Hadiza Bala Usman

Hadiza Bala Usman (born January 2, 1976) is a Nigerian politician who since 2016 is serving as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority.[1] She was previously the chief of staff to the Governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2016.[2]

Hadiza Bala Usman
Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 July 2016
Preceded by	Habibu Abdullahi
Personal details
Born	2 January 1976 Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Political party	PDP (until 2010) CPC (2010-2014) APC (2014-present)
Relations	Bala Usman (father) Abdullahi Bayero (great grandfather)
Alma mater	Ahmadu Bello University University of Leeds

Since 2014, she is one of the co-founders of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, and is also a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.[3]

Early life and education

Hadiza Bala Usman was born on January 2, 1976 in Zaria to a Fulani ruling class family of the Sullubawa clan. Her father, Yusufu Bala Usman, the grandson of Muhammadu Katsina Dikko, was a prominent academic and historian. He later founded the Centre for Democratic Development, Research and Training in Zaria. Her great grandfather , Abdullahi Bayero (father to her paternal grandmother), was the 10th Emir of Kano from 1926 to 1953, her paternal grand father was the Durbin Katsina and her grand uncle was Usman Nagogo the Emir of Katsina.[4]

Hadiza grew up on the campus of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where her father worked.[5] She started her education at the university staff primary school and went ahead to complete her secondary education. In 1996, she enrolled at the university and received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2000. She later received a masters degree in development studies from the University of Leeds in 2009.[6]

Career

In 1999, she spent a year at the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training in Zaria as a research assistant.[7]

She then worked at the Bureau of Public Enterprises from July 2000 to August 2004 as an enterprise officer. From October 2004 to January 2008, she was then hired by the UNDP for the Federal Capital Territory Administration as a special assistant to the Minister on project implementation.

In 2011, Hadiza campaigned and lost for the federal constituency of Musawa/Matazu as a candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change.[8] She then joined the Good Governance Group in Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, as the country director of strategy from 2011 to July 2015.

In 2014, following the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping by Boko Haram,[9] Hadiza Bala Usman noticed that the Jonathan administration was not prioritizing the kidnapping, she then co-founded the Bring Back Our Girls campaign group to advocate the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls.[10] She chose the colour red for the campaign because it is a sign of "alarm, danger, a warning."[11] Hadiza Bala Usman has also helped coordinate meetings with the parents of the kidnapped girls and members of the Nigerian government.[12] She has continued to protest with the group into 2016.[13]

In 2015, following his election Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai appointed her as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State.[14] She was appointed as the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in July 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari.[15] Her appointment generated a lot of controversies as many saw her nomination as ethnically based and questioned her qualification for the specific role.[16]

Personal life

Hadiza Bala Usman was married to an economic analyst Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi who served under the former (Late) President Umaru Musa Yar'adua as economic adviser and together they have two boys.[11]

References

1. admin (2016-07-13). "FG Confirms Hadiza Bala Usman's Appointment". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
2. Adi, Femi (29 June 2015). "El-Rufai names Hadiza Bala Usman, First Female Chief of Staff". The NEWS Nigeria. Retrieved 2 February 2016 – via thenewnigeria.com.ng.
3. Abdullahi, Musa (18 February 2015). "#BringBackOurGirls Campaign Coordinator Urge Nigerians To Vote In APC & Vote Out PDP Government". NewsWire NGR. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
4. "Profile Of The New NPA Boss, Hadiza Bala Usman | NTA.ng - Breaking News, Nigeria, Africa, Worldwide". Retrieved 2020-02-13.
5. Wallis, William (12 December 2014). "Women of 2014: Hadiza Bala Usman". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
6. npa2016. "Management Team". Nigerian Ports Authority. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
7. "Event Speakers". WimBiz. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
8. "I'M NOT INTIMIDATED BY MALE OPPONENTS — HADIZA BALA USMAN". Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
9. "Kidnap of Schoolgirls Triggers Worldwide Awareness Drive". The Saturday Star (South Africa). 10 May 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
10. "WMC Live #114: Sharon Isbin, Rossana D'Antonio, Hadiza Bala Usman". Women's Media Center Live. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
11. Oduah, Chika (16 July 2014). "Hadiza Bala Usman: Her Father's Daughter". Metropole. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
12. "Nigeria Leader's Meet with Missing Girls' Parents 'Rescheduled'". Anadolu Agency. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
13. Ezeamalu, Ben (4 January 2016). "#BringBackOurGirls Movement fumes over Boko Haram defeat claim, to march on Presidential Villa". Premium Times. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
14. Agabi, Chris (2017-08-19). "I go to bed at 9:00pm – Hadiza Bala Usman". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
15. Nsehe, Mfonobong. "Meet Hadiza Bala Usman, The Incredible Young Woman Running Nigeria's Port Authority". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
16. Editor. "Hadiza Bala-Usman's appointment at NPA sparks controversy". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 24 January 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)

External links

• Interview on Women's Media Center Live

Hadiza Bala Usman Biography