Source: Vanguard

INTERVIEW

Canadian-born Jelena Zivkovic is the Acting Director, Academic Advising & Retention at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Adamawa State. In this chat with Vanguard, Jelena whose real interest is entrepreneurship, especially women entrepreneurs, says northern women who were hitherto very conservative, are beginning to enter the workplace or business place so she decided to find out why.

Excerpts:

What led to the study?

We know the northern region is generally conservative and there are certain stereotypes and expectations on women and women in business is not one of them. It's more like women have their role at home but we are seeing a trend, where more and more women are entering the workplace or business place so I was kind of curious why they are doing that.

What is going on in their lives and family structure that is supporting them to do that because surely, they cannot just go on their own, there must be support from the husbands. I met with about 60 women entrepreneurs in three states - Abuja, Adamawa and Kano over the last couple of years and I wanted to understand and try to get a better picture of how they became entrepreneurs.

What do you think could have led them into small-scale businesses?

It could be a cultural shift, a mindset or as a result of financial need. I only have 60 women at this stage and I am hoping to get up to 100. I am noticing that these women are obviously getting support from their family members. They see it as an economic need and contributing to their families' economies.

What kind of businesses are they into?

They are into informal businesses. Some are hair dressers, tomato sellers, wholesalers for clothing, baby clothes, retailers, I even met a lawyer who has her own practice; you know, going against the norm. All the women I met agreed that they are seeing more women entrepreneurs.

How easy was it getting the support of their husbands?

They said they needed the permission of the men otherwise it would not have been possible. I know of families with 20 children and none has the shoes, and they are not in school but the male family members just refuse that their women go to work. This would have been enough reason for the men to encourage the women to work so they can contribute to the upkeep of the children. So I don't know at what point we are going to see what the men really need to encourage their sisters, mothers and wives.

Remember that if society accepts it, then it is a lot easier but if society does not accept it, it will be very difficult. So this is what I am finding fascinating and trying to understand. I noticed that when I asked the women why they went into business, most of them said they were doing it to be able to send their children to school - but I rarely heard any of them saying she did it for her personal development or satisfaction. So they don't see being an entrepreneur or getting into the business world as fulfilling their own desires.

While women in other parts of the world see it as something for personal development; to make them better people, something that will make them fulfilled, but here, the women are driven by external influences - children's education and provision for the family.

I asked a woman why she is selling soft drinks and she said: "Because I will have extra money to make a really good meal for my husband." She said her husband compliments her on the wonderful meals without asking her where she gets the money from.

Then she said that more and more women in their society now come out with make-up and dress differently so she is worried that they may take her husband away from her so she has to work to make more money to make good food because she feels that will make the husband stay with her. Meanwhile, she doesn't tell him where she gets the money from neither does he ask. And I said: " Wow! That's a very different perspective."

• Nigeria