A First Lady Who Discovered Her Mission -By Usman Ibrahim

Zamfara first lady, Aisha Bello Matawalle, is a model for how public figures can use their privilege and standing to make society better. She has discovered hers.

She has a passion to help and to uplift society, but even with her good heart,she knows that she cannot be everywhere,and do everything. She has,therefore,identified 2 areas of core interest: women and youth.

In the past 1 year as the first lady, one has lost count of how many occasions she has provided immediate needed support by way of cash and/or materials (known as ‘palliatives’): foodstuff, wrappers, inputs to start micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) to women to ease their conditions. 

Beyond these immediate-term interventions, she has taken up advocacy on women and youth issues. She has been bold, confronting an elephant in the room in Northern Nigeria everybody prefers to keep quiet about: sexual and gender-based violence especially against women. 

She has advocated a change in the law with stiffer penalties for rape. During the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence, she led a road walk herself  to the palace of the emir of Gusau, the Zamfara State House of Assembly, and the commissioner of police, Zamfara State Command.

The emir is the custodian of the culture of the people. Clearly, the good people of Zamfara can’t be tolerant to a rape culture and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls. The State Assembly makes the laws of Zamfara, clearly they can’t make laws that seem to give room for sexual violence, or create escape routes for offenders. The police arrest and prosecute offenders, and perpetrators this sexual violence culture, but seem not to have been particularly committed to this. It was hoped that by causing a conversation on this issue, it will result to a change of mind along better laws and policies to end sexual and gender-based violence, with stiff penalties for offenders.

There is also a growing menace of drug abuse among the youth in Zamfara. She didn’t hide it or pretend that it does not exist. To mark this year’s Interested Day Against Drug Abuse, she organised an event to create awareness on the dangers of drug abuse, where she, along with other partners invited like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), not only persuaded the youth against the illicit use of drugs but warned them of the consequences when caught. Persuasion is good. Assuring offenders that they will be caught and when caught will face the consequences, is a pragmatic approach to solving problems.

Focused public figures use their standing in society for good. They shape opinions, policies, even laws. They not only tell us what we want to hear but that which we may not want to here but is needed. The Zamfara first lady has found her calling and she’s fulfilling it

God Bless Maman Marayu