‘Awoof Pitakwa’: Hafsat Akande, female teacher with doctorate degree who makes ‘suya’ steals show at fair

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google BDSunday ‘Awoof Pitakwa’: Hafsat Akande, female teacher with doctorate degree who makes ‘suya’ steals show at fair …Akande eyes international suya foray, calls for government grants, tax exemption to micro business women, as ‘Awoof fair’ gains ground

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Hafsat Akande, a female teacher with a doctorate degree stole the show at the just-concluded ‘Awoof Fair Pitakwa’ in the Garden City with her brand of ‘suya’.

Most persons who attended the two-day event at the Government Secondary School in the GRA 2 area, next to Polo Club, made it a duty to go taste Aunty Hafsat’s suya.

Suya is indicated as traditional Nigerian dish of thinly sliced, spiced, and smoke-grilled meat on skewers. Google says “Suya is commonly made with beef, chicken, ram, goat, or organ meats (like liver, kidney, and tripe), and sometimes seafood.”

It is dominant in Northern Nigeria and sweetest in hot or dry zones such as Sokoto, Jos, Maiduguri, Adamawa, Kano, and Abuja, but is now a delicacy in southern states.

It is said to have originated from the Hausa people of northern Nigeria (where it is also called tsire) and is traditionally prepared by male street vendors known as mai suya or mai tsire.

The meat is indicated as coated in a spicy, peanut-based dry rub called yaji, which contains ground peanut cake (kuli-kuli), cayenne or chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and salt. “Typically sliced off the skewer and served with fresh raw or grilled onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and an extra side of yaji spice.”

Suya is now taking a place of pride in Port Harcourt where there is a high presence of military personnel and well-to-do northerners. Now, high profile suya makers including a female have come to command visibility at events.

One of the vendors, Hafsat Akande, a teacher and self-described female suya entrepreneur in Port Harcourt, said her involvement in the business was intended to challenge societal perceptions about professional qualifications and entrepreneurship.

Akande, who said she had been in the suya business since 2020, explained that her decision to venture into it was driven by the need to diversify her income and encourage other women, particularly educated women, to embrace legitimate businesses.

According to her, depending solely on monthly salaries in the prevailing economic climate could be financially challenging, making additional skills and businesses necessary.

“Being a doctorate degree holder does not stop me from owning a suya business. Whatever you do, you should have a side hustle. You cannot depend only on your salary,” she said.

She disclosed that she personally prepares her suya spices and supervises the roasting process to maintain quality, adding that her professional reputation made product safety and customer satisfaction particularly important.

Akande, however, explained that participation in trade fairs was not necessarily measured by immediate sales alone, but also by the opportunity to create awareness, establish contacts and attract future customers.

She cited previous engagements outside Rivers State, including a wedding assignment in Delta State, where customers who discovered her business through networking had engaged her services.

The entrepreneur called on the government to support women-owned businesses through grants and accessible financial assistance, suggesting that even grants from N50,000 to N100,000 could help women establish or strengthen small businesses.

She also appealed to the government to reconsider the tax burden on struggling small business owners, particularly women operating micro enterprises.

Her vision, she said, was to expand her business beyond Port Harcourt and eventually reach international markets.

Akande equally urged unemployed graduates and young people to abandon the notion that success could only come through government employment.

“There is no menial job, only menial spirit. Don’t be ashamed to start from the bottom. Learn a skill, establish a small business and have something doing,” she advised.

She said the initiative was particularly commendable because it was largely self-sponsored, adding that government involvement could significantly improve its reach and impact.

Akande’s boldness seemed to have emboldened other women. A buyer, Precious, a spa owner in Port Harcourt, described the fair as an avenue for women to support one another, build business relationships and promote locally owned enterprises.

Precious, who disclosed that her sister was among the participating vendors, said the business had recorded encouraging sales despite prevailing economic difficulties.

