Hadiza: A Dynamic Corporate Feminism In Nigeria’s Port Sector

The world has realized that the criteria or qualification for a job has no gender face and qualification doesn’t only have to do with experience or the requisite knowledge about a sector at a certain cadre of employment. This does not discount the role of experience in leadership.

But watching closely at the developments in the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) since the emergence of the new management team led Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, can one conclude that Margaret Thatcher’s assertion is correct as expressed?

                However, the Federal Government’s appointment of Hadiza as the Managing Director of the  NPA was still received with mixed feelings by stakeholders in the maritime industry; if she wasn’t being touted as too young, then her inexperience about maritime was highlighted, but, the underlying fact was that she was a lady. The same lady has begun to win the applause of many industry stakeholders and her managerial team as well as the rank and file at the Authority.

Only few industry veterans would have prioritized the leadership qualities, the eagerness to learn and learn fast, the willingness to move from one level to another, and her commitment; ahead of her peripheral knowledge about the maritime and port sector.

                Perhaps, it was the right time to allow someone who hasn’t always been in the maritime sector to head the NPA because this is a sector that has been driven around certain people, the introduction of someone coming from outside could easily beam the spotlight on certain things to see some of the things that those that are immersed in that industry may not have had the ability or willingness to see.

                The NPA Managing Director sees her job as an opportunity to view the sector from a different prism which gives another view of the industry that may not have been seen and certain decisions can be made that people who have been entrenched in the system may not have had the will to challenge.

                The status quo in the maritime industry is set for sweeping changes that should bring about the requisite transformation in the sector. This is because Hadiza sees her appointment as a tremendous task and trust by the Federal Government, so she intends to rise up to the occasion and deliver on the mandate.

                The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) couldn’t have wished for a better Managing Director than  Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman whose   traits as a Capricorn is in sync with the vision and mission of the Authority. These attributes are; enhancing efficiency, customer satisfaction, safety and security and among others to be very innovative and incredibly tough, with the right temperament to weather any storm.

                Female Capricorns are characterized as responsible, disciplined and generally seen as good managers. NPA is charged with the responsibility to develop, own and operate ports and harbours, and to provide safe and navigable channels including offering cargo handling and storage services, hence the appointment of Hadiza as Managing Director of the Authority may have provided a unique opportunity for her to display the unique qualities of a Capricorn in corporate governance.

                The strengths of Capricorns include; responsibility, discipline, self-control, and they are good managers. They love the bond in family, cherish music, respect tradition, keep an understated status, and are quality craftsmen. However, when it comes to professionalism and traditional values, Capricorn is the first.

                Capricorn is practical and is considered to be the most serious sign of the zodiac, which possesses an independence that enables significant progress both on the personal level and in business. As an Earth sign, for a Capricorn there is nothing more important in life than family. Capricorn is a master of self-control and has the potential to be a great leader or manager as long as it is in the sphere of business.

                Although gender should never be a consideration in making appointments but the competence, the Director, Special Duties at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Hajia Lami Tumaka believes that Hadiza has proven to be more than capable by the way she has gone about managing the affairs of the NPA.

                “Her competence, brilliance, managerial skills have shone brightly for all to see” Hajia Lami Tumaka delivers Hadiza’s scorecard.

“Women who have found themselves in the Transport and Logistics industry have certainly made their mark. I will therefore admonish Ms. Usman and indeed all women in the industry to remain committed to the values of professionalism, dedication and hard work, while treating their colleagues at work with the compassion that women are known for.” She added.

                According to the Chairman of Ship-owners Forum, Barr. Mrs. Margaret Orakwusi, when we are looking at the leadership qualities required to  head the NPA, the eagerness to learn and learn fast, willingness to move from one level to another, and commitment, are very important.

                “So far, we have seen all these come to play as Hadiza has been able to relate with stakeholders from different angles. She has embraced dialogue which gives her the opportunity to also understand the investments of private sector vis-à-vis the conflicting interest of the government” Orakwusi, says.

The effect of the self-serving attitude of most government leadership in the maritime trade and transportation sector may have led to most of the inconsistent trade policies in our industry. However, Hadiza’s emergence as the Managing Director of NPA is apparently blazing the trail to work with the critical stakeholders in order to achieve the set objectives of the government.

