One of the few meaningful article on nairaland!!
A must read for everyone who dare to dream..

Very cool. Should meet him soon

Michhy123:
Iam asking, this age barrier wahala was not there that time? ..even bank is age not considering that all fingers are not equal.some people start school very late because of unforseen circumstances, strike now is COVID.

Shell does not use age to screen people

EmekaBlue:
It is not all these ones u r saying.

If God have appointed u will be the CEO
if you like be a gateman man b4

One of the highest fallacies so far.
Go and fold your legs and be sleeping from morning till night as an already appointed CEO from God.

Nice read

Angelfrost:
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will and perseverance”

Words to live by!!!

I saw that part, and quoted it on my status. It's a gem.

As far as I had already summarized the whole thing, no need to read the rest.

Thanks though. Nice read.

I read till end, the bottom line is that our leaders were not as corrupt as they are now. Just look for connection and forget d stress. D system keeps deteriorating, shikena

Which kind long long talk be this?

Very enriching, interesting, meaningful and challenging post. In my opinion this is the best post I have read on Nairaland of recent.

Apt!

JARUSHUB:

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will and perseverance”

-Vince Lombardi Jr.

Wow,this was an interesting read filled with insights

JARUSHUB:
The Public School Teacher Who Became CEO of NLNG: The Inspiring Story of Babs Omotowa

- How he was laughed off by friends for applying to Shell

As an oil and gas industry enthusiast (and professional, actually) and self-appointed executive profiler, there was no way the name Babs Omotowa was going to be new to me. Well, I didn’t know him before 2015, I must admit. I came across his name around that time. One of the many oil and gas executives I have come across – in industry (and general) news.

I didn’t know much about him other than being a Shell executive (NLNG is an incorporated JV between NNPC, Shell, Agip and Total – and the MD usually comes from Shell). I also knew he finished from Unilorin because I was reading some argument online few years ago and one Unilorin graduate was boasting that the CEO of NLNG was a product of their school.

So when I chanced into his name on LinkedIn few days ago, I seized the opportunity to read his full profile. I found something very interesting about his profile – he had his primary education, secondary education, first degree and second degree in Ilorin!

As a Kwara-bred myself ( I moved out after secondary school, anyway), that was interesting. How did this man go ahead to become a top Shell executive and MD of NLNG? The career blogger (and networker!) in me got activated.

I used my LinkedIn premium inmail (that allows me to send message to anybody whether a connection or not) to send message to him with the subject “Ilorin!”. Worst case, this oil and gas executive will ignore this bloody career blogger.

Let me shoot my shot:

***

Ilorin!

Good evening sir.

I’m a younger professional in the oil and gas industry and I get motivated reading profiles of industry veterans like you.

I found your profile quite interesting because you had your primary school, secondary school, first degree, second degree and even first job (teaching) in Ilorin.

What a unique profile sir!

If you don’t mind sir, I will like to interview you for my career blog, JarusHub.com which we use to mentor Nigerian youths. I could send the questions to your email and your response will be published. It’s basically going to be about educational and career journey.

By the way, are you from Kwara state sir?
***

Quite an inspiring narration.

And you forgot to upload the picture of the man. Let me help you.

Here he is.

Bytheway, one question I would have loved to ask is, where is the friend now, that discredited the whole employment process?

dynicks:
If buhari was able to become the president of this country even for a second time(na that one shock me pass courtesy of some people), then nothing is impossible.....

Pls stay straight on the subject matter....your candidate at the election lost to bubu because he was not popular enough to win the vote of those you tagged "some people".....And I will advise you get over it and move on

A wonderful piece coming from such a seasoned professional. However, as he rightly noted, it's much more difficult nowadays to achieve that kind of leap than in 1993. Reminds me of me a bit. I moved directly from being a primary school teacher into a big four multinational a few years ago.

Meanwhile, I recently deactivated my LinkedIn premium account after being charged 30 USD every month without really doing much on it. Seeing Jarus put it to use is tempting me to reactivate, but when I consider the current hellish exchange rate, and seeing that I'm no blogger, I'll pass on it.

