Professor Hauwa Ibrahim, a Nigerian hawker turned lecturer at Harvard University has revealed her mission to take away children like her from the streets and make them even better.
Prof. Hauwa Ibrahim who has been to 70 countries and taught in 12 countries, is back in Nigeria to teach children Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
She said, she believes the future is STEAM and in each of these children, there is a rare gem. With a little push, anybody can be somebody.
The professor who is the President of the Peace Institute said she and her team want to show and teach the children that they can be whatever they want to be in life, with determination and love.
According to the Professor of Law with an interest in women and children, she has been going around the country and impacting positively since 2019 in Nigeria.
Hon. (Dr) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of Nigerians In Diaspora Commission who received the professor on a courtesy visit thanked her and the
the delegation which includes nationals of Italy, Germany, Bosnia and Kenya, for giving back to Nigeria.
She said that the contribution of Professor Hauwa to humanity will go a long way to solve the humanitarian crises and engender national development.
The NIDCOM boss appreciated Professor Hauwa for being a patriotic Nigerian Diaspora, assuring her of the Commission’s support in whatever way possible towards the realisation of her goals in Nigeria.
The team spent 4 weeks in Nigeria and thought in 3 Internally Displaced Camps (IDP) in Abuja.
The delegation was able to practically teach children in these camps through the use of STEAM knowledge to become critical thinkers and use resources found in their immediate environment to innovate and solve challenges they are facing.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa reiterated that part of the efforts of the Commission is in harnessing the potentials of the Diaspora to ensure brain gain as against brain drain.
Before joining the Harvard Divinity School as a Visiting Lecturer, Professor Hauwa Ibrahim was a jointly appointed Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, Harvard Law School and Islamic Legal Studies Programme.
A lawyer, author and mother, Hauwa built up a unique practice, representing in Shariah courts women and children. In May 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed her to serve on the Presidential Committee charged with fact-finding to help rescue the 219 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram from Chibok, Northern Nigeria.
In 2017 Acting President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo appointed her to the Presidential Investigation Panel to Review Compliance of the Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement.
She is a Laureate of the European Parliament (Peace Prize) 2005 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and resides in Massachusetts USA.
