The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Mele Kyari, has revealed that he was raised as an Almajiri school student before rising to lead the nation’s oil company.
Kyari stated this on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday in commemoration of his 60th birthday anniversary.
He expressed gratitude to Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari and incumbent President Bola Tinubu for the opportunities given him to serve the country, respectively.
He wrote: “Allah, by his grace, spared my life to this exceptional day, making it my 60th year from birth, even much earlier on the Hijri calendar.
“I am profoundly grateful to my country for giving me the opportunity to grow from an Almajiri (Tsangaya) school pupil to become the CEO of Africa’s largest energy company.
“Even more particular, I deeply appreciate the exceptional privilege given to me by Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve as the last GMD of the NNPC and the pioneer CEO of the NNPC Ltd.”
Kyari stated that he walked through good and bad times, travails and triumphs, pains and happiness, failures and successes and many more, noting that only the sufficiency of Allah could explain his feats.
He adde: “Reflecting backwards alone can’t account for the profoundly eventful life I spent to this date, walking through good and bad times, travails and triumphs, pains and happiness, fails and successes and many more that only the sufficiency of Allah will explain.
“At this milestone, I feel the obligation to serve with even greater conviction and with elevated expectation of eternal recompense so deeply pleasing.
“I am hugely indebted to my family for being nearly absent for most of my later years serving our nation and the common good.
“My deep appreciation to my family, friends and associates, my colleagues at work and my teachers (western and of Almajiri extractions), and many unmentioned people who account for many of my accomplishments, unconditional support and my overall well-being.
“This is a turning point, and I seek forgiveness from anyone I might have hurt unintentionally or unavoidably.”
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