By Sageer Ado.

The Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has today featured Prof. Aisha Abdul Isma’il, the director center for Gender Studies, Bayero University, Kano as the Guest Speaker of the month. Every month CITAD invites people who have skills, experiences and achievements to interact with staff, interns, friends and associates of the organization with view of motivating them. In his opening remark, the Executive Director of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) who was represented by the Training Coordinator, Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai condoled with the family of Prof. Aisha Isma’il over the death of her daughter. He said that CITAD planned to host Prof. Aisha since last month, but unfortunately on that very day the center received the news of the passing away of the Aisha’s daughter. He then prayed that May Almighty Allah (SWT) in his infinite mercy forgive her and grant her a place in jannatul Firdaus.

Prof. Aisha Isma’il started her presentation with giving her personal circumstances and experiences that shaped her life. She said that she started her primary education at the age of nine years at Shekara boarding primary school; from there she proceeded to Saint Luis secondary school. Prof said that she had science background but was given a political science at the university. As she wants to study medicine, at the beginning she rejected, but later on was advised and convinced to read the political science. Prof Aisha said that she was offered a job while she was doing her master degree.

Prof. Aisha encouraged the participants that they should not to be discouraged in life. Saying that life is not street line, you cannot get what you have planned for yourself directly. As a teacher, Prof told that there were lots of experiences to share. Students almost want teachers to assist, and the worrisome part of it when you assist they will not go on that direction, they will deviate. As a Level Coordinator, there were difficult and hot times. I used to guide students not only academically but in all life endeavors. For the ladies, Prof. Aisha cautioned them to understand that whatever you have as qualification you still be a wife. As a director, center for gender studies, Bayero University, Kano my perception on gender issues differs from many people. In gender issues, you find the good, the bad and the ugly. At the center for gender studies, Bayero University, Kano, we have concentrated on family issues to strengthen them. At beginning of our operation, we invited all the stakeholders for gender setting. She then worried about political participation of women in politics in Kano State. Saying that here in Kano it could be a war for women to be legislatures. But the society must understand that having a woman as a legislature is very important.

In her response when asked on her role as a commissioner Ministry for Higher Education, Kano State, Prof said that she cried when given the appointment.  She cried as she doesn’t like the position because of the habit of most of politicians. But Allah in his Mercy with the consistence guidance of the Permanent Secretary then she succeeded the appointment.  Lastly, the Prof. emphasized that she likes obstacles in life. Explaining that obstacles strengthen people, they made people to think wider.

By
Sagiru Ado Abubakar

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has
today hosted Prof. Umar A. Pate as Guest Speaker of the month of
August, 2018 for its youths mentorship program titled ‘Inspiring
Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS)’. ILERIS is monthly
interactive engagement where people with robust experience in life
have been invited to interact with the staffs, interns, civil society
advocates and associates of the organization so that they can be
inspired. With this objective, last month the program featured Prof.
Binta Tijjani Jibril, the Director International Institute of Islamic
Banking and Finance (IIIBF), Bayero University, Kano. In his opening
remarks, the Chief Host and Executive Director of the organization,
Engr. Y.Z Ya’u said “For this particular event we normally allow the
guest to speak as long as he likes, we are doing this to change the
narrative, to change people thinking in order to understand that all
successful people are ordinary people, they are ordinary people who
have struggle to achieve what they wish to become.” “We will like the
guest speaker to tell us how it is started, what the challenges are,
how he responded to the challenges and what he wants to pass to the
young people to impact their lives”. He then urged the participants to
listen attentively and learn from the guest speaker. “Every time we
meet here we need that people should acquire something new”, YZ
emphasized.
In his part, the guest speaker, Prof. Umar A. Pate, began his
interaction by giving an example with the life style of Prof. Jibril
Aminu as his role model. He then asked Dr. Rukayya Yusuf Aliyu who
came along with the Professor to the event to share his citation with
the audience. In her part, Dr. Rukayya said that, Prof. Umar Pate is
the immediate past and founding Dean of the faculty of communication,
Bayero University, Kano. Before relocating to BUK as a Professor in
the Department of Mass Communication, he served as a Professor in the
Department of Mass Communication at the University of Maiduguri where
he rose through the ranks beginning as a Graduate Assistant in 1988 to
become an Associate Professor in 2002 and full Professor in 2007. He
headed the Mass Communication Department in that University for a
total of seven years. Pate holds a PhD, Master of Philosophy and
Bachelor of Arts degrees in Mass Communication obtained in 1997, 1990
and 1987. He attended LEA Primary School, Nassarawo Jereng in Adamawa
Division from 1971-1976, Government Collage Maiduguri from 1976-1981.
In the collage, he emerged as the student with the best GCE O’Level
result in the Arts class in 1981. He proceeded to the collage of
Preliminary Studies, Yola from 1982-1984 and passed the IJMB A’ level
examinations to qualified for direct entry admission into the BA Mass
Communication in University of Maiduguri. In 1987, he graduated as one
of the top students in the class with a second class upper degree. He
was competitively selected as the University Valedictorian of the year
in 1987/88
Speaking about his background, Pate said that his father was an Area
Court Judge, and an Islamic Scholar. They have two medical Professors
in the house and he was lucky to become a Professor at the age of 36.
Prof. also said that presently he holds the title of Kaigama of
Adamawa emirates, the title which in the possession of their house
since the period of Jihad. The title implies the Chief of Defence and
one among the king makers.
At the end of the lecture, Prof insisted that for anyone to achieve
his dreams must be hardworking, contented, tolerance, reciprocal and spend within his limit.

