How 2 Siblings are Living their Dreams –by Helping others Live Theirs : an Interview with Festus and Naomi Naphtali

This month, I am taking you to my state of origin: Taraba!

This is an interesting journey for me, because, for one, I will be going to my state. Secondly, because one of my guests is Festus, my long-time friend from the university! I will be speaking with Festus and his sister, Naomi, where they share insights of their passion and goals, both long term and short term.

But first, let me tell you a little about Taraba...

 Taraba State

Taraba State is a state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which passes through the Southern part of the state. Taraba State capital is Jalingo. Its slogan is Nature's Gift to the Nation. Taraba state has a variety of ethnic groups. The predominant ones include the Jukun, Mumuye, Jibu, Kuteb, Wurkun, Jenjo, Tigun, Yandang, Chamba, Ichen, etc.

Taraba state has 16 Local Government Areas: Ardo Kola, Bali, Donga, Gashaka, Gassol, Ibi, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, Kurmi, Lau, Sardauna, Takum, Ussa, Wukari, Yorro, and Zing.

The major occupation of the people of Taraba state is agriculture. Cash crops produced in the state include coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton. Crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam are also produced in commercial quantity. In addition, cattle, sheep and goats are reared in large numbers. Similarly, the people of Taraba state (who resort to being called 'Tarabans' or 'Tarabians') undertake other livestock production activities like poultry production, rabbit breeding and pig farming in fairly large scale. Communities living on the banks of River Benue, River Taraba, River Donga and Ibi, engage in fishing all year round. Other occupational activities such as pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery and blacksmithing are also carried out in various parts of the state.

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor, Agbu Kefas, who works closely with members of the Taraba State House of Assembly, led by John Kizito Bonzena.

Source: Wikipedia

Shall we now go back to the Naphtali siblings...

What’s more encouraging than two big brothers coming to support their sister’s outreach? When all classes get cancelled so everyone could attend of the outreach!

Naomi, a Biochemistry final-year student recounts her story about the fond memories she has about her recently concluded Girls Outreach Program. “When those young ladies who we planned and prepared everything for walked up to me after the outreach, you could see the gratitude on their faces: vibrant young ladies with ripe potentials.. They learnt a lot. I was happy, they were happy –everyone was happy. That’s what we wanted to see.”

Naomi, together with some of her coursemates who came to support her in the first phase of the outreach. This photo was taken in Great Leaders Group of School, Wukari. It was on this day that lectures were cancelled.

One of the strongest challenges Naomi faced was financial challenges. “I knew for God to raise people I will need to sacrifice,” she shares with me. “I sacrificed my pocket money, but that wasn’t enough. Then my mentor gave me a hack: yes, it was my project but I should allow others to help me execute them. Our plan was to share sanitary pads, so we needed like 200pads.” Naomi made fliers and posted online, tagged friends, families, etc. Gradually, funds began coming. “We got more support than we envisioned,” she recounts.

Receiving the the first batch of sanitary pads donation to be distributed at in Great Leaders

Secondly, time was the next challenge. “Being a final student it wasn't really easy. I needed to reply DMs from people wanting to make enquiries, support, etc. I also needed to be posting consistently; I was literally online 24/7 that time. That’s where my kid sister (cousin) came into the picture. She was there to assist in responding to messages,  making posts and reposts, answering the phone, etc. She wasn’t the only one who came through. Notably, two of my friends pulled through for me. One became my treasurer, the other one became my financial secretary. Then, there were my big brothers too.”

Distribution of the sanitary pads.

Quite interesting for Naomi, her elder brothers lived in the same city of Wukari. It was quite easy to run back to them in hazy moments. I had a chat with Festus, her elder brother, a Physics major and a graduate of the Federal University, Wukari.

 “You grew up in Wukari. What motivated you to pursue a degree in Physics at Federal University Wukari? Why not other places? Or, you just wanted to remain in Wukari because you saw this moment –your sister organizing an outreach– coming and wanted to assist?” I joke.

