Maijidda: 10-Year-Old Fashion Prodigy Who Wants To Be A Medical Doctor

For her age, the raw talent displayed by Hauwa’u Abubakar, popularly known as Maijidda leaves her parents and many in her neighbourhood in awe. At 10, Maijidda is famous as a creative designer and interior decorator despite not having any formal training in the craft.

“I love making new things, It makes me happy and boosts my self-confidence,” said Maijidda who is just in Primary Five at Tauhid Islamic Model School, Kaduna.

The youngster makes beautiful mini dresses for her toys, fabric illustrations which she says come to her with ease. She has a vast collection of those dresses.

“I make clothes for toys, fabric illustrations, interior decor and anything I think of. It comes easy for me,” she said.

“People find it hard to believe that I didn’t attend any fashion school, it just comes as an inspiration to me.”

Ummi Abubakar, Maijidda’s elder sister corroborated that her little sibling never attended any fashion school. According to her, she draws excellently and from there she started creating her illustrations.

“She gathers lots of things like paint, pieces of fabric and lots more,” Ummi said, adding, “she doesn’t play with other children, her stuff is her friends and she spends all her free time creating new things”.

“Once she starts, she becomes concentrated and does not like any interruption until she finishes. Her works are amazing.”

Ummi says watching her sister spending her leisure time designing clothes or making different types of interior decorations, such as wallflowers, frames and hangings give her joy and hope of a brighter future for her.

Wanting To Be A Medical Doctor

In spite of her rare talent in fashion designing, Maijidda wants something else as a career in future.

“Although arts and crafts are my best subject, I will like to become a medical doctor in future,” she told HumAngle.

She truly would love to end up being a fashion designer but the current insecurity in many parts of Nigeria that exposes girls of her age to abduction and sexual harassment wouldn’t allow her parents to take the risk of enrolling her in a fashion school.

“I’d have loved to become a fashion designer but my parents don’t want to risk sending me to improve my skills due to insecurity. Also, things are hard nowadays and they can’t afford to send me to a good fashion school. Meanwhile, I will continue this craft as my hobby because I love doing it,” Maijidda said.

“I wish I could get a sponsor for a good creative design school so that I can perfect my skills and make it an occupation, it is what I love doing.”

Real Reasons Her Talents May Not Be Pursued

Increasing challenges like the spike in paedophilia, child abduction, rape and violence against women and children, and economic hardship that threaten not only the girl child but even the parents who should be protecting them, are reasons these talents are at the risk of getting buried.

For Hadiza Abubakar popularly known as Mama Ummi, who is Maijidda’s mother, it is scary to encourage the little girl to develop her God’s gift due to lots of violence and abuse amongst other growing insecurities.

“Although I’ll love my daughter to grow her skills and make it a success, we can’t risk her life and expose her to the dangers out there,” Hadiza said.

“We have been hearing so much bad news happening to children especially girls, moreover times are hard and sponsoring her to a special school to harness her gift is a luxury we can’t afford,” she added.

Without proper coaching and training, and a safe space, the future is blurry for Maijidda as her talent will have to be buried.