By Sagiru Ado Abubakar.

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has today hosted Prof. Umar A. Pate as Guest Speaker of the month of August, 2018 for its youths mentorship program titled ‘Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS)’. ILERIS is monthly interactive engagement where people with robust experience in life have been invited to interact with the staffs, interns, civil society advocates and associates of the organization so that they can be inspired. With this objective, last month the program featured Prof. Binta Tijjani Jibril, the Director International Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF), Bayero University, Kano. In his opening remarks, the Chief Host and Executive Director of the organization, Engr. Y.Z Ya’u said “For this particular event we normally allow the guest to speak as long as he likes, we are doing this to change the narrative, to change people thinking in order to understand that all successful people are ordinary people, they are ordinary people who have struggle to achieve what they wish to become.” “We will like the guest speaker to tell us how it is started, what the challenges are, how he responded to the challenges and what he wants to pass to the young people to impact their lives”. He then urged the participants to listen attentively and learn from the guest speaker. “Every time we meet here we need that people should acquire something new”, YZ emphasized.

In his part, the guest speaker, Prof. Umar A. Pate, began his interaction by giving an example with the life style of Prof. Jibril Aminu as his role model. He then asked Dr. Rukayya Yusuf Aliyu who came along with the Professor to the event to share his citation with the audience. In her part, Dr. Rukayya said that, Prof. Umar Pate is the immediate past and founding Dean of the faculty of communication, Bayero University, Kano. Before relocating to BUK as a Professor in the Department of Mass Communication, he served as a Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Maiduguri where he rose through the ranks beginning as a Graduate Assistant in 1988 to become an Associate Professor in 2002 and full Professor in 2007. He headed the Mass Communication Department in that University for a total of seven years. Pate holds a PhD, Master of Philosophy and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Mass Communication obtained in 1997, 1990 and 1987. He attended LEA Primary School, Nassarawo Jereng in Adamawa Division from 1971-1976, Government Collage Maiduguri from 1976-1981.  In the collage, he emerged as the student with the best GCE O’Level result in the Arts class in 1981. He proceeded to the collage of Preliminary Studies, Yola from 1982-1984 and passed the IJMB A’ level examinations to qualified for direct entry admission into the BA Mass Communication in University of Maiduguri. In 1987, he graduated as one of the top students in the class with a second class upper degree. He was competitively selected as the University Valedictorian of the year in 1987/88

Speaking about his background, Pate said that his father was an Area Court Judge, and an Islamic Scholar. They have two medical Professors in the house and he was lucky to become a Professor at the age of 36. Prof. also said that presently he holds the title of Kaigama of Adamawa emirates, the title which in the possession of their house since the period of Jihad. The title implies the Chief of Defence and one among the king makers.

At the end of the lecture, Prof insisted that for anyone to achieve his dreams must be hardworking, contented, tolerance, reciprocal and spend within his limit.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

As the last episode for this year, the monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has featured a visually impaired Associate Prof. Jibrin Isah Diso as the guest speaker for the youths inspiring and development programme. Giving opening remarks on behalf of the Executive Director, Training Coordinator Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai observed that, inviting Ass. Prof. Diso is meant to serve two purposes, one, to inspire and challenge the participating youths to work hard in their different endeavors, and secondly to also inspire and be a role model with his rich profile to both people living with special needs and the participating normal people.

