Ruth Semilore
Twenty-four-year-old visually-impaired chef, Halima Jibrin, who owns Blind Kitchen Creations, speaks to NEWSMEN on her journey into catering despite her disability
Were you born blind?
My name is Halima Jibril and I am 24 years old. I was born and brought up in Kaduna, but my parents are from the Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. I’m from a large family. We are 24 in our family and my father has four wives. My mum is the third wife and she has six children. I’m the fifth child of my mother. I’m currently studying Mass Communication at Kaduna State University. I am in the 400-level and I am a chef.
Yes, I was born blind, but I can differentiate some colours. I can also see light and shadows. But the doctor said that my sight was not very strong, so they considered me blind. My eye colour is not the same as other people’s. My iris changes colours. It can be blue, ash, or grey. I was diagnosed with blindness because they thought I was not even seeing totally. But then, my mum noticed that my eyes always followed the light. When I started growing up, I could differentiate colours, but there are some colours I cannot differentiate. If they bring maroon and purple, I cannot differentiate the two. I can identify green as blue and vice versa. Also, if someone is in front of me, I will see the person’s shadow. But I cannot recognise faces.
Can you talk more about your education?
I started my nursery school in Kaduna. It’s a sighted school. I had my mates in the house, so I joined them in their school then. I was learning orally then. Then my father heard about a boarding school in Abuja for visually impaired persons. I was seven when he took me to the boarding school and I started from primary one there. We later learned about another school for visually impaired children in Kaduna, the Kaduna State Special Education School. I started from primary two and then finished my primary school there. When I finished primary school, I joined a school in Kaduna, which has special classes. I did JSS1 and 2 there but the special class is just for people with slow learning and Down syndrome. Since I’m not in that category, I left there and went back to Abuja, where I attended the Government Secondary School, Kwali. That one is a school for the visually impaired, sighted, and every disability. I finished my secondary school there and gained admission to Kaduna State University.
At Kaduna State University, how do you manage to learn and go about your daily activities as a student?
The secondary school I attended in Abuja was for both visually impaired and sighted students. We use typewriters for our tests, exams, and assignments. For me, I use a Braille machine to copy notes, while other students read for us. We could even record because they allowed us to use phones in that school. When I started at Kaduna State University, I just continued with what I was doing in secondary school. I write tests with a typewriter, print assignments, and then write exams with the typewriter. I also record my lectures with my phone. Back home, I will write them with my Braille machine. That’s how I do it.
What role did your parents play in your journey as a visually impaired person?
I think they played almost every role that parents are supposed to play. My mum and dad were there for me, though my dad is late. My mum contributed so much. When I was a child and doing something with my mates, if they beat them, they would beat me too. My family taught me not to depend on anybody. They also taught me not to allow people to take advantage of me because I was blind. That has helped me in so many ways. Most of my blind peers always feel that people take advantage of them because of their blindness. Most of my friends are sighted. I don’t have many blind friends.
Do you mean you were not pampered while growing up because of your condition?
I was never pampered. For example, if I talked to someone anyhow and they wanted to overlook it because I’m blind, my mum would be like, ‘Beat her. If you don’t beat her, I’ll beat her myself’. That was what pushed me and made me what I am right now. I can do everything without someone’s help and it’s because of the way they treated me. Even my younger and older sisters don’t treat me as if I am disabled. They treat me as one of them.
What sparked your interest in cooking?
When I was growing up, there was a story my mom used to tell me about a blind woman in one of our villages in Nasarawa. My mum told me that early in the morning, the woman would wake up, sweep the house, fetch water, and sieve the ground corn for cooking, and things like that. When I heard that, I told myself that I’d try too. I just feel that I love cooking because I love food. So that was what just pushed me. It’s also something that people will not expect a person with visual impairment to do. I wanted to create awareness and break barriers. Even though there are so many blind chefs outside Nigeria, most people don’t know that we can do things like that in Nigeria. I want to be known as a blind chef because it’s my passion.
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How did you start your cooking career?
I started my cooking career with the help of my mum. She guides me and motivates me in whatever I do. Even if I feel like I cannot do something, if I tell her, she will ask me to try. And if I try, I will do it. I started cooking at the age of seven. I’m from a large family, so I have many cousins, sisters, and brothers, who are my age mates. When they told me to start cooking at home, I told my mum that I wanted to try. Whatever my mum is doing at home, she asks me to do. She asks me to sweep, wash plates, and wash my clothes. I was in different boarding schools then, so I knew how to wash my clothes.
I started cooking then with the help of my mum and my siblings. At the age of 16, I could cook by myself without any guidance. If I do not understand anything, I’ll just call them. I started my business in 2021. My food business is still growing. I started posting my cooking videos on social media in 2023 because I feel people need to know more about people with disabilities, especially the blind. After all, they think we cannot do anything. So I decided to use that to create awareness.
