On the 26^th of November, 2019 the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) Dutse office hosted Honorable Fatima W. Jallo on its third edition of bi-monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS). ILERIS is an initiative of CITAD aimed at `enriching the lives of young people through mentorship and inspiration. Accomplished personalities from different backgrounds and professions are invited to speak to the participating youth about their lives, challenges, obstacles, successes, careers, etc. with a viewing to unpacking some hints for the participating youth to copy and apply in order for them to also succeed in their endeavors.

It can be recalled that the Centre had in June this year hosted Honorable Hadiza Abdulwahab, former Permanent Secretary and former Commissioner in Jigawa state and in September, Professor Amina Bashir, Dean School of Postgraduates Studies, Federal University Dutse was also at the event. Hajiya Fatima, a veteran Journalist and former Commissioner Ministry of Women Affairs in Jigawa state discussed her experience in life and the challenges she faced while growing up. As someone who has been well respected in the field of journalism and attained the position of Special Adviser and later Commissioner in her state surprised the audience when she said that “I don’t have a degree”. Fatima like other great entrepreneurs and scholars in the world; Zuckerberg, Gate and others was a dropped out student of Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Hajiya Fatima who was born in Lagos in 1962 where she completed her primary education before moving to Government Girls College, Dala (GGC Dala), was also at Kaduna Polytechnic. Initially Fatima wanted to study Nursing after her graduation from secondary but due to perception (people in Northern Nigeria took Nurses as prostitutes) people had on the course then influenced her father to not allow her to study the course. Immediately she dropped out from Kaduna Polytechnic she went back to Lagos to start working with NGOs before meeting Mr. Bode Alalade, an air personality with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) who saw broadcasting qualities in her and advised her to enroll in Nigerian Institute of Journalism in Lagos, there she had her Diploma in Broadcasting. In her broadcasting days, honorable Fatima worked with African Independent Television (AIT), Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN), MITV before moving to Jigawa Radio Cooperation.

At Jigawa Radio Cooperation, Mrs. Fatima held many positions before she was called by former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki to serve as Special Adviser (SA) on Jigawa State People’s Congress (JSPC), then as a Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs under the administration of Alhaji Sule Lamido.

Hajiya Fatima is a philanthropist, believer of equity, justice and equal chance to every human no matter where he/she comes from. It is this belief that made her to adopt many Almajiris in her area. While discussing with audience at the event, Hajiya Fatima said one of her adopted Almajiris is a Custom Officer now and the other one is in Jigawa state Polytechnic studying Architecture. Mrs. Fatima believe that it is only when we take every child as our own then our society will be free from social vices like kidnapping, arm robbery, rape, drug abuse an others.

According to Honorable Jallo one thing that makes you to excel in life is dedication, hard work, honesty, believing in yourself and prayer. At the end of her discussion she advised the youth in the gathering to encourage and support their sisters and daughters in pursuing their education, the youth to be self-reliant, seek for knowledge and be respectable to their society.

During the questions and answer session an SS1 student of Government Day Science Secondary School Gadadin raised an important question where he asked the guest about how and what people in his age bracket can help in the development of Nigeria.