Ibrahim Suleiman
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called for deliberate strategies to position more women for leadership and decision-making roles in universities across the Northwest.
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The Zonal Women Coordinator, Northwest Zone of SSANU, Hajiya Hauwa Danbatta, made the call at a two-day zonal women conference of the association held in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The conference, themed “From Support to Strategy: Elevating Women in University Governance,” was designed to encourage women to move beyond traditional support roles and take up greater responsibilities in university administration.
Danbatta said socio-religious norms and values in the Northwest had continued to limit the active participation of some women in union activities, affecting their visibility and progression into leadership positions.
She said the conference was therefore aimed at empowering women working in universities to identify and showcase their leadership strengths while positioning themselves for greater participation in decision-making.
“Going forward, we want to see more women taking leadership roles as principal officers of the universities, such as registrars, bursars and even vice chancellors.
“We will strengthen awareness through conferences and workshops, in addition to strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector,” she said.
Danbatta stressed that the objective was not merely to increase the number of women working in universities but to ensure their visibility, influence and adequate representation at decision-making levels.
She noted that women were already contributing significantly to university development through their roles across various departments, professions and levels of administration.
“Women can never be strangers to the development of the universities; we work in different departments, at different levels and indeed in all professions.
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“We contribute to policy implementation; we provide essential services every single day, yet the journey from participation to leadership remains a challenge,” she said.
The zonal coordinator called for intentional leadership development, mentorship and acquisition of relevant leadership skills to prepare competent women for greater responsibilities within the university system.
She also advocated an enabling environment where competent women could be encouraged, mentored and adequately prepared to assume leadership positions.
Danbatta said the conference was intended to inspire women to strategically position themselves for leadership roles and contribute more effectively to the transformation of university governance.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, commended the SSANU zonal women wing for sustaining the tradition of bringing women from universities across the zone together to reflect on their roles in the system.
Ahmed, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Bello Sabo, said women in academic and non-academic cadres had for decades contributed significantly to university administration, student welfare, finance and registry services.
He, however, observed that despite their contributions, women remained underrepresented in spaces where strategies and policies were formulated and budgets prepared and approved.
The vice-chancellor said the distinction between support and strategy was important because universities depended on decisions concerning programmes, staff promotion and institutional policies.
He said elevating women into strategic roles would strengthen universities by bringing their experience, judgement and insight into institutional decision-making.
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Also speaking, the National Vice-President, Northwest Zone of SSANU, Malam Sabo Wudil, said the conference was part of the association’s constitutional responsibility to organise conferences and workshops for its members.
He said the programme was designed to equip and enlighten women to prepare adequately for leadership positions within the university system.