The Deputy Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakari, has opened up about her childhood, describing how she used to work with her mother in a chop bar as an 8-year-old girl. She explained that it was from working in such a place at a very young age that she was exposed to human relations and interacting with people from all walks of life. She added that unbeknownst to her, she was preparing herself for a life in communication and law, which today is her life. Speaking at the Power of a Girl Conference organized by Power To Girls GH to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, the deputy minister said that she didn’t start out big. “I was born in Moshi Zongo in Kumasi and I attended Foundation of Jesus Preparatory School in Kumasi, and also Bukrom MA JHS in Kumasi, and then I attended Kumasi Academy, also in Kumasi before I came to University of Ghana for my first degree in psychology and subsequently for my law degree. And then I went to the Ghana School of Law and then I’m back on the road, thinking about my LLM and by the grace of God, hopefully start a PhD program. “All that I want you to take from all these things I’m mentioning is that I never started big. I didn’t even start as the most intelligent person in my school; I took baby steps, starting with my passion,” she said. Fatimatu Abubakari added that in the days that she worked in her mother’s chop bar, she endeared the hearts of many people because of how opinionated and knowledgeable she was, even as a little girl. She added that eventually, she was nicknamed ‘lawyer,’ a tag that has followed her till today and as such, she encouraged parents not to shut up their outspoken and opinionated children because it could just be the thing they need to be properly set up in life. “… when I was younger, I was a born advocate – I was a talkative. I didn’t know anything about communication but my mom had a chop bar at Kumasi and I started working at the chop bar at age 8. “So, I talk to everybody and anybody. I was very social growing up so they just gave me a nickname, ‘lawyer,’ because anything you want explanation for, if you called Fati, I have answers for everything and I know there are sisters or daughters here that when they start talking, they will say ‘You, shut up. Everything you have answers to it,’ ‘Ei this girl is a talkative o.’ it’s good to express yourself and maybe, it is even going to lead you to a career,” she explained. The Deputy Minister of Information also talked about other passions that she developed as a child that have continued to guide her life and provide a source of income for her. This year's Power of a Girl Conference was themed: 'Girl Force, Unscripted and Unstoppable'. Watch her talk about it in the video below: You can also watch this episode of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV: Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown below: AE/WA