# Saadatu Hassan Liman

Saadatu Hassan Liman is Nigerian professor of Islamic Studies and currently the vice chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

## Quotes

* I would say it has been a hefty responsibility. As a deputy vice-chancellor, I have been reporting to the vice chancellor and at times, deputising in his absence. So I already have a mandate to assist the vice chancellor in providing positive leadership, in addition to implementing the university’s action plans towards achieving its strategic academic goals, vision and mission.
** As a northern woman and deputy vice chancellor of a university, how has it been?
* In the Nigerian traditional system, men are the breadwinners of the family; therefore, logically dominate the workforce. The northern Nigerian societies are more reserved when it comes to women participation in public life due to some significant cultural belief
** the position of women in the society, especially in the North, how are you coping, leading or running the affairs of an institution seen as more of men’s job?
* In today’s Nigeria, as a student, it is important to learn a skill that will prepare you ahead so that after graduation, you will be able to set up your own business and start earning while searching for any job of your choice.
* The problem nowadays is that many students are without skills, and after graduation, they will begin to go all around the streets looking for white-collar jobs. They must learn skills so that when they graduate, they will be able to open up their own businesses and become employers of labour.
* Prof Fatima Batul Mukhtar was a vice chancellor in Jigawa, Hajiya Fatima Binta Muhammad was a registrar Bayero University, Kano (BUK). A lot of others are coming up as heads of departments, deans and directors in northern higher institutions of learning. Like I said earlier, one attains these positions by climbing the ladder. As such, as a woman is climbing, she is gaining more wisdom, respect and acceptance in her organisation, government circle and her society in general.
* It is just like our African traditional values, when a woman is growing she is gaining respect and positioned into taking elderly roles in the society. This is the same with the modern society. When you reach that stage, the men naturally accord you the necessary respect and cooperation you need to succeed.
* So, I have built my career. There is hardly a position I did not hold in the academic/administrative arena, to the extent that I think I have gained acceptance into these roles by both men and women.
* Both my husband and myself came from well-educated families. And in both cases, we are not the eldest children and not the first to be educated, using the same cultural setting. That means we, the female children, are married off after our secondary school education, and we continue in our husband’s houses.
* With this kind of background, it is not difficult for me to further my education and develop my career with the help of my husband and my parents, but we should not take their understanding for granted. I must say that with an understanding family, what seems to be difficult is made manageable. Throughout my studentship, I was also blessed by giving birth to four children; during my undergraduate and master’s. I delivered the fifth during my PhD studies. I started work only after securing my PhD admission, so that gave me a leverage to be mostly at home for my children at their early growing periods.
* My children are my primary responsibility, but at certain times, and secondarily, a mother needs extra hands, even if she is not engaged in formal work. Whenever I am not at home, I make sure that somebody reliable is there to take care of the children. That notwithstanding, I ensure that I minimise my outings to the barest minimum, to look after my home. Therefore, for the most part of the time they spend at home, I am with them. Remember, they also attended Islamiyyah and non-Islamiyyah schools every day. Alhamdulillah, they are all graduates and married, except the last one.
* The point here is that quitting education has never been an option in our family. It is a duty for all of us to perform. That is the reason many of us in the family are second degree holders. Here, I would like to acknowledge the enormous role played by my parents, especially my father, towards educating all his children. I pray for Allah to reward them with Jannatul Firdaus for their noble deeds.
* However, in terms of Western education, it may not presently be where it should be. It is statistically evident that there is much improvement in terms of school enrolment and the number of students graduating with at least first degree. You can check the statistics of the North over the years in that regard. Therefore, the North is really trying to see that it reaches the target.
* However, there are a number of factors that have perhaps constituted hindrances to the realisation of the expected target. Examples of such factors are poverty, early marriage, insecurity and other cultural factors. Nevertheless, we are certainly moving; change is eminent, though slow.