Good day Nairalnaders!
Last week a thread about great women in our beloved country's history was on FP https://www.nairaland.com/609358/great-famous-women-state
Unfortunately there was poor representation from the northern part of the country. ephi123 and others encouraged me to create this thread for sake of knowledge and celebrating our wonderful mothers with great lifetime achievements.
I hope my fellow northerners (and everyone else) will join me contribute by adding anybody they know who deserves to be mentioned.
Let me start with my state.
Jigawa State
Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmad Rufa'i
The former senior minister of education hails from Ringim local government. It was said that even the then president Goodluck Jonathan was amazed to see her resume. That there could be a woman from Jigawa who is a Professor in Chemistry.
Wing Commander Hajara Bashir Umar
She is the first woman from northern Nigeria to reach that rank in the Nigeria Airforce. Thanks to her Dad who was a veteran military officer, Hajara was encouraged to join the force. A career most Muslim women would never dream of joining due to its incompatible nature with their culture and lifestyle.

I hope my fellow northerners (and everyone else) will join me contribute by adding anybody they know who deserves to be mentioned.

@emboldened
Bros don't expect any more names, not when women as young as 10 are married off.

Instead of being sent to school their father would send them to rich people's bed. Only God knows how much contribution those kids would have rendered to society if they were allowed normal childhood.

Am however hopeful since prominent northerners are now voicing opposition to that archaic practice.

Kano State
Dr Hadiza Galadanci

She is a consultant obstetrician and Gynecologist at the Murtala Mohammed Hospital in Kano, and is also the Chief Medical Director of the hospital. Dr Galadanci is the Kano state coordinator of WHARC’s activities aimed at promoting reproductive health and reducing maternal mortality in the state. Aside her numerous publications and contribution towards awareness on tackling health related issues in northern Nigeria like VVF, family planning, and malaria, she is personally a proof that Muslim women can achieve educational greatness while not compromising their cultural or religious believes. This is because she was married at a young age, bore about eleven children and studied medicine while married.
Hajiya Aisha Isma'il
She was Minister of Women Affairs during the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration. She’s currently a delegate from Kano State to the 2014 National Conference.
Hajiya Naja'atu Bala Usman
She is the first woman ever:
• who won a Senate seat Kano Central.
• The first female SUG president in ABU.
She is a powerful politician and strong ally of PMB before they part ways politically.
Prof Fatima Batul Mukhtar
Vice Chancellor Federal University Dutse.

All the mothers and sisters in the world are great

My mother is the greatest

Nice one EazyMoh

Great to see this thread. These women are really impressive, particularly the military lady.

Kaduna State
Hajiya Gambo Sawaba
An opposition politician who joined NEPU in the first republic to fight for women's right and emancipation of the masses from colonialist and elites alliance in the NPC. She was imprisoned more than a dozen times.
Hajiya Amina Mohammed
The immediate former minister of environment and newly appointed Deputy Secretary General of the UN. Amina stands out as a pride of northern women and Africa in general.
Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman
is a Nigerian activist and politician. She is currently the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). She was formerly the Chief of Staff for the Kaduna State Governor and an active member of #BBOG campaign.

Borno State
Hajiya Bintu Musa
Former Minister of Education
Yobe State
Hajiya Inna Chiroma
Former minister of Women Affairs Borno State
Hajiya Bintu Musa
Former Minister of Education
Yobe State
Hajiya Inna Chiroma
Former minister of Women Affairs
Gombe State
Hon. Hajiya Aishatu Jubril Dikku
Former minister of Education and currently member HoR representing Dikku/Nafada Federal Constituency.

Taraba State
Hajiya Jummai Alhassan (Mama Taraba)
Minister of Women Affairs and former governorship candidate.

Adamawa State
Binta Masi Garba
Binta Masi Garba (born 17 April 1967) is a
Nigerian politician, businesswoman,
administrator, philanthropist, humanitarian and
a trained marketer and Public Financial
Management. She is the Senator of Adamawa
North Senatorial District of Adamawa State. She
was the Chairman, Adamawa State Chapter of
All Progressives Congress (APC) and the first
female State Chairwoman of a registered major
political party in Nigeria . She was elected into
Federal House of Representatives three times
(1999 - 2011). [1][2] She is the first politician to
represent two different Federal Constituency at
the National Assembly. She was the first
parliamentarian to start poverty alleviation
program for the women and youths in 2003
when she was representing Kaduna South
Federal Constituency. In 2009, she was elected
as the first Vice President of Commonwealth
Women Parliamentarians (CWP) under
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
(CPA) in Cameroon . She is the only female
Senator-Elect in all the 19 Northern States of
Nigeria in 2015 election. She won a Senate
seat against a seating Governor, Bala James
Ngilari, with over 22,000 votes margin. She was
the only female delegate from Adamawa State
to the National Conference in Abuja.

Katsina State
Hajiya Fatima Kurfi
A 74 year old grandmother of 20 and mother of four went Bach to school to obtain a bachelor's degree fulfilling her life dream. She serves as an inspiration that it's never too late to go to school especially for the conservative northern Muslim woman.
Zamfara State
Hajiya Sa'adatu Usman Bungudu
was appointed Nigeria's Women Affairs and Social Development minister in July 2007.

EazyMoh:

Yeah as if every woman in the south is a degree holder. Keep telling yourself that while we are improving on our shortcomings regarding girl child education.

I did opine the status quo was changing, read my comment again.

Niger State
Hajiya Asabe Ahmad
former Minister of Agriculture.

I only saw women who rose to the top through quota systemand those whose ccontributions were only felt in the North.



Northerners need to empower the girl child because there will b no Nigeria tomorrow

Kebbi State
Hajiya Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman
Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman is a Nigerian
lawyer who currently serves as the ECOWAS
Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and
Security. [1] Prior to this, she was appointed
Minister of Women Affairs and Social
Development in December 2008
Sokoto State
Aisha Abubakar
Current minister of State Trade and Investment.

Prof Zainab Alkali author of Virtuous Woman
Balaraba Ramat Mohammed author of Sin Is A Puppy That Follows You Home

EazyMoh:

Oh yeah, then try and make your contributions be felt even in your immediate community, not to talk of your whole region. I bet nobody in your family has achieved half of what these women have.

Stop calling those local champion Great.

Ministers, Appointments ministers, ah! The only woman I respect is Amina former minister and now holds a nice portfolio in UN

tysontim:
Ministers, Appointments ministers, ah! The only woman I respect is Amina former minister and now holds a nice portfolio in UN

Trust me if you can become a federal minister your generation unborn will forever admire you and regard you a hero. It's no mean feat.

I give this to the Southern part of Nigeria. Meanwhile, there is always room for improvement.