“Nothing Good Comes Easy”

Abdullahi is from Nigeria. In his own words, due to the constant power outages in Nigeria, he was motivated into studying Electrical Engineering in his first degree and Renewable Energy Engineering in his Masters programme. His ultimate goal is to bring a possible solution to the power problems in Nigeria. His GTF Mentor is Akinwole Omoboriowo II.

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story! 

A: I am from Nigeria. A country with a population of about 170 million people. A country blessed with abundant resources ranging from agricultural resources to mineral resources. I am from the Northern part of the country. I attended a Military school where I learnt a lot about discipline and respect for all. I decided to study electrical engineering to be able to bring the solution to my country's inadequate power supply.

With the continuous increase in demand for energy and negative effects of the conventional sources of electrical energy on climate & environment, I decided to study renewable energy engineering in MSc to provide cleaner/greener ways of generating electricity.

Q: What is your view of the world as it is today? And how do you define the concept of a better world?

A: The world is a global village as they say. We are all connected one way or another, be it through religion, lifestyle, culture, technology etc. A problem on one side of the world could affect the entire world if not taken off. So an advancement or a breakthrough in one part could affect the entire world positively. A better world, in my opinion, is simply a world where the elites cater not only for themselves but for the poor, where developed countries help the developing countries reach their full potential in terms of economy and technological advancement & also a world where security challenges are dealt with strategically without causing harm.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society?

A: The key challenges in my society are security and insufficient electrical energy. The issue of security has been minimized thanks to the new government.

Q: As a young individual what are a few of the hurdles that you had to overcome up until today?

A: The only hurdle/obstacle I have faced thus far is being away from home and trying to achieve whatever goal(s) I set for myself. With patience & perseverance, anything can be achieved. Nothing good comes easy, I always tell myself.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

A: The role of a mentor is important to me because in whatever you do in life, you need some form of guidance from someone with more experience.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

A: Samira Sunusi Sickle Cell Foundation (SSSCF). As the name implies, the foundation tries to help those with sickle cell anaemia.

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

A: Experience the pain of discipline now or the pain of not meeting your goals later.