The guest speaker, Ass. Prof. Jibrin Isah Diso kick started the interaction with an elaborate background of his educational struggle and later to his career as an academician, born in 1957, he started his primary education in 1963 at a primary school in Galadanci quarters in Kano metropolis, before proceeding to secondary school, Bayero University for his undergraduate studies and United Kingdom for post graduate studies. Ass. Prof. Diso passionately narrated his successes, failures, challenges and he was able to withstand pressure and handle challenges that would have ordinarily stopped him from becoming an Associate Professor as a visually impaired person. Commenting on the experiences of people living with disability, he said “the continued stigma and societal neglect towards people living with disability is psychologically affecting them, PWDs are people that need to be cherished and supported by everyone because they also have a positive role to play in societal development”. When asked by a participant on what makes him happy, he said he feels accomplished for securing 370 job slots for people living with disability when he served as special adviser to Kano state governor on people living with disability and for convincing the then Malam Ibrahim Shakarau administration to make education free for people with special needs in the state. He responded to numerous questions and comments regarding his endeavors. The event entertained several questions and comments from the participants, it finally ended with a vote of thanks and publications presentation to the speaker by Projects Coordinator Malam Isyaku Garba. Participants at this month’s interactive lecture included staff, volunteers and interns of CITAD, members of civil society groups, students bodies, youths groups, joints association of people living with disability, lecturers from BUK, journalists, SCEEP community members from Nasarawa, Kano Municipal and Gaya local governments etc.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has for over a year been holding a youths mentorship programme titled “Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) where people that have remarkable achievements in their different endeavors and professions are invited to share their experience with the participating youths so that the youths draw inspiration and direction from the struggle of the invited resource persons. It could be recalled that previously the programme has featured Chairman of Daily Trust newspaper, Malam Kabiru Yusuf, Director General of Progressive Governors Forum, Malam Salihu Lukman, Commissioner of Agriculture in Kano state, Hon. Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and many others. This month, ILERIS hosts the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Muhammad Jega, OFR.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the organization, Malam Y.Z Ya’u said the composition of the participants for the youths development programme centers around the staff of the organization who are mostly below thirty five years, members of Peace Clubs and Students for Peace in tertiary institutions across Kano state, other youths groups and organizations as well as members of the civil society in Kano. Emphasizing the relevance of the monthly lecture and the need for the participants to learn from the experience of the guest speaker, Ya’u said “we think that we want to change the mentality, people these days think about the best cars in town, the best house in town, but we think that the best ideas are things that we should exploit”.
The guest speaker, Prof. Attahiru Muhammad Jega began his interaction with the participants with a logical and insightful narrative of his life history, where he was born, schools he attended and positions he held before comprehensively dwelling on his struggle in the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) from late 1980s to mid 1990s. While in ASUU, Prof. Jega strived hard to prevent the university system from total collapse amidst pressure and even threat from the then military regime. Hard work and determination pay as Jega is now happy to recall that in 1992 the military government realized that what ASUU was demanding was the right thing and therefore negotiated agreement with ASUU to revive the university system and it was under that agreement that the Tertiary Education Tax Fund was established, now known as TETFUND.

Recalling his days in ASUU, Jega admitted that he has learned a lot from the struggle, “ideas are important and nobody has monopoly of ideas, and it is the superiority of the ideas that are important, it’s important for discussions, it’s important for debate, it’s important for dialogue and at the end of it the best idea should be looked for and then utilized” said Jega. Cautioning the participants on the proper utilization of ideas, the guest speaker maintained that ideas may turn out to be useless if they are not put to good use, “don’t waste ideas, generate them and put to good use” he added. The monthly lecture series was full of good quotes and phrases that the participants really find interesting, advising the youths, Prof. Jega emphasized that networking is very important, and you start networking from the student days, it’s not too late to start networking but the earlier the better, “we have been very active in students union movements, we have been very active in building what we called bridges across the Niger, and whatever success we had in ASUU it’s because we were able to build a pan-Nigerian alliance where people accepted ideas of bringing positive changes to the university system and provided support in terms of how we could resolutely push those ideas.
Solidifying enthusiasm and zeal in the youths to realize their potentials through commitment, hard work, determination and resolve, Prof. Jega threw another quote “things can be difficult but they are not necessarily impossible”, he extensively explained what the quote entails with examples as the participating youths keep applauding him. The last segment of the monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) was comments and questions session after which publications of the organization was presented to the guest by Projects Coordinator Malam Isyaku Garba and vote of thanks was offered by Senior Programmes Officer Malma Isa Garba.