                Modern day administration of such an organization demands public-private partnership and stakeholders’ engagement; delegation of duty, power and authority to the subordinates with its residual powers to reverse negative decisions, taken at any time including supervision and control of actions taken on its behalf. Hadiza has shown that she can achieve all these and she has made history as the first NPA Managing Director to move out to confer with the freight forwarding organized groups in order to find the best way to overcome problems and have seamless operations at the ports.

                “NAGAFF is touched by the visit of Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman to the Headquarters of NAGAFF as part of efforts to engage critical stakeholders in a dialogue with a view to partnering and finding solutions and returning our ports to their past glory.  It is on record that the Director General of Standards Organization (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and even the Comptroller General of Customs never thought it wise to move out to confer with the freight forwarding organized groups on the best way to overcome compliance problems which have hitherto engulfed export and import regulations of the Nigerian international trade” NAGAFF said in a press release after Hadiza’s visit.

                The National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu also admires Hadiza’s leadership thus:

                “Unlike the previous Managing Directors of NPA, Hadiza brings a style that has won accolades. She is removing that toga that shrouds Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as an association that just makes money and does nothing else,” Shittu says.

                Shittu also believes that Hadiza is going to perform optionally because many stakeholders she has visited have promised to give her maximum support.

                Hadiza has also initiated a maiden a quarterly meeting of stakeholders which would be an avenue for everyone to come together to assess what has been achieved, review the challenges and proffer solutions.

                Shittu posits that the quarterly meetings coupled with her willingness to come down from her pinnacle of office to relate with stakeholders would ensure she is successful at NPA.

                Hadiza is aware that there is also the weight of being a role model to younger girls. This is something that  she holds close to her heart as she wants young girls to look up and see that a girl-child has the ability to rise up to any position of authority. The recently said that her appointment as the managing director of NPA would not stop her agitation for the release of the Chibok  girls.

                Apart from being as administrator, Hadiza has also shown some of the qualities of a good mother in her relationship with stakeholders. Her prompt visit to the widow of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer, Mr. Surajudeen Bakare, who was killed last month in Apapa area of Lagos State, shows this motherly compassion.

It was also her motherly affection that brought to the fore when she said heartily that as the landlord of the port, it was important for the NPA to pay the condolence visit and show empathy with the deceased’s family. She remarked that NPA was touched as the LASTMA officer was murdered while on duty in Apapa, even as she admonished the Nigerian Police Force to do all it could to ensure the killers are arrested.

                According to Dr. Eugene Nweke, a former President of NAGAFF, Hadiza sees other stakeholders in the industry as her kids from her position and her frequent visits to the ports is commendable because it shows that she is concerned about the sector.

                Nweke asserts that Nigerians ports can only thrive on transparency, efficiency, accountability and effective collaboration and he is confident that is what Hadiza stands for.

                Although it is quite challenging to function as an affectionate mother and an astute administrator, Hadiza knows when to give time to her job as well as her family. She understands that time management is key and she knows when to shut down work and face family issues at a particular time when the need to create quality time becomes very important.

                During the week, she takes her kids to school as she understands that young children need the attention of their mothers. “I have to ensure that I am at work and get home early enough to put them to bed and be there to take them to school. I attend their school programmes.”

                “I have had instances where I’ve been late for a meeting with the Honourable Minister because I’ve had to attend an event for my child. I’ll give you an instance; I was to have a meeting with him here in the office and my child was having a performance in school and I needed to be there. Hence, I was late for the meeting and he said, “We’ll wait for you until you come because being a mother is very important.’’ So he has been very supportive in this regard Hadiza says.

                Hadiza’s motherly compassion was what led her initiate the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign following the kidnap of over 200 school girls in 2014.

                “I couldn’t imagine my child being abducted and nobody goes in search of him or her. I am a mother and I just couldn’t understand how if your child is kidnapped, you would sit and be quiet” Hadiza said in a recent interview.

                You only have to get into the headquarters of NPA to know that it is being managed by a woman as Hadiza has seen to its decoration and ensuring that little details such as the dress code of NPA workers, the arrangement and the premises of the NPA headquarters oozes feminine class.

