AN EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH MUNEERATU SULE TANIMU: BUSINESS WOMAN, POLITICIAN, PHILANTHROPIST AND ADVOCATE FOR GIRLCHILD EDUCATION, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND CREATION OF POLITICAL SPACE FOR THE YOUTHS

WECOME TO TOZALI, MUNEERATU. PLEASE, CAN YOU GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF?

My name is Muneeratu Sule Tanimu.  I was born and bred in Kaduna.  I attended SMC International School. I was there from my Nursery to JSS3. I proceeded to Federal Government Girls’ College, Kano. I was there for two years, but had to come back to Kaduna; I finished secondary school at Government College, Kaduna. I then proceeded to Bayero University, Kano (BUK) for a Diploma course. From there I went to University of Abuja, for a degree in Sociology.

DID YOU HAVE EMPLOYMENT AFTER SCHOOL?

I did not work for anybody after school. Even before I graduated from school I had started my own business. I am a business woman. I’ve been doing business for almost 14 yrs.

ARE YOU MARRIED? ANY CHILDREN?

I was married, but I’m now divorced. I have a four year old daughter.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NGO?

Green Heart Impact Foundation is my NGO. It’s a charity, non-profit organisation for the less privileged across the northern part of Nigeria. For my personal businesses, I own a restaurant; I’m into events management, catering services (outdoor and indoor). I also have a poultry farm; it is called the Green Heart Poultry Farms.

WHAT INSPIRED OR MOTIVATED YOU TO START THE FOUNDATION? WHEN DID IT EFFECTIVELY TAKE OFF? WHAT DOES THE FOUNDATION DO?

As Muslims, it is part of our religion to help people in need; I have been doing that for more than 10 years. There are lots of people in Nigeria that are suffering from poverty. So you’ve got to help them in whatever way you can. If they are there without food, you give them food. If they need clothes you give them clothes. If they want you to help them further their education, and if you can do that, you help them do that as well. We go round the North East to help the less privileged. We have done a lot of projects; we have helped the sick, we have given empowerment equipment to widows. We also have students that are in schools now because of our Foundation. I go round the prisons to help. I was at the prisons in Kano to help free 8 persons who were there for just small amount of money; a fine they could not pay. We paid to free them.

MOST WOMEN PHILANTHROPISTS LIKE YOU HAVE PASSION FOR GIRL-CHILD EDUCATION, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, ETC.; WE CAN UNDERSTAND THESE AREAS: BUT WHY THE PRISONS?

In the prisons, you have people that are not supposed to be there. I would say that they are there by mistake. Some of them did not even commit the offence for which they were arrested. Like in Kano, if you have small problem with anybody, once you are taken to court, they take them to prison before the court case ends. Those are the kinds of cases I get involved in to help. But I distance myself from serious criminal cases, such as murder and armed robbery.

THESE ARE THE SORTS OF PROGRAMMES THAT ONLY WIVES OF GOVERNORS AND POLITICIANS WITH DEEP POCKETS EMBARK ON. HOW DO YOU SPONSOR THE PROGRAMMES? I’M TALKING IN TERMS OF FUNDS.

I listed out my businesses. In each of these businesses, there’s a percentage of the profit that goes to the foundation. And sometimes, among the members, we raise money to help.

WHEN YOU SAY “MEMBERS”, DO YOU MEAN EMPLOYEES?

We are a charity organisation. We do not employ people, rather we have volunteers. These volunteers are members of the organisation. They want to help; from their own businesses, they give us something from their own pockets. They have their own monies; their own businesses. But once we have a programme running, they come and they give us what they feel like giving; and that is it.

With reference to wives of presidents and governors, I think giving back to the community is from the heart. So whether or not you have enough money, you give. I have my own businesses; I’m not saying that I’m rich, Alhamadulillahi.

ARE YOU DOING THIS ALL ALONE; OR YOU ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A GOVERNMENT AGENCY?

I have never asked anybody for a dime. I do this all alone with my team; that is the volunteers who are members of the foundation.

HAVE THERE BEEN CHALLENGES?

Well, for now I wouldn’t say that I have any big challenges. The only challenge I can make reference to is an incident that occurred few months ago when we went to visit the Internally Displaced Persons from Yola. We went there with mattresses, blankets, food items, clothes, medical items (we went with doctors). So we went to distribute these items, to help them. My mum was there too. The guys actually started pushing each other. It was their turn to collect items from us. Their men started misbehaving, acting violently. The next thing we knew, some of them fell and actually fell on my mum. She was injured. It took about four months for her leg to heal. That was something that really touched me. From that experience, I decided that if I have to go to places like that I will arrange for security. I will need security. As an NGO, we can write a letter to the Commissioner of Police requesting for security. They will protect us.

HAVE YOU HAD TO DO THAT?

We can do that; but the only problem we have encountered was with the IDPs. Apart from that, in other places, they are happy to have us. They even help us to share the items. When we go to the hospitals everything is well organised. When we go to schools, it is well organised.