By Maryam Ado Haruna

 The Director of the MacArthur Foundation’s Africa Office, Dr. Kole Ahmed Shettima, expressed that Nigerian youths should become today’s leaders not tomorrow. He explained that the deceptive statement, “leaders of Tomorrow” should be debunked by the youths as they supposed to be the ones leading the nation presently.

The Director made the statement during the monthly Inspiring Leadership Interactive Reflection Series (ILERIS), organised by Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).

While giving an opening remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD, Yunusa Ya’u explained that the purposes of ILERIS is to inspire young Nigerians to become better leaders. He added that people are not born with success, they struggle to achieve it.

While narrating his profile, Dr. Shettima explained that talent is a universal gift that is given to everyone by nature, but the opportunity to explore it is the major challenge especially to the northerners in Nigeria. He therefore urged the mentees to make effort in creating opportunities for others, adding that creating a system in which people could remedy themselves is very essential in a society. He further said that people can impact the lives of others with the little they could offer.

During the interaction, the Director lamented that the main goal of the university as universal civic society is missing today as students unionism is been divided. He added that one of the major drawbacks to the younger generation is localization of universities. He also lamented that talent will stop coming from the northern Nigeria as 75% of the children in the north are malnourished, and therefore their brain cannot grow and function effectively.

Dr. Kole has also stressed that if every Nigerian will keep his or her own little corner clean, the whole Nigeria will become cleaned as well, but today, people run away from their responsibilities and criticize the government for things own responsibilities.

In his presentation, Dr. Kole advised the mentees that it is always good to take a risk if it guarantees a better future. He further explained that the only constant thing in this life is change and that people should not copy others; rather, they should try to bring the best in them.

At the end of his presentation, he advised the mentees to be responsible and accountable as well as hard workers, and should not struggle for immediate gratifications. He added that wealth that is made from hardworking and long term struggle is the most beneficial.

Some of the mentees asked the director whether the MacArthur foundation has provisions for  People with Disabilities, the Almajiris and the police widows. Another mentees asked whether the director is interested in leadership due to the qualities he possesses.

While responding, Dr. Kole explained that the Foundation makes very difficult decision in deciding who gets its grants due to  limited resources, plenty  proposals as well as the objectives of the foundation. But he expressed his satisfaction that at least many organisations and individuals benefit from MacArthur’s indirect grants through other organisations like CITAD.

Upon the question whether he will like to contest for a political office, Dr. Kole agreed that he could make more impacts if he was in the government, but he explained that Nigeria lacks leadership recruitment process in form of mentoring and training the potential leaders on the system of governance.

At the end of the interaction, Engineer Kamaludden Umar, the coordinator of the Digital Summer Institute for Young Women in the Northeast and Northwest, which took place at Abuja and Kano, presented the Prize of Tablets to three winners of the summit including Shema’u Adam Imam from Kano, Aisha Ismail from Kaduna and Fusam Shettima from Borno state.

Referring to the statement made earlier by Dr. Kole, the coordinator said that these tablets are opportunities for the beneficiaries to explore their talents in the digital world.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

As part of its intervention towards mentoring youths to realize their potentials and excel in their different careers, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has for long been holding a monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) where successful personalities from different backgrounds and professions are brought into face to face interaction with the invited participating young people with a view to letting them learn from the experiences of the guests. This month, CITAD features a successful entrepreneur and media mogul Malam Kabiru Abdullahi Yusuf, the founder and chairman of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Saturday and Sunday Trust and Aminiya Newspapers as well as pan-African magazine Kilimanjaro.

Giving a background of the monthly event, Executive Director of CITAD, Malam Yunusa Zakari Ya’u said ILERIS is a youths development programme aimed at inspiring youths to be determined and committed in pursuing their respective causes so as they succeed in the long run.  “Every month we invite personalities with rich profile or experience to come and share their life history hoping the participants will identify their key guiding principles and imitate while learning how challenges and failures are managed, the participants comprise staff of the organization most of who are below thirty, youth from different institutions and organizations in Kano and students of secondary schools”.

