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Choosing Your Career Path?

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm

~ Charles Schwab

By Abdulkareem Haruna

Are you wondering what your career path should be? It’s important to have an idea of where you want to go in life, and what you want to do.

Your career path is the journey you take to reach your professional goals, and it can be a key factor in your overall happiness and fulfillment.

As a journalist, I can tell you that my career path has been an exciting and challenging one. From a young age, I was inspired by the stories I heard on BBC’s Julian Marshall program, which I listened to on a Toshiba transistor radio my grand father handed me.

That early exposure to journalism sparked a passion within me that led me to study mass communication and English language in college.

After graduation, I was offered a civil service job, but I knew that my heart was in journalism. So, I turned down the job and started working as a cub reporter for a local newspaper.

It was a tough job, but I loved every minute of it. I learned how to find and tell stories, and I honed my writing skills.

That is not to say journalism in Nigeria doesn’t have its downside. Poor remuneration or the absence of it has killed many aspiring and spirited journalists. Yes. It is no news in Nigeria that work without pay has been a major signature of the pen profession.

For folks like us whose inherent inspiration wasn’t about the money but the zeal to tell that story, we keep working and parting ways with employers who see their ID cards as a meal ticket for reporters.

Over time, I worked my way up the ranks to become a senior reporter and storyteller. I covered everything from local events to international news, and I loved the challenge of finding the human angle in every story.

But my big plan was always to own my own online news platform. I wanted to have the freedom to report on the stories that matter to me and to mentor young journalists who share my passion for storytelling. So, I took the leap and started my own online news platform.

It hasn’t been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding. I’m able to report on the stories that matter to me, and I’m able to provide a platform for young journalists to hone their skills and tell their own stories.

If you’re considering a career in journalism, I would encourage you to follow your passion and pursue your dreams. It’s a challenging career, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. And remember, your career path doesn’t have to be a straight line. It’s okay to pivot and try new things along the way.

So, what’s your career path? Whatever it is, I encourage you to dream big and work hard to make it a reality. With passion, dedication, and hard work, anything is possible.

Haruna, a seasoned journalist, writes from Maidiguri as our guest-writer
Categories
Opinion Politics

Anxiety Mounts As Governor Zulum’s Post-May 29 Cabinet Announcement Approaches

By Abdulkareem Haruna

There is a growing sense of unease among the current cabinet members in the Borno state government ahead of the compulsory end-of-term cabinet dissolution expected to be carried out by Governor Babagana Zulum before May 29th.

Rumours swirl that the governor, currently holidaying abroad, may soon announce the dissolution. But some people doubt if the second tenure cabinet would ever be differ from the current one. 

The governor had, at the beginning of his first term, in 2019 promised to change his cabinet annually, to allow many other politicians who worked for the party during the 2019 elections to be carried along by his government. 

However, despite this promise, Governor Zulum was unable to carry out his promise as he retained the cabinet, except for some little shakeups, throughout his first term of four years.

This has, no doubt, led to growing dissatisfaction among some party members, who feel that they have been excluded from the political process. 

There is no questions that Governor Zulum has received widespread recognition and praise for his notable achievements over the last three years and eleven months. Nevertheless, some party members feel discontented as the Governor’s failure to execute his commitment to annual cabinet reshuffles may have deprived the government of opportunities for new and more innovative ideas.

Some of the outgoing commissioners are reportedly already lobbying to be carried along in the second and final term of Governor Zulum. However, it remains to be seen whether the governor will heed their requests or opt for a complete overhaul of his cabinet.

A top insider of the Zulum cabinet who spoke to this writer off-record hinted that the governor would “shock many people” by the time he took the oath of office on May 29. 

“Everyone would answer his father’s name in the second term because there may be a lot of surprises,” the source said. 

Across the board, the looming cabinet dissolution and the attendant high-wired lobbying underscores the challenges to be faced by Governor Zulum in managing the diverse interests of his party members and delivering on his promises to the people of Borno State. 

As the governor prepares to commence his second term in office on May 29,/many will be watching closely to see how he navigates these complex political waters and steers the state towards progress and development as projected in his 25-year development plan and ten years action plan of Borno state. 

Abdulkareem is our guest writer who is based in Maiduguri
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