ARE THERE OTHER PROJECTS?

We have different projects, so we visit hospitals, prisons, schools orphanages, etc. I also put a computer school in my home town in Kaduna; in my own village, which offers diplomas and certificates in Computer Literacy and Operation free of charge, because it is a non-profit organisation. I started with 50 students. They graduated last year with diplomas. I’ve admitted another 50 students. The ones who graduated are now members of the NGO. They were given gifts; the 1^st to 3^rd place positions were empowered with laptops and printers. And then, we opened small shops for them to start scanning and photocopying businesses. Now I’m planning to open one in Kano as well. I’m planning on taking a hundred students. The big project that I have right now is called “Say No to Girl Child Hawking”.

I have noticed so many things in northern Nigeria: Young girls of 7 to 12 years hawking on the streets with lipsticks on. Men take advantage of these young girls. It touches me so much because I have a 4 year old daughter. I wonder why they do it; if it is because of poverty, or they are pushed by their parents to do it; or ignorance of the society, or what? I have not seen any woman in Nigeria or anybody talking about this problem of girl child hawking. And I feel that it is time to face it and tackle the problem, probably with government. But I want to start on my own, give my own support first. So, right now I have picked some girls from the 19 states across the North: Two from some areas and up to five from some areas like Yobe, Maiduguri and Kano because they are much in these areas. We are planning to put them back in schools. Those that have finished primary school, we are planning to start them from J.S. One. We put them federal government colleges. We have picked girls some states. We have about 4 more states to pick from. Some of their parents do not want to listen to us or cooperate. But some of them are happy. They complain that it is poverty that compels them to send the girls to hawk. In such cases we tell them that we will support them. We put the girls back in school, and we empower the parents (give money to the parents). So the two hundred or five hundred Naira that the girls bring home every day, we give the money to the parents and put the girls back in school. They grow up to become better persons who can help others. So, it is a win-win deal.

SOME PROMINENT NORTHERN WOMEN FAVOUR EARLY MARRIAGE FOR GIRLS. WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?

Honestly, I have my own way of thinking. Though we are Northerners and Muslims, but we have different upbringings. Some people might support early marriage. But I will not support it and I do not support it. From 9 to 14 years is early for me. I don’t see how a nine year old girl child can fulfil the role of a wife and perform her duties well. And when it comes to child bearing these young girls run into a lot of problems. Many of them die in childbearing and some develop physiological problems arising from complications while giving birth. I think that mothers should help their daughters achieve their aspirations in life; mothers should send the girls to school. When they go to school they are in a better position to make the right choices and achieve what they want in life.

WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE BUHARI ADMINISTRATION?

The change is beginning. The light situation has improved. At my house in Kaduna before, you can stay there for 5 days, no light. But now there is light. I’m impressed in this aspect of light. I believe that given more time electricity will actually stabilize and that will mean small businesses can spring up and thrive; small businesses like business centres (photocopying, scanning, printing, typing, etc.) and hair dressing/barbing saloons. Such small businesses will thrive because the cost of running them will be greatly reduced. This will also encourage self-employment instead of everybody waiting for paid employment. That way more youths will be taken off the streets and the unemployment queue will greatly reduce. And when unemployment is reduced, crime rate will also reduce.

AS ONE WHO CARES FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED, IF YOU WERE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND JOB CREATION, WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE?

Well, I’m a politician. I ran for electoral post in my state for the House of Assembly on the platform of PDP and I came second. I ran against the incumbent majority leader of the House. I joined politics to help my people; to give back to the society. It was a challenge. Now change is here I’m supporting the government. We are one Nigeria, party or no party. I will support the government to make Nigeria a better place.

Getting back to the question, I have not seen women participate actively in this administration. I feel the government should bring in women and give them good offices so that they can also help and encourage other women to come up. The Northern woman is really not encouraged by the Northern society: Too much discouraging and disparaging statement; “She likes showing herself too much…”etc. are some of the inhibiting factors that put women down. Despite all that I think the government should work with women.

Apart from working with women, I think the youths should be actively involved in governance. We keep hearing that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, but I don’t see us leading. Many of us have finished school and then even in this political dispensation, many of the youths were out, not to take over, but to be part of the process. But the elders, the old schools did not allow the youths to get to that level. I think the elders should allow the youths to come up. Like our Governor, El-Rufai in Kaduna State; he appointed some youths into his cabinet. We were happy about that.

WE WANT TO SEE A FEMALE PRESIDENT IN NIGERIA: ARE YOU ASPIRING?

Well, I’m aspiring to be the Governor of Kaduna State someday. But I want to start from the House of Assembly, then House of Representatives, the Senate and so on. But you know how it is; when you are married you don’t always achieve what you want. But I pray I’ll get a husband that will help me achieve my dreams.

I THINK WE CAN CONCLUDE BY SAYING AMEN TO THAT PRAYER!!!