The founder of Maktoub Media, Ms Mariam Mohammed has brought together hundreds of young people, urging them not to give up on their dreams despite mounting obstacles.
Mohammed spoke in Abuja at the 2024 edition of the annual Maktoub Youth Forum (MYF) themed: “Ignite, Inspire, Impact”, a key segment of her yearly birthday celebration.
Mohammed, who acknowledged the huge attendance, explained that the forum was meant to inspire young people to aspire to personal growth, career advancement, emotional intelligence, and leadership, and help aspiring young ones chart a career road map.
She explained that it was a call to action for Nigeria’s young people, urging them to pursue their dreams with the required passion.
However, she stressed that to be successful in life, they must be willing to face the downsides and the obstacles that come with personal growth, pointing out that part of the objectives of the programme was to help minimise such pitfalls.
“You know there are always downsides to everything. The downside to programmes like this is that it reopens old and buried wounds. People think holding a mentorship programme is fancy. But it isn’t. You’re like a guinea pig when you hold this programme because you have to tell stories of how you got here.
“And I kid you not, those stories are not pretty a lot of the time. A lot of times, you break down telling those stories, and not because you’re weak, but because you can’t believe you made it this far. If we all had to stand here and tell you our stories of how we got to where we are today, you will understand that.
“You think of times you’ve given up and given down. Sometimes, it goes as far as wanting to end it all. So we hold programmes like this to let you know we are your guinea pigs, so you don’t make the mistakes we made in life, so you can skip the hurdles, maybe not entirely, but well enough to get through life. This is because life will give you uppercuts.
“These programmes help you to understand that those uppercuts will heal, and all you need are teachers here and there, and you will be fine,” she told the young people.
Also speaking, an Assistant Controller with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Aisha Mohammed, cautioned the youths that although social media remains a force for good in many respects, it can also be a tool for destruction.
She urged the participants not to take everything they see online hook, line and sinker, advising them not to be misled by what they see on social media.
“Social media has become an integral part of our lives, but it is essential to distinguish between social media and our reality. There is always a contrast between what we are and what we project to the public on social media. This contrast is at the root of many social, political, spiritual, and economic crises in the larger society.
“Social media is about perception, projection, and deliberate programming. The pressure to present a perfect online image can lead to a feeling of inadequacy and lack of contentment because you tend to always compare yourself to what other people are posting and it’s not the reality. Those things are not real, we all know that.
“Somebody can be starving but the person can post online that I just finished a delicious meal and then another person will see it and say, I have to do this. Or somebody posts something, I just got a Range Rover, I just got a Rolls Royce and it’s not true. Possibly the person just went to a place where people sell cars and then just had a picture and sent it online.
“So we try to engage the youth to tell them that not everything we see online is reality. And finding yourself makes you feel that you are not worthy of being alive even because we have cases of people committing suicide from social media, cyberbullying, and as I mentioned earlier, sexual assault,” she stressed.
She urged the young people to have self-acceptance and not begin to compare themselves or their achievements with those of other people.
In her remarks, a Public Health Professional, Fatima Mamman-Daura, urged the youths not to feel resentment when they think they are underachieving, exhorting them to find a passion and nurture it.
“ Passion makes everything easier and more enjoyable to pursue your dreams and ethically too. Know your onions. Let your brain be your most valuable asset. In your early career, I think this is when it is most important, you should soak up all the knowledge that you can and learn all the skills that you can.
“Technical skills get you the recognition and then it moves you up the career ladder. Produce exceptional quality work. Go the extra mile. Cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s. Do not be lazy,” she advised.
Besides, she urged them to practice soft skills, emotional intelligence, and people management, stressing that as they move up the career trajectory from managers to leaders, they will need less technical skills and more conceptual skills.
“You will need things like communication, problem-solving, team building, conflict resolution, resource mobilisation, crisis management, critical thinking, etc.,” she pointed out.
Other persons present at the event were the son of the President, Seyi Tinubu and Channels TV Presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, who spoke on the topic: “Unbroken: Transforming Personal Pain into Springboards for Success,” among others.
The annual event encourages youths to discover, explore and maximise their natural potential and create a better future for themselves in spite of all hurdles.
