Empowering police wives will improve National Security - Zahra Bunu Abubakar
Mrs Zahra Bunu-Abubakar is the President Police Officer’s Wives Association (POWA), and wife of the Inspector General of Police. This prett...
https://9ijatunes.blogspot.com/2014/03/empowering-police-wives-will-improve.html
Mrs Zahra Bunu-Abubakar is the President Police Officer’s Wives Association (POWA), and wife of the Inspector General of Police. This pretty amiable personality has distinguished herself by impacting on the lives of Police officers wives.
In an exclusive interview with Sweet Angel she reveals how she intends to drive home the vision of POWA and how she met her husband amongst other issues. Excerpts after the cut...
Madam can you briefly introduce yourself?I am Mrs Zahra Bunu-Abubakar, I come from a very big family, not just a nuclear family but extended family. I went to primary School in Maiduguri, Secondary School in Jos Air force Military School, after which I proceeded to UK for my A levels.
I later came back to study Civil Engineering in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria after which I went for my Masters in construction management. My Father is an architect and I think that motivated my choice of study.
I practiced Civil Engineering for a while and later moved to oil and gas that is where I am right now. What kind of ambition did you nurse while growing up? When I was young at about the ages of 7or 8 my Dad engaged in the building of NNPC, after some years when I had gotten into secondary school a lot of people talked and commended the building.
I started nursing the ambition of constructing such a building that would attract the admiration of all, but I guess that changed. What changed it? Like I mentioned earlier I enjoyed going to site but I encountered a lot of challenges.
How much impact did your Dad have on you? Not just my Dad, my parents inculcated morals in us, we had both western and Islamic education, we were taught to be honest, we were brought up in such a way that our peers looked up to us. What is it like being the wife of the Inspector General of Police? I wasn’t used to being in the limelight, I am more of a private person, initially it was quite challenging but he supported, guided and protected me and now I am better off.
How do you cope with your husband’s hectic schedule? I knew the man I was marrying, and I also know the security situation in the country and how much Nigerians need him. I also know that security in our country should be given utmost priority in order tocreate a better country and conducive environment for our children.
Despite his tight schedule he tries his best to create time for his family. What is your experience heading an organization like POWA? The Police Force is the largest single organization in Nigeria and as such POWA is a large family.
POWA encompasses both the wives and children of Police officers. It is Police Officers Wives Association but we impact on the lives of our children.
A lot of women are idle we all know that sourcing for funds is quite challenging. At the moment we solicit for funds from the general public, captains of industries, and individuals. It is worthy to note that the Nigeria Police Force have always been of support to POWA.
Empowering Police wives will help in tackling insecurity in our land. It will also help in eradicating Corruption, as this will accord the wives the opportunity to be of assistance to their husbands, thereby aiding to eradicate corruption in the Force. I feel if they are empowered they would have every reason to contribute their portion in actualizing the vision of POWA.
How have you been able to surmount the Challenges of POWA? Like I said earlier I came from a large family and there are a lot of women than there are men. I happen to be the first in a family of thirteen, this and the fact that I have a military background to a certain extent has broadened my ability to manage POWA effectively. My father was a politician and I was involved one way or the other. I am used to working with different caliber of people and that has helped.
Our major challenge is in the area of funding we have a lot of plans mapped out for the women but insufficient funds have always posed as a challenge. Another challenge asides funds is that most times when we hold meetings a lot of women don’t attend these meetings, and their excuses boils down to funding.
