UNVEILING A SILENT ACHIEVER

(Modest Thoughts with Ayuba Yilgak'ha, February 26, 2024, 08116181263)

Yesterday, February 24, 2024, history was made as Honourable (Hon.) Doctor (Dr.) Iliya Gomam Goyit satisfactorily bagged a PhD in Agronomy and was successfully convocated at the prestigious Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi. This made him the third, in the list of PhD holders (academic doctors), in my small but mighty community, Gochom, which is poised to make credible and global difference in all noble fields of human endeavour!

With this great achievement, the Hon. Dr. has added another feather to the list of his achievements. He was one time Secretary, Kanke Local Government Council (LGC); Head of Department, Agricultural Science Education and currently the Dean, School of Vocational and Technical (Voc. & Tech.) Education, Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankshin where he has been a lecturer for over a decade.

By virtue of his status as a lecturer and Dean of the school of Voc. and Tech. he is a broker of technical knowledge and, a superintendent in a premier citadel of learning and, particularly, in key areas of need in a country that is battling hunger and starvation with huge deficits in technology and entrepreneurial skills.

Hon. Dr. Iliya Goyit, popularly known as "D.O." or "uncle I", is an embodiment of hard and soft skills. He is uniquely skillful in agricultural production (hard skill) and, a practical index of great importance in horsemanship. Horsemanship is a soft skill that is centred on service and social networking at the wow level!

A man with such technical combination of skills (hard and soft) is a catalyst and great potential in human and community development on a sustainable scale. No wonder, when Dr. "I" was the secretary of the council, though briefly, he positively touched his and impacted many lives. To his incontestable credit shall we place substantial part of the great influences that brought electricity and, a model clinic to our community.

As the, then, council secretary, he faithfully documented the affairs of Kanke LGC with superlative distinction. This earned him the nickname, "Kofi Annan" from some of us. This is all about appreciating his secretariat stewardship in the order of the difference Kofi Annan, the Ghanian born and well respected former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN). The only difference was in the scope of influence. Given the global stage, this man cannot do less!

As a lecturer, he has not only secured admission for many students but making sure that none default in measuring up to expectation in their academics. Therefore, he has helped in graduating many.

As a researcher, Hon. Dr. I had written and published widely in both local and international peer review journals; he has contributed chapters in books and have successfully supervised student projects in numbers that cannot be counted on our ten (10) fingers!

Hon. Dr. Iliya Goyit, to say the least, is a developing story. The future looks even more promising for a middle age man who has silently and diligently invested on his capacity to serve humanity. He is always in the business of building bridges of understanding and support for progress wherever he finds himself.

This man is a man with an excellent spirit; decent sense of humour and, highly calculative in all he does. He is good at initiating processes and, with prowess and distinction, follow through will energy and diligence to ensure they come to fruition. He can practically market any good and sellable product. Therefore, he is a master strategist and, a goal getter!

Hon. Dr. I has trained eyes for spotting opportunities and will not delay in seizing them promptly. But that is not the only story, the man could sacrifice his today to have his tomorrow if the latter holds better promises. Show me a man who orders his life in that fashion and I will show you a man that is steadily and surely on the way to the top. In other words, the last is yet to be heard of a man that is visionary and highly resourceful in many ways than one. Dr. I is on the way to the top and he is doing so silently without attracting any unnecessary attention.

Hon. Dr. Iliya Goyit is a reference point, a man to be recommended anytime anyday because he has prepared himself and has the mental gumtion and capacity to deliver on any task. He is compassionate,  trustworthy and, has the tempered steel to make a difference and, to make great things happen. When he believes in a course, he pushes it and will be the last to back out. There is no better winning way in the life of a man than this.

Nothing can hinder, Hon. Dr. I unless he chooses to concede, because, he has laid his foundations on solid rocks that cannot be shaken. He loves God and God gots his back. I can only pray for him to live long to fulfill his lofty heart plans and to use same to impact his generation. The journey has just began and the world awaits his, potentially, great manifestations.

In the 21st century where knowledge is the new currency, the world is in dare need of resourceful men and women who have expertise in the areas of entrepreneurship and vocational training which Dr. I fits perfectly. Higher he goes as the young ones who draw inspiration from him follow with confidence to make a unique difference too.

'A golden fish has no hiding place', they say. A silent achiever has been unveiled. Let me quickly congratulate this dynamic scholar, social networker and entrepreneur. I am very proud of your achievements and, I am sure our community is too. If I had had literary licence like our Prof. Wole Soyinka, I would have said, ngo diryil, a dardung, meaning, community developer or transformer, well-done. You have done a great thing(s) and your name shall definitely and boldly be written in gold on the belly of our "Nhiknyi Hall of Fame"!