Born into a royal home in the Nigerian state of Niger, Zainab Abdulkadir nurtured a passion for reading during her childhood, marked by curiosity and a deep moral upbringing. “Our community taught me the importance of respect, empathy, and resilience, which have stayed with me throughout my entire life,” she remembered.
Among these was a love for adventure inspired by the family tradition of horseback riding. As Zainab’s interest deepened, her father suggested that she, then 16, take up polo.
Polo, a traditional field game associated with nobility, is one of the world’s oldest team sports. Generally, a game of polo involves two competing teams manoeuvring with a wooden mallet to score goals against each other. Matches typically last from one to two hours, divided into periods called chukkas. Polo sport was introduced to Nigeria in 1904.
Her father’s ambition to recruit his daughter into the equestrian sport grappled with misogynistic community traditions, which portrayed the sport as an exclusively masculine pursuit. Her father soon backtracked on his aspiration, to avoid societal backlash.
“Our people would not understand, and they would question his judgement and my place in the society,” Zainab lamented.
Zainab’s experience highlights a broader trend across several northern Nigerian communities, where girls and women are deprived of opportunities and careers due to religious and cultural sacred cows. Notwithstanding, some young women of Northern extraction are braving these hurdles to pursue careers and skills traditionally popular as an exclusive preserve for men. These women can be found in areas from shoemaking to tile construction.
Having missed a shot at polo, Zainab found succour in poetry in 2022, during her second year at university. She draws on different cultures and literary styles in her poems, depicting the raging thoughts of her soul..
“It inspires my activism and social changes,” the final-year Chemistry student reflected, noting how poetry has sharpened her language skills and critical thinking.
Amidst her new-found passion, Zainab still dreams of playing polo, drawing inspiration from celebrated northern female players like Aisha Ahmad, Hadiza Shehu and Aisha Babangida.
“Hadiza Shehu is actually my favourite player,” she said. “I don’t have a reason, but I like her confidence and how competitive she is in the game.”
Zainab Abdulkadir, born in the Nigerian state of Niger, grew up with a love for reading, adventure, and a strong sense of community values such as respect, empathy, and resilience. Encouraged by her father, she developed an interest in polo, a traditional sport introduced to Nigeria in 1904, but faced societal backlash due to the sport being considered masculine. This reflects a broader issue in northern Nigerian communities where cultural norms limit opportunities for women.
Despite these challenges, some Northern women are breaking barriers by pursuing careers in traditionally male-dominated fields. Zainab, unable to play polo, found a new passion in poetry during her university years. This outlet has enhanced her language skills and critical thinking and fuels her activism for social change. She remains inspired by northern female polo players and still dreams of playing the sport one day.
