Courage and firmness are some of the inherent features of Hajiya Khadija Gambo Hawaja, a renowned social activist, an Islamic Da’ee (Preacher) and an advocate of attitudinal change. In this interview with MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU, she speaks on girl-child education, life as Da’ee, her NGO, Muslim Women Forum for Peace on the Plateau as well as her inspirations and aspirations.
Can you give a brief on your background?
My name is Khadija Gambo Hawaja, born on March 14, 1969, here in Jos. I started my educational journey in 1976 as I was sent to the St. Theresa’s Boys, sounds so funny but that was the name and they admitted girls.
Having finished in 1982, I went to the Naraguta Grammar School where I did my secondary school and completed in 1988. After which my interest changed to the quest for Islamic studies, and I decided to attend the School for Islamic Studies, Sarkin Mangu in Jos, for my junior secondary and also did my higher Islamic studies and finished from the same school in 1993.
I started a diploma course with them but for some reasons I couldn’t finish, so I proceeded to Shehu Shagari College of Education, where I did my NCE in Islamic Studies, graduated in 1998 and I sat for JAMB and got admission into the University of Jos, where I studied Islamic Studies and I graduated in 2004.
But my quest for comparative knowledge took me to the University of Calabar, where I studied law, and I was the first Hausa Muslim lady to study in that faculty of the institution.
How did you become a house-hold name in Islamic circles in Plateau state?
Some people say my name became a house hold brand in Jos, simply because I am participating in the struggle, with a view to realising our dream as citizens of Nigeria and indigenes of Plateau state. Some say it is because I refused to subdue myself to the level of the typical Hausa woman, who doesn’t say anything when it matters. So, I think due to my boldness in saying no or yes where I feel I should, I made a name for myself.
And others say it is because of my late father’s name, Gambo Hawaja, who stood firm for the people, and opposed tyrannical oppression during his days.
What motivated you to engage in preaching or Da’awa?
I always say that it is not easy for a woman who lives in a male-dominated society, in which the voice of the woman is not given recognition. When I was growing up, I noticed how the women were maltreated, even on the path of calling to Islam, whereas even in the history of Islam, there were some renowned Muslim women. Women, were into Da’awa and I said let me add my voice to their path.
Initially, it was highly challenging, in the sense that a lot were condemning, a lot of criticisms, as to why should a woman talk, but then I damned all those and went ahead.
So, I am very careful what I do. Again, I remained firm in Islamic Da’awa having looked at the foot prints of those Muslim women. One other thing was that when I looked around, I discovered that most of our women are left behind, not only with regards to western education but even Islamically.
And sometimes I’m not too happy with most of the interpretations given by some of the men in some verses, in which they make the women to look as if the essence of us in this world is just to satisfy the pleasures of the men. And for me, my understanding of Islam is that the message is for men and women and both will have to stand before Allah to give account of how we lived and what we did in this world.
In the religion of Islam, it is said that “pass the message onto others” and since it did not specify as to who will pass the message, so I have to understand better, have to say it and I have to preach as it is. And in so doing, I think if women will see one of them doing, it will encourage them. These are some of the reasons that made me Da’ee.
So, would you say that you have achieved your aims?
Well, I will be deceiving myself if I say I have achieved, but I am working towards that. The problems are so enormous, one person cannot do it, it requires a lot of hands including that of the men, it is a collective responsibility, in ensuring that we eradicate illiteracy in our community.
But it gives me some happiness when I reflect to see that even if it was a drop into an ocean, I made it. For the past 19 years, I have used the little opportunity that I have had and impacted knowledge onto the few women that I come across.
I initiated an informal school, where the women come to my home and we used some of the vacant rooms to teach them on how to read and write in both Arabic and English, also teaching them how to understand the Hadith (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and even Islamic jurisprudence. I did that for quite some time but then I faced a lot of challenges, unfortunately at that time I was not strong enough, so I couldn’t continue with the class.
However I never stopped teaching the women, because every little opportunity that I get I use it to teach. I am also the first female that conducted Tafsir of the Qur’an from the 1st to 27th of every Ramadan here in Jos, to the best of my knowledge.
The enormity of the work is what makes me to say I have not achieved. So, if I feel like I have achieved then the challenges will be over looked.
In shaa Allah I am looking forward to having something formal, a Foundation that will cater for the widows, orphans and underprivileged women in the society, who are of course my constituency.
