Her Excellency, Hajia Aisha Atiku Bagudu
By AZUH AMATUS
Soft-spoken and amiable Hajia Aisha, is the wife of Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu.
Hajia Bagudu, is the founder of Mallpai Foundation, a front line NGO bringing succour to the less privileged and down trodden, especially in northern Nigeria.
In this interview with Azuh Amatus, publisher and editor-in-chief of leading online newspaper, Daylight.ng in her Abuja residence, the mother of six and philanthropist extraordinaire spoke passionately about her foundation, life as the wife of a governor, family and why she cannot stop helping the needy.
Hajia Bagudu, who is also the first ever recipient of the Daylight Annual Leadership Awards (DALA) Woman of the Year, said the honour would spur her to do more for humanity.
Enjoy the encounter
Her Excellency, Hajia Atiku Bagudu
Thank you. I’m Hajia Aisha Atiku Bagudu, the wife of the executive governor of Kebbi State, his first wife. I’m a mother who is happily married with kids and blessed with a loving husband. I also run an NGO, Mallpai Foundation.
Daylight.ng: How does it feel being the wife of a prominent politician and governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu?
Well, it feels good to have a loving husband, I have known my husband half of my life, aside being my husband, he is also my friend, brother, son, grand pa and everything. Being his first wife, also comes with you playing very important roles, because you are like the next in command and definitely has a big shoe to fill, a role to play by making sure everything is in order.
Her Excellency, Hajia Bagudu
I need to repeat this story again, even though I have told it severally. I was at a filling station somewhere here in Abuja and met two boys begging. Sincerely, something is wrong with the system, you will always meet children on the streets begging. Go to motor parks, filling stations and public places, you will see children begging. It is a sign that something is wrong somewhere. Back to my story, I was at a filling station and saw two boys, in fact, a boy with his younger brother begging. I called him and asked where the mother was and he told me it was just two of them on the streets of Abuja begging. Even when I appealed to them to enter my car so I can drop them off, they said no that their Mallam warned them not to enter anybody’s car. They told me they decided to beg because they were hungry and that their father married another wife after the death of their mother. And the new wife said she cannot live with them, so their father decided to bring them to stay with a Mallam. It was so sad and this happened about seven years ago. After the encounter with these young boys, I came back home and was seriously disturbed. I went back in search of the kid beggars but never saw them again. In other to help such vulnerable children in our society I decided to set up Mallpai Foundation.
What is the meaning of Mallpai?
It means Mass Literacy for the Less Privileged and Almajiri Initiative.
Why Almajiri?
Almajiri, remember I told you about those children begging at the filling station, they are Almajiris.
Like I said earlier, there are beggars all over the country; I feel that in both religions – Christianity and Islam, we are not supposed to beg. As a Muslim, I read a story about somebody who went to the prophet and was begging for food or so and the prophet asked him, what do you have? He said he only had a blanket, if I’m right. Then the prophet told him to go sell it and buy a cutlass, go into the bush and cut fire woods to sell and be empowered. Through Mallpai, we want to help the less privileged in our society and equally empower them through our numerous educational and vocational programmes.
Her
Excellency, Hajia Aisha Atiku Bagudu receiving her letter of award
notification from the publisher of Daylight Newspaper, Mr. Azuh Amatus
shortly after their interview in Abuja…recently
We have done a lot for society and humanity. We have renovated schools in Kebbi State and beyond, we also go to Almajiri schools to teach them how to read and write. We also empower them through vocational trainings. Some of the students under our educational programmes have finished from polytechnics. We also visit schools, spot the intelligent ones and see them through higher education. There was a boy, who had never attended any primary school before that we took under our care and paid for him to write exams, and he came out tops when the results were released.
When the headmaster of the school asked how we did it, I told him that at Mallpai we have volunteers that help us to put these kids through. Our volunteers teach these kids different types of subjects and engage them meaningfully.
Aside paying for the tuition fees of these pupils, we also buy them books and provide uniforms for them. It is a very hard job though. And the ones who do not feel like going to schools, we try our best to empower them with the vocations of their interest. Almajiris are not only boys, they also have girls, the girls raped by the opposite sex, those neck deep in prostitution, those forced into early marriages, I’m not saying early marriage is not good. What I’m saying in earnest is that our girls should be empowered and developed into assets. And all these we are doing at Mallpai. We also teach most of these girls how to live peacefully with their husbands. We also teach them how to clean themselves because hygiene is very important. We generally teach them how to run their homes and be good wives and great mothers. We also teach them how to read even though they are not going to school, let them know how to write their names and that of their children. They should show and teach their children the importance of going to school.
Painfully, we find it very difficult sometimes for the mothers of these girls to release them to us. As a law abiding foundation, we usually seek the consents of the parents, we do not just take their children and enrol them in schools without their permissions.
I once told a journalist the story of a woman whom we tried convincing to allow her daughter go to school. She was saying no that her people will insult her, I was there but she did not know who I was. My husband was a senator then. When I asked her why, she told me she wants her daughter to get married. I told her yes, she will be married because I also know the value of being married. She also told me her daughter had somebody she wants to marry and I told her that if she allows her to be educated she would get somebody better. She said to me, Haba Hajia, somebody like your husband will never marry my daughter and I asked her why such a statement. She said that by mere looking at me it is obvious I’m from a well to do family. To cut a long story short, she refused to release her daughter to us.
Even when we eventually convinced the mother to release the child to us so we can empower her through our vocational trainings, she later became scared and told us her daughter no longer listens to her. That whatever she tells her, the daughter’s response is usually that she would discuss it with Mallpai people first. So the mother became afraid because naturally people are scared of change.
