In what appears to be one of her golden moments and efforts to prepare herself for national service, the pragmatic chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA Abuja chapter, Halima Usman has successfully undergone an executive course in Policy, Strategy & Leadership (PSLC) at the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS located in Kuru, Jos Plateau state.
She was among the graduands in the 44th policy, strategy and leadership course. She dutifully and committedly complied with all the conditions required for the course after which she was duly certified by the institute.
Icing on the cake was her election as the Secretary General of the class Policy Strategy & Leadership Course (PSLC 44)
The course which commenced Monday, August 1 came to a close on Friday, August 26, 2022.
Describing her experience as eye-opening, Usman who successfully holds sway as second term chairman of the foremost literary body in its Abuja chapter said this is an opportunity she so much cherishes, having learned so much from the institute on policy, strategy and leadership especially in the Nigerian context.
The philanthropist, humanitarian and founder HalimaFactor Community Initiative noted that this is part of efforts to prepare herself for the future for the assignment of leadership irrespective of where she finds herself.
“Most importantly I have also learnt to grow as a person, as an individual preparing herself for the future. I don’t know what the future holds for me.
“I think Nigeria is gradually coming of age that we don’t just appoint people into positions for the sake of it, round peg in square hole. There is need for us a country to make changes.
“For me that was the primary reason I decided to attend this very course, to equip myself, not knowing when the opportunity will call.
“Irrespective of whatever the case is, whether you are in the lower ebb of the society, wherever you find yourself, you’re a leader and you must strive to be a good one at that.
“I went there with that mindset to learn to improve myself so that whatever sphere I am working, I will prove myself to have the capacity to serve my country effectively
“It’s a great opportunity, it is preparing me for the future and I am really glad I had that opportunity” she told newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking on leadership recruitment in the country, the talented writer and public speaker emphasised the need for Nigeria to get it right with the right manner of individuals for various leadership positions.
She expressed dissatisfaction that the African giant has yet to attain its full potentials on the account of a faulty leadership recruitment.
“It is time to do away with people who are not properly equipped in sensitive leadership positions and get the best hands who are educated, prepared and have been nurtured.
“I use this opportunity to call on everyone, you don’t necessarily need to wait for your office to train you, you should be able to train and equip yourself.
“The world is moving at a very high speed, Nigeria cannot afford to always play the catch-up role, it’s time to get serious with our goals and development as a people. That involves individual capacity building and equipping ourselves to meet up with what is happening across the globe” she added.
Created by Decree number 20 of 1979, now Cap N-51 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the institute prides itself as a high-level institution with the primary objectives of serving as the nation’s foremost policy think-tank to develop a crop of top-class technocrats of high intellectual capacity, who will conceptualise and anchor the implementation of innovative and dynamic policy initiatives and strategies, critical for national development.
