Wife of Kebbi Governor, Hajiya Nafisa Nasir-Idris, has disbursed Ramadan palliatives to no fewer than 1,000 women in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the palliatives tagged: ‘3rd Kebbi Women’s Ramadan Lecture and Distribution of Palliatives to 1,000 Women and Orphans’ comprises rice and cash to each of the beneficiaries.
Speaking at the distribution ceremony held Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, the governor’s wife said the gesture was meant to cushion the effects of economic hardship amongst women.
She appreciated the wife of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, for her mentorship, saying that the programme was a build-up to what she had started in the state while serving as governor’s wife.
The governor’s wife advised women to brace-up in ensuring proper upbringing of children, adding that the era of modern technology especially the use of handsets had posed a great challenge to decent and moral mentorship.
‘As mothers, we should endeavour to be praying for our children to enable them positively contribute their quota to the development of the society’, she encouraged.
The governor’s wife appealed to the women and the entire people of the state to extend support to her husband’s second term bid for the betterment of the state.
Speaking virtually, wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Dikko-Radda; wife of Jigawa Governor, Hajiya Amina Umar-Namadi and Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, advised the beneficiaries to use both the knowledge and material wisely.
They reminded the women that the meaning of Ramadan ‘is kindness and mercies upon the less privileged and amongst the people’.
Quoting from the Hadith of the Holy Prophet, the trio said the best of mankind ‘are those who benefit mankind’.
They urged people to continue to pray for peace to prevail especiy in the North-West region and Nigeria at large.
Delivering her lecture titled: ‘Truth and Trust in Islam’, daughter to the late famous Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud-Adam, Malama Zainab Ja’afar-Adam, advised women against four attributes of hypocrisy.
She said: ‘As mothers and mentors, you need to desist from four attributes that qualifies one to be a hypocrite. When you speak, you lie, when you are trusted, you deceive, when you promise, you disappoint and when cheated, you exceed limit in revenge.
‘You have a duty to be just, honest and upright because your children are copping from you. Remember, you are the first teacher of your child.
‘Teach and encourage your children to be just, honest and truthful in dealing with one another and in dealing with the society’.
Ja’afer-Adam also urged leaders to always consider people for positions of authority based on merit not favouritism.
She stated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Time shall come where leaders will trust deceivers and liers’, adding that: ‘This is exactly what we are experiencing today and this is what is dragging Nigeria backward’.
Sheikh Hussaini Abubakar-Giro, son to late famous Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Abubakar-Giro, who spoke on: ‘Importance of Unity’, stressed the need for Muslim Ummah to be united for a common purpose.
He advocated people to have mercy upon one another, saying, ‘If we have mercy on each other, it will strengthen unity amongst us’.
He recalled the previous norm and tradition of the North, where people of particular environment used to eat food together in a group, ‘there is no doubt this brings unity and promotes peaceful coexistence’.
In their separate lectures, Malam Nafi’u Kabiru: ‘Role of Women in Shaping Society’ and Malama Hauwa Abubakar-Zaki: ‘The Importance of Qur’an Towards Ensuring Justice’ observed that women contribute significantly to the betterment of the society.
They stressed the need for every human being especially leaders to learn the basic principles of justice and ensure they exercise justice to all.
Earlier, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Halima Hassan-Kamba expressed appreciation that the present administration in the state attaches importance to women.