She urged young people to embrace entrepreneurship rather than remain idle while waiting for government employment.

According to her, small businesses do not necessarily require huge capital to begin, citing vendors selling zobo, bole, plantain and suya at affordable prices as examples of how people could start with limited resources.

She encouraged young people to network, promote their products and remain consistent, stressing that small beginnings could eventually develop into sustainable businesses.

Similarly, two sisters, Jennifer and Angie, who visited the fair, expressed satisfaction with the organisation, variety of products and general atmosphere.

Jennifer described the experience as impressive, noting that the products on display were unique and relatively affordable, while Angie also commended the organisation and arrangement of the event.

The buyers’ comments underscored the importance of patronising locally owned businesses and providing entrepreneurs with platforms to connect directly with consumers.

The November edition of ‘Awoof Fair Pitakwa 5’ comes against the backdrop of increasing calls for economic diversification, youth employment and greater support for small and medium scale enterprises.

With organisers seeking wider corporate and government partnerships, stakeholders say sustained investment in grassroots entrepreneurship could help strengthen household incomes, encourage self-reliance, and contribute to the economic development of Rivers State.

Meanwhile, over 100 small business owners, predominantly women and young entrepreneurs, have showcased their products and services at the November 2026 edition of the ‘Awoof Fair Pitakwa 5’.

Participants have however called on the government and private sector leaders to invest in small businesses and create more opportunities for women and youths.

The two-day trade fair, organised at New GRA section of Port Harcourt, provided a platform for entrepreneurs to promote their brands, attract customers, network and sell their products at discounted prices amid prevailing economic challenges.

Speaking on the initiative, Mandy Ogolo, the chief organiser, said the fair was established to provide small business owners with visibility and opportunities to expand their businesses beyond their immediate communities.

Ogolo said the initiative had continued to grow through five editions, with its activities organised twice yearly, during Easter and the Christmas season.

According to her, participating vendors were required to pay for stalls, after which they were encouraged to publicise their participation and take advantage of the platform to attract customers.

She explained that the organisers deliberately scrutinise participating businesses to ensure that vendors were committed to offering affordable products and maintaining acceptable standards.

“An Awoof fair means that something you are supposed to buy for N100,000 could be offered at a reduced price. We want buyers to feel comfortable and enjoy the benefits of shopping at a trade fair,” she said.

The organiser, who also operates a business at the fair, said the initiative had recorded encouraging feedback from participants, adding that customer and vendor feedback had been instrumental in improving successive editions.

Ogolo noted that although organising the event required substantial financial resources, the initiative had largely depended on personal contributions and individual corporate partnerships.

She disclosed that Port Harcourt-based businesses, including Port Oil, had partnered with the organisers. She appealed to more corporate organisations, investors, and development partners to support its expansion.

She also called on the Rivers State Government to consider a partnership with the organisers, stressing that the fair was contributing to the state’s economy by supporting small businesses, creating visibility, and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Ogolo identified women empowerment as her major motivation, noting that many women had recorded encouraging business growth through the platform.

“Women are multipliers. Once you start empowering women, you will definitely see growth in this country,” she said.

She urged women who lacked capital or were yet to establish businesses not to surrender to economic difficulties, but to identify opportunities, develop practical ideas and start from somewhere.

The organiser further disclosed that the fair prioritised security, with security personnel and patrol teams deployed to ensure the safety of vendors and visitors.

She said the long term vision was to expand the initiative beyond Nigeria, with aspirations of establishing the fair in the United Kingdom, Dubai and other international markets.

Supporting the initiative, a buyer simply named Oyechi, who attended the fair with her children, described the event as encouraging, particularly because of the relatively affordable prices offered by participating vendors.

Although she expressed optimism that patronage would improve on the second day, she commended the organisers for providing a platform that allowed small business owners to display and sell their products.

She urged the government to sponsor similar initiatives, arguing that financial support and improved marketing would help make the fairs bigger and attract more customers.