                NPA has a dress code and Hadiza insists that in every organization has a dress code and the workers are supposed to comply. She has mandated all women to adhere strictly to the dress code.

                “There was an existing dress code at NPA and people might not have been complying so on assumption of office, I said that people need to comply with the dress code and every other rule that the organization has. Beyond that, it is important for people to dress formally when going to work, depending on the organization that you work for. Once there is a dress code, you should abide by it,” Hadiza says.

                On work culture, Hadiza, on assumption of office, was surprised to notice that NPA workers came so late to work that on so many occasions she had to come to work waiting to meet some members of staff for crucial meetings. As a result, she reminded them to stick to the resumption time, and led the way by resuming to work daily at 7am. This became a burden to many workers who confessed it was difficult  for them.

                As soon as you enter the NPA headquarters you can easily tell that woman in charge. However, the NPA headquarters and workers haven’t been the only recipients of Hadiza’s change ‘mantra’; port concessionaires are also feeling the heat of Hadiza’s leadership as she has insisted vehemently that they must make their payments in dollars despite the unfavourable exchange rate and lack of forex. Although the past NPA Managing Directors also demanded dollar payment, Hadiza’s decision to stick to the concession agreement is unique because of the drastic changes in the value of the dollar and the unavailability of the currency. 

Hadiza has also promptly  promoted most NPA staff whose promotion had been stagnated for several years, especially the women. She was brave enough to go ahead with the promotion without considering the impediment of the absence of the NPA governing board.

                The new management of NPA under the leadership of Hadiza has been staff-oriented promoting five Assistant General Managers to the position of General Managers and 30 Principal Managers to Assistant General Managers.

                She also displayed her commitment to staff welfare by organizing the long service award in December 2016, to celebrate NPA’s 2012/2013 Long Service Award ceremony for 644 staff who had served in the Authority for over 25 years. She noted that the ceremony was important to recognize the esteemed workers who had served at the Authority for decades.

                The NPA long service award policy had been in existence but abandoned for five years before Hadiza resuscitated it to demonstrate the appreciation of loyalty and commitment of long serving employees.

                “We are honouring those who worked late into the evening and early in the morning. I believe there were times of frustration and misunderstanding. You may have worked alone or in groups but you always had the support and encouragement of family and friends. Without that back-up you could not continue to do your best as you have done all these years.” Hadiza said.

                Hadiza still wears her BBOG badge as she maintains the same position that led her to begin the BBOG campaign. She is not less confrontational, although she acknowledges the progress which has been made by the Nigerian military, you shouldn’t speculate that the Chibok girls saga was a political gimmick anywhere near her.

                “I remember when the girls were abducted, I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that a huge number of young girls were abducted and the whole country would be quiet. In setting up our first protest march, I remember that there was a bit of skepticism. I think that when you have sincerity in your purpose, things would work out.” Hadiza says

                She still becomes sober when she deliberates on the sacrifices that the parents of the Chibok girls had made after their daughters were abducted.

                “For every advocacy that you have close to your heart, you need to have the freedom to advocate across party, religious and ethnic lines and every other stratum where you find yourself as a person. One of the things that came out of the campaign for the release of the Chibok girls was that it unified Nigerians. You have people across ethnic, religious, social strata coming together to raise their voices collectively.” Hadiza states.

                The BBOG badge reminds her that there are girls who are still being held by Boko Haram and she wants the world to always remember them so she keeps wearing the badge.

                “Everywhere I go, this badge reminds me and whoever interacts with me that the campaign is still on, there are girls who are still in captivity and we remain resolute to continue to advocate for the girls, so even if there is a place where a protest march is going on, my badge is there”.

                Prior to her new role, Hadiza had worked with the NGO; Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training, the Bureau of Public Enterprise and also served as a Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Budget Implementation.

                Her experience from these organizations provided a learning curve which also acted as an avenue for her to know how government should be run. At the BPE she was exposed to the knowledge on privatization and concession which are issues that also affect the NPA.

                “I have a lot of knowledge about how to review concession agreement and all sorts, from my experience at the BPE. Every work experience has prepared me for the task that I have now” she says.

                Hadiza also worked as the Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir- El- Rufai. She holds the record as the first female Chief of Staff in Kaduna State and the first female Chief of Staff in the 19 Northern states.