Reading articles on biographies of Top oil and gas C.E.O's motivates me alot to do more. My dream is to sit on the board of a major petroleum company

tot:
There is a good reason why "summary" was taught in English classes in school.

I am sure there are lots of gems in this interview but the way the info has been presented doesn't help.

it is an interview.....there is no other way to present it

I am a highly optimistic person, a major reason why I dislike people who talk down on others.

The very best way to succeed in life is to keep trying. Never get tired of trying. Barriers will break down in the face of persistence.

Your parents don't have to be connected for you to get to the very highest point in life.

Nigerians tend to be in a very disadvantaged position owing to limited opportunities available in the environment we find ourselves but stories like that of Omotowo lends to the fact that Nothing is impossible if you do not give up.

Therefore today, I refuse to give up.

I read recently about a 20 year old boy who lived with his mother but they had lost their home to a hurricane and had to relocate to another city in other to start a new life. He was offered a job and on the morning he was to resume on his new job, his car gave up. His work place was 20miles from where he and his mother were living. He called his employer and told him, I can't make it tomorrow. On a second thought, Dude woke up by 12am and started trekking to work, since he had no money for transport.

Why am I typing this ?

Very nice read.

unmask:
it is an interview.....there is no other way to present it

Interviews can be edited to make it more succinct, without changing the core details.

Thank you Jarushub. I've tried to find details on this man as there seems to be no wiki page on him.

Inspiring read. Particularly the part about his initial job application. I guess we never can know what comes, unless we try.

Interesting to note is that somberness doesn't equate to condescension. He is about his business but doesnt unnecessarily castigate or demean the youth. While some charlatans in public service n govt wouldnt pass up on the chance to proclaim the 'universal laziness' of ALL youth and how they're doomed to forever wallow in confusion and despair.

This is really inspiring!
Great work

Slawormir:
Damnnnnn niggarrr
Isoright....
This your story ehnnn...the thing weak me o
Too long...I be dey derive joy in reading articles but this one ehnnn..I nor go read am....
All i know say the story dey talk about from grass to grace

And make we nor despise the days of our little beginning
Say two seconds every where fit bust

After all nor be stone we dey cook
Na beans. Very soon he go don

HOW WILL WE GROW AND BE EQUIPPED IF WE SCORN VOLUMES OF WRITINGS ON D ALTERS OF LAZINESS AND APATHY...?

Thanks for sharing this. Greatly blessed with this piece.

There is no oil in Kwara state and Yorubaland, yet Yorubas are the most populated in Oil and gas. sector. And Yorubas created a thread saying Yoruba only should work in Yorubaland.

Mumu People. They are the highest beneficiaries of One Nigeria.

Rhesusmonkey:


One of the highest fallacies so far.
Go and fold your legs and be sleeping from morning till night as an already appointed CEO from God.

you won't know you will be a CEO. It will just happen someway somehow

me am confused as to why reading this made me depressed, Lol.. I con dey wish say dem born me for the 80's or further back, that year my certificate for be like gold, no be now wey job just scarce everywhere

Oh boy, I have to off my data and read this... I'd love to finish this!!!! But e wan long, make I try sha

Thanks for sharing this. I read till the end. There's future for the Oil industry after all. God help me to land a great job there. A good working environment helps one to thrive. I love what he said about creating a work life balance. Fulfilment all the way.

See long epistle.

I don't even know where to start from

nkiliuzo:
me am confused as to why reading this made me depressed, Lol.. I con dey wish say dem born me for the 80's or further back, that year my certificate for be like gold, no be now wey job just scarce everywhere

How many jobs have you actually applied to and how many interviews have you attended? Well things have changed, certificate is no longer gold but skills are.

To be honest never wanted this to end.. we the youths have lots to take from this. I Stan

JARUSHUB:

This may be more friendly to read https://www.jarushub.com/the-public-school-teacher-who-became-ceo-of-nlng-the-inspiring-story-of-babs-omotowa/

OP you tried sha but na same thing