Ibrahim Adamu Abdullahi is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nasarawa Investment Development Agency (NASIDA). A trade, finance and investment lawyer, he holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree LLB from the University of Reading, UK. In this interview, he advises youths on business entrepreneurship.
What should Nigerian youths learn from your story?
I thank God for the opportunities I’ve gotten as a young person. My advice to youths is to stay true to themselves, to prepare themselves for the future. When you have skills, it opens doors that you never imagined so our youths need to take that seriously.
Secondly, it is courage; one of the things our youths lack is the courage to pursue their dreams, to try things out even when they seem difficult and impossible.
It is people who are courageous and tenacious that get ahead of others. There is obviously the role of luck and fate in the things that happen in our lives but courage is important for us to have as young people.
What should be their focus on entrepreneurship?
We need to be able to take our relationships very seriously – in the family, with our neighbours, our peers – because they make up the community that will either propel or derail you to achieve success or greatness.
How well you nurse this relationship matters a great deal because life is a complete circle; you meet people in this environment today, you might meet them in another environment and an entirely different context.
The other one is prayer, whatever you believe in hold on to it. I don’t joke with my faith; I strongly believe in the will of the Almighty.
And hard work too is very important, whatever you do, do it very well. It is your work that will speak for you, it will take you to places that you never imagined. Take advantage of every opportunity you stumble into and work as if it is your last opportunity.
What about mentorship?
Yes, there is formal mentorship and informal mentorship, it is very important. Therein you find the kind of support system to propel you to success; we can have mentorship in friends, family or work places, so it’s very important.
But I also think that anybody who gets the privilege to attain relative success in life has the moral responsibility to give back, to nurture the next generation.
Every young person aspiring to great things should find a mentor in the area they wish to excel. Young people should seek and aspire for offices, when given the opportunity, we’ll do a good job.