Would you say a lot has been achieved in terms of girl-child education in Jos?
I would say yes and no. Yes, in the sense that there have been tremendous changes whereby we are not only having women that have secondary school certificates but women graduates with degrees. It is so beautiful, but one thing that keeps baffling me is that my understanding of education goes beyond the ability to just read, write and acquire certificates, but it is about self-liberation; it is about emancipation and doing something to change yourself and others, which I don’t see most of the women doing.
Again, why I say no has to do with our attitude. Sometimes even when we go to school, we behave same way with those that have not gone to school.
So, I am saying that, it goes just beyond acquiring certificates, but having confidence in one’s self and what was even studied.
We still have a lot to do because we still have more numbers that are not going to school, though we have doubled the number of those that are going. We must change from our attitude of the Hausa northerner, who believes that once his daughter finishes secondary school then she is educated.
Other challenges to girl-child education is poverty, and the worst is even where a lot of people still don’t believe in sending their girl-child to school. People have wrong perception that when you send your child to acquire western education, she becomes a prostitute, or she doesn’t respect marriage, that she will be confrontational and a lot of us think like that. However, I think we have achieved a lot compared to some years back.
How do you think these challenges can be surmounted?
Enlightenment is very important; we need to create more awareness on the importance of education and there has to be positive attitudinal change by our elites, because the perception in the mind of the ordinary Nigerian is that western education is an alien culture and it teaches corruption, simply because that is what they see the elites doing.
Secondly, our religious leaders have to come in to make it clear to people that Islam did make distinction between the life in this world and hereafter, because the life in the hereafter begins with the one in the world. So, they should make the people know that Islam has no reservation on the quest for western or any form of education, all that matters is secure the knowledge and use it in the best way.
Thirdly, it is the responsibility of the government, it is the fundamental rights of every citizen of a country to be provided with basic education, and Nigerian government is not an exception to that international law. I see the government contradicting itself always, talking about education with virtually nothing practical to make it easier for the citizens to acquire education.
And fourthly, the general community has a duty to support those that don’t have the means to go to school, because we are making the mistake by leaving everybody to himself alone. No, we should also support to educate the children of our neighbours so that tomorrow they wouldn’t become problems to us and the community.
I have had the privilege of traveling to all states except Ekiti, and I am pleased with the Yoruba, because they support the education of their children seeing it even beyond the community but the nation. But here in the North the educated elites are using their knowledge to the disadvantage of the people. So we really have to change the concept. This is the way I look at it.
You initiated an NGO, Muslim Women Forum for Peace on the Plateau. What informed this?
The group came into being in 2010, and it was initially tagged the Hausa-Fulani Muslim Women for Peace, and was born out of necessity during the crises when we were in trouble. At that time when there was immediate need for addressing social problems of the Hausa-Fulani woman of Jos North, who were striving for survival. But later we decided to change the nomenclature to the present one which is more encompassing, because it is the Muslim women in general, irrespective of tribe that were affected.
The aim is to cater for the plight of the widows, orphans and youths. And the organisation is manned by three of us, I being the president, Barrister Fatima Ibrahim Narogo, secretary and a qualified nurse/community health worker, Nafisa Muhammad Danjuma. As we got talking, and writing out, we also began to act more practically by sourcing for funds which we used to secure rooms on rent to house the women, whose houses were burnt.
We paid some hospital bills; provided food and clothing to them and their orphaned children. We are also paying their school fees. Our target is attainment of peace and also assisting the women, youths and children.
Where do you see the girl-child in Nigeria in the nearest future?
Alhamdulillah, my two daughters are graduates, one is a Botanist and the other is an Economist. As I said, people are acquiring degrees, but we are losing moral values in the society. People are losing the good virtues of education, yet I hope it will not be lost and I envisage a bright future of the girl-child.
Do you have aspirations beyond your present work?
(Laughs) I like politics but let me make it clear that I have no political ambition and intention or aspiration to contest for any political office. However, as an activist, socially and religiously, I hope to live and die like that.
I also aspire to leave a good legacy to my children, so that whenever my name is mentioned, they will be happy, just like my father had left for us. I further want to leave a legacy of impacting on the lives of people, no matter how insignificant it may seem, a positive change of attitude of my people, to saying yes or no when it matters.
