Shoe making is one of the trades you hardly find women engaged in. Meanwhile, Mrs Bukky Nosirudeen proves to be an exemption. She abandoned the university for the shoe making business in 1990.

She speaks on what it takes for a woman to be in a business generally believed to be for men alongside her counterpart, Mr Tony Okere.

Mrs Nosirudeen speaks first.

How do you feel in a man’s world?

It is a challenge to be in the shoe-making industry which is rather dominated by men. I see it as a great opportunity and a challenge, and I believe I can achieve success, I’m happily coping with what men can do. I have the zeal to compete with my male colleagues and excel.

What is responsible for lack of artisans?

Youths of nowadays don’t have the patience to learn work, but they want quick money. There are some of them who may consent to be trained but you must pay them well on daily basis. There is another category of unemployed youths who desire to earn fabulous amount without any reasonable justification in terms of labour and productivity. That is why for those us in this footwear business we need to train artisans who will be productive to create room for expansion and growth of the business. We want Government to assist us financially to enable us pay artisans in training. I trained for five years, in all aspects footwear production. I know the job, and I can afford to produce alone…which some of my colleagues who lack profound experience and expertise on the job cannot afford due to inadequate training. When it comes to the nitty-gritty of the job they are incompetent to cope. They need hands which they cannot afford because they cannot pay them. That is why the Government has a role to play to fill in the vacuum….

Why can’t you engage youths and train them in shoe-making business?

Most of the youths don’t want to work but they want to have money and enjoy. Some want white-kola jobs where they will relax in an air-condition office and work without much stress. But the background of children is very important, and parents have vital role to play to make them responsible and what they desire them to be in life. If you have a 14-year-old daughter, you as a mother or father should be able to introduce her to something to do in life where the white-kola job is not available. To learn work or business is very important as an alternative instead of staying idle at home. These youths roaming the streets were not properly handled and channeled to a particular course by their parents. That is why they are not willing to avail themselves of the available opportunity to be trained. They rather see it as not a worthwhile venture but they don’t know that footwear business is not just a paying profession but life-sustaining work if you like to work hard.

How can we curb the dearth of artisans in Nigeria?

Artisans need training, not short term, but to be sufficiently trained and be a well grounded professionals who know all aspects of footwear production, and such persons will have craving…and the knack for the job. If such skilled manpower was not gotten on a platter of gold, it can stand the test of time and cannot be toyed with. They cannot afford to abandon what they invested so much in (time and resources), and they can reap the benefits of the job one of which is sustainability in life and other prospects.

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Actually, I think am not getting u right. Are u saying some of us (if not all) shld abandon the university too or what?