‘Nigerian parents must show commitment to girl-child education’

A US-based Nigerian author, Khuraira Musa, has advised parents on showing commitment to educating their children, especially the girl child.

The author gave the advice on Wednesday during a press conference heralding the launching of her biography, ‘The Audacity of an African Girl’, which will take place on Saturday in Abuja.

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Ms Musa, who is a renowned makeup artist with more than 25 years of experience, said education is the key that opened doors for her.

According to her, the government should not be blamed for all the out-of-school children in the country.

The founder of Zainab Memorial School, Jebbu-Bassa, said the government has little or no control over what one becomes in the future.

She said: “The government has no control of what you should be. I was in Ruga, I didn’t even know what government was. I wanted to go to school and my parents supported me.

“So, sometimes the government can’t be blamed for everything, I am not saying that the government doesn’t have faults, but you have to want something so bad and your parents need to push you. Everything needs to start from home.

“The reason why sometimes it is a problem with the government is that the parents are not doing their part. So, why don’t we start looking at parents before we even point accusing fingers at the government?

“If I had gone to Aunt Zainab that I was going to school and she said I should stay at home and sell Nono, how would the government know? How can the government be blamed for my inability to attend school?” Ms Khuraira added.

Speaking on the book, the author who is equally the founder of Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), a capacity-building initiative with a presence in all 19 states of Northern, said the book was born out of her desire to tell her own story.

She said: “The Audacity of an African Girl is the story of the extraordinary capacity of the human spirit.

“It recalls my personal journey and how I went from being a young girl in a Fulani settlement in northern Nigeria to the apogee of success and affluence in New York.

“The book entertains, upsets, and most importantly inspires readers to push themselves and become the very best that they can be.

“It reflects the strength of how all odds were stacked against me and, and how through courage and determination I emerged victorious in the face of so many daunting misfortunes.

“The narrative follows a class of its own and shines bright amongst stories of hope coming out of Africa when life is tempest-tossed.”