A United States of America-based Nigerian and the author of a recently published book on Amazon, ‘The Audacity of an African Girl’, Khuraira Musa, has said she penned down her biography in order to inspire young generation of Africans to strive hard towards making a difference in their lives.
Mrs Musa, who is a renowned makeup artist with more than 25 years of experience, said the book offers a glimpse into the life of a woman who took control of her destiny and overcame immense obstacles with her hope, grit, and tenacity.
She said: “I want to use this book to educate and share with young generations of Nigerians or Africans that they shouldn’t feel shame that they were born poor because how you came into this world doesn’t determine how you will end.
“They should understand believing in themselves and working hard can make a world of difference in their lives. They should never allow anyone to tell them they can’t be whatever they dreamt of being.
“All they need is to have a passion and a goal, work hard towards it, and with some audacity, they can conquer the world. I’m not saying it will be easy, but with some passion, hard work, and determination, it is doable.”
The founder of Khuraira Cosmetics said she wrote her biography in order to share her story with her children and to leave something behind to inspire others.
“I had always known one day I would write a book about my journey but didn’t know when exactly. After getting COVID-19 and lying sick in a hospital bed fighting for my life, I thought of my younger children, who never new of my past.
“I wanted them to know who their mother was and her struggles before she had them. I thought I was not going to make it which made me more determined to share my story with my children and leave something behind to inspire others,” Mrs Musa said.
The author who is equally the founder of Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), a capacity building initiative with presence in all 19 states of Northern, and founder of Zainab Memorial School a not for profit coed school for the underprivileged children in her hometown of Jebbu-Bassa advised younger generation to work hard, saying that there are no shortcuts to achieving greatness.
“My advice to the younger generation of Africans or the girl child is that there are no shortcuts to achieving greatness. You must be ready to pay your dues to attain success and sustain it.
“I see many always wanting a quick way of getting rich that can only lead them to total failure or unnecessary troubles. The best way to become successful is to find what you are passionate about, hone your skills, be determined and work hard without flinching no matter how tough it gets.
“No one becomes successful without some turbulence, and how one handles it determines the outcome. In a nutshell, it means to do what you love, train towards it and when you face obstacles, try to find a solution, and never give up,” she concluded.