Youthville by Daily Trust Tambari

YOUTHVILLE TRUST

ISSUE #74

...young at heart

Friday, April 15, 2016

How we’re promoting modest fashion, Abuja sisters Tips on starting a building material venture Text by Bamas Victoria Chinedu Obinna, a young entrepreneur owns a building materials shop in Abuja. His firm, OGbest deals in assorted security doors, chandeliers and others. In chat with YOUTHVILLE recently, Obinna revealed some basics for starting the business. He said the first step to the venture is about Conviction! “Being convinced that this is what you want to do is important because it will make you triumph in difficult times and on the long run,” he noted. His reason for seeing conviction as a cardinal step is because he said present youth are more interested in ‘sharpsharp business’ “but building

Girl child education not a privilege 39 >> — Expert

materials is a long term business.” Once convinced, one needs to learn the trade. “You need to understand the trade by being an apprentice with someone who is already into it to build the skills,” Obinna said. The step is necessary because all businesses have their secrets of profit making and you can only learn them, the entrepreneur added. Obinna said the duration to learn the trade varies. “How good you are will determine the duration you stay to learn.” Another step is raising the capital which he mentioned different ways for that. “Some persons enter into an agreement with the owner of the business where they learn and he gives

them a lump sum after he has served him. Some others get paid monthly, others get money through sales commission while their relatives could pool the fund for them to start,” he explained. No matter the capital source, Obinna advised that “one needs to be frugal with the spending at least till one gets a strong customer base.” To attract and retain customers’ loyalty, Obinna said businessmen need to be truthful and not to be exploitative so you can have continuous turnover. “It is not by making too much profit then, it is to ensure the customers come back and also make referrals to you,” he hinted.

Ali Nuhu, Nafisa win big at AMMA 40 >> Award

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YOUTHVILLE

Friday, April 15, 2016 Page 39

How we’re promoting modest fashion, Abuja sisters The quartet of Aisha, 25, Naima, 23, Amina aged 21, and 20 years old Hadiza Salihu Kings are blood sisters operating a joint fabric design outfit, ‘The KKing Sisters (TKS)’ at the Gwarinpa District of Abuja. In this interview, the youngsters from Adavi LGA in Kogi state spoke about how they manage it alongside their academic pursuits.

Text by Mustapha Suleiman & Ajayi Adewale Johnson

ow long has the quartet been in this business? (Aisha): We are sisters from the same parents. Our father’s name is Salihu Kings. We started one year ago from home just designing on our notebooks. So we just sustained the inspiration and delved into fashion. Beside the business, I am reading Chemical Engineering, Hadiza is doing Computer Engineering, Naima is reading Electrical Engineering and Amina has chosen Architecture. What motivates you to start a fashion business? We love to look good, we like looking well dressed and modest. As Muslims, we look out for modesty in our choice of designs and wears. We like to come out with something that is fashionable and still very much in the confines of our belief. That’s the greatest

inspiration for the business. How supportive are your parents to you on this? Our mum has been very supportive and even dad too, because we are not doing something wrong. They are comfortable with it. How do you feel doing a joint business? It’s beautiful. I should say, it’s fun, though at times we do have little misunderstanding, disagreement, later on we come to agreement with whatever that works well, (Aisha said laughing). Every entrepreneur wants profit, how lucrative is your business? It’s fast growing and if one is starting, definitely one will face challenges because it is highly competitive. What inspires your various designs? It could be anything. Sometimes we get our ideas from colours. Beautiful colours embedded in nature inspire us a lot. We made a ‘Kimono’ design for a

lady by using Ankara fabrics to do it. It is rare to get an Ankara Kimono, and one client really appreciated it. We will soon do a fashion show to showcase our works including our veils. What challenges do you face in the business? Fashion trends with new things coming up always, so we have to keep working on new ideas. As for us, we are trying to make modesty look fashionable since many thing those who wear Hijab can’t look good. We work out how one can wear them and still look modest, that’s the challenge. Is being young a leverage to your business? It’s an advantage, because few years from now you would wish you started today. You won’t compare someone that started their fashion line 12 years ago with another who started now. So we are actually starting now and we wish we had started earlier. How do you strike a balance with

your academics and the business? Definitely, there is time for everything as they say; time for school will be for school. Do you have role model you admire? Yes. There is this lady, she is an inspiration, someone who started, who doesn’t believe she would be on top. I mean, Olajumoke, the bread seller who turned out to be a sought out model. She did not envisage that she would one day be at the top but everyone amazed after reading grass to grace story. What advice do you have for other youth? Starting from a little beginning before reaching full potentials is wise thing for youth to do. You can’t just wake up and expect money to flow; you have to work hard especially if you believe in your dream. No matter what anyone says to discourage you, just be optimistic.

Backpack

Girl child education not a privilege — Expert

nd expert in girl child rights and Director, Niger State Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Ruth Kai has said qualitative and productive education for the girl child should not be seen as a privilege but as a right. Mrs. Kai who spoke recently at a student’s seminar at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida in Niger state said it is enshrined in the section 7 sub-section 1 and 2 of the Niger State Child’s Right’s Law 2010. She said despite the provision of the State law,

girls as young as 11 years have been married out to adults with most of them withdrawn from primary or secondary schools. The seminar which was organised by Higher National Diploma 1 students of the Mass Communication department was tagged, ‘Stepping up girl child protection and building inclusive Education’. Mrs Kai also disclosed that there is no scientific or biological proof that the girl child lacks the ability to attain the educational height

reached by the male child or even higher. Other challenges for the girl child she said include street hawking which exposes them to physical and sexual abuses. She urged the Federal Ministry of Education to make intensive use of the media to create more awareness on the importance of girl child education in the country. Report from Ademola Azeezat, HND2, Mass Communication Department, Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

Nasarawa Poly loses Dep. Rector, Dr. Sani Text by Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun

he Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa has announced the death of its Deputy Rector, Dr. Haassan Ibn Sani which occurred last week. A statement issued by the school yesterday said the Rector, and other stakeholders described the incident as shocking. Dr. Sani who died from a protracted illness the

previous Wednesday was a 1989 graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and has a Ph.D in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom (UK). He joined the polytechnic in 1990 as an Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to Chief Lecturer in January 2013. He was appointed Deputy Rector in August, 2014, a position he held till his death.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect – Zoey Sayward

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YOUTHVILLE

Friday, April 15, 2016 Page 40

ENTERTAINMENTNEWS >>

Ali Nuhu, Nafisa win big at AMMA Award

 UNIMAID students perform the Idoma cultural dance.

