Mr. Ibrahim Umar first gained the limelight as a social media meme. A picture of him in his National Youths Service Corp uniform, passionately cheering during a parade at an NYSC camp went viral for weeks. Jokes flew, but many also wondered about this young graduate’s enthusiasm in a country plagued by unemployment and inflation.
Years later, fate took an unexpected turn. The same picture that brought him internet fame came back to haunt him. A Twitter account falsely claimed Umar, a Physics graduate, was running a Point of Service or POS shop, a popular small business in Nigeria, where cash withdrawals and deposits are made for a fee. Despite his pinned tweet clarifying his job as a school teacher, that narrative still spread, and once in a while found its way to social media discourse.
But in a remarkable twist, netizens rallied behind Umar this time. They launched a crowdfunding campaign to help him start a business. Even Salisu Yakasai, a prominent Kano politician, joined the cause. He praised Umar’s resilience as a physics teacher, nurturing young minds, and called for support.
Yakasai urged his followers to “turn negativity into opportunity” by helping Umar open the POS shop he was once ridiculed for. He framed the campaign as an investment not just in Umar’s business, but in his resilience, empowering him to build a sustainable future.
“Let us rally together to help Umar open the POS shop that once drew ridicule, turning negativity into opportunity. Your contribution to this campaign isn’t just backing Umar’s entrepreneurial journey; it’s an investment in resilience, offering him the resources needed to build a sustainable livelihood for himself and his community,” he said on Twitter.
The campaign gained momentum, surpassing 300,000 naira when Umar shared a life-changing update. He had received a call from Professor Isa Pantami, Nigeria’s former minister of communication, and when he visited the former minister’s office, he was offered a fully funded scholarship for postgraduate studies, a well-paying job, and a mentorship in renewable energy – perfectly aligned with Umar’s dreams.
“Indeed words can not express my appreciation. I pray that Allah will continue to bless him more and uplift him in this world and the hereafter,” Umar said.
Mr. Ibrahim Umar first gained attention as a meme for his enthusiastic participation in his National Youths Service Corp parade, despite the general despondency in Nigeria due to unemployment and inflation. Years later, this same image resurfaced falsely portraying him as a POS shop owner. Despite clarifying his role as a school teacher, this narrative persisted.
In response, a crowdfunding campaign was initiated to help Umar start a business, with notable support from Kano politician Salisu Yakasai, who praised Umar's resilience and urged people to turn negativity into opportunity by funding his entrepreneurial venture. The campaign exceeded expectations, collecting over 300,000 naira.
Umar received a life-changing call from Professor Isa Pantami, Nigeria’s former Minister of Communication, offering him a fully funded postgraduate scholarship, a well-paying job, and mentorship in renewable energy. Umar expressed his profound gratitude for this support.
