In a country where upstanding role models are insufficient, authentic female role models are even fewer and powerful femaleness is such rareness, Madam Aisha Alhassan goes for the jugular fearlessly and is Girl Power Re-imagined.

Where the stereotypes and limitations have often caged Women and in a horde of situations, relegated them to mere objects of admiration, affection and procreation, this exceptional Mrs Madam doesn’t wait in line, she isn’t expecting forces of nature or male forces to dictate her pace, she’s been the Madam at the Top of Things; almost the whole time, her entire life.

Hailing from Northern Nigeria, a region where gender roles are considered unequal as yet, this Golden Girl filled with gusto, grit and a peerless character of greatness is not only refreshing but a huge confrontation to the status quo.

Aisha Jumai Alhassan is WOMAN. Of Fulani extraction, lawyer by discipline and politician by practice, she has risen to become the epitome and exemplary enigma that’s representing the new School of “Women can be all Things, Great and Grand”

The first woman to be appointed the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in Taraba State as well as the first woman to be appointed Secretary of the FCT Judicial Council, this made -of -steel amazon was later appointed the Chief Registrar of the High Court of the FCT in 2003.

After conquering ‘The Law’ as it were, she ventured into business but the path of public service is one that she could not ignore.

Squaring up against an incumbent Senator in the 2011 PDP primaries, she defeated him and held on to her political party’s ticket in spite of intense pressure. Her unstoppable nature and doggedness saw her running a unified campaign that garnered the support of Christian voters in Taraba despite herself being a Muslim and she again emerged the first woman to be elected as Senator from Taraba State.

In the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate, she joined other great women such as Nkechi Nwaogu, Helen Esuene, Nenadi Usman, Remi Tinubu and a couple others whom we respect as those who paved the way, shattered glass ceilings and have kept them unbolted.

Born in 1959, Aisha Al-hassan also had a major first (which as a Former Students Union Leader, I truly admire) – only 18, she contested to be Vice President of Ahmadu Bello University Students’ Union against another female and a man when she was just a preliminary studies student. She defeated both to become the only female in that exco, and later became the first female acting president of the union.

When we hear of great women of History like Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Kudirat Abiola and many others including the great Hajia Gambo Sawaba, we look to this generation before us for those who inspire and Aisha Alhassan stands out as THE ONE THAT WAS TO COME.

That she is now Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Women Affairs fills all of us women folk with much optimism for expanded roles and opportunities for Women in the polity as well as a deeper commitment to Girl Child education.

Now of the APC political circle, Madam Aisha has remained formidable within her new platform; she walked the wire, shellacking all the men in the state party system to become the party’s flag-bearer – again running against an all-male cast.

On election day, as news filtered in that she was coasting to victory, women and progressive men all over Nigeria were already in celebratory moods owning her possible victory. That announcement was not made. But of course, she was ready for battle.

I have since keenly followed the irenic proceedings of her Tribunal cases challenging the announcement of her opponent in the 2015 Gubernatorial Elections, who now sits as the current Governor of Taraba State and I write as a neutral, unprejudiced, non-partisan voice with a sincere wish that providence will favour Madam Aisha’s courage and that as she has come this far, she will eventually emerge the first elected female governor in a state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In size and stature, Madam Aisha Alhassan reminds one of the mythical Greek Women Warriors, the Amazons and for me, after reading about and studying the Life, exploits and political prowess of Mrs Madam, this is what a Person of the Year looks like.

I watched her ministerial screening before the Nigerian Senate few months ago where she described herself simply as a ‘Mother and Grandmother”. Her ingenuity and humanness coming to the fore, and without having ever met this phenomenal woman but having listened to her time and again, I am convinced that Change begins at the end of our comfort Zone.

To the Girls and Women, here’s Mrs Madam, a Jolly Good Fellow who plays it all fair, is quite traditional and conservative with her values but upfront and gutsy with her goals and targets.

She doesn’t hate or disrespect men, but she believes that life and history credits only those who recognize that being a Woman was never about conforming, about being silent during negotiations or being second class.

If you didn’t know, well now you know.

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*Akerele, winner of multiple entrepreneurial awards, is founder and chief executive officer of Rise Group