“One thing that motivated me to pursue a degree at FUW was because Wukari was home” he replies. “Due to high rate of insecurities then, my dad advised I study at FUW [Federal University, Wukari]. Also, it was a new university.”

The two men are Naomi's brothers; Felix (left) and Naphtali (right). The other lady on white and black is Naomi's friend, the assistant coordinator of the Girls Outreach Program 

"Was that,” I ask Naomi, “the reason she chose to study Biochemistry in Wukari too?”    

“I did not studying Biochemistry because I loved it,” she confesses. Her dream course was Medicine and Surgery. “Because of the insecurity which was a bit more rampant back then, my dad (of blessed memory) advised I should go for a course at FUW. I made my research, and here we are today.” Naomi says she has come to understand that Biochemistry falls, sadly, into the league of underrated courses in Nigeria. “The truth is, Biochemistry is beautiful. Agreed, it's not easy to study, but it has so many things embedded in it. I think when we understand how biochemistry applies directly or indirectly in our lives, we will come to appreciate it more.” 

Naomi and her team with the students of Government Secondary School, Wukari after having a session on Decency time with them.

Naomi’s perspective about empowering young ladies in school is what she creates in an analogy: “I think when preaching to a hungry man you need to feed him. The timing doesn’t really matter whether it’s before or after the preaching (but I’ll suggest before!) A lot of us have watched that comedy where this evangelist sitting beside a man in a bus, eats all kinds of junks, belches, and says, ‘I want to share the good news of salvation with you.’ Would that work? No!” Empowering these young girls with skills, Naomi believes, will help them to develop themselves. “There are so many things these girls can do for themselves. Some of them are art-talented, some of them have writing geniuses in them. Some of them can sing. Whatever [goo] thing they want to achieve, we’re here to say, ‘Yes, we believe in your dreams.’ And of course, our prayers are with them always.”

Naomi and her team, together with the principal of Government Secondary School, Wukari. This was the 'Phase 2' of the Girls Outreach Program

Just like Naomi, Festus is passionate about impacting young minds. In his case, as a teacher. “Dan once wrote that, ‘Teaching is an art form that requires a unique blend of creativity, flexibility, dedication, and enthusiasm.’  This assertion is true as it involves the body, mind and spirit.” Festus holds the believe that teaching, just like every other art, shapes the teacher in a kind of way, by helping them to understand the different complexities and simplification of things involved and how these processes transports to a place of creativity, a stepping-outside-the-box point. “Teaching helps us shape minds and inspire young people to find their passion in life. A teacher is an artist. As an artist, they must be skilled in their craft through constant practice and daily striving to become better than who they were every passing minute.”

To foster continuous learning in his students, Festus asks them to do 5 things: “Focus on the present moment (which includes focusing on the processes involved); observe and listen attentively; reflect on what was taught; accept the consequences of failure and learn from them; and ask questions. It works like magic,” he explains. “Again, it’s very important for students to focus on one goal at a time. Dividing their attention between many goals or expectations will make them lose their attention span.”

Naomi’s outreach demanded her to pay maximum attention to details of everything that went into her outreach. Interestingly, her professors wanted her to pay attention in class too. So I ask her, “How did you balance your academic responsibilities as a fourth-year student with your role as a steward and organizer of an outreach program?”

Phase 2 of the the Girls Outreach Program (February, 2024)

"I think my answer to this had been captured already, but let me explain a little more. I got a team who helped me in core responsibilities: like keeping [records] of the monies received, purchasing, awareness, updating volunteers on the timeline of activities, etc. This helped me a lot. I was the team leader, but everyone knew their job. I didn’t need to stress myself about what they were doing; everything was moving on track,” she reminisces.

I ask her what inspired her ‘giving’ philosophy. “What specific moment or experience reinforced your belief in the importance of sharing and not hoarding the gifts one has received?”

