Prioritizing the less privilege
WOMEN ARE ALSO VERY VULNERABLE. THEY ALSO LACK A VOICE TO SPEAK FOR THEM. IN THE NORTHERN PART OF NIGERIA, DUE TO RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL NORMS, ALBEIT MISUNDERSTOOD OR MISREPRESENTED
Hajiya Baheejah Mahmood, fondly called Baya Goya Marayun Jihar Bauchi, was born in Azare to Alhaji Bappah Mahmood Abdullahi and Hajiya Khadija Mahmood. Hajiya Baheejah is mostly known and respected for her positive contribution in the lives of the downtrodden in Bauchi State. She is a politician per excellence, an icon to be revered, especially in rendition of selfless service to humanity. She worked tirelessly to establish the first ever government agency for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Bauchi State which benefitted millions of the less privileged during her tenure as the executive chairperson of the agency. Here, she gives some insight into her political career, life as a social development worker and public servant.
Educational background
I did my basic between Gamawa, Zaria, Azare, Misau and Gombe. My secondary School between Azare and Bauchi and my tertiary education in Bauchi.
Career background
I picked interest in social work since I was young. Anywhere I went, including homes of relations; I enjoyed taking care of children and the sick. I would take care of the needy or vulnerable anywhere I met them. As I became older, it became a passion taking care of people’s needs. Then in 2008 I co-founded an NGO for vulnerable women and children. Women and Children are the most vulnerable segment of any society the world over.
Experience working with women and children
It has been very rewarding and fulfilling. It gives me joy when I work for children. Children are innocent with no voice of their own. Therefore, it requires a person with tolerance, empathy and gentleness to work with them. Sometimes too, it requires someone with commitment and strong will to stand up for the cause of children, women and even youths, to be their voice. Even if it means making legal representation, we do so on behalf of women and children.
Women are also very vulnerable. They also lack a voice to speak for them. In the northern part of Nigeria, due to religious and cultural norms, albeit misunderstood or misrepresented, women are relegated to the background in decision making processes relating to the economy and even their social wellbeing. Women are not consulted even on issues concerning their lives. They suffer all forms of abuse and neglect and require someone to support and assist them in realising their potentials.
Why I established an NGO
It is for the same reasons expressed above I co-founded an NGO, the Support Initiative for Vulnerable Women and Children (SIVWC), to serve as a channel for reaching and positively impacting on the lives of the vulnerable in the society. It is due to this realisation that NGOs play a very vital role in the implementation of social programmes that benefit the society. It is also because of this that we registered a second NGO, the Bauchi Grassroots Development Initiative (BGDI), which focus is mitigating issues relating to women, youths and community selfhelp programmes. BGDI is a rallying point for more than 400 women and youth groups and associations.
International NGOs, donor organisations and our local CSOs and NGOs must be applauded. They are doing their best in impacting on the lives of our people in all social and development areas. Whenever there is a natural or man-made disaster, they run to the rescue of victims with food, shelter, clothing or other intervention materials. On the flip side though, government does not do as much as expected. When there is a disaster, it is the primary responsibility of government to intervene, but what we see is government relegating itself to the background, leaving NGOs to lead, and often without even giving the appropriate support to achieve the desired reach and impact.
My political career
Every human being is a political animal. I ventured into politics because of the desire I had to serve. I started politics from the grassroots-interacting with people from my community on issues that concerned us and spearheading the struggle to get some of the issues resolved.
During the Obasanjo administration, I held the position of party ex-officio (North East) of the PDP at the national level. After this, I felt the need to return to my home state to continue the political strides closer to the grassroots. With a humble appointment as Personal Assistant on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) to the then Governor, Isa Yuguda, of Bauchi State, in 2007, I rose through the ladder of political office in the state. From PA, I became a Special Assistant (SA), Senior Special Assistant (SSA) and later Director General (DG) of OVC.
After expending enormous effort articulating the proposal for establishing an agency for the OVC, working with the executive and legislative arms of government in the state, the law establishing the Bauchi State Agency for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (BASOVC) was passed and assented to in 2012 by the governor. He appointed me as the executive chairperson of the agency, a position I held until the coming of the next administration in 2015.
Currently, due to unsolicited pressure on me from individuals and groups, especially women, who are