The guest speaker began congratulating CITAD for coming up with the programme. Describing his experience at the 19 year old newspaper publishing company that he founded, Kabiru Yusuf said it has been a challenging but rewarding journey because it involved trying to survive in a very uncertain market. Hinting the relevance of passion and interest in choosing a career, Yusuf advised the participants to go for what have they aptitude and interest in as the two can serve as motivating factors even when problems arise, “if you want to enjoy what you are doing and go far in it, you must search yourself and find what is it that you are interested in”, doing what you don’t enjoy is disgusting as one can be easily discouraged when obstacle comes.

Sharing the tips of his paper’s success (Daily Trust), Kabiru Yusuf admitted that “we learn the hard way, we try give what the reader wants, reader doesn’t want you to tell lies, praise people unnecessarily, the reader want to be told the truth, what is happening, and unless you do that you lose the reader and once you lose the reader you are in trouble”. Ending his presentation, the guest speaker threw two courageous quotes to the youths participants, “if you want a job, create it”, “if one door closes, go to the next one”. Questions and comments were entertained by the speaker. The lecture ended with CITAD publications presentation to Malam Kabiru Abdullahi Yusuf by Malam Ado Shehu Yakasai.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

The Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS), a monthly youths mentorship and inspiration lecture usually organize by Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is an experience sharing ground between successful people of different backgrounds and professions and staff, volunteers, interns of CITAD, peace club members of secondary schools, Students for Peace of Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and members of Kano civil society and is meant to serve as a symposium that shapes the lives of the participants through learning from success, failure, challenge and obstacles of the invited guest speakers so that they succeed by imitating or developing style of handling failure, challenge or obstacle while exploring the secrets of success in their different endeavors. Every month, the organization invites a prolific guest to have an interaction with the participants, this month CITAD hosts Malam Salihu Lukman, the Director General of Progressive Governors Forum as the guest speaker.

Giving an opening remark, the Executive Director of the organization Dr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u thanked the guest for gracing the event and advised the participants to listen to the guest with interest and attention in order to gain from his wealth of experience emphasizing that the objective of the interactive session is for the participants to directly learn one or two lessons that will inspire them to think about their dreams, think about aspiring to become successful people and to think about the strategies to adopt in order to also succeed.

In his presentation, the guest, Malam Salihu Lukman toured the participants into his vast profile beginning with his student days to unionism, activism, advocacy for social justice, human rights, and labour struggles while at the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and how he landed into politics, in all these endeavors Lukman highlighted problems, challenges as well as opportunities that he hinted sacrifice and commitment are the bedrock of excelling in everything one does. Lamenting on the unemployment issue, Lukman said “I have come to realize through my community work even the search for job many people don’t know how to approach it, it’s about packaging yourself through your CV, but what I found out is that many graduates don’t know how to write their CVs”, recalling his Textile Union days and pointing out the significance of sacrifice and commitment, the guest speaker noted “once you make an effort there will always be a reward and the reward can come from unfamiliar quarters”. Malam Salihu Lukman challenged the participants to explore their potentials saying potentials are noticed in people who wake up and make efforts. The lecture ended with a presentation of some publications of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) to the guest by Senior Programmes Officer, Kabiru Sa’idu Dakata.

Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) is a monthly youths mentoring and inspiring session of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD),  normally successful people from different fields, backgrounds and professions are invited to come and directly interact with staff, interns and volunteers of the organization alongside other civil society activists and students of tertiary institutions so that they can learn from the experience, struggles, successes and failures of the invited guests. Every month, one or two guests are invited for the inspiring session.

This month, CITAD hosts a human rights and social justice advocate Ms. Ene Obi who is also the Governance Team Leader with ActionAid International, Arusha Tanzania. In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the organization, Dr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u thanked Ms. Ene for honouring the invitation extended to her stressing that the forum is meant to serve an as inspiring and mentoring ground for especially young people and that is the reason guests of rich profile are brought in order to add value to the lives of the participating youths.  

In her presentation, the guest Ms. Ene Obi took the participants into her interesting profile beginning with students unionism and activism at the University of Jos where she became the President of the Students Union Government amidst series of challenges and struggles during the military government of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida before advancing to labour union, human rights activism, social justice and as well as giving back to the society. Resuscitating the spirit of nationalism and determination in the youths for societal development, Ms. Ene cautioned the participants from engaging in insincere acts no matter how beautiful they may appeal. She shared her career experiences revealing strengths and weaknesses of certain actions and how they can help the participants in guiding their future to a better direction. Advising the participants on corruption and morality, Ms. Ene said “no religion preaches stealing, the face of religion is the face of morality, don’t ever take what does not belong to you, when you have wealth share with others and always use the little you have to assist those in need”.

