There’s always an excuse for whatever decision you make
Abdullahi Ahmed
Dear Friends,
This week we had a conversation with Abdullahi ‘Atewe’ Ahmed. Abdullahi is an entrepreneur. He is the team lead and creative director of ATEWE, a digital printing firm that specializes in corporate printing, branding and editorial publishing. He is a professional brand manager with diverse experience across different industries. Abdullahi also contributes to several community engagements and initiatives.
In this letter, he shares about being proactive and lessons from decision-making.
What was the turning point for you in your life/career choice?
I really didn’t have so much problem throughout my primary school education but times changed when it was time for me to resume to secondary school. I realised that my dad couldn’t afford my school fees, so, he bought me books to study. I was practically reading books at home while my mates were in school. I was curious because, it was difficult for me to comprehend that my father, a teacher, and couldn’t afford to pay for my school fees.
One day, one of our supposed grandma, stylishly mocked me for not being able to attend school. It was so painful to me that day that I narrated the events to my dad while in tears. He said to me, “I can’t afford to take you to school but I can get you the required texts for you to read. That doesn’t mean that you’re underprivileged. Yes, you might not have the same access to education like your mates currently have and she’s using that opportunity to mock you. But, you shouldn’t allow that to get to you”. In the second term, he was able to raise the school fees, and I got into school. The school was a government-owned. Then, I realized that I was better off than those students that have been in school since the first term because I’ve practically read all the textbooks and I did well. This experience taught me the importance of staying ahead in life. I learned to think two steps ahead in everything I pursued. It has been a driving force for me ever since.
Since then, it has really been something that influences all the decision I make. I try to do all the scenario analysis, and risk assessments involved so that I don’t end up shooting myself in the legs. That experience is my major turning point in life and has really shaped the way I see things and think about events.
Have you ever gotten to the point where you planned the scenarios but things still didn’t go according to plan, what do you do in times like this and how do you handle setbacks?
Setback is not a problem to me. Setback could be compared to been unready. Rather than forcefully flying and crashing, it is better go back, set all your gears right, and do all your homework. Setbacks are usually meant to strengthen or prepare you ahead for the journey you want to embark on. Sometimes, setback could mean it’s not yet time. In Islam, we pray this, “whatever God will do for us that will lead into embarrassment, God shouldn’t do it for us. And whatever that will happen that will improve our honor in the community, God should do for us.”
There’s something about God’s time being the best. It might not really work, probably because your mental capacity at that time is not able to contain that thing you are willing to achieve yet. To attain some positions in life, it requires following different stages. Setbacks could also mean that the timing is not right. That’s how I see setbacks. What I do is to retrace my steps. I ask myself, ‘Is there anywhere I’ve taken the wrong steps or am I even in a hurry?’. I try to get where the error is coming from so that when I’m launching out again, I will be able to spot areas where I made mistakes.
What was that one piece of advice you received that changed your life?
There was a point when I was at a cross road, I didn’t know which decision to make. Whether it's a good or wrong decision, there will always be an excuse attached to it. This excuse plays a role in convincing oneself of the decision, and it can be either positive or negative. Regardless of whether a decision is made or not, an excuse accompanies it.
As a result of this insight, I don’t get to stuck when it comes to decision making. I ensure that before I make any decision, I engage myself in a critical thinking so that I can make the right decision and the excuse for making that decision is a very solid one. If I fail, at least I will still be able to say, ‘oh this is the reason why I failed’. Oftentimes, the reason why some decisions are not made is usually because of the fear of failure. That’s an excuse. But, being willing to succeed is also an excuse for making certain decisions. So, it is important to be able to differentiate what excuses one give for making or not making a decision.
What are things you have done over the years that have made a big difference?
The first thing would be my community development engagement. It has really been my escape space. Sometimes, while working or planning community outreaches, and community development activities, I come up with a lot of ideas. I also get to engage in active observation and understand people, during community engagements. It has also helped me to meet people who are at the center of solving problems.
