Hajiya Aishatu Aliko Mohammed has been a member of Jamiyar Matan Arewa since 1968. In this interview with ABDULRAHEEM AODU, she explains what they are doing to resuscitate the Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) and her activities in Jamaatu Nasril Islam.
You have been involved in NGOs since the 60s, can you give a brief on yourself and your programmes?
I’m just a simple person. I have eight children, seven daughters and one son. I have been working in humanitarian services which is my area of interest.I have been a member of Jamiyar Matan Arewa(JMA) since 1968. When I came here in 1966, I never worked with anybody, I became interested in JMA and my husband supported me. I became interested in government activities that require NGOs or women organisations. I became the first Chartered President of Lioness Club and one of the founding members of Human Development Foundation in Nigeria. I never worked with any government organisation, so I went to Kaduna Polytechnic to get the Ordinary Diploma (ND) in Business Studies.
I started Aisha Mohammed International Schools now Kaduna International School, then I became member representing Jamiyar Matan Arewa in ABU hospital in Kaduna, to help the destitute.
After that I became President of Nigeria Association of Women Entrepreneurs, I was later elected African President. I have assisted late Abubakar Gumi School now Aisha Dan Iyan Misau School in Unguwar Dosa, Kaduna. I’m a trustee and member of so many organisations. UNICEF has supported me, I was chairman of Kaduna EPI/ORT in 1987, I’m also member of Aid Group of JNI. I’m the chairman, Board of Trustees of Borno Community in Kaduna.
You were reported as saying you want to revive Jamiyar Matan Arewa’s orphanage. How do you intend to do it?
Since Hajiya Laila Dogon Yaro died activities are not going on at the Jamiyar Matan Arewa’s Orphanage as they used to when she was alive. I decided, as a member since 1968, as a former president, secretary and treasurer, to speak with people about its revival.
Some people also spoke with me about not allowing the orphanage, that has been in existence since when I was in the secondary school, to life. It was started by our parents and other people who organised it before we came to become members. When it was established there were trustees who are all of blessed memories, except one person, who is the wife of first executive governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Kashim Ibrahim. They are the custodians of the organisation.
What we did was to contact her and tell her what we think of reviving the organisation and as the only trustee to give us go ahead. We held meetings with all founding members. She gave us her blessings and asked us to start the restructuring and reviving of the organisation.
So, we set up a committee to revive the organisation. We have held meetings, contacted many states where we had members. Jamiyan Matan Arewa started when there was only one North, not divided into states as we have it now. We called a meeting as we used to do during the time of our mothers, we have aims and objectives of what we want to do as an organisation of 60 years.
We want to register with Corporate affairs Commission (CAC); have a constitution and board of trustees. We got a lawyer who drafted a constitution for us so we have a constitution now.
How will you get the required funds?
We levied ourselves. We now pay monthly dues and we are also trying to reach out to the public to organise some sort of fund raising to restructure Jamiyar Matan Arewa.We have a school: pre-nursery, nursery, primary and secondary and a nursing home. There was a pilot project where young boys in the market are helped to own their shops.
The money we generated from the school is used to support the orphanage and we get people to donate money to the orphanage. The school has nothing to do with the restructuring because we believe that to bring the organisation back to life, we have to raise the funds elsewhere not from the structure on ground.
What has the response been like?
Well, I can’t say how many members we have but lots of people are registering across the country and many more people are interested in joining Jamiyar Matan Arewa as we have introduced more activities.
When we conduct election, we will then know how many members we have. People are showing interest from across the nation and we have professionals as members: doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers name them.
What measures have you put in place to safeguard the children from the trend of human traffickers which has become very pervasive in the country?
We have our guidelines on if you come to take a child or if you bring a child. We have categories of children: abandoned children; children whose mothers die and have nowhere to go, and parents who don’t have the means to take care of their children. We accept a child when you come with police and social welfare reports. If the mother dies, the father has to have somebody to stand in for him and witness what he says about the wife. We take children whose mothers are sick, who have nobody to take care of them.
We ask you to fill forms, we go to your house, have you confirmed by the Mai Ungwar, Village Head, who will vouch for your character, after handing the child over to you; we visit your house to know whether the child is with you then after we are satisfied, we can allow you look after your child.
Sometimes husband and wife may fight or the man divorces his wife and take away the child, then you come and say the wife is dead, we would investigate and get the facts straight. We must get the death certificate or other necessary certificates.
When you bring a child without anyone to support, we will ask you go to the police or social welfare to fill the documents before we can take the child in. We don’t want you to just say your wife is dead, you are divorced or any such lies, we don’t accept that. We must go through social welfare, police, Mai Ungwar and our own investigations.
What steps do you take before a child could be adopted in JMA orphanage?
When you bring a child, we take them to hospital, you fill forms, then we keep the child for up to two and half years, after which we can allow somebody adopt to the child through the social welfare.
We don’t want a child to grow up in the orphanage, we want them to grow within a family with sisters, brothers and their parents.
You are a prominent member of JNI, what is your role?
When the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of Jaamatu Nasril Islam came to restructure the JNI, I was among the people he appointed to the restructuring committee and part of the recommendations is that there should be 13 standing committees and Central Women Committee is one of the committees set up which I am the chairman.
Activities of women, which includes cultural education, girl-child education, vocational skills, health, mortality, HIV/AIDS, orphans, widows, every aspect that affects women in all areas are under the committee.
It also covers activities of Fulani and nomads’ women, getting them educated and alternative vocational skills. Some of them have their own skills, like bead making, but we want them to get skills that can enable them earn a living because issue of cattle rustling often make some of them lose their cows.
Does JNI finance the Islamic schools that you run?
No. JNI does not finance Islamic schools apart from schools that belong to the organisation. There is Arabic College in Zaria and we have a land for Jamaatu Nasril Islam College, which was registered some years ago, which we are operating somewhere in a small place.
