Encomia As Hajara Ali Exits NECO
By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo, anipr
Let me begin this piece with the words of the Famous American Obie Award Winning Actor and Writer, Patrick Foley, “…Retirement is a chance to redesign your life into Something new and different”.It is never the end of the road but an opportunity to start a new life.
On 25th March, 2025 Hajiya Hajara Ali retired from the service of National Examinations Council (NECO) meritoriously as a Director.
She was a mother to all within the Council. A very pragmatic, hardworking, and thorough civil servant.
But I can’t say it all, so I had to reach out to those who have worked closely with her and others within the Council.
Mrs Mary Esezobor opines “Hajiya is a mother, she is free with everybody and has a listening ear.She is friendly, one can enter her office anytime.Many people believe that once a woman is in position of authority, power intoxicates them but that was not the case of Hajiya”.
Similarly,Mr Msughter Igbalaga is a member of staff, who worked with her, explained that “she is naturally simple because she is not the material type. Anything flamboyant Hajiya dislikes it even as a Director. She would come and sit down in the midst of some members of staff to discuss official issues. She values ideas from her staff and abhors laziness.”
Mrs Ebele A. Egbosimba also described Hajara Ali as a friendly and accommodating personality. She asserts ” If you work with her,she would guide you appropriately. She doesn’t engage in discrimination. Her yes is yes, while her No is No.She fights for justice and loves doing the right thing”.
Her Secretary, Mrs Hafsat Shehu Yusuf said, “She is simple and nice. She’s friendly and hardworking.She is a good mother”.
Furthermore, Mrs Sunday A. Nike, who also worked with her captures her personality thus:” She is a mother to me. She is straightforward and generous.There is no challenge you take to her that she would not help you to address it. she is very accommodating and does not discriminate against religion or tribe”.
Husseini Amodu has worked with Hajiya for years, here is his submission about her: “To every objective assessor, Hajiya Hajara epitomizes diligence, discipline, foresight and empathy. She is an advocate of peace, industrial harmony, dedication to duty and servant leadership. Her humility is rare and she is distinctively accommodating. She carries out her tasks with absolute passion and precision, upholding the tenets of exemplary leadership. There is no doubt that her sterling qualities will propel her for higher responsibilities in our beloved country in no distant time, God willing”.
Essentially, Lukman Ahmed is a member of staff and the former Special Assistant On Poverty Alleviation to Kwara state Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has this to say about her:
“Hajia Hajara Ali (Our Mother) is a paragon of hard work, selfless service and dedication.
“We celebrate a Mother who has set a high standard of leadership, demonstrating that with vision, courage and determination, even the most daunting challenges are being surmounted.”
“We celebrate an exceptional Woman, Mother, Teacher, Mentor, a beacon of hope, whose impressive achievement in office has left an indelible mark in the history of the Registration Department.”
“Her versatility will be missed “.
Most importantly, Hajiya Hajara Ali is not only religious but pious. Her attitude to work is superb. On the day she retired I went to her office and I met a lot of staff members who came to congratulate her.She made a statement on that day while advising them and it kept knocking on my mind. She said she took her job diligently because she knew she would account before the Almighty about her approach to work and the people around her. She admonished staff members to always do the right thing for the sake of the Council and accountability.
Her Educational background
She hailed from Dala Local Government Area of Kano State
Hajara Ali completed her primary school at the Cathedral Girls Primary School, Freetown, Sierra leone in 1977.She attended Government Girls College, Dala,Kano and had a GCE O’ Level WAEC in 1982.
She later proceeded to Bayero University, Kano and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSC) Chemistry in 1989.She had a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the same institution in 1996.
In 2005 she obtained Diploma in Computer Science Education at Cornerstone Computer Institute, Ilorin
In her quest to acquire more knowledge and qualification she went to Bayero University, Kano (BUK) again to study Education at Post graduate level, and she obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education in 2009.
In 2012 she bagged Msc Analytical Chemistry in Bayero University, Kano
Hajiya Hajara Ali worked with the Kano State Ministry of Water Resources and served as Senior Research Officer between 1990 and 1999.She later joined the service of the National Examinations Council in 2000 when NECO was established.
Until her retirement,she was the Director of Registration at the NECO Headquarters in Minna, where she made appreciable impact through innovation of ideas and commitment to work .
On 7th April, 2025 during the send forth ceremony organized for her by the staff of the Council at the NECO Conference hall,she received a lot of gifts and accolades from members of staff,and that was a testament to her dignity,hardwork, simplicity and integrity.
Hajiya Hajara Ali is retired but not tired, a woman of such impeccable character should be engaged in higher responsibility.
Against all odds she will navigate the earth and the sky will be her limit just as the former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has said “Where there are no ceilings, the sky is the limit”.
I pray that Allah guides and protects her as she approaches the new phase of life
