Naja’atu Bala Mohammed: First Elected Female SUG President in ABU Zaria

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Naja’atu Bala Mohammed, also known as Hajia Naja deserves to be mentioned in the rank and file of Nigeria’s foremost women activists and politicians. She is a radical activist, a vocal woman, distinguished abusite and an astute defender of democracy, women and human rights in Nigeria.

She is the first woman to win a Senate Seat in Kano State (representing Kano Central Senatorial District). She is also the first elected female president of the Students Union in the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU), (1982/83 session) and also at the National level.

Born in 1956, in the Central City of Kano to a political family, her father, Alhaji Ali Abdullahi, a core socialist was a contemporary of Mallam Aminu Kano in the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU).

Naja’atu attended primary school at St. Louis Private School, Kano, and went to the Women’s Teachers’ College, a Secondary School in Kano. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in History from the great Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed is the widow of Dr. Bala Mohammed who was a political adviser to Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, the governor of Kano, erstwhile political science don at Bayero University, Kano, and before that an ace broadcaster on the Voice of Nigeria.

He was murdered on 10 July 1981 by a mob. Before his murder, he had established himself first on the radio waves and then in academe as the most lucid of the Nigerian leftist theorists’. He was also an ideologue of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and a committed socialist. 

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed: Unionism, Activism, and Politics

Naja’tu Bala Mohammed exhibited traits of leadership from a very young age and was quite involved and engaged in Unionism, activism, and politics right from her university days.

Remarkably amongst some of these involvements was, her being the first female to be elected as president of the Students’ Union Government in the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU). In addition to that, Naja’atu was also the first female Vice – President and President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed took women’s participation in politics, especially in Northern Nigeria, in the current democratic dispensation to a different level. One significant feat in her political career was her becoming the first woman to win a Senatorial seat in Kano State (representing Kano central Senatorial District).

Besides this, she was regarded as one of the foremost social figures and political activists, to serve as the voice of the people of Kano when they demanded a change in the governance and administration of the state in 2003. Her involvement actually bore the required fruits when the Incumbent Governor that sought for re-election, lost the election that political year.

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed: Courage, Conviction, and Confidence

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed is a Woman with deep convictions. Like so many optimistic Nigerians, she is a firm believer that the battle to rid Nigeria of corruption must be a battle that is kept, must be kept alive and fought to the latter. This, she has reiterated severally, both in private spaces and public functions.

Speaking on her political career, she said, “Before I thought of contesting elections, I had to think of all the school fees, feeding, my mother and father. So, there is that basic responsibility.” She also thinks that though women need to be more involved in politics, a lot of women that have the strength to go into it are not educated. Thirdly and unfortunately so, those that have seemingly acquired Western education do not want to ‘soil’ their nails in the mud of politics.”

Naja’atu Bala Mohammed is known to be of a fiery disposition; a voice that is never hesitant to say the truth to the best of her ability. Hers is a character that is characterized by a commitment to whatever opportunity she is given or the role she is asked to play. She lives as a true patriot and exhibits fearlessness like a common thing.

Hajia Naja’atu Bala Mohammed and President Buhari
Hajia Naja’atu Bala Mohammed and President Buhari

For example, she was nominated and made a part of the committee saddled with the responsibility of dialoguing and fostering reconciliatory meetings between the members of the Boko Haram Sect and the entirety of the Nigerian Government/its people.

Interesting to know is the fact that, while some members of the committee (mostly men) opted out, because of the apparent dangers therein, Naja’atu Bala Mohammed considered it an opportunity to contribute her quota to nation-building and peace enhancement in Nigeria.

When asked why she didn’t withdraw or opt-out of the committee like others, she responded by stating that though she cannot explain why the others are leaving, and they probably have good reasons to, she, on the other hand, has vowed not to ever pull out of the committee, and by the ‘permission of Allah’, she will try her best in carrying out her duties.

Hajia Naja’atu Bala Mohammed has held a couple of political appointments and rejected some. At the beginning of the Buhari administration, she was appointed to chair the board of federal university Dutse. She rejected the appointment, stressing that she was not consulted.

She claimed her appointment was made through newspaper and was constrained to make the rejection via the same medium. However, she pledged her continuous support for Buhari and his administration.

She later accepted to serve the government and is currently a commissioner at the police service commission

A woman that was widowed at an early age and in a seemingly disadvantaged position, yet rose like a maverick to become the first female in cycles that were male-dominated. Naja’atu Bala Muhammad gives women and men alike, reasons to aspire, believe and conquer.

She serves as a reminder that age is not a factor, gender is not a barrier, and geographical location must not be a limitation to one’s dreams and hopes.


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Chila Andrew Aondofa

Founder/Team lead at TheAbusite.com | Abusite | Entrepreneur | Activist | Humanitarian | All Inquiries to info@theabusites.com. SMS/WhatsApp +2349015751816

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