how i have developed my leadership skills
I was born and raised in a typical rural African village. At age 6, I was crafted into tending to and fending for our animals. Therefore, I developed organizational, resilience and other leadership skills which have been honed over the years.
Being eldest son in the family, I was responsible to taking care of my younger ones, taking decision on their behalf and ensuring their well being both at home and in school. With parental training, I succeeded and still showing them the right path to follow.
For me, leadership is about service being able to, in ones own small way, restore a smile where one is lost. When view from a distance, leadership looks so easy, true leaders know only too well that their skills and abilities we're developed over an extended period of time. In my life, I have lived by this intrinsic standard.
While in secondary school, I started volunteering in campaigning against teen pregnancies, child marriage, gender inequality and HIV/AIDS.
My first leadership experience and skills in school appears when I was appointed the head boy of my secondary school. The position of head boy is granted to a student who exemplifies good behavior, grades and attendance.
Each day at school, I act in keeping with school rules and regulations, keeping in mind that other students will look to me for behavioral clues. This includes participating in school events, maintaining good grades and showing school spirit at sporting events. As the head, I was always required to be ambassadors to my school at events around the state or even the country. I speak on behalf of the student body, volunteer or man a school booth. At school parents' evenings, I usually present to speak with attendees. More to me, I was responsible for organizing the school prefects, who are leaders of different post and assign duties.
As a leader, self development is very important and necessary. With other school prefects, we were sponsored by the school to leadership training which was always organized annually for missionary secondary schools in Plateau State to improve young students leadership qualities. It was indeed a great aid to my leadership.
As the head boy, I was able to achieve a lot that impacted my life and the school. I led the school in the Olympiad Science Competition in 2012 where I merged the second runner up, in Mathematics Association of Nigeria (MAN) competition for the State Southern Zone and I was awarded with gold medal, we represented the school at the NNPC competition for science secondary students, JET project exhibition and Cowbell mathematics competition at all levels.
To crown it all, I graduated with excellent grade and awarded overall best graduating student of the year and also awarded merit award by the PTA body and the school Board of Trustees for leading the school for a year and exhibiting outstanding leadership qualities.
As it is known that, secondary school performance is prerequisite to gaining admission and performance into any higher institution. I was offered admission to study Chemistry and Education in University of Jos. In my third year, I contested and was elected the sectary general of Chemistry Education Students Association (CHESA). As a sectary, I was involved in the planning and delivery of the association established programmes and activities, arrangements of meetings, keeps formal records of the associations process and decisions and taking minutes. I was able to man a committee sets on Tutorials by the EXCOS to boost students performance in the department. My duty was to design tutorial time table for all level, supervise tutors on duty, and delegate responsibilities to other committee members and reporting back to the president. Students performance was improved and GP boosted.
While also in the university, I attached myself to a badminton club. Due to my dedication and consistency in the club, I was elected the club captain. As the captain, I was charged with the responsibility of representing the team in decision making related to game procedures, mediate the coach's instructions to the players on the team. To win them over, I organized meetings where I allowed everyone to express their fears or reservations about the intended changes. I then sold my vision to them, encouraged them to assign specific duties to each and every member and recognized the contribution of each one of them. They felt valued and before long, everyone embraced my idea. I took the responsibility of knowing my teammate personally, ensures a harmonious working relationship and resolving issues and relieve tension among them and allow the utilization of every team mate abilities. I led the team in winning the 2011 plateau state badminton tournament and other friendly matches
As a Nigerian university graduate, one is expected to undergo a mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps after graduation. This enable graduates to pay a selfless service to the country and to bridge the gap where necessary to their host community as a place of primary assignment.
I was attached to a school and assigned to chemistry/further mathematics. Being a teacher, I was a leader, father and friend. I saw myself as the manager of the world greatest resource. I was able to lunch a personal community development service on sensitization to parents on their responsibility to their childrens education a case of punctuality and responsiveness. It was successful I was awarded by the school and the community.
The Chevening Scholarship will further enhance my leadership skills and prepare me for senior l positions upon returning home fighting for quality education, I look forward to transitioning into a global lead