LESSON FROM THE FIRST FEMALE PROFESSOR OF LAW IN KOGI STATE
That Professor Emily Alemika of the Department of Public Law, Faculty
of Law, University of Jos (UNIJOS), is the first female law professor
to have come out of the entire Kogi State is an act of fate. A victim
of child labour who registered for primary education at 13, she was
undaunted in her drive to the top. Little wonder she is an apostle of
encouragement, not only to women, but all she comes across.
Prof Emily is the wife of Professor Etanibi Alemika, also of UNIJOS.
Emily gives all credit to her husband.
Being the first female professor of law in the whole of Kogi State.
I did not know I was the first in my state until I started receiving
congratulatory messages.
In fact, it was my senior colleague that drew my attention to it and
I told him I have not thought of that because I did not set a pace for
myself to be there before any other person. But in all, I thank God
for the grace because that also includes the old Kwara State from
which Kogi was carved out.
This position was further confirmed at the recent conference in Afe
Babalola University. So, we are not just making the statement, it is a
fact. At least, we are sure of the whole Kogi State and I come from a
community called Kabba Bunu where also I was known for my struggle and
determination to become somebody.
How background impacted her career
My background was very interesting. You can imagine starting primary
school between the ages of 13 and 14 years. Before primary school, I
had stayed with more than 12 people but none of them sent me to
school. All I was known for was the fact that I was hardworking and
very good at helping people.
So, I was always asked to help either an aged person or a young woman
giving birth or someone that has business to do and felt I would be of
help.
Coming from a broken home, it was difficult to have a feel of what
happened. So, those times I was being taken from one home to another,
I never had the privilege of knowing my mother or father.
I was dashing from the hands of relatives to the friends of relatives
but wherever I was taken, I did my best diligently. There was never a
time I knew myself to be a child. I was doing things like adults;
walking distances, quickly taking a tin of oil to the market before
rushing to the farm.
If I have to tell you how my background impacted me, I will tell you
that it made me rugged.
Late enrollment in school
Talking about my primary education, I can tell you that all hope was
lost until 1968 in Lokoja when I was in the 12th home and
coincidentally, the last place I was taken to. I was there as a local
restaurant attendant and I was receiving six pence per month.
One day, the lady said my father wanted me back so I could enroll in
school but I refused because whenever they did that, it meant they
wanted to give me to another hand. So, I pleaded with the woman not to
allow me leave her because that was the only place I was treated like
a human being and also had the privilege to earn income.
I told her I would rather die with her. Once she agreed, I was happy
and went about to hawk pounded yam but after few days, she said,
'Look, you have to go back to the village because your father has
threatened to arrest me with police if I do not send you back.' I went
back December of that year. That was the time I started being able to
pick years and I knew that it was in 1968. Eventually, January 1969
came and I was enrolled in Primary One. Within these years, I had
moved round the 33 Bunu villages, serving people. But one thing on my
mind was that I wanted to go back to school.
So, in the farm, I would be marching to the tune of school drum's beat.
Journey to the top
As I have been saying, there was a spirit in me – the spirit of
determination, the spirit of 'I can do it' and the spirit of 'what you
are assigned to do, do it to the best of your knowledge.' Even though
I was the fourth in my family, I was the only one that was able to
scale the hurdle.
It was tough though, but I was not looking back. I kept moving along,
trying to fit in with those younger schoolmates. I never knew where my
mother was and I never lived with my father.
It was not as if there was anybody around to encourage me. It was a
hopeless situation. Even the day I saw my mother, they just called me
and said 'that is your mother' and before I knew, they asked me what I
was still doing there with her and that was all, she disappeared
again. So, I continued with my life the way I found it.
Any stage I got towards where God wanted me to be. In my trying to
know how to read and write, I excelled.
of Law, University of Jos (UNIJOS), is the first female law professor
to have come out of the entire Kogi State is an act of fate. A victim
of child labour who registered for primary education at 13, she was
undaunted in her drive to the top. Little wonder she is an apostle of
encouragement, not only to women, but all she comes across.
Prof Emily is the wife of Professor Etanibi Alemika, also of UNIJOS.
Emily gives all credit to her husband.
Being the first female professor of law in the whole of Kogi State.
I did not know I was the first in my state until I started receiving
congratulatory messages.
In fact, it was my senior colleague that drew my attention to it and
I told him I have not thought of that because I did not set a pace for
myself to be there before any other person. But in all, I thank God
for the grace because that also includes the old Kwara State from
which Kogi was carved out.
This position was further confirmed at the recent conference in Afe
Babalola University. So, we are not just making the statement, it is a
fact. At least, we are sure of the whole Kogi State and I come from a
community called Kabba Bunu where also I was known for my struggle and
determination to become somebody.
How background impacted her career
My background was very interesting. You can imagine starting primary
school between the ages of 13 and 14 years. Before primary school, I
had stayed with more than 12 people but none of them sent me to
school. All I was known for was the fact that I was hardworking and
very good at helping people.
So, I was always asked to help either an aged person or a young woman
giving birth or someone that has business to do and felt I would be of
help.
Coming from a broken home, it was difficult to have a feel of what
happened. So, those times I was being taken from one home to another,
I never had the privilege of knowing my mother or father.
I was dashing from the hands of relatives to the friends of relatives
but wherever I was taken, I did my best diligently. There was never a
time I knew myself to be a child. I was doing things like adults;
walking distances, quickly taking a tin of oil to the market before
rushing to the farm.
If I have to tell you how my background impacted me, I will tell you
that it made me rugged.
Late enrollment in school
Talking about my primary education, I can tell you that all hope was
lost until 1968 in Lokoja when I was in the 12th home and
coincidentally, the last place I was taken to. I was there as a local
restaurant attendant and I was receiving six pence per month.
One day, the lady said my father wanted me back so I could enroll in
school but I refused because whenever they did that, it meant they
wanted to give me to another hand. So, I pleaded with the woman not to
allow me leave her because that was the only place I was treated like
a human being and also had the privilege to earn income.
I told her I would rather die with her. Once she agreed, I was happy
and went about to hawk pounded yam but after few days, she said,
'Look, you have to go back to the village because your father has
threatened to arrest me with police if I do not send you back.' I went
back December of that year. That was the time I started being able to
pick years and I knew that it was in 1968. Eventually, January 1969
came and I was enrolled in Primary One. Within these years, I had
moved round the 33 Bunu villages, serving people. But one thing on my
mind was that I wanted to go back to school.
So, in the farm, I would be marching to the tune of school drum's beat.
Journey to the top
As I have been saying, there was a spirit in me – the spirit of
determination, the spirit of 'I can do it' and the spirit of 'what you
are assigned to do, do it to the best of your knowledge.' Even though
I was the fourth in my family, I was the only one that was able to
scale the hurdle.
It was tough though, but I was not looking back. I kept moving along,
trying to fit in with those younger schoolmates. I never knew where my
mother was and I never lived with my father.
It was not as if there was anybody around to encourage me. It was a
hopeless situation. Even the day I saw my mother, they just called me
and said 'that is your mother' and before I knew, they asked me what I
was still doing there with her and that was all, she disappeared
again. So, I continued with my life the way I found it.
Any stage I got towards where God wanted me to be. In my trying to
know how to read and write, I excelled.
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