Alhaji AbdulHakeem Bello Charges Nigerians to Embrace Positive Mindset as He Clocks 50

Alhaji AbdulHakeem Bello Charges Nigerians to Embrace Positive Mindset as He Clocks 50

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Chief Executive Officer of Scope Shelters Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Dr. AbdulHakeem Oyeniyi Bello, has called on Nigerian youth to embrace a positive mindset and view the country through a lens of hope and possibility rather than perpetual negativity.

Dr. Bello gave the charge, Thursday, at a press conference held in Abuja to commemorate his 50th birthday.

He highlighted the importance of belief in the nation’s potential for greatness, stating, “I want to let Nigerian youth know that regardless of what might be happening now, one of the best gifts God can give to anybody, honestly speaking, is to be a Nigerian. And I’m saying it with every sense of responsibility.

“Number one, I’m not a local person. I’ve seen the two sides of it, the local and the diaspora. And when you are on top of the mountain, you certainly see better what is on the two sides of the valley. Nigeria is good. Nigeria can be better and we can all make it so, by first believing that Nigeria can be better.”

He emphasized the need to shift the narrative from disparagement to encouragement, saying that as Nigerians, a collective belief in the country’s potential is essential.

“There is this very common statement in America. It’s a slogan, “God bless America, God bless America, God bless America.” But here, what do we have? Our people would say ” This country is terrible. This country is bad.” Let us stop prophesying terrible things unto our country.

He elaborated on the power of perception, likening it to viewing a glass of water as either half full or half empty. “When I ask you, you say it’s half filled. Are you speaking the truth or not? The content has not changed but because of your perception…” Dr. Bello’s potent analogy encouraged the audience to consider the positive aspects of Nigeria rather than focusing solely on its challenges.

He drew parallels between the Nigerian narrative and the experiences of other nations, particularly the United States, noting that while some Nigerians view their country as being entirely bad, they forget that even in America, there are homeless people and systemic discrimination. He reminded the audience that Nigeria has its own challenges, but it also has a lot of good.

“You see, it’s a question of mindset and we should be careful of the danger of a single story. When some people talk to you about Nigeria, you will not believe that there is anywhere in this country where you can travel two kilometers without being kidnapped. But the same people will not tell you that in Nigeria it is not so bad that when your child simply gets to school, you are afraid somebody will carry gun and go and shoot your child in school.

“There is no place that is 100% sane. All the climes that we call the sane climes were made by people. We can also make our own. You can’t be more diasporan than I am. I carry two passports. So if you say you are a diasporan, then you are either a permanent resident somewhere or you are a citizen somewhere. I’m a proud citizen of Nigeria. I’m a proud citizen of the United States. And that’s why you see these two flags here.

Speaking further, he said; “A lot of people think once you get out of Nigeria your problems are solved, the people there also have problems. In America, there are US citizens that are homeless, you have more homeless people in Washington DC than you have in Abuja. Quote me anywhere. And you have more homeless people in Los Angeles than you have in Lagos.

“So, getting to America does not mean the world has been deposited in your palm. It still depends on what you make out of it. “Don’t get me wrong, there are some structured systemic empowerment systems that are already available for you if you know how to key into it and you sincerely do not need to know Donald Trump, you do not need to know Joe Biden, you need not to come from their families.

“America didn’t get there one day but let us have this spirit of believing that we can make it, we can put our country together and it can be fine.

“Yeah, when you get back to the U.S., when you get to the customs and border protection agency that will get you in, that will admit you in the U.S., they will say, oh, you welcome back home. Yes, they will tell you that. But when I get to Abuja, even when they don’t tell me you welcome back home, I feel a lot more home than where they even say welcome back home.”

He further charged the youth to be focused and embrace integrity as it is the most important currency in the world.

“Once you keep your eyes on the ball, don’t get distracted. You have issues that would distract you here and there. I must also remind you that the greatest currency that anybody will have is your integrity. Guide it with your life. If one has to go for the other, sacrifice your life for your integrity. Don’t let your integrity leave you. Once it leaves you, you’re just like a phone without a SIM card in an environment where there is no internet. It’s useless,” he said.

Diving deeper into his own experiences, Dr. Bello recounted his journey from humble beginnings to becoming a successful businessman and respected community figure. He shared his struggles during university, balancing studies with entrepreneurship, only to face a downturn in fortunes.

According to him, when he arrived in Abuja, he faced significant hardships, including lack of funds for transportation and precarious living conditions.

Reflecting on how far he has come, Dr. Bello recalled a critical turning point when he was taken in by a woman, Alhaja Raliat AbdulRasaq, affectionately known as “Mama,” who provided him shelter and support during challenging times.

This kindness not only offered him a roof over his head but also alleviated the constant worry of hunger. “Little did Mama know she was also solving the problem of hunger,” he said with emotion.

As he spoke of his gratitude and admiration for Mama, he announced a gift of 20 million Naira to her Foundation, Raliat Islamic Organization, emphasizing the importance of giving back to those who have helped shape our lives.

Speaking on his subsequent plans, Dr. Bello mentioned that he is working towards launching his own foundation, which will be dedicated to giving back to society. He emphasized the importance of scaling down gradually and planning for retirement, choosing priorities wisely and focusing on giving back to society now.

“At this age, when you are crossing this bridge whether somebody tells you or not, you should know you’re becoming an elderly man, you are gradually exiting the youthful ages and when you are stepping into the shoes of the elderly people, you should learn how to do it. You don’t go after everything.

“Won ni ti a ba da’gba, a ma n yo ogun re ni. “When you have attained certain age, you choose priorities right, you don’t go for everything” So you limit your runnings here and there, you should be planning for retirement, I don’t want to be looking for contract in the next 10 years, I don’t still want to be running after jobs in the next 10-15 years. For what? So, you should be scaling down gradually and whatever you want to give back to society, you should start giving now.

“I’m working towards launching my own foundation that is going to be giving back to society. This society has been good to me and I want to give back to the society. That’s what I want to focus on. I want to be exemplary to people who will be looking at me and wishing to be like me. I don’t want to disappoint them, so those are the things that I want that are in my head now,” he said.

Dr. Bello’s message was clear: success is not just about individual achievements but also about uplifting others and fostering a supportive community. As he closed the conference, he reiterated his belief that Nigeria’s best days are ahead, urging young people to be agents of change.