(A Service To Humanity)
By Sagir Sadisu Buhari FCAI
In 1597 Francis Bacon stated that “knowledge itself is power” and Nelson Mandela, in the same vein, said in 2003 that “education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”
Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje PhD, FNIM, FoE, FNAEP was born on the 25th of November, 1957 to the royal family of Late, Alhaji Muhammadu Gauyama of blessed memories, a former Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence and Economic Development during the Nation’s First Republic, District Head of Mallam Madori, Kaugama and Kafin Hausa and also the Madawakin of Hadejia and Her Mother Hajiya Hasiya in Hadejia Local Government, Jigawa State of Nigeria. She is an astute academic and administrator par excellence, by and large she dedicated herself to the service of humanity, where she became a pacesetter in women and youth empowerment and an advocate for Anti- Drugs Campaign, Maternal Child Care and Uplifting the Orphans and Vulnerables.
Thus; Prof Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje began her studies with Qur’anic School at Malam Madori, where she distinguished herself as an excellent student in Qur’anic Studies. This forms the Basic of her sound morality and humanity as taught by Islamic teachings.
On Western Education, she started with Malam Madori Primary School, Skekara Boarding Primary School, Kano, Women Teachers College (WTC) and Bayero University, (BUK) Kano. At Bayero University Kano, She bagged Bachelor of Science (ED) in Education, Masters Degree in Education Psychology, Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Educational Administration and Planning.
On the 14th Day of August, 2019. The Governing Council of Maryam Abacha American University of Niger (MAAUN) approved her promotion to the rank of Associate Professor ( Administration and Planning). The decision for the new rank was based on her record of teaching, research service and comprehensive review of her scholarly work as stated by Prof Muhammad Magaji Rano.
Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje aquired high level of intellectual prowess and vast experience in educational administration and planning, she served as a Teacher, Head of Department, Senior Mistress, Vice Principal, Principal, Inspector of Education, Deputy Director in Secondary School Board of Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Abuja and Lecturer at the Department of Education, Bayero University Kano.
Prof, Hafsat Ganduje attended various seminars, workshops and conferences within and outside the country. She belongs to many professional bodies, like the All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools,(ANCOOSS), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and Fellow Nigerian Association of Educational Administration and Planning (NAEAP) among others.
Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is a symbol of humility and service to humanity, she gave women and youth their voice not only in Kano State, but also all over the country. She was also instrumental to the implementation of the National Policy that reserves 30% for women under the affirmative action guidelines. She supported her husband to empower and promote the cause of women in the state as part of the administration’s civil service reform agenda.
The reform saw the appointment of the First Female Head of Service, First Female Accountant General, First Female Auditor General in the State, Women Commissioners in the Executive Cabinet, Twelve Women Permanent Secretaries, Women Director Generals, Managing Directors, Executive Secretaries and Women Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants (SSA’s) among others.
Available records also shows that about 968 Women Leaders and their Deputies in the 484 wards of the state, 44 Women Local Government Advisers, 88 Local Government Supervisory Councillors and 220 Local Government Senior Special Assistants among others.
Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has used a series of empowerment initiatives to open the
consciousness of women to their innate abilities. These initiatives were clear indication of her unrelenting support for her fellow women in the democratic dispensation. The move has become much more pronounced, considering the stunning pace with which she carried the empowerment initiatives across the 44 Local government areas of the state, through this, hundred of thousands of women and youth have become self employed and self reliant.
Her giant strides especially in women and youth empowerment, has earned her an enviable position as pace setter and elicited positive comments from organizations/associations within and outside the country. As an administrator, Prof Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje embarked on project that brings positive change for the collective good of the women and she has recorded successes in this regard. For many years, she has channeled her energy into service to humanity even in the face of challenges.
Her immense popularity, acceptability and populist appeal in the eyes of the women has been explicit, most especially to the places she visited during the empowerment initiatives in Kano State.
Women were empowered with sewing machines, cooking materials, pasta making machine, fertilizers, farming inputs, generators, bags of rice, groundnut oil to take-off grants for small scale businesses across the state.
Apart from the women empowerment programme, Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje through her husband pet project the Ganduje Foundation has been able to touch many lives of the good people of Kano and beyond in various ways. Under her motherly guidance, she has been involved in many programmes carefully designed to give the women, children, orphans and vulnerables in particular an exclusive sense of belonging in the society.
Under the medical outreach programme of the foundation termed; Health Camp, which comprises a team of medical doctors, nurses and other auxiliary staff that go round the local government to conduct the medical outreach, where those with minor health problems are attended to and given medication, while those with serious complications are referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital or the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist (Nasssarawa) Hospital, with which the Ganduje Foundation is maintaining a retainership for further medical diagnosis and treatment.
Prof. Hafsat has distributed hundred of thousands of delivery kits to expected mothers through the foundation, particularly in the rural areas, while it has been instrumental in the establishment of counselling centres to support women emotional trauma.
The foundation free eye treatment programme for various eye treatment has so far handled more than 287,000 patients with glaucoma and provision of eye glasses in the 44 Local government areas in the state and beyond.
Her various initiatives and plans at improving the participation of women in societal development across the State has successfully brought smiles to the faces of many women. The foundation conduct various skills acquisition training for thousands of women from the 44 Local Governments on various trades that include tailoring, perfume making, video and photography, event management, tomatoes preservation and empowerment in various agricultural chain technology.
Indeed, Education is power and it is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world, Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has utilized her sound and qualitative education and brought positive innovations towards the empowerment and development of women within and outside the state. As the Icon of women and youth empowerment.
It is also with the understanding that in every democratic setting, no politician would pay lip service to women participation in politics considering their indispensability in any democratic journey. This is also reinforced because of their numerical strength. Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje PhD, FNIM, FoE, FNAEAP has become a role model in kano state and beyond considering the role she played in supporting and empowering the women and youth.
Just of recent the Nigeria First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Holds Inaugural Meeting for Governing Board for Her NGO the Renewed Hope Initiative(RHI) and Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje happens to be a member of the Governing Board.
The Good people of Kano State would also appreciate Professor Hafsat Abdullahi Ganduje for Initiating the ” KANO STATE ANTHEM” in 2022. A feat which was first of it’s kind since the creation of the state in 1967.
Professor Hafsat Ganduje PhD, FNIM, FoE, FNAEP is happily married to Former Two Terms Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje PhD, OFR and is blessed with Seven Children and Grand Children.
