Then an opportunity came for me to study at the Bayero University, Kano. I remember Professor Kabir Galadachi at the Bayero University, he came to my… - Sa'adiya Omar Bello

As an academician, I had to continue presenting papers and my area of interest was on Shehu Usman, their contributions to poetry and I took Nana Asma’u who was also a renowned Islamic scholar. I wrote a paper on her and presented it at the university and a friend to late Waziri Junaidu the erudite scholar attended the seminar and said that the paper I presented on Nana Asma’u was great. Then I also presented another paper on her sister, because I realized that most of these women were well- versed and educated, but their contributions were not documented.

When my father was alive, he did not take his female children to western schools. But after he died and my younger brother was to be taken to school because he is a male child, I started crying. I said to my elder brother that I wanted to go to school; and I asked why he was taking my younger brother and that I had more reason to be in school than my younger brother because I am older than him. So, he saw how I was really frustrated, crying at that age. I was six years old then. So, he said ‘ okay, I’ll take you to school’. I was taken to a very renowned primary school in Kano, Dandago Primary School, and then I went to the Government Girls Secondary School, Dala, Kano. I came out with flying colours, all arrangements were made for me to get married and as fate would have it, I again protested, as I wanted to continue my education. I was surprised at how my mother who was then a widow supported me.

When I went to London, I was happy to see that even European professors in Hausa would give practical lessons in language, and they would tell you that you are wrong in pronouncing this or that. It made me stronger in learning the language.