We have also done a lot with IDPs camps. We have also visited and donated relief materials to many of them and will keep doing that as long as Allah empowers us with the funds.
Daylight.ng: What are the major challenges you face in the day-to-day running of Mallpai?
We have plenty challenges and face a lot of challenges at Mallpai. However, our biggest challenge is funding.
Daylight.ng: Is Kebbi State government not supporting you?
They are, they also know what we are doing, constantly catering for the needy and less privileged in our society, funding is usually not enough. My husband is our number one supporter, even when he was not the governor of Kebbi State, he has always been there for Mallpai because he believes so much in the project. He is our number one fan too and we appreciate him and very grateful for his support.
He has always encouraged and advised us like a true father, he constantly tells me what to do and how to go about our vision and mission. He believes so much in education and helping us immensely in that area. He also listens to our complaints and challenges whenever I go to him. So we need more funding to be able to do more for the society, sponsors and partners should feel free to approach us, our doors are widely open.
Daylight.ng: Do you have the intentions of taking Mallpai round the country, because your presence seems to be felt more in the north?
We do, because we are still growing. In Abuja here, we have some widows that we are helping, we pay rents for many of them too. We give out cash and material things. We want to reach out to more people nationwide, but we are concentrating more in the areas where we feel the challenges are enormous. This past Sallah, I celebrated it with the Almajiri children and that gave me an inner joy and fulfilment because I went with my children. We invited lots of them including orphans and had lunch with them. What moved me most at the event that day was when a little boy stood up and said he had never eaten chicken all his life, except that day.
I was also touched when one of the Almajiri children brought out the shoes we shared and put it on amid tears of joy.
Daylight.ng: Like how many schools, has Mallpai visited since inception?
Quite a lot, and we keep increasing every year. We have also empowered and given scholarships to over 100 students through Mallpai.
Daylight.ng: Again, how do you source for funds to sustain all these financial obligations?
Aside my husband helping, members of Mallpai also task themselves financially to run Mallpai. We also reach out to friends, family and well wishers. And sometimes, these friends and family turn us down, but that does not bother or make me feel bad, because I believe if you do not give today, you can still give tomorrow. You just move on. Again, we also prepare and send to our financiers’ detailed reports of how the funds they assist us with are judiciously used.
Daylight.ng: What is your dream for Mallpai?
My dream for Mallpai is that I won’t bury Mallpai but let it outlive me, Insha Allah. I also want Mallpai to be a household name globally and compete favourably with other NGOs. My dream also is for Mallpai to be a global brand that the universe will reckon with. I want Mallpai to touch lives globally. Already, Nigerians are benefitting from Mallpai, I also want the entire world to benefit from Mallpai. At Mallpai, our slogan, which we adhere strictly to is, giving life a meaning.
Daylight.ng: What are your programmes for 2016?
At Mallpai, we have a lot of things to do this 2016, but I do not want to disclose them for reasons best known to us. But once the time is ripe, you will be the first to know.
Daylight.ng: How do you cope and combine the numerous activities of Mallpai with your duties as a mother and wife of the governor?
It is not easy, but I cope like every other human being. We also thank Almighty Allah for life. I always tell people to say Alihamdulilai once they wake every morning without any deformity in their bodies.
Once you are awake, move on and take whatever the day brings your way.
Daylight.ng: Aside Mallpai, what else gives you joy and makes you extra happy?
My kids, I’m blessed with six lovely kids, two boys and four girls. They are my precious gifts.
Daylight.ng: As the founder of Mallpai, how often do you hit the streets and fields to work?
We have foot soldiers, but I used to do that a lot then, but now that my husband is the governor, there is a limit to what I can do now. Again, whatever I do now the credit goes to Kebbi State government and that makes me a bit jealous (general laughter).
Daylight.ng: How long have you been married to His Excellency?
Whao! I told you I have spent half of my life with him, so if I should tell you how long, you will then know how old I am. I won’t tell you my age, because you don’t ask a woman her age. We have been married for quite a long time.
Daylight.ng: What do you like or cherish most about him, or do I say what trips you most about him?
He is a kind person, a gentle man, he listens when you talk, he supports you and treats you not just like a wife, but like a friend and father. He is also always there for his family.
Daylight.ng: What is your prayer for him as the governor of your state, Kebbi?
I have a lot of prayers for him, but I do not need to say them in public, it is between us as husband and wife. Most importantly, may the Amighty Allah guide him to do the right thing and may he meet people who will support him very well. Let whatever decision he makes be the best for our state. May he also be the best governor that Kebbi State has ever seen.
Daylight.ng: How often do you relax and how do you relax?
I try to relax very often. I walk round the house with my children as a means of relaxation. We do that a lot together. We also do their home works together. We also eat and pray together. We also tell stories among ourselves a lot.
Daylight.ng: Can anything make you quit Mallpai?
I have seen a lot of challenges, at a point we thought Mallpai was going to sink, but we came back stronger. Mallpai is my pet project and I will keep promoting and protecting it. Mallpai revolves around my daily activities.
Daylight.ng: Based on your immense contributions to the society through Mallpai, the board and editors of Daylight.ng, the leading online newspaper, have unanimously chosen you as Daylight Woman of the Year 2015, how does this make you feel Your Excellency?
This is nice. It is good; I’m pleased, happy and honoured. Like I said we are not expecting awards for the works we are doing through Mallpai. We are only expecting awards from Almighty Allah. He said when you have give, I shall reward you. My parents always tell me that what you give out is yours and what you hold is not yours.
Daylight.ng: Last words for Mallpai and its supporters
I always pray for those that support Mallpai, may the almighty Allah reward them immensely and progress their lives more than they expect.
Copyright@Daylight.ng
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