By Rasheedat Abidiesin
A woman filing and scraping shoes? How can a woman show keen interest in making shoes and bags? How will you hold a hammer? Are you a boy? In her hometown, these things are weird. Why are you making shoes? Shoes are for men and bags are for women. For sofiyah,those questions and comments were not that deep, people just tend to be surprised to see a woman in that field.
Shoemaking was just something she knew she could do while growing up. Being someone who grew up among men, Sofiyyah Dasola was caught in the dilemma of tailoring her dreams to be a bit more feminine, all because of the societal stigma. But she wouldn’t flinch, she became a glitch to societal programming.
“As a kid, whenever we are outside playing, we play with cartoons, we’d shape and cut it into shoe sizes,” Sofiyyah Reminisced.
“In 2015, when I was in SS2 I watched a film titled ‘me too’, I saw the way they designed bags, shoes, and I was motivated and triggered that if it’s something people do I can do it too. So growing up, I can sew my slippers whenever they cut and some minor effects in my slippers, even though that doesn’t guarantee me being a professional,”
When Sofiyyah finished secondary school, though imperfect, she started buying shoe making materials. She was driven by the passion of making a difference. She was driven by a zeal to make shoes, and get better.
“I would buy leather, make shoes and bags even if they weren’t looking good, I knew in myself that I did it without learning it.”
“I made shoes for myself, my siblings and the very first money I made from shoemaking was from my family, they supported me and also motivated me. Their encouragement really went a long way, they always make me feel like I am a professional even when I want to condemn my work myself,” she explained.
So in 2017, I dived deeply into the cobbler business. This time around I already knew I am ready for this adventure. Amidst all this, I was on computer training alongside, so it was there I discovered a lady making shoes and bags too but she wasn’t a professional either. I was happy I found someone like me. I learnt one or two from her and incorporated it into my own too.”
With a bag of dreams, Sofiyyah started learning from her new friend. The goal: making shoes that were better and fashionable than the one she was making when she was not under anyone’s supervision.
“People started admiring my work because my work started appearing more fashionable and professional.”
In 2019, I was in my second year in NCE, so after school I’d go to a shop to borrow their machine to work, so the man advised me that ‘Although you are good at what you’re doing but why don’t you learn it from a more professional person, you won’t waste your resources, your time, your material like you are doing now.”
Initially, I didn’t want to learn how to make bags because those people I saw then didn’t know how to make those bags I wanted. I wanted to make fashionable bags that show no flaws, not the ones people will know from the first sight that they are handmade. I want to do it differently,” Sofiyyah furthered.
A Voyage to Bag Making
“Fortunately, one day, I was passing through a place and I saw a shop making bags and immediately I loved what I saw. I branched and asked a few questions on how they do things there because I want to learn.”
She didn’t spend up to a month there, I was already good but what’s left to know is the professionalism and the perfection. “I learned a lot there and left the place.”
What assisted me further was the lockdown period. I told myself that I can’t just sit down doing nothing. I went to learn shoe making and this time around I spent three months there, the knowledge I had there was really inspiring.”
Not Just Shoe Making
Now a 400lv student of law in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, the journey of her shoemaking has not been easy. Balancing multiple tasks, working and reading was really exhausting.
Contrary to common assumptions, Sofiyahh dispels the idea that she can only make shoes for ladies only emphasizing that growth and continuous learning have enhanced her orientation.
The Setbacks
Sofiyyah’s journey wasn’t without hurdles. There was a point in time where she almost gave up because,
“Whenever I walk up to people to borrow their machine their reaction is always bad and very annoying and it’s mostly the ladies too in this field. The men will open their hands to welcome you when they see that you are a female in their field, it gives them so much joy. The male are always welcoming when it comes to supporting females in this field,” she noted.
She furthered that she doesn’t know why her gender sees people doing the same work as a threat.
“Major challenges I face in shoemaking are the stress and time consuming nature of the work. Balancing my shoemaking responsibilities with my academic obligations as a student can be overwhelming at times.”
When Tomorrow Comes
Sofiyahh is among a growing number of Nigerian women entering non-traditional fields like shoe making.
“Shoe making has already become part and parcel of me, it has become my habit. My goal is to establish a successful shoe making business. I envision a future where my brand becomes a popular name,” Sofiyyah said with optimism.
“I’m always committed to my craft and I’m excited to see my plans unfold into something good. I wish and want to do it for a lifetime. I don’t want to leave it for anything, I want to pursue it forever because it’s what I love doing.”
People do ask me why I am studying law and at the same time making shoes and bags, I do reply to them that law is law and my talent is my talent. They are not affecting each other, I will use my legal knowledge to advance my business.”
“I’ve already got a lot of customers that patronize me and most I believe it’s not about the gender,people often patronize anyone who makes the best and the quality is top notch.”
To young girls who share her ambition, Sofiyahh encourages them to pursue their interest, assure them there is reward in everything you are doing, provided you are doing it well.
“When people see the traction, they will stay,” she ended.