their other rights. It has a membership of about a hundred […]

WT: Your organisation is relatively unknown, can you briefly tell us what it is all about?

Hajiya Maryam: The Concerned Women of Nigeria was established to fight for the rights of women in their homes, work place and anywhere as long as it affects their other rights. It has a membership of about a hundred thousand nationwide. We feel there is more that needs to be done to make women understand that they have rights like any other person in the society.

How have you been able to overcome the challenges of religion and ethnic differences that plague Nigeria today?

It all depends on what you believe and stand for. We believe that Nigeria is one and by the Grace of God, we will continue to be one. Talking about religion, those who fight and quarrel over it do not have any focus because at the end it is the same God we are still praying to. So, what is the big deal about it? We do not bring in religion, ethnicity or sentiments when tackling issues. If an Igbo woman has a problem, we come together to fight for a common goal and so it is with other tribes when they have a problem. We do not overlook one issue based on tribe or religion. Once we do that, then we can no longer be referred to as Concerned Women For Nigeria.

What motivated you to establish the organization?

It all started in 2002. A group of women sat together to discuss issues affecting our lives and the way to move forward. Most times I noticed that women always complain of how they were maltreated, molested, intimidated and even tortured in their homes and places of work all because they are women.

I then sat and asked myself one day ‘why should it be so?’ Nigerian women are humans, so they should be entitled to their own rights. There and then, I decided that something should be done and we decided to form an organization that will give voice to the voiceless Nigerian women.

We have intervened in many child abuses, wife batterings, molestations, among others. For now, there is this particular case we are very much concerned about and that is the plight of the wife and mother of Al-Mustapha. We are all women and we are intervening on behalf of the Al-Mustapha family that he should be released to his family for the sake of the unity of the country. For the past 12 years, his family has suffered his absence which has taken its toll on them in a negative way.

For 12 years, there has been no conviction. He has been on trial for 12 years. For how long will we allow politics to be played in every situation in Nigeria? So, we are appealing to the government to please, take a critical look at the matter. If we are to face facts, there has never been any case in the history of this country that has gone on for 12 years without ending. The situation is disheartening. Questions should be asked. What is happening if we are to move forward?

How has your organization tackled the incidence of increased divorce rate in the north where you come from?

I’ll attribute that to illiteracy and poverty. Those two things go hand in hand. We’ve been creating awareness in the rural areas to educate them no matter how little. Second, we educate them to be self-employed because when a man has more than one wife and has a low income, he’ll be unable to meet his family responsibilities and there will definitely be problems which might lead to chaos in the home and eventually, a divorce. Even if it is groundnut that she sells, it will still give her an income and not make her depend solely on the man to buy soap of 50 naira because that soap could cause her, her marriage when the man is frustrated. From frustration comes transfer of aggression.

There is this case that came up recently in Kano, where a teenager was abducted and turned to a sex slave by men of the force and some civilians. What has your organization done so far about it?

We are on it but we cannot do anything much because we want to get our facts before we prosecute. We are following up the case and we will not rest until we reach a logical conclusion. I mean these are men who are supposed to be the protectors of the law and citizens. If drastic measures are not taken, something more grievous will definitely be the trend in a few years to come.

As for the girl, she has been treated and we are counselling her and her parents, because of the trauma she might be facing. We have given her instances of women who were molested and still lived a better life like Oprah Winfrey and many more. What we are trying to do now is to let her know that she still has a better life to live; that this was just a horrible phase of her life and she should not allow it to weigh her down. Though it’s going to be tough, yet it’s a gradual process.

How has your NGO been able to cope with the notion that most of you are fraudulent?

That is why we are self funded. We do not depend on any organization for funds. We have our dignity and integrity to protect so we task ourselves financially and account for every dime we spend so that we do not go astray.

There is this perception that women who call themselves activists are very independent women even in their matrimonial home. In the north, they feel a woman’s place is to remain behind the scene and not to be heard in public. How have you been able to overcome that challenge?

Even in Islam, the woman has every right in her home and wherever she finds herself. So, even within your home, you have a right to challenge what is not right, but there are ways you go about it. You do it with caution and respect most especially the man of the home. Even when it comes to challenging leaders in the community, as long as they are our leaders, challenges against them should be done with respect.

Women on this ground, should not be differentiated; does a woman not have a heart or conscience? It is our duty as mothers and women to make sure that things go the right way. So, we cannot sit, fold our hands and allow things to rot in the name of remaining behind the scene. One thing people fail to understand is that we are the last resort to run to in terms of solutions to a problem.