Tears of Joy in Biu as Zulum Empowers 400 Women With N40m Grants

Tears of Joy in Biu as Zulum Empowers 400 Women With N40m Grants

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

It was not the harsh realities of Nigeria’s economy that drew tears from the hundreds of women and girls gathered in Biu last Friday. It was the overwhelming joy of witnessing a long-awaited transformation — the inauguration of the Women and Girls Skills Acquisition Centre (WGSAC), a project many described as nothing short of miraculous.

For years, empowerment programmes for women in Borno South Senatorial District, covering nine local government areas, felt like distant promises. But last weekend, those dreams finally took shape, offering second chances to girls who dropped out of school and women struggling to rebuild their lives.

During the inauguration ceremony, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum stunned the crowd after announcing a ₦40 million economic support grant for 400 women selected from eight LGAs of the zone, a moment that triggered gasps, tears, and outright disbelief among the beneficiaries.

“These 400 women are vocational trainees drawn from eight local governments,” Zulum explained. “They include women and girls previously blocked by circumstance from completing their education.”

According to him, each trainee will receive ₦100,000 in two instalments, supporting their transition into small-scale enterprises such as tailoring, catering, knitting, crocheting, and bead-making. The initiative, he noted, is designed to restore livelihoods and reduce economic vulnerability across southern Borno communities.

Just when the applause began to settle, Zulum threw in another unexpected announcement.

“Who among you has qualifications for higher education?” he asked.

Dozens of hands shot up tentatively — and in response, the governor approved instant scholarships for selected trainees to study nursing and midwifery in the state.

What followed was a wave of raw emotion. Women sobbed, some smiled through tears, and others pinched themselves in disbelief, unsure whether the grants and scholarships were real. Even after the governor’s convoy departed, the vocational centre remained filled with jubilation, prayers, and gratitude.

Friday’s event formed part of Zulum’s intensive five-day tour of Southern Borno, during which he commissioned projects, interacted with health workers and teachers, and rolled out new support initiatives targeting youth, the sick, and the vulnerable.

For the women of Borno South, however, the inauguration of WGSAC was more than an official ceremony — it was the opening of a new chapter.

As one elderly beneficiary whispered amid the crowd, “God has remembered Borno’s daughters.”

Many joined her in praying that the Almighty continues to grant the governor strength, good health, and wisdom to sustain people-focused programmes that improve living conditions and restore dignity in communities once left behind.