Ghana: Defying the Odds, a Muslim Woman Treads the Thorny Path of Politics

From allAfrica.com - May 5, 2008

Ghana: Defying the Odds, a Muslim Woman Treads the Thorny Path of Politics

Defying the Odds, a Muslim Woman Treads the Thorny Path of Politics

Public Agenda (Accra)

INTERVIEW
5 May 2008
Posted to the web 5 May 2008

By Basiru Adam/ And Leticia Annan
Accra

There are few women holding positions in political parties in Ghana. Besides, there are fewer Muslim women holding positions in political parties in Ghana.

This does not mean they have not or are not contributing to the fortunes of political parties. The Hajias are usually the first group of people one encounters in front of many party offices. They are very good praise singers. In fact, they form the vanguard of political parties in the Zongos.

But one woman who professes to be a devout Muslim is defying the obvious odds that are and is making strides in the Convention People's party (CPP). She is Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim Haruna, who has risen through the ranks to become the party's National Women's Organiser.

Public Agenda caught up with her in the party's head office in Accra and an interesting interview ensued.

A self-assured looking Hajia Hamda said she was born in Bolgatanga, although she traces her routes to Tamale.

She attended the Bolgatanga Secondary school and later Joy Professional Academy in Kumasi.

From there she moved to Accra and started teaching at a pre-school. Her exploits endeared her to other schools and later she was poached to teach in a school near the CPP offices at Asylum Down in Accra.

This started her love affair with the CPP although she had long admired the party's founder. "As a northerner, I know what Nkrumah's policies did for me."

After school, she would make herself available at the party's office and take part in every activity around. The party's Youth Wing and the Women's League have known her contribution.

Currently, aside being the National Women's Organiser, she serves as the Treasurer of the Dome Kwabenya Constituency office of the CPP.

Hajia Hamdatu is married to Alhaji Yakubu Haruna and they have an eight year old daughter. Her husband works in Libya and comes home every eight weeks. "But there are times he spends four months here, because when I was going around campaigning for my Women's Organiser position I remember he went to some of the regions with me."

"Do you, as a Muslim woman, feel restricted in anyway in the pursuit of your political career", asks Public Agenda (PA).

"No, not at all", came her emphatic but quick reply. " I think the one am supposed to seek permission from is my husband, and he supports me. He supported me even at congress. So am not sure I feel restricted, no, not at all."

PA: What about the general perception that the Muslim woman is supposed to be quiet and live under the tutelage of the husband.

"My brother!" she shouted, "now if you go to Metro TV women are preaching. Women are talking about Islam. Now if you are saying we should be quiet then our children will go astray; because they wouldn't know what the Qur'an says about what to do and what not to. But am not sure Maybe because people do not understand politics well, they think a woman in politics is something else. But I beg to defer. That is not correct."

PA: Some people say politics is a dirty game.

Hajia: Ahhh that is when you want it to be dirty. When you want it to be dirty you will see it as dirty. Politics is not supposed to be dirty. It is not supposed to be dirty It is the people who rather make it dirty. It depends on the individual.

PA: How do you see the future of women and the Muslim woman in particular in Ghanaian politics?

Hajia: Yah, I think it's bright. But it will be brighter when more capable women involve themselves. So far we don't have many. Most of the women are still shying away from politics. Some people would say maybe I don't want to come, stand, and talk for somebody to insult me. You know some people don't like that. Maybe since some of us are in it, it is incumbent on us to go round there and talk to our own people on the need for women to be in politics. We shouldn't just be following political parties. Let me borrow Mallam Musah's words that we follow them and the only reward we get is that they take us to Makkah. We shouldn't limit ourselves to only being sent to Makkah to perform Hajj but we should be part of ministers, MPs and what have you. A lot of the women are also not educated. We need to educate our women. Education is very important. I am going back to school you know.

PA: Do you have a role model in politics?

Hajia: Coming from the northern part of this country, I remember in 1992 the late Hawa Yakubu was the only female voice from the north that you could hear talking about national issues. Even though I don't belong to her political party I quite remember her telling me once that my sister I am going to get a constituency, put you there and you will win. I said but you are in NPP and she said it doesn't matter. That is what Hawa was made off. She looked beyond her party. Her interest, first and foremost, was women, no matter where you belonged. So in fact, I really remembered her when I was vying for the Women's Organiser position. Hawa was a kind of inspirational figure for young people in politics, for that matter those from the north. But I take my greatest inspiration from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. I am still reading his books and I will continue to read his books. And I think he has left us a book of knowledge. I think if we adopt Nkrumah's what have you, I don't think we as a country will move from country to country begging for people to support our budget and what have you. That's my belief. I nearly stopped driving yesterday when choice FM was playing Nkrumah's speech, I tell you when I reached Achimota forest I was touched and I nearly lost control of my steering. So I said YES! This was the man. So my greatest gratitude is to my Allah who has seen me through all these years because it is easy to be in politics. But I think with God everything is possible.

PA: And how is the future like for Hajia Hamda?

Hajia: You know now I am the Women's Organiser. You see you climb the ladder in politics with caution. You don't just jump and say I want to go and do this. I told you I am thinking of 2012 to go to my village and contest. But if am to contest for a position in this party again definitely I think I would still go for the Women's Organiser position. I would have loved to go for maybe a Deputy General Secretary because you cannot just come straight to a General Secretary. You have to have some in-service training in the party as a Deputy General Secretary before you can be a General Secretary. But I think maybe, who knows, in the near future I will be the first woman General Secretary of the Convention Peoples' Party. I am working seriously towards that because I don't see myself leaving politics. It is only God who will decide when I will leave politics. I am in politics because I think I have a lot to do for my people. In our small way, we are helping our community. But I think we can do better. When CPP wins, our human centred policies will stop my younger sisters from drifting from the north to the south. I don't go to Kantamanto and Agbogbloshie markets anymore. Even if I go I don't give them the load to carry.

PA: Why?

Hajia: Because I can see able bodied people wasting.

PA: Is it a waste for them to come here, make some money and go back home?

Hajia: Of course! They should acquire some skills. Because for how long can they continue carrying loads? If a twenty-year-old is carrying loads, can she do it for the next twenty years? The body will be weak. So why doesn't she learn a trade? And I wonder what those of us from the three northern regions are doing to stop this thing. An individual cannot do it. It should be a policy by government. We need education.

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