The guest responded to questions and comments raised by the participants before Mal. Isa Garba (Senior Programme Officer, Peace and Conflict) gave a vote of thanks. The event ended with a celebration of Valentine’s Day where the Ms. Ene Obi, ED of CITAD and the participants cut and enjoyed a special cake and chocolates. Ms. Ene Obi was presented with some publications of the organization by Fatimah Ibrahim.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

As part of it’s shaping and mentoring initiatives of the lives of young people to becoming great achievers, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has since last year been organizing a monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Series (ILERIS) with her staff, interns, volunteers, university students and other teeming young people around the civil society circle in attendance. Every month the center hosts a resource person for an interactive session with the young male and female participants with a view to making them learn directly from the experience and struggles of the resource person. This month the guest speaker is Prof. Amina Kaidal of the University of Maiduguri.

Giving an opening remark, the Executive Director of the organization Dr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u cautioned the participants not to just listen and forget the deliberations, but be attentively focused, learn and apply lessons that will take their lives to a greater height. He further said “this is our youths development programme, it is not a skill-based programme but a programme meant to inspire you (the participants) to discover your worth and to discover how you can work to achieve your own objectives, our objective in this is to inspire you not by promising you the best cars in town, the best house in the world, or the best wife or husband but by showcasing people who have worked hard in their lives and who have achieved greatness in what they are doing so that the inspire you to also think of excelling, and to even excel better than the people that we present to you here.”

Facilitating the session, the guest speaker for the month of January Prof. Amina Kaidal of the Department of Physical and Health Education of the University of Maiduguri began by expressing her joy for being given the chance to meet young people in order to offer her experience so that they emulate and excel too. Thereafter she stimulated the participants with a number of hints for managing or avoiding failures, challenges and struggles that life has to offer while pointing out the secrets of success and excelling in any activity. Prof. Kaidal emphasized the role of education in the lives of youths, noting that the youths of today needed education that exposes them to practical experience rather than ‘paper education’. Prof. Kaidal said “if you believe in something, pursue it with all sincerity, make yourself somebody so that you become somebody, don’t downgrade yourself so that you will not be downgraded by other people, an educated woman stands out differently even in a family setting”, therefore, youths need to explore all avenues possible to be able to excel too using determination as a driving force.

After the presentation by the guest speaker, participants made comments and asked many questions ranging from her major obstacles as a woman and housewife, academic challenge, how to handle tough moments, the need for elaboration on many quotes she used during the session etc, the presenter responded to all the questions and comments explicitly. The session ended with a closing remark by Senior Programmes Officer Kabiru Saidu Dakata and presentation of some publications of the organization to the guest speaker by Head of Human Resource Ado Shehu Yakasai.

As the year 2016 gradually comes to an end, the monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Series (ILERIS) of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has featured Hajiya Aisha Muhammad Bello, the Accountant General of Kano state as November personality and guest speaker. The forum which normally draws participants from the staff of the center, volunteers and interns, civil society organizations, youths activists and students comprising male and female serve as an inspirational ground where participants listen to presentations by the guest(s) and subsequently learn and seek direction towards shaping their own goals, ambitions and aspirations by asking questions or making comments and observations.

In his opening remarks, Executive Director of the center, Dr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u noted that so far ten personalities from different backgrounds with robust experience, skills and expertise have graced the monthly event at various points. YZ Ya’u said “many people never think that the successful people they see are people who have risen through the rank, through hard work, through focus to specific goals, determination and so fort. Let people not be deceived by the fact that life is easy, life is a struggle and success comes through hard work, the monthly interactive session normally bring people who excelled in their career to personally talk about their challenges, failures,  and successes, so that the youths can get direction and reinforcement.”

