By Abdullahi S. Maiunguwa
It was someday in 2002, in the course of the early days of Nigeria’s GSM revolution, when cellphones had simply begun trending like the most recent vogue accent. One afternoon, my secretary ushered in a tall, lanky, fair-skinned younger man, unmistakably of Fulani descent, whose heat smile and assured demeanor instantly stood out. He had come to help me in navigating my newly acquired GSM cellphone—an unfamiliar gadget I used to be nonetheless struggling to completely perceive.
He launched himself as Salihu, a recent graduate who had simply accomplished his Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Fairly than be a part of the lengthy queue of job seekers, he selected a special path—changing into self-employed by providing ICT assist companies to each low- and high-profile shoppers. He glided by the commerce identify “Mr. Blootooth” (to not be confused with the wi-fi expertise “Bluetooth”), a nickname that quickly turned synonymous with innovation in Nigeria’s early cell phone ecosystem.
Salihu Blootooth introduced outstanding ICT abilities to the desk at a time when instruments like iCloud didn’t exist. He launched helpful functions for on a regular basis utility—dictionaries, encyclopedias, spreadsheets, Holy Qur’an apps, diaries, and extra. One in every of his standout choices was backing up cellphone contacts, images, and movies, not simply digitally but in addition in fantastically printed laborious copies. He even supplied CD backups lengthy earlier than flash drives turned mainstream. His printed directories have been glazed, elegant, and forward of their time.
Impressed by his companies, I enthusiastically referred him to my buddies and colleagues. Earlier than lengthy, Mr. Blootooth had turn out to be to us what a most cancers specialist is to sufferers—indispensable. His identify quickly resonated throughout Abuja’s elite circles as a dependable ICT marketing consultant.
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Capitalizing on this status, he opened an workplace on the bustling Emab Plaza in Wuse II, Abuja. Inside a brief interval, his premises turned a magnet for high-ranking politicians, diplomats, high civil servants, captains of trade, and enterprise executives—notably on weekends. Regardless of the quite a few networking alternatives this clientele afforded, Salihu remained centered on his work, by no means exploiting these connections for undue benefit. His integrity and professionalism have been unwavering.
Past his enterprise acumen, Salihu has distinguished himself as a selfless mentor. Over the previous 20 years, he has skilled and empowered a whole bunch of Nigerian youths—totally freed from cost—in cell phone software program upgrades, gross sales, equipment, and ICT companies. Lots of his trainees now run profitable companies of their very own throughout the nation.
Although of Yoruba-Fulani descent from Ilorin, Kwara State, Salihu was born in Gombe and raised in Sokoto. His crew at Blootooth Enterprises is a dwelling illustration of Nigeria’s sociocultural range—comprising workers from all geopolitical zones, working harmoniously in direction of a shared objective. A go to to his sales space at Emab Plaza affords extra than simply high quality GSM companies—it affords a uncommon glimpse into what a united, purpose-driven Nigeria appears to be like like.
For his dedication to empowering others, and for constructing an enterprise that displays the beliefs of nationwide unity, productiveness, and entrepreneurship—with out benefiting from any authorities intervention schemes like N-Energy, SMEDAN, or NDE—Salihu Blootooth deserves formal recognition. I strongly advocate him for nationwide honours and urge companies just like the Nationwide Directorate of Employment (NDE), SMEDAN, and NITDA to assist and amplify the impression of his outstanding work.
Allow us to rejoice and assist Nigerians like Salihu Blootooth, whose quiet revolutions are shaping the way forward for youth empowerment and nationwide cohesion—one innovation at a time.
Abdullahi S. Maiunguwa, Former Director, The Presidency
