The painter in this picture is Belami 18 years ago

The president, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers and national leader of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Comrade Isaac Balami has let out a heart-chilling story on how he started his career on a humble pedestrian, having gone through unimaginable poverty.

Belami who marked his birthday anniversary on the 25th of August 2016, with painters, masons and a host of others who engage in menial jobs in Abuja, told them and others his story just to inspire them in order not to give up on their lives.

Addressing the crowd after the birthday, Belami who is also the founder of the Nigeria Rebirth Project, said 18 years ago, he was struggling with life, and that at one point, he was a painter, after which he became a suck-away evacuator and later became a manson. He said he tried his hands in suya business and other jobs while struggling with life.

According to him, ‘’ Who would have thought that a mere painter just 18 years ago could become the national president of the Association of Nigerian Pilots and Engineers? Who would have thought that an ordinary mason just 16 years ago could become the past spokesperson of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria? Who would have thought that a filthy and stenchy soak-away evacuator from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria could become the president of Arewa youth consultative forum? Who would have thought that a man who could hardly afford a daily meal could cater for over 500 widows and sponsor nearly 500 children in school as a commitment from a foundation he owns? Who would have thought that a helpless man who faced a lot of challenges would be the founder of Nigeria Rebirth Project?,’’ he asked rhetorically.

Read his speech below…

‘’Friends, every 25th of August is not just to celebrate my birthday but a day to reflect over the past and revel in the present.
‘’Who would have thought that a mere painter just 18 years ago could become the national president of the Association of Nigerian Pilots and Engineers? Who would have thought that an ordinary mason just 16 years ago could become the past spokesperson of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria?Who would have thought that a filthy and stenchy soak-away evacuator from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria could become the president of Arewa youth consultative forum? Who would have thought that a man who could hardly afford a daily meal could cater for over 500 widows and sponsor nearly 500 children in school as a commitment from a foundation he owns? Who would have thought that a helpless man who faced a lot of religious and ethnic discrimination would be the founder of Nigeria Rebirth Project?: its unveiling had a convergence of 66 ambassadors of nations and well over 20 state governors’ wives. Who would have thought that a young man whose fellow students refer to as Mai suya could build BD Hub, the largest hub in Africa. I could count on the seemingly odd and unfavourable pebbles life threw at me as a young man.
‘’But I tell you something friends, God raised me up! God raised me above those stormy seas. If you are looking for the man that should have amounted to nothing either by hard work or background, it is me! But God in His amazing grace brought me where I am today and I will not lose touch with that fact.
‘’So on the 25th of August being my birthday, I had the singular honor and privilege to celebrate with my friends once again, just like we have always done over the years. The ones doing the dirty and menial jobs in Abuja. The ones always reminding me of my past. The masons, carpenters, diggers, painters et al. The ones I could have looked down on because of my present status in the society.

‘’Then I discovered something. I am in no way better than them. It was just God that made my life this enviable. A few of my friends who do not know me too well think I was born with silver spoon. They accuse me of trying to inspire them because I had a very smooth background. Let me reiterate once again that God is the reason for my success story. Not my academic prowess or intellectual property. So I took time to hang outwith these great men after their day’s job. We gisted, danced, cut the cake, ate and drank in merriment.They got motivated by me and I in turn got inspired by them. What a symbiotic atmosphere that was!
‘’God willing, I wish to do this for the rest of my life. Forgetting them is forgetting my life and forgetting my life is simply forgetting God who makes all things possible. I dread that day and I pray it does not come.
‘’This is a clarion call on every great dreamer out there, most especially the hustlers in these hard economic times. Do not give up! Do not give in! Keep keeping on! If God could place me this high, He will do the same for you, even more, only if you will not stop believing

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http://dailypost.ng/2016/08/29/suck-away-evacuator-painter-mason-18-years-ago-naape-president-balami/

When there s life,there s hope

thats very true...when there's life

Hard work pays, perseverance breeds success

Love this

nice one....congrats sir

Great

Hardwork is the price you pay to travel the highway of success

Nice one

Just the kind of role model I was looking for,
Mr Isaac Balami,
You are an inspiration,
But truth be told is harder to make it to the top now from the lowly position of a Labourer or Mason,
But we go try our best sha
Anyway,
Make I drop phone go jack blocks oh,
Before My Madam sack me from this block moulding factory oh

Hmmm nice

After so much challenges in life.

Even snaped with president Buhari

Proudly Arewa.....

Ok, good for him.

Good. Keep encouraging others

Kudos to you...
Love to chat with you someday.

SP... steve
PPL student.

Don't despise your humble beginning!!!

baba God o,Pick Up The Call!

And grace lifted you up

Its not enough to dream, you must make steps to fulfill those dreams..


Inspirational indeed..



I also have a dream of being so wealthy, I can buy my way to heaven..

I would say: I was a mere nairaland commentator...

Inspiring

What an inspiring, soul-lifting story.

Inspiring
Happy Birthday to him. So long he is not part of our yam eaters

to all going thru storm of life nd difficult, keep HOPE alive.God doesn't have abandoned project.

MadCow1:
Its not enough to dream, you must make steps to fulfill those dreams..


Inspirational indeed..



I also have a dream of being so wealthy, I can buy my way to heaven..

u'd buy Yo Way To Heaven,buh Unfortunately U Wouldn't Reach There.

Was ban for a week too, but next time it happen I will show the mods that I belong to an hacktivist group.. Be warned

ReorxTohGan:
u'd buy Yo Way To Heaven,buh Unfortunately U Wouldn't Reach There.

Honestly speaking, I have shelved that dream.. Now I just want to make enough money to buy the world such that when I die and go to hell, the devil and I can look back on my life on earth and both agree I balled the shiit out of my earthly life..


Plus there would be too many of your types in Heaven and I wouldn't want to be anywhere close to you guys in my afterlife.

Nonsense!!!

Everyone was something before they became something. I was a boy before i became a man. Ndokwa was carpenter building wooden kitchen chair and today he is building hotels everywhere in Lagos. Even olosho wey de hotel was once a virgin. Obasanjo was general then became a prisoner and later became a presido. A teacher was once a student... so kini big deal.

its not just hardwork that is on display in this case...God's grace and mercy also..if only we know how many people that aint living up 2 their potential.