I FOLLOWED PLAYERS’ MOVEMENT ACROSS CLUBS AND ANALYSED THEIR TRANSFER FEES. I AM AN ARSENAL FAN

Hauwa Liman is an indigene of Daura Local Government Area in Katsina State. She was born into the family of a renowned educationist, the late Altine Liman Daura. The development economist, civil servant and multiple award winning business and social entrepreneur has an innate desire and strong commitment for addressing women and youth issues, particularly in northwestern Nigeria. She is a trained youth development strategist, with special focus on value reorientation and attitudinal interventions. Educational background I hold a BSc in Economics and a master’s degree in Development Studies from Bayero University, Kano. I equally obtained certificates in Business and Entrepreneurship from the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, the Mccombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin, USA, and a certificate in Leadership and Policy Making from the University of Cambridge, among others. Career background My career began with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2010. I was one of the fortunate young Nigerians that got employed into the NYSC scheme that year. Working in the scheme was an eye-opener as it gave me a firsthand insight into the existing realities and challenges bedeviling Nigeria as far as youths are concerned. I saw how deep the scourge of unemployment had eaten into the Nigerian system, how passionate and willing many Nigerian youths were to contribute to the development of the nation but constrained by lack of opportunities and resources. Many of these youths end their service year hopelessly, with no sense of direction about what lies ahead.

I have a strong passion for developmental issues, especially poverty, inequality and unemployment. Thus, my choice of Economics and Development Studies in the university was not accidental. It has exposed me to the complexities of poverty and inequality, and why efforts to control such intricacies have failed to yield the desired result.

I am particularly worried by the high level of poverty and inequality amongst women and youths in my community. The passion for greater impact saw me establishing a business enterprise –Afrik Abaya, which is a model I use in promoting entrepreneurship culture among youths eyeing white collar jobs that are non-existent.

I also launched the Inspire for Impact Initiative, a platform that empowers women and youths for self and community development. The project directly inspires, empowers and mentors youths to realise their full potentials and impact communities through networking, collaboration and active youth volunteerism. It also promotes ethnic and religious tolerance among youths.

Through these platforms I have directly worked with over 12,000 youths on value re-orientation, attitudinal change, small business start-up and community development, among others, in the last three years. Moving on this trajectory, I was selected to represent Nigeria as a delegate to the 2018 Women’s Forum under the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April 2018.

My work on youth impact across northern Nigeria also got the attention of the United Nations General Assembly, where I was invited as a youth delegate to represent Nigeria in the UN Youth Dialogue 2018 to brainstorm on “education, unemployment and prevention of radicalisation that leads to violent extremism” at the UN headquarters in New York. Alhamdulillah, it has been a fulfilling journey so far.

What was growing up like?

I had an exciting childhood. It was a house full of joy, laughter, togetherness and discipline. I grew up in a house full of people that I assumed were all my biological brothers and sisters. I cannot even recall precisely at what age I was able to differentiate my brothers and sisters from my cousins. Life lessons over the years My first life lesson is understanding that these days, not only the best, but even the average and the ordinary don’t come easy, thus one must learn to always take his or her A-game to every table. Secondly, I have learnt to invest in developing myself as I have over the years seen doors open because of what I can deliver, not because of who I know or what I can pay. Another life lesson is to expect less and impact more. Aspirations while growing up My aspiration while growing up was to become a university lecturer. That was my dream and I worked very hard in my schooldays and graduated as the best female student in my department, just to get that dream actualised. But as God would have it, I am where I am today. Alhamdulillah, I am a lecturer but not to university students. I lecture youth corps members and graduate youths and women working in the NYSC and the Inspire for Impact Initiative. Childhood memories you miss I miss the full house with my brothers, sisters, cousins and even extended family members who made our home their bus stops whenever they came into town. I miss the plays, fights and daily house chores we shared. I miss sneaking into my aunties’ rooms to experiment and practise sewing. I miss converting my oversized Sallah wrappers to skirts and tops.

How did your passion for creative fashion start and how long have you been in it?

I have always loved fashion. The way fabrics are cut, twisted, folded, and in some cases, pressed to produce outfits, really fascinates me. I can say that the consciousness of my present day entrepreneurial pursuit in fashion design was influenced by my fascination of art and craft back in my secondary school days, and my mother, who happens to be a seamstress. While the art and craft module exposed me to the early rudiments of patterns, designs and use of colour, having a sewing machine at home made it easy for me to learn. That was how I taught myself how to sew; and I have been sewing my clothes since 1998.

The constant demand for my clothes from family and friends, the informal attention to details of tailoring, coupled with my love for originality, artistic work, African fabrics, and above all, that of the Abaya, crystallised the passion for garment making that today becomes the bedrock of our business at Afrik Abaya.

What’s your take on the Nigerian fashion industry, especially how it relates to the average northern woman?

The Nigerian fashion industry is rapidly growing and positioning African fashion generally on the global fashion map. Nigerian designers are doing amazingly well and carving a niche for themselves. If you look at the sustained and improved growth of fashion shows in Nigeria, particularly the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, you would appreciate the steady and impressive progress the Nigerian fashion industry is making.

The average northern woman is not left behind. We are witnessing an increasing awareness among our ladies in their appearances and the huge investment they are making in fashion statements. It is a welcome development. However, some northern women are honestly crossing the modest line, all in the name of fashion. Challenges in career and life generally My biggest challenge is the societal stigma and lack of support, which, in some cases, come with being a woman striving to excel and contribute in correcting the anomalies in the society. Some of us are conditioned to just accept the status quo without questions, no matter how harmful or unfavourable it is to our personal or professional lives. We are conditioned to live and die with our goals, aspirations, talents and potentials for fear of character assassination. At times I struggle to prove that I can be better than what/who a segment of the society made me think and believe I was or could become. Your most cherished gift and from who My most cherished gift was an Arabian perfume and two abayas from an Emirati lady named Najlaa. It’s the spirit behind the gift that made it the most cherished. I couldn’t resist admiring her abaya. I greeted her and asked which country’s designed it was.

I am a freak when it comes to researching and documenting country-specific modest fashion as I draw inspiration from them. She said she was from the United Arab Emirates and that particular design was from Al-Ain. After Asr prayer she asked to leave her praying mat with me to do Dawaf and I