“God taught me,” she reveals. “God demonstrates his love by giving us a gift (John 3:16). As Christians we ought to know that all that we have is given to us as a gift from God. It’s not for us alone.  We must not hold back the gifts we have received.” 

Naomi, alongside some members of her team

 “Faith, values and the self-reflective processes involved,” Festus replies when I ask him the same question. Education often is not linear. It is through the process of recursive inquiry -observation, exploration, analysis, and evaluation- that meaningful learning takes place. I want to give out to these young minds, but if I must do that, I must always be learning everyday too!” This philosophy has helped Festus to become a keen learner, someone who is ready to unlearn & relearn. “There's an evolving with each experience. It has helped me make thoughtful choices that innovate and lighten up the moods of the students by invoking curiosity and love for the subject,” he adds. 

What motivates the siblings? What motivates Festus’ approach to teaching students in innovative ways every day? What motivates Naomi’s passion for her non-profit?

Naomi’s biggest motivation is God. “I have come to understand that no one serve God's people and gets lost. Serving humanity is something a Christian must do; putting God first then humanity next. This commitment has influenced my growth –and is till influencing my growth– because as far as life is concerned, we can't stop growing. Through this venture, I have met with important and high-class persons who I wouldn't ordinarily have met if I wasn’t out there serving humanity.”

“I love seeing students change,” Festus shares with me. “As a teacher, I've effectively managed ill behaviour amongst students by creating a classroom management plan that outlines the Do(s) and Don’t(s) –along with their consequences and rewards–, and consistently following through. You know, high school students are fond of fighting each other. I couldn’t stand that, I knew the consequences. I communicated my preferences with them effectively, clearly establishing expectations and reminding them they were in school. Yes, I followed on my rewards and consequences where required, and it’s glad to see these students striving to live up to the standards I set for them.” 

“Aside from moral behavioural changes, how do you integrate critical thinking into your teaching methods to encourage your students' intellectual development” I seek to know.

“The system keeps evolving every day,” he acknowledges, “but there are foolproof ways to make students understand where critical thinking stands in their lives. First, I encourage students to question everything. Don’t just believe everything you hear or read. Fact-check. Ask questions until you’re convinced you have the best answer. Then ask again. Secondly, I engage students in hands-on projects where they need to collaborate, communicate, analyze information, and find solutions to their challenges. We live in a world where the best projects are being carried out by collaborators. The big names in every industry out there are winning by merely collaborating. That’s what I want my students to understand. Finally, I expose them to diverse perspectives as a means to broaden their horizons and challenge them to think beyond what they believe. What they believe is only one part of the whole picture. What of the 99 other faces? If they learn that their perspective is just one out of many, they’ll learn to appreciate others’ beliefs.”

“Do you do this across board, or this approach is customizable to the class you’re teaching?” I ask.

“You need to understand that everything about teaching is creativity,” he draws my attention. “To stay creative, one must simply be immersed in the moment. You need to understand the level of those you’re teaching: are they kids, adults, or elderly? What typical exposure do they have? Being immersed in the moment helps you to pour yourself completely into what you're doing at that time. My advice to other educators who would like to incorporate more creativity into their methods is: be open to new ideas; think outside the box; find excitement in what you're doing; and observe/listen  (pay attention to what's said and not said, the verbal and nonverbal cues or signals given off by the students). Be human.” 

Naomi is getting a bit sleepy, so I get back to her. “What goals and vision do you have for the Girls Outreach Program?”

“In the coming years, one of my numerous goals is not to only speak to them but to empower them financially and skills-wise, something that will help them cater for themselves,” she says. “We started with sanitary pads at this early stage, but we have bigger plans. These girls shouldn’t have any reason to live a life of mess. That’s what we are about. I see this program evolving around states, more like having different branches and teams across different states. To achieve this would involve a lot of sacrifices: spiritually (in the place of prayers), financially, morally, etc. I have active plans about working on building quality relationship with people in my soon-to-be state of deployment (NYSC). I think that will be the first branch.”