                Recalling the experience in a recent interview, she said, “I never looked at it from a gender perspective; I just looked at it as a huge responsibility has been put upon my person. Working as the Chief of Staff was a privilege. It was quite an interesting experience; especially in the North where the men are not too comfortable seeing a woman in position of authority because it requires them to bring themselves to a certain position”

                There were ego problems where people were trying to challenge her authority, but she managed the position successfully and always had the endorsement of the governor, Mallam El-Rufai.

                One of Hadiza’s role-models is Mallam El-Rufai who also stirred the activist side of her life when she managed him as the chief of staff.

                “Managing Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was not an easy task so I look back with nostalgia at the work that we did together. El-Rufai is one of my role models. Hilary Clinton is also a role model for me as well as Nelson Mandela. El-Rufai has a tremendous capacity for work; he is very hardworking, committed and able to ignite a lot of interest,” she said.

                Hadiza had also been active in politics before the BBOG campaign. She contested for the House of Representatives in Katsina State in 2011 as a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). She was also a member of the CPC Renewal Committee prior to BBOG. She believes that everyone needs to have freedom to advocate, irrespective of one’s political affiliations and religious beliefs.

                Hadiza is very proactive in her duties and you must commend her stakeholders’ involvement agenda. She asked NAGAFF to set up a committee to articulate certain issues which she promised to address. She has admirable qualities of a leader compared to what is obtainable in the nation today. Women are good managers.

                Look at the home and you will find that the women are multifunctional and they are not extravagant. Hadiza is an epitome of such a great woman. For us in NAGAFF, we recommend her strongly for a higher responsibility where she can display her great qualities. My advice is for her to continue her style especially with stakeholders’ involvement because modern governance is about public-private partnership

                As a woman, she has been able to bring in the feminine touch to the outlook of NPA such as the dress code of NPA workers, the premises of the NPA headquarters etc. Once you enter the NPA headquarters you can easily tell that woman in charge.

One of her good attributes is that she is visible and accessible to stakeholders. She is also engaging; these are the things that I would like to see more of. I would also advice her on the need to have lasting structures in the port.

                Unlike the previous Managing Directors of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Hadiza brings a style that has won accolades- she is removing that toga that shrouds Nigeria port authority (NPA) as an association that just makes money and do nothing.

                She is going to perform optionally because many stakeholders she has visited have promised to give her maximum support. She has instituted a quarterly meeting for stakeholders which would be an avenue for everybody to come together to assess what has been achieved review the challenges and proffer solutions. Her determination to repair the port access roads is also commendable. She visits the ports regularly, she comes down from her pinnacle of office to relate with stakeholders and she has support of her subordinates. She is just exceptional. I don’t know whether it is the woman’s touch but she is good.

                Gender should never be a consideration in making appointments but competence and Hadiza Bala-Usman has proven that already, by the way she has gone about managing the affairs of the NPA.

                Her competence, brilliance, managerial skills have shone brightly for all to see. I will therefore admonish Ms. Usman and indeed all women in the industry to remain committed to the values of professionalism, dedication and hard work, while treating their colleagues at work with the compassion that women are known for.

                This new style of leadership of Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman creates a healthy, competitive and viable port environment. I commend her vision, doggedness and understanding of the port because the port deals with people who are the operators and stakeholders. She is carrying everyone along and ensuring that nobody is left to feel unimportant. The dockworkers, freight forwarders, stevedores, etc. play roles in ensuring the cargo gets to the final destination. She has also said that NPA intends to create a cargo village where freight forwarders can stay to do their jobs.

                I have been very impressed to see Ms. Hadiza handling the Managing Director’s job just like the men do and even better in some cases. She has gone for port inspection to the various ports in the country. We have seen her on the port access roads when the traffic congestion became very worrisome. We saw her raising her clothes in the mud to inspect containers as well as to clear the congestion.

                She has endorsed promotions that were not done for years at the Authority. She transferred people and placed them in the right positions to perform optimally. I’m pleased that it is a woman that has done all these. She is doing her job as a technocrat that has been placed in the right position. If you look at the things she has done you wouldn’t believe that she is relatively new to the industry. This shows that she is an incredibly fast learner. In the next few years I believe she will do better.