Hajiya Mariam Bola Yusuf is the Vice Chairman of KAM Industries Limited. She is an advocate of peace, a philanthropist and a renowned Industrialist. In this interview with KAYODE ABDULAZEEZ, she spoke extensively on matters affecting women and children as well as Nigeria’s economy. Excerpts;
As a woman and mother, what is your impression about the female gender?
I am always a proud woman, a proud wife and a proud mother but ironically in Nigeria, women are subjected to hardship compared to any other country of the world. Is it a crime to be a female child in our country? Recent research has revealed that no less than 70 percent of the total numbers of women population in Nigeria live in abject poverty owing to series of socioeconomic, cultural as well as political reasons.
These reasons often led the affected persons into live an undesirable life such as begging, prostitution and political thuggery to mention but a few even though, the situation is not in any way getting better despite efforts by government and its agencies.
However, the syndrome which has continued to inflict injuries on mothers is no doubt having its impact on children who are regarded as the leader of tomorrow with majority of children suffering abuse in the hands of guardians or masters as the case may be, owing to the inability of the biological parents to cater for them.
I condemn any circumstance that could lead to suffering of women and children because I love them so much due to the fact that they are precious in the sight of God.
What do you think is responsible for such an ugly situation and how can this be solved?
Yes! Several inter-related socio-economic factors have led to the poor economic status of a large segment of Nigerian women, such that 70 percent of people living below the poverty line are women. I encourage you all to work more to improve economic empowerment for women and children because this is the only sure way for the advancement of vulnerable groups.
As you can see, the bottom line of all the sufferings of both women and children is poverty. While some send their children out to source for money by hawking, some even willingly offer them out as commercial sex workers just to get money by all means. This has often led to early marriage in some cases.
Apart from various disheartening injuries that can be encountered through early marriage, the health aspect of it should be more paramount to us, because it could even cause the child a life-long illness such as virginal infections, uterus and bladder related illness.
When I say early marriage, I mean giving out a premature child such as 14 years and below out in marriage. Some even occurred without the consent of the victim. This is indeed child abuse of the highest order. In fact, the federal government through the national assembly should make a law proposing grave punishment for perpetrators of anything that will affect the right of a child, especially girls. It is better to let them know the importance of education rather than using them to make quick money.
My personal appeal to parents is to try to overcome every circumstance that could allow them offer their children or wards for eternal sufferings. Please send them to school and assist them to grow. Hawking during school hours is not in any way of assistance to our children. We need them to relieve us of struggles later when we become old. We can only achieve this by allowing them to live a fulfilled life.
I think there is need for more awareness and advocacy on the rights of children and women especially in Nigeria. Let professional women associations rise to this challenge for the sake of the future of our children and generations yet unborn.
Many Nigerian women die prematurely, especially from preventable circumstances, because of inadequate health incentives for health personnel, ignorance and cultural taboos. To me, it is a sad thing that women have to die while giving birth. Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates with about 545 per 100, 000 births. It contributes 10 percent of the world’s maternal deaths.
By implication, every 10 minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy related complications in Nigeria with high prevalence in rural areas. Infant mortality is also high at 105 per 1, 000 live births with under 5 mortality rate at 178 per 1, 000.
How would you describe the role of women in the house-hold and nation-building process?
I don’t believe women should be lazy and staying idle except for areas or society where engaging housewives in trade and vocation is a taboo such as in the northern parts of the country.
But still at that , there are so many things a wife can still be doing at home without necessarily going to the public domain but the most important aspect is to take good care of the children at home bringing them up to be responsible to the family and society at large.
You will agree with me that even in the north today, we have so many shinning females holding important positions in public and private enterprises. You will even see majority of them at the federal level in the decision making process of the nation. Some females are now Editors of newspapers, Directors of banks, Ministers, Commissioners and even Judges such as the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar (rtd).
It is not everything you need that you will be able to ask your husband. As a wife, there are so many things your children can learn from you including hard work. Not to just sit at home doing nothing, women need to be creative and full of innovations. With these and many more, your children will also grow to know that there is dignity in labour.
There is need for women to be involved in governance so as to begin to demand accountability for women’s health-rights and expose harmful traditional practices that may prevent them from accessing healthcare and in addition, government at all levels must provide free maternal and child healthcare service for them.
As an industrialist, what is your advice to the government in ensuring that the country becomes the economic hub of Africa?
Please permit me to quickly say that there is urgent need for the federal government to indigenise the upstream sector of the steel industry to further strengthen the nation’s economy. By so doing, the nation will join the League of nations like China, India, Japan, Brazil and Ukraine and enable her to avoid pitfall into the ugly state she found herself in the oil sector, where we produce one of the best variant of crude in the world and yet we are not self sufficient in petroleum products.
We can all see the effect of indigenizing the upstream sector of the cement industry and the quantum leap of investment and quality of output therein. We need to save our foreign exchange for capital investments. Our initiative guarantees US$1 billion savings every year if we receive the needed support.
KAM industry is the third in the country in terms of age, but it is first of its kind in terms of machinery configurations and quality. Cold Steel Rolling Mill is the centre hook chain, holding together the upstream and downstream of steel industry. The complex you have come to see comprises of HR slitting line, push-pull pickling line, cold rolling mill, trimming and rewinding line, continuous galvanising lines, colour coating, cut to length and profiling lines and many ancillary support machinery and services centres.
It is an assembly of high technology from 11 countries of the world including India, USA, Belgium, Germany, Korea, China, Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and many more. The existence of the cold rolling mill in Kwara state has created employment opportunities and satellite investment opportunities for downstream companies to use the cold rolled sheet required gauge to produce galvanised roofing sheets, pipes, shovels, towels, head pans to mention just a few.
With little addition of equipment, KAM industry will produce vehicle panel bodies in Nigeria and also produce raw materials for many companies while production of hot rolled steel coils is the next target of the industry.
If the government with support from concerned individuals can get rid of the numerous challenges facing the nation such as insecurity, unstable foreign currency earnings owing to monolithic economy, harsh political terrain, force majeure and national comparative disadvantages to mention but a few, the country will soon be among the great economies of the world.