How I used mai ruwa business to fund degree programme in
ABU
•I’ll fight for the poor, won’t marry more than one
wife
Nasiru Muazu Mato’s story is
inspiring as it is a challenge to those making excuses for not
making their dreams come true. After Mato lost his father at three,
his grandmother took over his upkeep. A few
years after, he suffered the loss of his great uncle, who paid his
school fees for a short period. But he did not sit idle and
complain, he walked the long road to his goals. And on Thursday
July 13, 2017, Mato joined other successful candidates called to
the bar in Abuja.
Even with determination, hard work
and common sense, sticking out as the outstanding character traits
of the young lawyer, his humility and good manners were also easy
to notice as the 31-year-old graduate of the Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU), Zaria, told Abuja Metro his story.
A poor primary school
pupil
While thousands of Nigerian children
are chauffeured to school, coming from a poor home, Mato drifted
between Jigawa and his home state, Katsina, just to get through
primary school. He left for Abuja as a young kid after completing
primary school in Katsina.
“After my father’s uncle died, there
was nobody left to take me as his or her responsibility and life
became very difficult for me in the village in Katsina State. I had
to look for means of survival, so I came to Abuja because I heard
so much about the place. I settled in the Kabayi area of Karu LGA
of Nasarawa State and that’s where I met Yinusa Abdullahi and
Andrew, two friends who strengthened my desire to go to school,” he
said.
It was hard for students to notice
that the sweets seller near their school could be in the same class
with them, but that was what happened in Mato’s case. Shedding
light on how his friends helped keep his dreams alive, he
said : “I really wanted to school at that time though I
didn’t have the chance. But these two friends didn’t stop
encouraging me to return to school. And I kept telling them, that
they were asking me do something I couldn’t do at that time as
there was nobody to sponsor me. They never stopped encouraging me,
they would come to where I operated my cigarettes and sweets
business, which was near their school, and, sometimes, they would
give me lessons. At a point, Andy told me, it was time I returned
to school because my spoken English had really improved and I could
read and write. I still asked for enough time to plan and around
2002, I met Andrew and I told him, that finally I was ready to go
back to school. He asked me for my primary school certificate, then
we went to the secondary school where I registered in JSS
I.”
Inspired into secondary school by
friends and teacher
Revealing how much he saved to have
the courage to tell his friends he was buoyant enough to return to
the classroom, Mato told Abuja Metro that he amassed N15,000
from his sweets business and odd jobs before he declared that he
was ready for secondary school education.
“As a poor man, who has been through
a lot of challenges, I have learnt a lot. Before I left my village,
I learned how to eat twice a day. I also learnt how to save. Right
from my secondary school days, to when I gained admission, I never
stopped saving. In fact, after completing my registration in ABU,
Zaria, I had about five thousand naira left, which I managed for up
to three months,” he said.
On how he made it through secondary school with
classmates much younger than him, he said: “It wasn’t easy
being in a school with children, when I was already a young
adult. So, I faced a lot of challenges during that period. It was
easy passing NECO and JAMB because I considered myself an adult who
knew what his target was. I always went to the exam hall prepared.
I also met a teacher in secondary school, Mr. Kalu, who I call my
motivational consultant because he really motivated me. He told me,
‘Muazu, you can make it. But I will advise that you to write JAMB
after you have passed NECO or WAEC.’ He said this because he
believed that as a Hausaman, if I returned to the village after
completing secondary education, I might get married and that could
be the end of my dreams. For me, I wanted to study Mass
Communication, but Mr. Kalu told me to apply for Islamic Law. He
told me that I wouldn’t find it hard, that he as a Christian
studied Islamic Religious Knowledge and passed, so I could go for
Islamic Law as a Muslim. I gained admission through the Direct
Entry process, having received a Diploma in Civil Law from
the same university in 2010.”
Using water vending to pay
tuition fees
When it was time to go to ABU,
Mato realised that he had to think outside
the box to be able to pay for his tuition. And he decided to work
in a block-moulding factory, from where he got the funds to start a
water vending business.
“As I completed secondary school, I
knew that I was in a very difficult situation financially, I knew
at that point that my capital for business was so small. So I
joined people moulding blocks, sometimes we loaded for buyers. From
there, I gathered some money to buy four carts which these mai ruwa
(water vendors) use. By the time I was ready to go to university, I
had saved about N60,000. It was from that money that I paid for my
registration and, during my Diploma, I didn’t find it hard
financially because, before coming to Abuja, I would have money
kept for me from the (water) business,” he said.