The second thing was getting married. I don’t want to call myself ‘accidentally married’ because as at the time I was about getting married, there was a lot in my head then, and I lacked a lot of clarity. Nonetheless, it was part of the events I had been preparing for in my journey. When it came, I was like, ‘let’s do it, let’s see how it goes’. So far, I have really not had anything to regret about it. It has really made a big difference in my life.
Finally, the last thing that is still in progress is considering whether to relocate from Nigeria or remain here. Regardless of the choice I make, I believe I can continue to make a difference in my capacity as an entrepreneur and volunteer. Even if I find myself relocating, I will still be engaged in similar activities, though with a focus on an entirely different set of people.
What do you think is one good thing in the world that we don't talk about well enough?
I think one very good thing about Nigerians is the gift of choice. We have lots of things to choose from in Nigeria. You can decide to pursue a particular career in Nigeria and with consistency, it might be the next big thing. That gift of choice is something that is difficult to come by in other climes. It is most likely only in Nigeria that you can wake up to say “I want to do this”, and get to it. Although, what you want to do may be subjected to the feedback, which will be determined by the level of impact and the kind of impact your choice have on people.
For example, I watched a video yesterday about a boy in Ekiti State who has developed a way to generate electricity from stones. He is already gaining attention and recognition for his choice and achievement. Similarly, there is another short video featuring two talented secondary school boys who have a skill for mimicking people. Their choice is gaining them attention.
One thing that is often overlooked is the power of choice. You have the ability to decide to transition from a 9-5 job and focus on your own business. If you remain consistent, you never know what might come out of it. While in other countries, starting a business requires registration, in Nigeria, you can start small and grow without immediate registration. Additionally, you can choose to have multiple businesses if you desire.
In the field of marketing communication, unlike specialized agencies abroad, Nigeria operates through integrated marketing communications. Various agencies handle multiple aspects of integrated communication strategies. This further demonstrates the gift of choice we have in Nigeria, as I see it.
What is something that keeps you excited for the future?
As part of the choice given to us as Nigerians by Nigeria, I’m hopeful for my business one day to become one of the leading outdoor advertising agencies in Nigeria. I always immerse myself in any path that will afford me the opportunity of learning, networking with the right people. Although, all of these simply is not enough. It’s a different thing to learn, and it’s another to put what you’ve learnt to good use. Meeting the right people is great but it is important to convert those networks into boosting one’s net worth. So, all of these work together to help set the right structure for my business and ensuring the goal and vision is achieved.
If time travel was real and you got the opportunity to give some advice to younger self, What would you tell him?
What I will tell my younger self is, “your background should not determine the level of the ground you can take within the community. One thing my dad did for me was that he helped a lot in building my confidence and ensuring that I attended a very solid primary school. I went to a school where I got to meet with children from wealthy families. The reality I have had to face is the fact that I’m not from a rich background. And that in a way determined the way I approached people or even dealt with situations. I would usually get angry about my background. But now, I have realized that importance of building one’s confidence, and training oneself to conform to whatever space one finds himself. So, to my younger self, ‘never let your background determine how much or how far you can go in life’.
What is the one piece of advice you will give to someone just starting in your space?
The advice will be start early. Starting early provides the opportunity to make mistakes early, allowing you time to make corrections. If you begin late, you may not have sufficient time to do certain things correctly. Without getting certain things right, there are no shortcuts to success. While it may be relatively easy to achieve success in life, sustaining it is the difficult part. There have been numerous conversations about quick fixes and people seeking shortcuts to bypass the process. However, whether you're in Nigeria or Canada, wherever you are, there are specific processes you need to follow to become a successful person. So, start early, fail early and take lessons from your failures or mistakes.
What are you reading or listening to currently?
I’m reading two books, one is ‘To Every Man A Brain’ by Kenny Salami and the other is by Chinua Achebe ‘An Image Of Africa: Racism in Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness’. For music, I listen to artistes like ‘Brymo, and ‘9ice’and whatever is played on the radio stations where I am a captive audience.
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See you next week.
Your friends,
From AllforDevelopment.
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