Aminat Yahaya, a 400 level student of English at the Usmanu Danfodio University (UDU), Sokoto state has become the first woman to lead a student union in the north for more than 30 years – and the first female SUG president of UDU.

Najatu Mohammed, prominent activist and politician, became the first SUG president of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, more than 30 years ago and the first female to lead a student union in Africa.

Yahaya, who was elected vice president of the school’s union in September 2015, took over the office on Wednesday after the impeachment of the elected SUG president for misconduct.

Despite her notable achievement, Yahaya told the BBC Hausa service that she does not always feel supported by her female counterparts. Her words: “When it comes to leadership issues we [women] are own enemies. We don’t support ourselves mostly because some of us assume that ‘women are arrogant’.”