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By Buhari Abba
The Danmalikin Kano and District Head of Rimin Gado, Auwal Mudi Yakasai, has urged young Nigerians to remain resilient, committed and focused in their pursuit of personal and professional goals.
Mr Yakasai, a former labour leader and public administrator, gave the advice on Wednesday while speaking as the guest speaker at the August edition of the Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS), organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in Kano.
Speaking on his personal experiences, Mr Yakasai recounted his educational journey, struggles in the labour movement, career progression and the challenges he faced before attaining his present positions.
He said determination and hard work were essential for overcoming difficult circumstances and achieving one’s aspirations.
He said his personal experience demonstrated the importance of remaining committed to one’s goals despite financial and other challenges.
“I am someone who started a career with no money to pay for his education, but here I am today with two diplomas, two master’s degrees, a PhD, a traditional title and lots of achievements to humbly narrate, courtesy of hard work, commitment and resilience,” he said.
The traditional ruler also advised participants to prepare themselves for circumstances they could not avoid.
“Anything that is unavoidable, prepare for it,” he said.
Mr Yakasai urged the young people to regard challenges as part of their journey rather than reasons to abandon their ambitions.
Life and career journey
Mr Yakasai took the participants through his life journey, highlighting his educational pursuits, career in public administration and involvement in the labour movement.
He explained how he combined work with education and continued to pursue academic qualifications despite financial difficulties.
The traditional ruler attended several institutions, including Bayero University, Kano; Kaduna Polytechnic; Maryam Abacha American University of Niger; and the University of Manchester.
His career has included public administration and long-standing service at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano.
He also served as the State Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and was involved in labour and human rights activism.
Reflecting on his years in the labour movement, Mr Yakasai said perseverance and commitment were essential in navigating difficult situations and achieving meaningful results.
He encouraged young people to remain focused on their goals even when faced with setbacks and difficult circumstances.
Why CITAD started ILERIS
Earlier, CITAD Executive Director, Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, represented by the Senior Programme Officer, Isah Garba, explained the rationale behind the establishment of ILERIS.
Mr Garba said the initiative was designed as a monthly mentorship platform to guide and empower young people and had been running for about 10 years.
He said the programme was established to influence the way young people perceive life, career development and personal achievement.
“ILERIS is the Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series, a monthly mentorship programme organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) to guide and empower young people,” he said.
According to him, CITAD established the initiative to encourage young people to adopt a practical approach to achieving their aspirations.
“CITAD’s goal when it started this monthly session ten years ago was to change and guide the way in which young people think about life, career and recording achievement.
“We basically want the young people to stop dreaming and begin acting,” Mr Garba said.
He said CITAD had continued to use the monthly interactive sessions to expose young people to the experiences of accomplished individuals from different fields.
The August edition provided participants with an opportunity to learn from Mr Yakasai’s experiences in education, labour activism, public administration and traditional leadership.
The session also enabled participants to interact with the guest speaker and gain insights into overcoming personal and professional challenges.
ILERIS is one of CITAD’s initiatives aimed at promoting mentorship, leadership development and personal growth among young people through regular interactions with accomplished personalities.