“You mention NYSC, and I’m already seeing you a graduate,” I put in.

“Definitely,” Naomi nods in agreement.

 “What do you see yourself doing after school? Are you using your Biochem certificate, or...”

“Of course!” she interjects. “Remember I said biochemistry is beautiful and large. I am looking forward to furthering my studies then using my certificate(s) and skills to generate money. I am a founder, I need funding for my project. I have good plans, but I need money too.  I will always say "All that I have –Including my finances– is a gift from God, and all was given to me isn't for me alone.  Long story short, I will use my certificate to secure a job (if it's the will of God), then attach it to my my baking skills –I am a fine baker. With more money, I will be more enabled me serve others more.”

Back to Festus. “You were, at one time, a student in a conventional setting, yourself. 7. Can you share an experience from your academic journey that you believe holds valuable lessons for others?”

“Well, well, well, I learnt a lot but the greatest lesson is about waiting, timing and the power that resides in the mind,” he sits up. “On waiting and timing, I realized that when it's not yet time to move, no matter how hard you try, you'd remain stuck. I learnt this as a result of repeatedly writing a course. I also learnt that success doesn't respond to likeness but to efforts one puts into whatever he does. While re-writing that course, time revealed a lot about responses. Though traumatizing, I'm glad I failed. Through failure, I learnt lessons that are still applicable to this day.

“On the power that resides in the mind.  While working on my project, I saw the effect of vocalisation and visualization at work. I know how these strengthen and help me ride on the path of excellence. I had one of the best supervisors on my work. I still remember how during one of meetings at his place we discussed about the mind and the law of attraction. My perspective was elevated since then.   The lesson here is: it is okay to fail. There's always a win in every losing when you look deeply and within.”

“You had a strong connection with your supervisor, it’s obvious. As a teacher now, how do you build connections with your students to enhance the learning experience? What advice do you have for other educators in order to achieve this teacher-student connection?”

“To build connections with students in order to enhance the learning experience, the teacher must learn the students names; be a good listener; recognize each student's unique background; ask them questions about themselves –they should do same to you, BUT SET  BOUNDARIES–;  be part of their extracurricular activities,” he shares.  

Festus

“Could you share a specific example of how you've successfully applied real-world applications to make your teaching more engaging for students?”

“There was a time I had to use a real-world example like elevator –how it uses tension and compression to move people between floors– to teach about forces and motion. By using this to connect to real-world applications, the students were able to see how elevators could be used to move people smoothly and safely between floors.”

Finally, because there was no way I would be in Taraba state and not talk about Wukari, where I studied for my first degree, I ask Festus to tell us a few things about Wukari.

“You’ve been here, you know what Wukari is like, so this info is not for you; it’s for our readers,” he laughs.  “Wukari is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. It is known for its rich culture and history. It has an area of 4,308 km2 and a population of 241,546 as of the 2006 census. Ruled by the Aku Uka, Wukari showcases the history and culture of the Jukun people. The Aku Uka, Manu Ishaku Adda Ali (Matakitswen), is responsible for upholding traditional customs and practices.  As a means of Thanksgiving to gods and the royal ancestors for a good harvest, and also the renewal of the people's allegiance to the Aku-Uka, the Jukun people celebrate the Puje festival. The Jukun people are known for their skill in wood carving, pottery, basket weaving, farming and fishing. Wukari is home to one of the largest yam markets in the world.”

A full day with the Naphtali siblings, I gather my kit to leave.

“One more thing, Naomi,” I say before I sign out, “congratulations in advance.”

“Thank you,” she smiles, “it was nice speaking with you.”

“Festus, remember when we were students at FUW.

“Just like yesterday,” he chuckles.

“There’s a photo we took one 2am in Science Complex.”

“Do you still have it?”

Don’t worry,” I sigh, “it’ll be the last photo in this post.”

I need to be in Jos by nightfall. 

I leave.

Festus and Kasim, circa 2021/2022