When one hears that time-honored adage that “Behind every great man is a great woman”, what comes to mind is Hajiya Zulaihat Dikko, the wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda. This woman of substance has supported her husband through thick and thin. She is a woman of positive influence and meaning.
It is apparent that Zulaihat will take dividends of democracy to the door-step of the citizenry when she assumes duty as the first lady of Katsina State in 2023. For many years she has advocated for quality education for all citizens, girl-child education and youth and women empowerment.
Both Dikko and his wife are born philanthropists that despite their affluence they go to the grassroots to identify with less-privileged and help them to grow. For many years this has been their trade that Hajiya Zulaihat has earned that enviable appellation “patron of orphans”.
This she achieved through a series of empowerment initiatives powered by her foundation I am going to expatiate below; but to understand why and how the reader needs to know the making of this Woman of substance, and what has shaped her worldview. But nothing shaped her character the most than her family background. Her father was a nonsense disciplinarian who believed in hard work, reward for excellence and patriotism.
Who is Zulaihat Dikko Radda?
Born in Malali Low Coast, Kaduna State to the family of Late Alhaji Abdullahi Dan-Bala Matazu (Matawallen Matazu), Zulaihat Dikko Umaru Radda had her primary education at Nurudden Islamic school, Malali Kaduna, where she earned her Primary school leaving Certificate 1994 and had her secondary education at Government Girls’ Secondary School Kabomo, Bakori local government, 2000.
She earned a Diploma in Law at Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, Kano in 2005 and an Advance diploma in English/education from the same institution in 2007.
She later moved to Bayero university, Kano, where she earned an Advance diploma in Public Administration 2010 and later earned a bachelor degree in Political Science in the same university in 2014. Zulaihat holds a Master’s degree in public administration (University of Abuja), where she graduated in 2017. In summary, Hajiya Zulaihat is an administrator-cum-political scientist.
Philanthropist par Excellence
Through her foundation, Zulaihat Dikko Radda Foundation, she has changed the lives of many young men and women, especially the orphans. To her, orphans must be picked and raised on property as other children.
Hajiya Zulaihat is a philanthropist par excellence. You are not wrong if you describe Zulaihat Dikko Radda as a humanitarian (a woman concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare) philanthropist, a feat she has achieved through her foundation: Zulaihat Dikko Radda Foundation.
As a philosopher said that human beings are by not defined by what they are, but what they do; meaning their commitment to their family, relatives, and less privileged, Hajiya Zulaihat has charted a new course and she will not rest until she changes the destiny of her society for the better, empower youth and woman and gives orphans a sense of belonging.
Courtesy of the foundation, pilgrims from Katsina State get proper training before embarking on the spiritual journey. Every year the foundation produces books which guide pilgrims on performing Hajj.
By any measure Hajiya Zulaihat Dikko Radda is the ideal model for wives of politicians in this country for the development of the Nigeria societies.