Passing Law School exams on
second attempt
Passing the bar exams is no mean
feat, with only 1,393 candidates out of 2,125, making it
through in 2016/2017, Mato was among those who succeeded. He had to
wait for a second try, no thanks to an eye ailment that required
surgery. He said: “Actually, I didn’t pass the Law School exams at
my first attempt. For you to qualify to apply for Law School, you
must have completed the two semesters in 400 level, without any
carryover. It was after I met this criterion that my mentor,
Alhaji Jafaru Dan-Bauchi, who also housed me in Abuja, paid for my
Law School forms. Luckily, the Katsina State government gave
scholarship to its indigenes who were candidates for Law School
that year. It is the custom of the Katsina State Scholarship Board
to pay back students after they paid their fees, but during my time
they paid the scholarship before payment of tuition fees. My first
time in Law School was very difficult because, I had a problem with
my eyes, which resulted in my undergoing surgery on my right eye. I
really found it hard reading. So when the results were released, I
discovered that I didn’t make it. But I decided to come for my
first re-sit in 2017 and I made it. I didn’t find things difficult
because I had everything in place, even financially, I was
quite comfortable”.
Mato was teary-eyed when his name
was mentioned during the roll-call of new lawyers, on the day he
was called to the bar: “It was very happy day for me. I almost shed
tears of joy when my name was called as a barrister and solicitor
of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
Both Andrew and Yinusa were on hand
to celebrate with Mato on the day he was called to bar.
I’ll fight for the poor, but
won’t marry more than one wife
Getting personal, Mato said he would be the lawyer
who fights for the poor. He also admitted that, though he looks
forward to starting a family, he isn’t likely to practice polygamy,
because it takes a lot to send children to school. He laughed off
the idea of up to four wives as allowed in Islam: “I am yet to be
married, though in our custom as Hausas it is an abomination for
someone above 30 to stay unmarried. But for me, I don’t think I
haven’t done right. This is because I spent my youth doing things
that are useful, I wasn’t just playing around.
“I cannot predict the kind of woman
I will marry, because marriage is really about finding that woman
who is compatible. Someone who believes in the same things you
do.”
I am not talking about us sharing
the exact similarities, but she has to be someone who truly
understands me. I don’t think marriage is about marrying a
beautiful woman or tall or short woman. It’s about finding the
person that understands you. Looking at the economic situation, in
fact, if things don’t improve drastically, I don’t see myself
marrying more than one wife, despite your reminding me, that Islam
permits me to do so. But you know in life, circumstances can make
you take actions contrary to before held ideology.
“I love being in the court, so I see
myself becoming a well known human rights lawyer. Many poor people
suffer injustice in Nigeria. Several times, people who have the gun
and authority abuse the fundamental rights of poor people. I am one
of those adverse to policemen following the rich around, when there
are many places where crimes are being committed and the poor
people get no help”.
How I used mai ruwa business to fund degree programme in
ABU
•I’ll fight for the poor, won’t marry more than one
wife
Nasiru Muazu Mato’s story is
inspiring as it is a challenge to those making excuses for not
making their dreams come true. After Mato lost his father at three,
his grandmother took over his upkeep. A few
years after, he suffered the loss of his great uncle, who paid his
school fees for a short period. But he did not sit idle and
complain, he walked the long road to his goals. And on Thursday
July 13, 2017, Mato joined other successful candidates called to
the bar in Abuja.
Even with determination, hard work
and common sense, sticking out as the outstanding character traits
of the young lawyer, his humility and good manners were also easy
to notice as the 31-year-old graduate of the Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU), Zaria, told Abuja Metro his story.
A poor primary school
pupil
While thousands of Nigerian children
are chauffeured to school, coming from a poor home, Mato drifted
between Jigawa and his home state, Katsina, just to get through
primary school. He left for Abuja as a young kid after completing
primary school in Katsina.
“After my father’s uncle died, there
was nobody left to take me as his or her responsibility and life
became very difficult for me in the village in Katsina State. I had
to look for means of survival, so I came to Abuja because I heard
so much about the place. I settled in the Kabayi area of Karu LGA
of Nasarawa State and that’s where I met Yinusa Abdullahi and
Andrew, two friends who strengthened my desire to go to school,” he
said.
It was hard for students to notice
that the sweets seller near their school could be in the same class
with them, but that was what happened in Mato’s case. Shedding
light on how his friends helped keep his dreams alive, he
said : “I really wanted to school at that time though I
didn’t have the chance. But these two friends didn’t stop
encouraging me to return to school. And I kept telling them, that
they were asking me do something I couldn’t do at that time as
there was nobody to sponsor me. They never stopped encouraging me,
they would come to where I operated my cigarettes and sweets
business, which was near their school, and, sometimes, they would
give me lessons. At a point, Andy told me, it was time I returned
to school because my spoken English had really improved and I could
read and write. I still asked for enough time to plan and around
2002, I met Andrew and I told him, that finally I was ready to go
back to school. He asked me for my primary school certificate, then
we went to the secondary school where I registered in JSS
I.”
Inspired into secondary school by
friends and teacher
Revealing how much he saved to have
the courage to tell his friends he was buoyant enough to return to
the classroom, Mato told Abuja Metro that he amassed N15,000
from his sweets business and odd jobs before he declared that he
was ready for secondary school education.
