Maimuna Abubakar, a lawyer by profession, is the publisher of Tozali magazine. In this interview with IBRAHIM RAMALAN, Maimuna, who left a pensionable job to wade into the hazardous waters of magazine publishing some years ago, says at first, magazine publishing was like throwing money in a ditch.
Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Maimuna Abubakar and I am from Gombe state, brought up in Bauchi. I went to FGGC Bauchi. From there I proceeded to Bayero University where I studied Law. I worked for 4 years at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) which I voluntarily resigned so that I could pursue my dream of magazine publication. By God grace I am the Publisher of Tozali Magazine, a monthly publication that features social life style of personalities, capture things like events coverage, health and women issues, politics, profiling people’s lives, and image building, as well as a lot of entertaining articles. It’s indeed a magazine that tries to promote Nigerian cultures. That is why we are organise Henna Ball and Award Night, the 4th edition is around the corner – 1st October this year.
What is all about this Henna Ball and Award Night that is coming up?
Henna Ball and Award Night is the initiative of Tozali Magazine. We usually have it after every two years and this one is the 4th edition and, unlike the past events, this edition has a lot of features. Nigeria is changing and I think this could be used as a platform where we could promote Nigerians to the international community, especially those that have done well in the realm of humanitarian capacities in the past few years. For example, looking at the North-eastern Nigeria where insurgency has wreaked a lot of havoc, as a result of which a lot of people are being displaced. We then try to look at these people that have in one way or the other lend a helping hand and celebrate them. Another feature of this award is the promotion of made-in-Nigeria products. It’s high time we promote what is ours and show to the world that we too can do it. That is why we invited high-end designers to come and use our platform to display what they can do. This year’s edition is well packed with exhibitions, runway Fashion Show, music mode and comedy and the award will focus on celebrating women who have contributed selflessly and immensely in various fields of human endeavour. We are expecting fashion designers, make-up artists and many others.
You studied Law in the University and here you are publishing. Where is the inspiration coming from?
Yeah I studied Law but right from when I was a child I was telling my mother that someday I would have a magazine of my own. Also, as a young lady I liked to read these foreign published magazines like Ebony, Cosmopolitan and what have you. So seeing myself publishing a magazine is like a dream come true. When I graduated from the University I started working in Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), to practice what I had studied. However, along the line I felt not satisfied until I resigned to follow my passion.
Why did you resign from such a stable job?
Obviously because I have a dream and I wanted to pursue it to the latter. I felt if I was to combine it with civil service I would not have done them perfectly, that was why I needed to drop one to start another. I just wake up one morning and felt that yeah I have served Nigeria enough by working for four years. I rose to an Assistant Manager, was about to be promoted before I walked away. So Tozali is my pet project as people usually refer to something that is very dear to them. It is something that I love doing. Forget about the money.
How would you inspire other young Nigerians who are currently at crossroads regarding their choice career?
I would say that as long as one has a dream, one should never hesitate to pursue it to the logical conclusion of such. I have a dream and I didn’t have money when I was dreaming. I used my saving to start Tozali. Thank God I am a Lawyer, so I used the money I made from legal practice to support the magazine. Therefore, I think all one needs to do is to make up one’s mind on what to do and pursue it vehemently without turning back. If you are consistent in what you do, you shall grow. It will take time yes, lots of challenges you know, but by the grace of God, provided you have trust in yourself, you will definitely grow.
What could you say are some of your challenges so far?
Yeah there have been so many challenges but financial challenge is the biggest of them. When I started Tozali I only had little savings and that was what I used in paying the small office rent, a staff and a freelance editor that I paid per edition. So at first it was like putting your money in a ditch. Magazine or even any publication, if you talk to any publisher he would tell you that is like putting your money without expecting anything in return. Getting advert is very difficult. So one keeps devising different ways of how one could sustain oneself. If you see our early pages when we started, we had just one person on the cover. As time goes by we realized that event really sells because people like seeing their events on magazines, and we explore that side of the business and it is paying. So honestly speaking it has not been an easy ride. It is a business that needs somebody with a strong heart and mind. By the special grace of God we are 9 years today. We turned 9 years on the street and you can see that we have even diversified. We have recording studio, we have staff strength and we are still growing. I believe that am not yet there. I will keep growing and diversifying.
Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
Well, I have a lot of projects lined up. Just as I early said, we are planning to have a digital TV next year. We have already put down our application to the NBC. I have foundation, Tozali Girl child Education. We are actually thinking of getting an orphanage and many other life-touching projects. So it is not as if there will be state these projects would reach and I would say am done. No. I want these projects to out-live me.
