From Panel Beater To PHD Holder – Man Shares His Career Journey & How He Succeeded

Congratulation are in order for a man named
Usman Ali Lawan who just bagged his PHD degree.

Ali shared his amazing career journey and the challenges he has encountered generally in his academics. Sharing his testimony with his friends on LinkedIn, he started from where it all began.

Read his post below;

THE ‘PANEL BEATER’ WHO BECAME A Ph.D.

My Dad always had the believe that “every man needs to learn a skill”… even though he wanted us to go to school, his position on skill acquisition remained unwavering.

Once we got admission into secondary school, he attached each boy to a “Master”. The plan was simple – “be literate enough to optimize your skill”.

On the other hand, my Mum had a different idea. She’ll always say – “I can’t have just one son and you ask him to be a Panel Beater – My boy will go to school”. Hahaha

Nevertheless, once I got admission into Secondary School, I was also introduced to learn ‘Panel Beating’ (Car Painting) simultaneously. My “Master” was Ishaya Bakut, a Birom man from Plateau State (God Rest His Soul).

I wasn’t the brightest in my class…. But for whatever reason, I never paid attention to learn the car painting skill – Maybe because I was always listening to my Mum’s argument about why school is very important. So I missed workshop lessons a lot and had to serve punishment by carrying crankshaft – since I was too young to carry the Engine Block.

Yet, attending school wasn’t a smooth ride… throughout the journey – From selling fuel on the street (year 2000)…. To becoming an oil executive after my first degree in 2009…. I never forgot that precious argument put forward by my Mum – “….my boy will go to school”!

When I got the opportunity of a lecturing job at Bayero University, Kano in 2012 I thought this is it – I’ve got to get a PhD to progress in my new career as an Academician. Alas, I didn’t spend 6 months on the lecturing job 😁

But while I was there, I met great friends like Dr. Ibrahim Garba Dr. Abu Fahad Dr. Adams Adeiza Dr. Auwal Muhammad Isah Dr. Lawal Mohammed Sani who mostly stayed in touch and continued to inspire me…!

By 2014, I have fully understood the value of continues personal development. So, despite running 2 businesses, I made the conscious decision to start – Maybe because the likes of Dr. Ibrahim & Dr. Najafi would not go a month without reminding me!!!

I got admission in 2016, and a degree that should have lasted 3 years took me 5 years to complete.

Considering that I was running 2 business ventures & a Not for Profit, while also handling a bunch of consultancy jobs and development projects plus attending 9 world class Fellowship & Accelerator programs within the same 5 years, I consider myself to have finished in record time 😁😝😃

I’m grateful to all the people who have inspired, encouraged, supported and scolded me to keep the tempo high on this one…. A big thank you to my supervisors and everyone who’s been a part of this journey either directly or indirectly.

I appreciate you all!

To my Mama… You were right the whole time Ma’am. There is nothing wrong with becoming a Car Painter…. But yours was ment to be a Doctor of Philosophy!

22 years after your passing, this is specially for you Mum – We did It!

I’m just a #FarmerInSuit

Source: Usman Ali Lawan|LinkedIn

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com