“As a poor man, who has been through
a lot of challenges, I have learnt a lot. Before I left my village,
I learned how to eat twice a day. I also learnt how to save. Right
from my secondary school days, to when I gained admission, I never
stopped saving. In fact, after completing my registration in ABU,
Zaria, I had about five thousand naira left, which I managed for up
to three months,” he said.
On how he made it through secondary school with
classmates much younger than him, he said: “It wasn’t easy
being in a school with children, when I was already a young
adult. So, I faced a lot of challenges during that period. It was
easy passing NECO and JAMB because I considered myself an adult who
knew what his target was. I always went to the exam hall prepared.
I also met a teacher in secondary school, Mr. Kalu, who I call my
motivational consultant because he really motivated me. He told me,
‘Muazu, you can make it. But I will advise that you to write JAMB
after you have passed NECO or WAEC.’ He said this because he
believed that as a Hausaman, if I returned to the village after
completing secondary education, I might get married and that could
be the end of my dreams. For me, I wanted to study Mass
Communication, but Mr. Kalu told me to apply for Islamic Law. He
told me that I wouldn’t find it hard, that he as a Christian
studied Islamic Religious Knowledge and passed, so I could go for
Islamic Law as a Muslim. I gained admission through the Direct
Entry process, having received a Diploma in Civil Law from
the same university in 2010.”
Using water vending to pay
tuition fees
When it was time to go to ABU,
Mato realised that he had to think outside
the box to be able to pay for his tuition. And he decided to work
in a block-moulding factory, from where he got the funds to start a
water vending business.
“As I completed secondary school, I
knew that I was in a very difficult situation financially, I knew
at that point that my capital for business was so small. So I
joined people moulding blocks, sometimes we loaded for buyers. From
there, I gathered some money to buy four carts which these mai ruwa
(water vendors) use. By the time I was ready to go to university, I
had saved about N60,000. It was from that money that I paid for my
registration and, during my Diploma, I didn’t find it hard
financially because, before coming to Abuja, I would have money
kept for me from the (water) business,” he said.
Passing Law School exams on
second attempt
Passing the bar exams is no mean
feat, with only 1,393 candidates out of 2,125, making it
through in 2016/2017, Mato was among those who succeeded. He had to
wait for a second try, no thanks to an eye ailment that required
surgery. He said: “Actually, I didn’t pass the Law School exams at
my first attempt. For you to qualify to apply for Law School, you
must have completed the two semesters in 400 level, without any
carryover. It was after I met this criterion that my mentor,
Alhaji Jafaru Dan-Bauchi, who also housed me in Abuja, paid for my
Law School forms. Luckily, the Katsina State government gave
scholarship to its indigenes who were candidates for Law School
that year. It is the custom of the Katsina State Scholarship Board
to pay back students after they paid their fees, but during my time
they paid the scholarship before payment of tuition fees. My first
time in Law School was very difficult because, I had a problem with
my eyes, which resulted in my undergoing surgery on my right eye. I
really found it hard reading. So when the results were released, I
discovered that I didn’t make it. But I decided to come for my
first re-sit in 2017 and I made it. I didn’t find things difficult
because I had everything in place, even financially, I was
quite comfortable”.
Mato was teary-eyed when his name
was mentioned during the roll-call of new lawyers, on the day he
was called to the bar: “It was very happy day for me. I almost shed
tears of joy when my name was called as a barrister and solicitor
of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”
Both Andrew and Yinusa were on hand
to celebrate with Mato on the day he was called to bar.
I’ll fight for the poor, but
won’t marry more than one wife
Getting personal, Mato said he would be the lawyer
who fights for the poor. He also admitted that, though he looks
forward to starting a family, he isn’t likely to practice polygamy,
because it takes a lot to send children to school. He laughed off
the idea of up to four wives as allowed in Islam: “I am yet to be
married, though in our custom as Hausas it is an abomination for
someone above 30 to stay unmarried. But for me, I don’t think I
haven’t done right. This is because I spent my youth doing things
that are useful, I wasn’t just playing around.
“I cannot predict the kind of woman
I will marry, because marriage is really about finding that woman
who is compatible. Someone who believes in the same things you
do.”
I am not talking about us sharing
the exact similarities, but she has to be someone who truly
understands me. I don’t think marriage is about marrying a
beautiful woman or tall or short woman. It’s about finding the
person that understands you. Looking at the economic situation, in
fact, if things don’t improve drastically, I don’t see myself
marrying more than one wife, despite your reminding me, that Islam
permits me to do so. But you know in life, circumstances can make
you take actions contrary to before held ideology.
“I love being in the court, so I see
myself becoming a well known human rights lawyer. Many poor people
suffer injustice in Nigeria. Several times, people who have the gun
and authority abuse the fundamental rights of poor people. I am one
of those adverse to policemen following the rich around, when there
are many places where crimes are being committed and the poor
people get no help”.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/story-of-sweets-seller-turned-lawyer/