Change Begins With Me: A must read narrative

By Ibrahim Ramalan

Since the girl-child is totally under the care and guidance of adult who may be her parents or guardians, girl-childhood is also a period when a girl-child is soft, build and develops her personality and character, this stage that she requires guidance from who will model her behavior, through observation, repetition and imitation.
Thus, understanding of what is right and wrong and the relationship between the environment and her peculiar circumstances becomes sacrosanct.
Accordingly, a booklet written by Alade Sam-Foye, ‘Change Begins With Me’ is on point to reinforce the aforementioned stance.

The booklet is a 28-paged intriguing narrative inspired by the international day of the girl-child, which one of the non-governmental organization in Abuja, Save a Soul usually convenes.
The story in the booklet emphasizes the importance of using the day to sensitize and encourage the girl child in Nigeria to grow beyond domestic and traditional strings limiting their aspirations in life.
It therefore revolves around the story of one of the most accomplished female character in Nigeria, Hannatu Zakari, the first professor of Home Management and Domestic resolution in the whole of Africa, who later became a Minister in the federal republic of Nigeria.

The story of this character is started from childhood, teenagehood and adulthood which were captured in a stylish narrative.
This story is indeed that of tears, sufferings, and hopelessness at the beginning. But, as time went on, and with patience, perseverance and believe in God, Hannatu was able to weather the storm.
This life is indeed exemplary, even though it is full of ups and downs. What is promising however is the fact that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Although it was possible by following an acceptable behavior, without joining the band wagon or popular culture that is not in accordance with societal etiquette.

The book ended with resounding poems that are reinforcing the belief and principles that a girl child should embrace, comparable to that of the character, Hannatu.
The second poem was dedicated to one of our fallen heroes in the Nigerian Army, Abu Ali who was killed on the battle ground in Maiduguri.
By and large, the book will enjoy a good outing courtesy of the fact that the author, being a trained teacher, writer, actor and speech writer, has exhibited his prowess of harnessing his writing and teaching skills together to come up with such outstanding booklet.
By way of review, I recommend this booklet to all and sundry. The book can as well be keyed into the Federal Government’s “Change Begins With Me campaign” because the preachings are all one and the same.

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