Hajiya Aisha Muhammad Bello began her presentation by thanking Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) for coming up with the monthly interactive session saying it’s a privilege to be invited to share her experience especially with youths, she said guidance and counseling are very important particularly to leaders of tomorrow. Life is shaped by a number of factors and one has to be determined to be successful. Elaborating on the secrets of excelling in life, Hajiya Aisha said “always set your goals early, know what you want and work towards it, learn to earn trust, learn to keep it and always try to put a smile on the face of others”.  A woman can combine studies with work and home responsibilities, the secret according to the Accountant General is, first, a woman should never look at her mother-in-law as mother-in-law, but as a mother, treat her with the necessary respect, love and care, that will in return be of immense help to you as a housewife. Cautioning the participants on proper utilization of time, Hajiya Aisha said, “no time in life is late for anybody to do anything, there is always a beginning, what is important is planning, vision and projection”, at 30 years I had my Master’s Degree, became a Deputy Manger in the bank and had four children. The 51 year old financial expert has a 23 years banking industry background, she has held many managerial and administrative positions in First Bank and Habib Bank, until her appointment as General of Kano state by Governor  Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration, Hajiya Aisha Muhammad Bello was the Commissioner of Budget and Planning.

On finishing the presentation, the session turned highly interactive as participants raised many questions, made comments, some of the questions and comments were: how the presenter was able to handle family issues, studies and work as demanding as bank job, the major challenges she faced, how she overcome them, how best to choose a career etc. The Inspiring Leadership Reflection Series (ILERIS) ended with a vote of thanks by Training Coordinator Malam Ahmad Yakasai who thanked the speaker for finding time to share with the participants her invaluable experience and advised them to efficiently utilize the knowledge they acquire in the profile of the presenter. Harira Ahmad Wakili presented some publications of CITAD to Hajiya Aisha Muhammad Bello.  

Participants with the Executive Director Dr. YZ Ya’u and the guest speaker Hajiya Aisha M. Bello  in a group photo after the November ILERIS                         Courtesy: CITAD Media Unit

The monthly leadership inspiring and mentorship initiative of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), better termed as ILERIS (Inspiring Leadership Reflection Series) has featured Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture Kano state as the personality for the month of October. Every month CITAD invites a personality who has skills, experiences and achievements that can be emulated by its staff and other youths with a view to shaping their lives and their commitments so that they excel in their numerous endavours. Participants normally listen to the guests make their presentations about their lives experiences, successes, challenges, opportunities and later on interact and deliberate in order to explore for themselves certain strengths, advantages as well take caution against failures and obstacles.

Giving an opening remark, the Executive Director of Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Dr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u said “the center has over the years been focusing on youths development programs and we thought that one of the ways you can develop young people is to get people who have rich experience to share with young people their successes, problems, principles, the ways in which they tackle problems when they arise, lessons they would have learned as they grow up and so forth, so that young people in particular can be inspired to want to go and even surpass people that they listen to, that is the reason we get someone with credible history and experience to come and talk about himself after which the participants ask questions’’.

In his presentation, Dr Gawuna observed that it is a great honour for him to be invited to directly interact with young people and hopes his biography will inspire the participants. The 49 year old commissioner is a biochemist by profession who has eventually ventured into agricultural activities and politics, being a staunch sports lover he is presently the National President of Youths Sports Federation which was established back in 1965. He said “as a child I hated school but my parents insisted in ensuring that I go to school, today I realized the idea behind that, I can still remember two things my father taught me, one is to be as truthful as possible in whatever I do, and the second is to be as helpful as possible’’. He said the patent medicine store that his father established inspired his brother to become a graduate of pharmacy from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria while he graduated from Usman Danfodio University Sokoto as a Biochemist, which simply became a large family business.

After working with Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Kano state Hospitals Management Board as Lab technologist at Nasarawa Hospital, Gawuna’s interest in business led him and a friend into establishing a logistics company that deals with cargo and technical assistance on aircraft called Millennium Aviation. He later succumbed to pressure and finally became a politician which made him Nasarawa Local Government chairman for eight years and commissioner of agriculture in the previous administration, the position present administration also appointed him since its inception.

Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna has energized the participants with several inspirational experiences and entertained many questions, he said “faith, believe and the strength of your will always get you to where you want to be, in as much as you try to be as honest as possible”.

The inspiring leadership reflection series ended with a presentation of publications of CITAD to the guest by human resources officer of the organization Malam Ado Shehu Yakasai, and a vote of thanks by training coordinator Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai who advised the participants to practicalise the lessons they learned from the interactive session. Participants at the event included staff of CITAD, regional manager of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and other staff, Manager Environmental Registration Council of Nigeria, Northwest University, Federal University Dutse, United Action for Democracy, Northwest University Students for Peace, Kurmawa Youth Development Association, Harlem Engineering, Mufarka, Tudun Yola Youth for Peace, KAYCAD and many other young people.