Did you attend any culinary school?
Yes, I did. I attended two culinary schools here in Kaduna, and then I did online classes. I was in university when my cooking career started so I had to join online classes. But I did physical classes. During the strike, I attended a culinary school in Kaduna and then I joined one physical class, which our teacher taught in her house. She doesn’t have a school, so she does it in her house. I search for recipes on YouTube and Pinterest.
You started the business in 2021. Three years down the line, how has it been for you?
It has been a very good experience. Even when I started the business, I was not using Blind Kitchen Creation. I was using a different name, and I didn’t post myself. I made sales before people knew I was blind because what I was doing was good. People were patronising me, especially my family. I have a very supportive family. They buy from me and refer me to their friends. When I changed my business name to Blind Kitchen and started posting myself cooking on social media that was when everything just skyrocketed.
Why didn’t you start with Blind Kitchen Creation from the beginning?
I was scared. I had this idea since I was 12, but then I was scared. I felt I couldn’t do it. So I said I should just start and see what would become of the business. When I started, I told my mum that I was scared, but she motivated me. Now that I changed the name, I have more customers. Also, so many people’s narratives about blind people have changed.
How do you navigate the kitchen and manage cooking tasks?
I’ve been cooking for over 16 years and am used to it. I think it’s because I started early. So when it comes to cutting, I’ll just take my time and do it. If you see me cutting something, you will feel like I will cut myself, but it’s just that I want to make sure of what I’m cutting. When it comes to measurement, I use measuring cups in almost everything I do. Spices have their smell and I use my strong sense of smell for that. For things that do not have a smell, I will taste them in my mouth. With my sense of feeling, I can differentiate salt from sugar and garri. I can even differentiate semovita from normal grounded corn with a touch. If I’m frying something, I will know that the oil is hot when it starts making noise or after I sprinkle water on it. But if there’s someone close to me, I’ll just ask the person to help me check. If I’m using the oven, I will time it.
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Have you ever had any cooking accidents?
That’s a usual occurrence. I always burn myself when I’m cooking. Days ago, I wanted to turn on a camping gas. Instead of putting my hand just before I put on the fire, I put my hand and the matches in the middle of the gas. It burnt me and I shouted. I don’t like using camping gas because the pot may shift. During one Ramadan period a few years ago, I was frying Irish potatoes and didn’t know that the pot had shifted to the edge. So the hot oil and Irish potatoes poured on my leg. The next day when I entered the kitchen, my mum tried to stop me but I refused. I still have the scar of the burn on my leg. But it is an achievement too.
Are there any specific challenges you face as a visually impaired chef in Nigeria?
Yes, apart from the usual challenges of the increase in the prices of food items, most of the things that make visually impaired people avoid cooking are gadgets. I have so many friends outside of Nigeria. They have all they need to cook for themselves. Nobody helps them because they have gadgets. For us in Nigeria, we have to just do it like that. If we cannot do it, we just call someone to help us. My biggest challenge as a chef now is decorating a cake. I am trying my best, but some things need sight. If I decorate something, I will not even know when I touch it. I will spoil the decoration myself. Till now, I’ve not seen a blind person decorating a cake.
How do you overcome these challenges?
For the cake decoration challenge, I have an assistant. She comes and helps me. If I have a cake to decorate, I’ll just call her. I’ll bake and do everything. I can even mix the whipping cream, buttercream, or fondant to decorate the cake. I’ll whip it and keep it for her. If she comes, she’ll just decorate and go. Also, about some cooking gadgets I need, I’m planning on buying my things myself because if I am waiting for someone to do it for me, I’ll wait for a very long time. The pieces of equipment are very expensive, but I’m planning and I will buy them someday. I’ll furnish my kitchen the way I want.
Currently, what techniques or tools do you rely on to assist you in the kitchen?
I don’t have any tools or techniques. I just do anything how it comes. If I need help, I’ll call someone. I’ll say measuring cups are the tools because I measure everything, even water.
What types of dishes do you specialise in?
I love baking so much. Anything that has to do with flour, I love it and I can do it. I like something I will do myself without the help of someone else, and that’s cake. I can bake plain cakes without the help of anyone. I’ll bake that one myself. When it comes to dishes, tuwo is the easiest one for me. I also love rice and I can cook different varieties of rice.
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Why did you choose to study Mass Communication despite your love for cooking?
When I was a child, I loved listening to the radio. I think all visually impaired people love radio. So if people are speaking on the radio, I used to tell myself that I wanted to become a journalist. So when I wanted to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, I chose Mass Communication as my course of study.
What are your plans for the future?
Immediately after I graduate, I want to go for my master’s. I want to further my education and my cooking career too. I want to have my kitchen. I also want to have a culinary school for visually impaired and sighted people.