UNIMAID agog as students celebrate cultural heritage

 From right, Ali Nuhu, Nilesh, Nafisa, Lawal and Abubakar at the AMMA Awards

Text from Bashir Liman

he famous Kannywood actor Ali Nuhu and Kannywood diva Nafisa Abdullahi have won Best Actor and Best Actress during AMMA Award season 3. Ali won the award with his unique role in the film ‘Nasibi’, while Nafisa bagged her award with her exceptional character she portrayed in the film ‘Baiwar Allah’.

Also Ali and Nafisa won Best Stylish Actor and Actress respectively. The event that took place in Meena Event Centre, Kano not only witnessed massive turn out of Kannywood stakeholders and filmmakers, it was also colourful and spectacular. Musicians like Abubakar Sani and Hussaini Danko entertained the audience as they were agog and anxiously

Photo: Sani Maikatanga

waiting to see the winners of the awards. Maryam Booth claimed Kannywood Face Award, Nuhu Abdullahi is the most in-form Kannywood Actor, while Nura M. Inuwa is the Best Musician. Late Hauwa Ali Dodo (Biba Problem) and late Tijjani Ibrahim were given Lifetime Achievement Award after their contributions in uplifting the industry.

87m children growing in conflict zones — UNICEF Text by Judd-Leonard Okafor

he United Nations Children’s Fund says some 87 million children under the age of seven have spent their entire lives in conflict zones, putting their brain development at risk. UNICEF’s new report draws links between a child’s first

seven years of life when some 1,000 brain cells or neurons activate every second and the violent existence that children are subjected to while growing. UNICEF figures show that globally one in 11 children aged 6 or younger has spent the most critical period of brain development growing up in conflict. “In addition to the

immediate physical threats that children in crises face, they are also at risk of deeprooted emotional scars,” UNICEF Chief of Early Child Development, Pia Britto said. “That is why we need to invest more to provide children and caregivers with critical supplies and services including learning materials etc,” he urged.

Nafisa: From sketching to fabric design n Text by Latifat Opoola @LatifatOpoola

budding fashion designer, Nafisa Nasir Buba started sketching designs when she was in secondary school. Speaking with YOUTHVILLE recently, Nafisa explained how her inquisitiveness on fabric designs stirred the career interest. The twenty year old CEO of Apipa Buba while waiting for a tertiary school admission started her business with just a piece of paper, pencils and some paints.

“I didn’t start with much capital because all I got were a piece of paper, pencil and paint but today I gn have got clients paying me to design their clothes,” she said. Her greatest challenge she said d: is the Nigerian market. Nafisa said: k “People want to stand out and look ve different, but as a designer you have o to think outside the box in order to satisfy them.” Nafisa who wishes to compete lls with top designers in the world calls on youth to believe in what they do and to never relent until they achieve their goals.

t was a celebration of the richness of Nigerian culture and traditions last week at the University of Maiduguri as its students exhibited various cultural heritage traditions. The annual cultural fiesta tagged, ‘Nativity Night’ is organized by the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF)to portray the rich culture among many ethnic groups including Hausa, Idoma, Ijaw, Kanuri, among others. The participating youth turned out in their various native attires symbolizing their cultural heritage such as wearing of beads, hats, varieties of caps with feathers, walking sticks and different styles of clothing. It also featured delicacies exhibition, where foods of various kinds such as fura da nono, banga soup, edika-ikong and others were displayed.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi stressed the importance of Unity and Peace especially at this crucial time when ethnicity, religious intolerance and political instability are tearing Nigeria apart. The RCF President, Levi Bulus observed that the purpose of the event is to foster unity irrespective of the cultural background of the students. A participant, Benedict Uche who was visibly excited about the Arewa exhibition said: “I am very happy today. I feel at home once again. I interacted freely and saw how other ethnic groups celebrate their culture.” From Isola Taiwo, Department of Human Anatomy, University of Maiduguri.

SPORTSVILLE

How 25-yr old established sports centre, employs 8 in Abuja Text by Ibrahim Kabiru Sule @ikabirsule

wenty five year old, Abdullahi Maida brought smiles to the residents of Utako District in Abuja when he built his 24-hour modern football pitches and recreation facilities for exercises and friendship activities. Maida, who was 22 when he established Planet Futsal centre some three years ago, said he was motivated to do that because of the growing need for football pitches by workers in the city. In an interview with Daily Trust YOUTHVILLE, Maida said his penchant for self-

The roots of education are bitter but the fruit is sweet - Aristotle

employment drove him to establish the centre which now employs eight other youth. “We have expanded from 3 5-aside pitches now we expanded to four pitches. 3 5-aside pitches and 7-aside. And we are hoping to open up a fitness centre, and a gym before the end of August this year,” he said. He said the amount charged is relative to the time, duration and individual or corporate organisation. But there has been increasing surge of individuals and schools making it necessary to continue to expand the facilities.