Philanthropy is a passion for me – Yakolo Indimi

Yakolo Indimi is an accomplished entrepreneur in the field of fashion design and also a philantrophist. In this interraction with MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU, she speaks about her life upbringing and myraids of experiences.


The name Indimi, is famous among Nigerians. Tell us about yourself briefly.


My name is Yakolo Indimi. I was born to the family of Muhammad Indimi on the 19th of March 1977 in Maiduduri and most specifically, a daughter to Fatima Indimi.


What were your education huddles?


I attended my primary school here in Nigeria at the University Primary School Maiduguri and after the completion of my basic primary education, I was enrolled to a boarding school in Egypt where I obtained formal secular and religious secondary knowledge at the El-Nasr Girls College, Alexandria, Egypt in 1989. It was quite a memorable experience for me because I learned a lot. I was also at Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida in the United States of America for my tertiary education where I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medical Science and eventually M.Sc.in International Management from the same school. 


Passing through these institutions you must have acquired a lot of experiences. How did you built up your career on returning to Nigeria? 


Yes, after my National Youth Service in 2000, I started working at my father’s company where I served in various capacities as a staff and head of many units. I am currently a director at Oriental OML.


Do you run any personal business?

You know even while you are working, one has to be entrepreneurial, so I ventured into fashion line which is very successful and it has accelerated me so well. As the chief executive officer of Fashion Café Global Enterprises for elderly people and mothers who would want to feel good and more comfortable getting old and feeling younger, I always find comfort training younger ones into the business.


 How is it like with you working at this age of yours?


I work from morning to 5pm without obvious weaknesses. To God be the glory, Yakolo is always strong and healthy. I am not so depressed at my age. I am enjoying it; I always feel as if I was born to the world.
How do you spend your free moment?
Whenever I am free, I like spending time with my children once they are back from school. I am always there to see them, go through their books to make sure everything is right because you know being a teenager is not easy, so you have to always be there for them and put them through to ensure they observe daily prayers, while simultaneously focusing on my foundation.


What motivated you into philanthrophy?


I am the founder of Yakolo Indimi Foundation (YIF), a non-governmental organisation and we are bothered impacting humanitarian assistance, health services and training people adversely affected by Boko Haram insurgency in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. I was passionate about philanthropy even as a younger person. I look up to my father helping people out, and he is an exemplary philanthropist. To him, offering a gift is a habit given the status where God puts him. So, I decided to toe his path. Whenever he gave me pocket money, I take half and give out the remaining half. I keep doing that because it excites me more than many things in life. It is a habit that I never want to quit. I started from a very young age and the more I give the more I get, this is how I came through emulating my dad and on one hand, my mum too, because she does the same, so I am surrounded by it that’s why it has become part of me.


Have you ever been honored, in recognition of your charitable gesture?


First, I am not doing it to be honored by anybody, authority or institution. I am doing it with the conscience that God Almighty is aware of all that I am doing. All I am after is His acceptance of the work, hoping and praying that He will be pleased with it, and eventually earn me some of His reward handsomely. But you know, the world and people around you always monitor what you are doing. At a point, I received lots of awards and recognition, which also got me really impressed. The United Nations also recognised what we are doing. I was among the Peace and SDGs Goals awardees at the United Nation 74th General Assembly in New York for the SDG #1 No Poverty. It is really amazing doing something silently but the international communities are looking at you, so it motivates me and keep me going.

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