On this day in 1953 Senator Professor Dame Nora Ladi Dadu’ut of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was born to the royal family of the Chief of Kwalla, the late Musa Shalong Kepuoe, and Bibiana Nada in Qu’an-Pan Local Government Council of Plateau State.
Dame Nora is a serving Senator representing Plateau South in the National Assembly.
She is the first female senator from Plateau State.
Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut is the fourth child of her father out of 26 and the second of her mother.
Prof. Dame Nora Ladi Daduut started her educational journey at St. Patrick’s R. C. M Primary School Kwalla from 1960-1962 and because she excelled, skipped a class and proceeded to St Louis Convent Primary School Shendam in 1963.
Due to her hard work and outstanding performance, she was among the five girls selected in her class in 1965 to complete their primary education in the famous St. Theresa’s Girls’ Primary school Jos during which they were housed in St. Louis College by the Rev. Sisters of St. Louis.
Among the five, she impressed the Rev. Sisters and so was again picked and sent to the only co-educational Catholic school, Fatima Secondary School Minna from 1966-1970.
There she held the post of the Senior Prefect (Head Girl). The drive for further education gained her admission into the school of Basic Studies, in the renowned Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (Kano Campus) where she obtained her first degree in French in 1976.
Just like Nelson Mandela, Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut believes that Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world, therefore, armed with the determination to break through in her educational pursuit, Nora won the Federal scholarship to one of the celebrated Universities in France, Université de Bordeaux III, where she bagged an M.A in French in 1979, and shortly after that, she obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (1982) in the University of Jos.
The zeal to excel in the educational sector took her back to her Alma Mater, A B U Zaria where she grabbed her PhD in French in 1991. She went to several other Institutions, these include: Université de Dakar, Sénégal (1974-1975) Université de Tours (1975) Université de Strasbourg (1993) Université de Montpellier (1999) and Université d’Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic (2002) in order to acquire more knowledge of French.
Enriched by these qualities, Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut started as a classroom teacher, rose to the top in such positions like school administrator (Principal), Deputy Director, Coordinator and Inspector of French programmes in Plateau State, Director of school services, and at various times, she was a part-time lecturer at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism and Institute of Archeology and Museum Jos respectively. As presenter of ‘French for Beginners’ on PRTVC, her outstanding teaching ability encouraged a lot of viewers to embrace the French language.
She was nominated the President of the Nigerian Chapter of this prestigious Body at the St. Etienne Conference held in France in 2010. She is also currently a Trustee of Alliance Française Jos which she founded in collaboration with the French Director of the Centre for French Teaching and Documentation (CFTD) Jos, M. Thomas De Douhet. In 2007 this distinguished alumnus of ABU was appointed Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Education to the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Chief Michael Bot Mang.
Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut is widely travelled, her academic activities include; lecturer of French, Coordinator Preliminary French Programme University of Jos and Head of Department in the Department of Foreign Languages till October 2019. She has various educational presentations and publications to her credit and has participated in many National and International conferences, seminars and workshops.
Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut is the Asst. Secretary, University French Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (UFTAN), Coordinator, Post Graduate Seminar/ workshop, Central zone, Vice president, Nigerian Association of French Teachers (NAFT) Plateau State branch.Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut set up a nongovernmental organization, “Society for Community Concerns” in 2004 to help communities utilize their local potentials for self-Development.
She is steadfast to her Christian faith and does not compromise her Catholic faith with anything. It is therefore not surprising that this devotee to the Catholic Church was recognized by Pope Benedict XVI who conferred on her the award-Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in 2007.
Sen (Prof) Dame Nora Ladi Daduut has empowered so many Youths and women in her Senatorial District and Puts them first in all her dealings .
She turns 70 today.
