One of the major challenges that a leader faces at the course of leadership is to be decisive in addressing issues when it becomes necessary. The challenge lies in taking decisions that would suit different categories of followers without being biased.
While I was in the university for my undergraduate programme, I picked up the hobby of teaching other students. I identified very early that the best way to retain whatever I learn is to teach others. The results are always a win-win one for me and for those that I teach.
I did a remedial programme before gaining admission into the degree programme. When I got to 100 level, I voluntarily joined the academic committee of the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN, the university's branch).
While my mates in the 100 level were attending tutorials for the current courses that we were offering, I opted out and I was teaching the remedial students of that period. Everything about the committee's work was voluntary. I remember trekking for about three kilometers from my hostel to the campus to teach the students on weekends. It is something that I have passion for. I look around for any opportunity to teach and I take it as a privilege whenever someone meets me to explain anything to him or her. I belonged to the committee throughout my remaining years in the university.
The members of the committee were appointed every year through volunteering or nomination by others. I volunteered all through the years while in a few cases, my interest coincided with multiple nominations by others.
When I got to 500L which was my final year, the academic committee was constituted as usual. Nominations were received from different students as it was always the case while a few individuals volunteered to serve also.
I had a lot in my hands to do in rounding up my degree programme. Writing two projects (research and design) was tasking and I wanted to give in the required time to get them done timely. As a result of this, I didn't volunteer to serve.
The announcement was always made on Fridays after jummat service. After rounding up service for that particular Friday, the Imam asked that everyone should wait for some minutes so that they could witness the inauguration of different committees of the MSSN.
The names of the members of the mosque cleaning committee, Da'wah committee and many others were read out by the Imam. When it got to the academic committee, the Imam read out the names of the committee and I was shocked to be announced as the chairman. He said that more than 90 percent of nominations received chose me to be the chairman of the committee.
I received the news with mixed feelings. I needed time to face my projects and then the call to service was something I wouldn't want to reject on a normal day. I prayed to God to help me scale through as I took up the responsibility.
The first test of the position came when some Christian colleagues showed their interest to join the MTH 101 tutorial classes.
The course was a very difficult one for students to pass then and it was a prerequisite for many science departments that offered it. It was one of the dreaded courses on campus. Whenever the result is placed, you could see a grade of C as being the best in a page containing about 50 matriculation numbers. More than half would be F.
The Christian students had heard a lot about the tutorials from their muslim friends and this spurred their interest.
About three of the MSSN members attending the MTH 101 class approached me to talk to me in my capacity as the chairman.
Initially, I was in a dilemma on how to address the issue. The tutorials were held inside the mosque and I didn't know how the christian fellows would feel if I asked them to join the classes in the mosque. I decided to move the classes outside the mosque. The white board that we used inside was movable. This made it easy for me to move all the classes outside so that maximum numbers could benefit from the tutorials.
I consulted the main MSSN executive led by the Imam and I was granted the permission to effect any change that I dimmed fit.
Many students, majority of whom I never met prior to that time, came to tender their appreciation. It was a very successful change that achieved its aim and purpose.
My tenure as the committee chairman was successful. I didn't have the time to teach because of my projects but I was able to provide the required leadership to see to the success of tutorials. Whenever any students met me that he or she was having problems with a course, my role was to look for a senior student in that department to render the needed assistance in teaching him or her. This is in addition to my role of preparing timetables for the classes and calling the tutors to remind them and appreciate them in advance for each class.
I served my tenure and graduated from the university with a certificate of meritorious service.
Many years later, I realized that successive MSSN leaders adhered to the change that I initiated to make the tutorials beneficial to all that needed it irrespective of religion.
Thank you for your time and I will appreciate your comment.
All the pictures are mine