With the demise on Thursday, April 28, 2011, of Hajiya Laila Dongoyaro, the Nigerian political class has lost one of its most consistent advocates for women inclusion in local and national politics.Hajiya Dongoyaro, who died during a protracted illness, spent the better part of her life fighting for the respect of womens rights. Those who knew her closely claim that her determined and decisive agitation for improvement of womens welfare stemmed from her background. She was only educated up to the primary level, after which she was married off at the age of 12. She later in life got to know the value of education and decided to make championing girl-education her preoccupation so that young girls and women would avail themselves of opportunities available through formal education.According to her in an interview, her foray into activism started in 1964 after the formation of Jamiyar Matan Arewa (JMA).In 1963, our founding mothers, Mrs Comfort Dikko, Hajiya Astajam Ali Akilu, Hajiya Asiya Bamanga Tukur, Mrs Zakari, Hajiya Aishatu Joda, felt that the women of the North should have an association to speak for our unfortunate sisters. I was not there.So, on the 17th of May 1963, they had their first meeting and they decided to inform the Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He was very happy and asked where the office was located. They said that they hadnt any; so, he gave JMA a plot on No 12, Dendo Road, where we are located now, and he also gave a donation of £500. So, JMA took off and Mrs Dikko became the first president.In 1964, they visited the Kaduna General Hospital and they saw orphans and their hearts were touched.Then, we came on board and decided to open a nursery school because we figured that running the orphanage on donations was not wise because one day it might cease. We then decided to open the nursery school and day care centre; at least, we would be getting something from it. From there we expanded to a primary school, a junior secondary school and a senior secondary school. We are also a centre of NECO and WAEC, she said.Through the instrumentality of JMA, she helped in sensitising rural women and empowering them economically. It was this that led to the establishment of the Women Development Centre.Since 1964, when she bit the bug of activism, there was no turning back for Hajiya Laila until she breathed her last. She became a strident voice for the rights of women both in the North and all over the country. But she did not just stop at activism, she also went into politics. According to her, veering into politics was inevitable so that she could use her politics to improve the lot of women.One of her regrets was that despite years of agitation, the Nigerian woman had yet to occupy her rightful position in the nations political space. This she attributed to the unwillingness of men to adequately accommodate women in the political firmament. She recounted an experience she and some other women had after the 1979 presidential election.After the elections, a transition committee was set up and I think there were 12 to 13 committees. There were about four or five women at the meeting and none of us was included. There was Anne Obi, Mrs Kezia Agundu, Mrs. Adenike Ebun-Oyagbola was there, then Alhaja Simbiat Abiola and I. I couldnt bear it. So, I asked to be allowed to speak.I expressed my disappointment at the composition of the committees. I pointed out that barely a week earlier, we had queued in the sun to vote for the president-elect and we were being forgotten seven days after the election. That was in 1979. Alhaji Shehu Shagari said I was right and he directed that women should be included in the committees. Although our names were put down, we were never invited to attend the committee meetings.Hajiya Laila later served as the president of JMA as well as president of the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS). Her efforts were appreciated and rewarded with several awards. She was bestowed with the traditional title of Garkuwar Garki and the national honour of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), among many others.Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State described her as an outstanding crusader for the rights of women and an effective voice for the poor and disempowered, while Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, said she lived to serve the poor.Hajiya Laila, who has since been interred, is survived by five children and many grand children.
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