News Investigators/ The The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman says Nigeria must recognise the value of women’s participation in leadership and nation-building.
Usman spoke during a conference on Queen Amina organised by the Nigerian Defence Academy with the theme; ”Leaderships Strategy and Nation Building: Lessons for Contemporary Leaders in Nigeria, on Thursday in Kaduna’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bala-Usman was represented by theSpecial Assistant to the President, Delivery and Coordination, Farida Sada.
She said leadership was not the preserve of any particular gender and cited the contributions of women in Nigeria as well as in the African continent to leadership and nation-building.
She also urged policy makers at all levels to adopt the legacies of previous iconic figures in their quest for nation-building.
According to her, the seminar was particularly significant in the current security landscape of Nigeria, which was facing numerous challenges that require strategic leadership and innovative solutions.
She explained that for Nigeria to overcome the contemporary security challenges, policy makers must take a cue from history and use it as an avenue to learn from the successes and failures of previous leaders.
Bala-Usman said, “I would like to encourage contemporary leaders to draw inspiration from Queen Amina’s leadership strategy and apply the lessons learned to their own contexts.
“Queen Amina’s story is a testament to the pivotal role women have played in shaping the course of history.
“From Queen Bilqis, also known as Sheba in the Bible to Cleopatra in ancient Egypt, and the fearless Amazons of Dahomey, women have consistently demonstrated leadership acumen, strategic thinking, and bravery in the face of adversity.
“These women have shown us that leadership is not the preserve of any particular gender, but rather a quality that can be cultivated and honed.$
Bala-Usman identified many examples of women who had made significant contributions to leadership and nation-building in Nigeria and Africa in general.
These, she said, included: “Queen Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba, who resisted Portuguese colonization in Angola, is a notable example.
“Yaa Asantewaa, the queen mother of the Ejisu people in Ghana, who led the Ashanti rebellion against British colonial rule, is another.
$Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a Nigerian educator and women’s rights activist, who fought for women’s suffrage and education, is a role model for many.
“And Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel laureate, who promoted sustainable development and environmental protection, is an inspiration to us all.”
According to her, there is the need to draw lessons from the history and the experiences of iconic figures like Queen Amina, and learning from the contributions of women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
She listed other to include Amina Mohammed amongst several others, adding, “the Nigerian Armed Forces will no doubt add value to its current leadership contributions in nation building.”
Bala-Usman described the seminar as timely that would add value towards addressing the security challenges facing the country.
In his welcome address, Commandant of the NDA, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Ibrahim, said the academy was committed to playing a leading role in shaping the next generation of leaders in Africa.
He stated d that Africa was at a critical juncture in its development, facing numerous challenges that required effective leadership and strategic thinking.
“Through this conference and seminar, we aim to provide a platform for discussion, reflection and learning, and to identify strategies and solutions that can help address the leadership challenges facing our continent, “he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion and former NDA Commandant, Maj.-Gen. retired Ibrahim Yusuf, said that the lessons from the lecture would be handy to future generation of leaders in giving their best to the country and humanity.
He urged leaders to uphold the virtues of bravery, commitment and resilience, as exemplified by Queen Amina in a bid to overcome the challenges of the country.
In his submission, Prof. Timothy Stapleton of the University of Calgary in Canada stressed the need for more research to ascertain the accuracy of some information related to Queen Amina.
In a remark, the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmad Bamalli, said the lecture had laid the foundation for further discussions on the topic, and stressed the need for a documented history for future research.
The conference aims to foster scholarly exchange, encourage inter-disciplinary research, and highlight the role of military leaders in shaping the socio-political landscapes from ancient times to modern era.
NAN