When many other people are still waiting
for the Valentine’s Day to catch fun, Zaria Mimano is feeling specially
inspired. The British-born entrepreneur may not be holding any big Val party,
but to her, February is always a very special month.
That is the month of her birth. From her high
horse as the founder of Aba Oil LLC, the lady who clocks 27 on February 5
(today) is reflecting on a number of issues – from personal to leisure,
entertainment and business. She confesses that she has not monitored the
Nigerian entertainment industry closely, but the potential in the tourism
sector is such that she may explore it in the nearest future.
She notes, “Definitely as regards tourism,
there is so much that could be done. But I am not so clued up about the
entertainment industry here.
”
The growth that the hospitality sector, festivals
and carnivals are experiencing could mean that many smart businessmen will find
opportunities there. As a widely-travelled person, Zaria, born of a Kenyan
father and Ghanaian mother, may soon diversify her interests in the right
direction. She says she passionately likes Nigeria and Africa as a whole based
on the opportunities that abound there.
For one, Zaria, as she is popularly called, is
still single. In an earlier interview, she spoke about what can be called her
ideal man. According to her, she believes in a man that challenges her
intellectually.
“The option is there. It is simple. I used to
love men who are tall, well built and handsome. But that has changed now.
Nowadays it is all about a confident, intelligent man. Maybe I may change my
mind again one day,” she had said.
But she maintains in an online interview with our
correspondent that she has a very clear picture of the man to whom she could
say ‘I do’.
On whether she can marry a Nigerian, she goes a
little smart, noting, “Either way I answer this one I will get myself in
trouble. So, let me say ‘no comments.”
On the whole, however, she has an ideological
perspective to marriage.
“Marriage is no big deal to me,” she says. “Of
course, I would like to have kids as long as the man is confident and
intelligent. That will be okay for me regardless of where he is from. As my
aunt said to me the other day, ‘Zaria, I only have one piece of advice for you:
Only marry a man that is more intelligent than you are.’ I actually agree with
her. I love mischief. So, the idea of my potentially out smarting a man is no
fun.”
On how she tries to maintain her looks, Zaria
says she tries as much as possible to eat well and drink plenty of water.
She adds, “I love bread and could literally live
on bread alone. As it is said, bread is not the best for you. So, I completely
cut it out. It wasn’t easy but feel better for it. No looking back. I joined a
gym, but I do not go for exercise. It is just headache for me. I would rather
just watch what I eat than overindulge and go and suffer in the gym. I do my
dips everyday, without failing.”
There is a story about Zaria, which alleges that
she is a spy, based on the speed at which she moves in the elite circle.
She says this is untrue, and an impression borne out of misconception.
She explains, “It’s the general joke due to our
fearlessness and the fact that we move without limits. Ultimately I can truly
only be myself. Our niche is that we actually meet people’s needs.
Personally, my work is my passion. We focus on the art of what we do. Africa is
where our heart is. We dream and we build. We never quit. Whatever it is we’ve
got to do, we the best we’ve ever done.”
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