STORY

The Lion of the Desert: Shuaibu’s Rise from the Sands of Adversity

📅 May 6, 2026

My name is Shuaibu Halliru. In the 2000s, a car accident left me with spinal cord injuries, and for four years, I lost mobility, sensation, and control of my bowel. When I was discharged from the hospital, I knew I had to find a way to make a living. In my area,(Hausa land) it’s common for people with disabilities (PWDs) to resort to begging, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, I hated it.

I told my brother I wanted to go to school, and with his support, I started my education. I earned a Diploma in Public Administration, followed by a B.Sc. in Sociology, a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), and other professional certificates(post graduate diploma in social policy and admin, and post graduate diploma in computer).

Now i want to move ahead for my M.Sc insha allah because i know with knowledge there's light in this life of mine. I’m proud of my academic journey; I've surpassed many of my peers, who haven’t gone as far as I have. My biggest challenge has always been financial support, but I sold pure water to pay for my schooling and did advocacy work on the radio for PWDs. Through consistent prayer, physiotherapy, and following my doctor's advice, I can now walk on my own to some extend now.

I’m passionate about traveling and listening to music. I love advocating for people with disabilities, encouraging them to work hard and believe that they can do anything.
I've already made a difference in my community, and I'm good at consulting on how to start, sell, or build a pure water factory. I'm also a farmer, so I'm well-versed in the transagro (grains) business. I know where to get beans, rice, soya beans, and onions. My dream is to become a great farmer, and I hope to work with the Center for Dry Land at Bayero University Kano, as I see many opportunities there.

I was inspired by a disabled lecturer who worked for 30 years, and it changed my mindset. I want people to understand that we are born with disabilities or later met it in life, we don't choose them. It is destiny.

My personal quote is, ''YES I CAN" or, "We don’t grow when things are normal, but we grow when we face challenges."

If my life were a movie, I'd call it 'THE LION ON THE DESERT'.

what makes me smile is love, what makes me laugh is gifts.

I feel like I'm the luckiest person on Earth. My greatest hope is that foundations will continue to empower PWDs by providing skills training and advocacy at the grassroots level.

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