There are men and there are real men. There are achievers and there are super achievers. There are successful people and there are fulfilled people. However, it is rare in our society to have an individual who is a super achiever, authentic, successful and fulfilled at the same time. Pharm. Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai is a good example of one of these rare people in our world. His character and characteristics is what I called the zenith of the finished character. Honestly, our nation needs more of Alhaji Ahmed Yakasai. In the past 2 years I have the honour to work with him and learn from him as my mentor, boss, adviser, president, professional colleague and my father. While there are many practical lessons I have learned that perhaps I can write a book on as an author (lol), permit me to share three major principles that can make us become better regardless of our age or stage in the cycle of life.
LEADERSHIP: I learned that leadership is making things better and making people become better. From his actions more than his words, I learned that leadership has less to do with the position we occupy but more to do with the useful service we render to our people. I also learned that leadership is more of responsibility and accountability and less of authority and controlling. Chief Ahmed Yakasai has clearly revealed to me and many others who are studying him from afar that a true leader knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. A great leader leads by example. He has demonstrated without any iota of a doubt that caring and respecting people is far more important that accumulating things. Reflecting about the journey so far in the last 2 years and the incredible achievements the Yakasai’s led administration has recorded for Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria clearly revealed to me the power of vision, faith, decision, commitment, determination, sacrifices, perseverance and work ethic in turning the invisible to reality. Indeed, there is a lot I have learned on leadership from this Amazon and there will always be a lot to learn from his exemplary leadership style.
MANAGEMENT: Being a management consultant and someone who is obsessed with helping people to become better and organizations to move to their next level, I have been blessed to have firsthand experience on the real meaning of management by learning from my principal, Pharm. Yakasai. His management style is finding the best people for a job, creating the enabling environment for them to achieve the results intended, giving them the total support to achieve the set goals, building their confidence to get things done and working side by side with them to keep moving forward. More often than not, most management literatures and top managers believe that controlling people is the practical way to get the best out of them, but I have learned firsthand that the most effective managers are those who give people the opportunity to express their creativity and guide them not spoon-feed them. I strongly believe that managers of men and resources can learn this result-oriented management style from this amazing leader of leaders.
CHARACTER: I think the most important lesson I have learned so far from His Excellency, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, The Honorary-Consul General of Pakistan in Nigeria is to set high principles and values in life; to demand integrity, discipline and honesty from myself AT ALL TIMES. Mr. Yakasai is a man of outstanding character. His word is his bond. He respects everyone regardless of their status in the society. In fact, Pharm. Yakasai treats his drivers better than how some successful people treat their partners. I have learned from him the fact that we can be both in life; mindful and playful, caring and discipline, spiritual and lively, go-getter and go-giver, self-reliant and team builder. Ahmad Yakasai is an ambassador of peace. His ways of life is to live in peace and spread peace with all men. As a thinker and philosopher, I’ve mastered the driving force of human behaviour and I can say boldly that what drives Pharm. Yakasai is contribution to the society and we can all learn from that kind of mindset. In our society, where we place so much importance on getting, maybe we can all learn from him to give more of ourselves in service to humanity in order to experience more joy out of life.
Life is a journey and every phase is a preparation for another phase of life. My prayer is as Alhaji Yakasai celebrates his 57th Birthday today in happiness, may the next 57 years of his life be filled with more joy, grace, good health, fulfilment, achievements, laughter and impact than the last 57 years. May your children and wife continue to be sources of joy to you. May the good Lord continue to guide and guard you right. May Allah grant you the blessings of this world and the hereafter and grant you Aljanah Fridaus.
Ladies and gentleman, distinguished men of honour and my esteemed friends, kindly join me in celebrating a leader extraordinaire, a skilled manager, a super achiever, a diplomat per excellence, a remarkable entrepreneur, a bridge builder, a great gentleman, a juggernaut, and an icon of the noble profession of pharmacy, Pharmacist Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai, The President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.
Happy Birthday Dad.
I Salute You Sir!
I love you.
Sesan Kareem
Nigeria’s No. 1 Personal Development Trainer
Founder, Mareek Image Concepts
PA to the President Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria.
