Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has launched a book titled: ‘The Audacity of an African Girl’, an autobiography of Khuraira Musa, a US-based Nigerian and seasoned makeup artist with more than 25 years of experience.
The book offers a glimpse into the life of Ms Musa who took control of her destiny and overcame immense obstacles with her hope, grit, and tenacity.
Unveiling the book, Mrs Buhari paid glowing tributes to the author, Khuraira Musa for her courage and determination.
Represented by her Senior Special Assistant, Dr Rukayyatu Abdulkareem Gurin, the First Lady, said she shares common passion, culture and traditional values with the author.
“I am really proud of the author for unveiling her rich cultural norms and experiences. Her success in her career as a woman serves as a source of encouragement not only to a girl child but to the Fulanis.
“Her audacity has clearly brought out the real culture, traditions, beauty and above all the determination of an African woman to succeed,” she said.
Speaking earlier, the author who is equally the founder of Arewa Development Support Initiative, ADSI, a capacity building initiative with presence in all 19 Northern states, said she wrote her biography to inspire the young generation of Africans.
According to Ms Musa, who is the founder of Zainab Memorial School in Bassa Local Government of Plateau State, Africans, especially the less-privileged ones needed inspirations to strive hard towards making a difference in their lives.
She said: “Look at me, I am from Ruga and I am standing here before all these men and women who have reached great heights.
“If you have a dream stand up, walk, run for whatever you dream for, and don’t listen to the naysayers because everything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard.”
Also speaking, a former Governor of Imo State and serving Senator, Rochas Okorocha, called on the electorate to vote for only leaders that have the interest of the girl-child at heart.
Okorocha lamented that while children have continued to roam the streets unattended to, the leaders and the country have continued to look as though they don’t exist.
He said while the country has continued to show prospects, and through many children, with leadership qualities, Nigeria is yet to appreciate the tenacity of the girl-child.
He added that the Rochas Okorocha Foundation, which has not less than 25,000 children, has 15,000 girls.
According to him, “We have many leaders today, but who among them has the interest of the girl-child? As you cast your votes, make sure that irrespective of party affiliations, you vote for who will stand and speak for the girl-child.
“Today, we have many of them roaming the streets and we all pretend like they don’t exist- as though they’re not human. Where lies the tenacity of the girl-child in Nigeria?
“The country, governors and leaders must act quickly to save the situation. Most of the children out there are looking for who will help and guide them.”
In his speech, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Garba Baba Umar, said it’s not going to business as usual for traffickers of children.
He called on police in Nigeria, Africa, and the world to identify with the author and the book, as well as pick salient points that will help with the profession.
Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, representative of Sultan of Sokoto, Minister of Women Affairs, Dr. Pauline Tallen; First Ladies of Kaduna and Katsina states and the wife of the APC vice presidential candidate, Nana Kashim-Shettima, were among the dignitaries that graced the occasion.
Others were a presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), Hamza Almustapha, Deputy National Women Leader of the APC, Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, and many other government officials.
