I TOLD MY TEACHER I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A TEACHER. SINCE THEN MY CLASSMATES HAVE BEEN CALLING ME “VILLAGE HEADMISTRESS
I was born on June 27, 1964, in Mayo Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa State. I attended Elementary Primary School, Mayo Belwa, from 1970 to 1976, and later proceeded to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, from 1976 to 1981. I got a BSc in Home Economics from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in 1989, a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Education from the University of Jos in 1995 and a Masters in Education Management (M.Ed) from Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (MAUTECH) in 2007.
I started my career as a teacher with the Adamawa State Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB) in 1990 and later became the Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Army Barracks, Yola, in 1996. From there I became the Director, Family Support Programme (FSP), from 1998 to 1999. In the same year I was appointed principal and I stayed in that position up to 2006.
In 2008, I was appointed the Executive Secretary, Scholarship Board, and in 2008, Executive Director, Scholarship Trust Fund, then Deputy Permanent Secretary, Trust Fund.
Aside my career, I have just been given the traditional title of “Zinariyar Mayo Belwa”, meaning “Gold of Mayo Belwa”. Growing up In those days, life was very easy. We started with Qur’anic education and we enjoyed travelling at night due to its safety. There was nothing like kidnapping or armed robbery then. Life was flowing like a peaceful river. Challenges One of the major challenges I have faced in life is the type of work I do. The positions I have held so far, up to the stage of registrar, have been tedious and demanding to the extent that I hardly spare time for myself. I usually go to work as early as 8am and close by 6pm every day. I have limited time for my family. Life lessons I have learnt to be simple and honest when dealing with people, and to be very prayerful. Aspirations growing up to be a teacher. When I was in JSS 2, a teacher came to our class and asked what we would like to become in future and I told her I would like to become a teacher. Since then my classmates have been calling me “Village Headmistress”. Till date they still call me that. Childhood memories As kids, we so much enjoyed going to the river and playing with water. I am the type that loves bathing with cold water. There was a day I got ice blocks put them in bucket and bathed with the chilled water. When my parents learnt about it, I was beaten I’ll never forget that day. My typical day I am always occupied; doing one thing or the other. Its either I am attending to my staff or doing some office work. I spend the day working or surfing the net. I am the busy type. Most cherished gift It was my first car from my husband; it was a Darkson Cherry. He asked me to close my eyes and when we went outside the house he unfolded my eyes and boom! It was a car! I was overwhelmed by the gift because I could never have asked for more and never expected it.
We started dating during my secondary school days. He proposed. It was a yes! And we got married; simple! He is very simple, honest, straight forward and stands his ground on truth and honesty. My motherhood experience is a dream come true and I cannot quantify or describe the joy I felt when I had my first baby.