Hayatullah Taiwo Busari earned an honours degree in BSc Transport and Logistics from Lagos State University, with a flawless 4.33 CGP average. At the recently concluded convocation ceremony, he was named the best graduating student from Lagos State University’s School of Transport and Logistics. In an interview with The Muslim Voice NG, Hayatullah discusses his academic journey, Lagos transit issues, and Climate Change.
MV: Please tell us about yourself.
HTB: My name is Hayatullah Taiwo Busari, I am a graduate student of Lagos State University, School of Transport and Logistics and the best graduating student upon graduation. I am an affiliate member of the chartered institute of logistics and Transport Nigeria.
MV: What amazes you the most in life?
HTB: Life is beautiful if only we could see it. If one could afford to explore the world, one would realize how great and magnificent Allah the creator of the universe is. However, to afford to explore the world means that you are wealthy or rich. Yet most rich people are not happy and the poor lives in regrets because they are not rich. How ironical!
MV: Did you think your brilliance aided you in accomplishing this feat?
HTB: I am not that brilliant. I have always been a student a bit above average. I however became the best graduating student of School of Transport and Logistics 2019/2020 academic session with Allah’s help through frequent supplications, steadfastness and hardwork.
MV: How can typical students rise to the top of their class?
HTB: Typical students can rise up to the top of their class if they are talented. However, talent without hardwork yields to nothing. The only thing I could point out that aided my hardwork was the Night prep culture that was built in me while I was at Federal Government College Lagos (FGCL) Ijanikin. I continued with this culture during my undergraduate years and would read almost every night after my night prayers before going to sleep. I would also read more when exams are approaching. Most times I cover my course outline 3 to 4 times before writing the exam.
MV: Many people nowadays spend their time on technology and the internet, particularly social networking sites. How can students make the most of the strong tools at their disposal to achieve academic success and personal growth?
HTB: Social media and the Internet are good tools if only we know how to use it to our advantage. I was exposed the Udemy site while I was in 200 level. The first course I did was ISO45001. One of my brother’s friends who was an instructor at Udemy gave me a coupon to learn the course. It was the the beginning of my exploration of Udemy. When I got to know how to use the application well, I got about 20 Certifications there and it exposed me to a wide range of knowledge. I also used LinkedIn to my advantage and got some jobs there and volunteered for an international organization during the Covid-19 pandemic. These are only but few from the numerous opportunities I had by using social media for personal growth and success.
MV: When you were on campus, how did you choose your friends?
HTB: I didn’t have much friends on campus. I only had few friends from other departments that we happened to borrow courses from. Most of my friends are my neighbours, my course mates and my friends at FGCL. I didn’t live much of a social life. I however made new friends when I was chosen to be a part of shuura (Council) committee that appointed the new Muslim students executives on campus and the committee were my new friends.
MV: What were some of your favorite school memories?
HTB: My favourite school memories were the times I read with Tudonu Segun at a place beside the School of Transport and Logistics where we named “inspiration centre”. Then, I enjoyed the times I spent doing my professional courses at The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK with Isaac Idris, King Adeteye as well as my project management professional PMP with Adam Disu. I enjoyed my biking experience as I rode bicycle at school throughout my undergraduate years.
MV: What made you decide to write ‘A Memoir of Life At FGC, Lagos’?
HTB: I decided to write “I was here: A memoir of life at FGC Lagos” when I was always dreaming about being at FGCL every night. No night will pass except that I had a dream that relates to my life in boarding school. It is either I am in FGCL or the people there are with me in another place. Most importantly, the memories of FGCL refused to get off my head. I missed the school more after I left the school and till date, I still kept good relations with about 100 of us out of the 300 students that graduated that year 2015. I couldn’t help but write since my experiences were haunting me. I shared most of my valuable experience at FGCL with my sibling Yasir Busari.
MV: ‘Then, he asked him how many people are in the ceiling? While Mr Eleto was talking to the last person, others were already crawling to other rooms from the ceiling. The guy didn’t want to cast but the flogging was much so he confessed there were two people. Those two walked back………’ In your book, what triggered this event?
HTB: This experience was narrated to me by one of us Olokodana Sheriff on behalf of Wasiu who was the victim of the event (smiles).
MV: The state of the road network and public transportation system has a significant impact on the city’s development as well as the working and living conditions of the population, particularly the most vulnerable. Is it possible to find a solution to the city of Lagos’s road problems?
HTB: One of Lagos’s nightmares is road traffic despite that most of the roads are well connected. Although, public transport in it is not well regulated. Those who live at the outskirts of Lagos seem to be the most vulnerable and are disadvantaged to enjoy the regulated public transportation as those living in the Lagos Island, CMS, and Ikeja areas. However, there’s a solution to these problems. The state government has been embarking in a road reconstruction project that links the vulnerable areas to the major city areas in Lagos with the inclusion of the BRT lanes. The solution to Lagos’s Road problem is the implementation of regulated and Integrated intermodal and multimodal public transport systems. Public transport helps reduce automobile dependency, the regulation helps to enforce the laws, the integration helps to link the all public vehicles using smart cards and real time information, intermodal and multimodal helps to link all the modes of transportation that exists in Lagos together while reliving the road of its traffic.
MV: “Lagos is vulnerable to damage from rising sea levels and coastal erosion, which have already resulted in a reduction in water quality, the collapse of drainage infrastructure, and an increase in cases of water and vector-borne disease,” according to the 100 Resilient Cities study. What can adolescents do to assist restore our green ecosystem, as a young climate activist?
HTB: Right now, a lot of damage has been done due to business interests without due consideration for environmental laws. This is why we see that problems of vector borne diseases are on the rise. The only thing I can do to assist to restore our green ecosystem is to create awareness on the dangers of water sabotage, that would prevent future damage while working on solving the existing problems caused by it.
