A successful, impactful and beneficial life is built around commitment and strategy, this affirmation was made by Dr. Yahuza Ishaq Muhammad Jama’are, the Special Adviser to Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Hon. Bawa Wase at Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in Jama’are, Jama’are local government of Bauchi state on Thursday. Dr. Yahuza was the guest speaker at the monthly inspiration and mentorship parley for the month of February, 2020. CITAD holds the monthly interactive in it’s quest to have young people become productive and beneficial members of the society through mentoring by successful people through getting the stories of the accomplished personalities told to the youth so that they adjust their approaches and manner of confronting whatever endeavor they choose in life.

Welcoming the guest in his opening remarks, representative of the Executive Director of CITAD, Hamza Ibrahim noted that the monthly youth inspirational and mentorship initiative was started by CITAD in 2016 and it holds in Kano, Jigawa and Jama’are respectively. He added that CITAD believed that accomplished personalities in the society are good resource to shaping young people’s lives, he emphasized that without guidance and direction to the teeming youth, societies will not harness the true potentials of the young people they have, that is why personalities such as Dr. Yahuza are brought on monthly basis so they can inspire the youth with their successes, challenges, struggles, etc, Hamza added.

The guest speaker, Dr. Ishaq who is also Chief Lecturer at College of Education Zuba in Abuja spent an hour and half unpacking his profile taking the participants through his educational, business and community service journey carefully pinpointing the challenges and the strategies to surviving and remarkably turning the challenges into opportunities, his success and accomplishments, unforgettable moments and the secrets to results in all his struggles, etc. As proceeded, the guest paused, took a breath and remarked to the participants, “commitment and strategy are keys to success in life”, explaining the quote, he recalled how he secured five university admissions abroad and one in Nigeria on finishing his secondary school. I got admission to study in Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Kuwait as well as University of Jos in Nigeria immediately I finished secondary school even though I grew up as an orphan, but commitment, determination and strategy to studies greatly aided me, so, whatever you do in life have goal, be focused, develop a strategy, value learning, be versatile, creative and innovative, don’t be defeated by pessimists, keep moving, you will eventually succeed, Dr. Yahuza Ishaq Muhammad Jama’are challenged the participating youth. Completing the story of getting five overseas university and one Nigerian university admissions, the guest said after consultation he chose to go to Kuwait but the early 90s Gulf War stalled his ambition, but he never gave up, he eventually went to University of Jos and upon graduation he was retained as a graduate assistant following academic record while in the university. Dr. Yahuza spoke on several issues relating to education, pursuing business, engaging in farming activities drawing comparison to give a sense of direction to the participants and hints to success and overcoming challenges.

After the guest speaker’s presentation, the participants engaged him in questions and comments session with most of the participants admitting how they have been inspired with the story of the guest speaker. In particular, a participant said as an orphan he shares many things in common with the guest speaker and he has been losing hope, but, the guest speaker’s story has alleviated him of his pessimistic view of pursuing things in life. The guest speaker responded to lots of questions and comments thrown by the participants. Thirty eight (38) young people attended the February edition of the Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS). The session closed with vote of thanks by Hamza Ibrahim, presentation of CITAD’s publications to the guest, closing prayer and a group photograph.