A junior high school student of Ummul-Qurah Science Academy in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State by name Hayatudden Abubakar Sadik has proved exceptionally potential following some inventions by him, using cow bones and other items. In an interview, he revealed to Sani Gazas Chinade his motivating factors that led to inventing passenger plane, fighter jet, car, and cooking machine.
Excerpts:
What attracted you to start this creative thinking even though you are a junior high school student and not more than 14 years old?
What attracted me to this creative endeavor was the fact that I saw other countries in the world making progress in this regard while my country was left behind in this regard, so I started this initiative so that our country could also progress.
Who inspired you to do this?
In fact, from the very beginning, I was determined to combine some things to make them something different and then my father brought me to this school started from nursery until today, I am in the third grade of junior high school JSS3 which I must say is my own school, it has rekindled my love for this special thing based on the way my teachers teach me.
Our Ummul-qurah school has helped me with this art of mine because when the school saw that I started trying to create, the school authority gave me a science kit which has helped me a lot in this creative project of mine very much.
How do you source the materials for these creative and artistic projects?
Indeed, most of the time I ask my father to give me money to buy some things after school, and without delay, my father gives me money to buy the things I want to use to create whatever I want, Alhamdulillah.
You said that you get money from your parents to carry out this project of yours in art and science, do you also find other ways to get money to help you with this project?
Of course, I also provide myself with the money to carry out some things because most of the time I deduct something from the money I save (break) to buy some things that I combine with art and science.
What are the things you have created so far?
The things I have created so far are divided into three categories, first of all there are those that use gas, then there are those that move, then there are those that are used daily, then the first one uses water and fuel, then there are cars, boats, military aircraft and then there is a water excavator on the ground, namely sumo, and then a grinding machine.
How did you find the scraps to make such things?
Well, actually it is mostly school and my parents help me find these things and I myself, I often find other things in different places to make such things.
Now you are in junior high school and you have tried to make such things, what are your goals for the future?
Of course, I have a big goal for the future because as it is, my main goal is to create technologies that will help my people in providing them with relief from the hardships of life that are faced in this country of ours, which we love, because I have noticed that since then, many countries in the world have made great strides in the development of science and technology, which I believe is necessary for my country to fully contribute to ensure that it stands shoulder to shoulder with those countries that have developed in the development of scientific products.
Also in terms of energy, I have a goal to produce energy using cow bones and create important things that will help the nation to cook easily, unlike now when everything for cooking including gas, cooking wood and the like has become expensive.
Have you received any support for this innovation of yours?
I have really received a lot of support from this innovation of mine, as I said before, I received help from my parents and teachers for this innovation that I made because first of all, from my parents’ point of view, if it weren’t for their efforts to put me in this school, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this, and from my teachers’ point of view, they wouldn’t have taught me science and technology, I wouldn’t have known how to start.
So the support I received from both parties guided me in this endeavor of mine. I have nothing to say to them except thank you, may Allah SWT reward them.
Hayatuddeen, what role did your school play in this creative endeavour of yours?
My school certainly played a pivotal role in my innovation work. Initially, it provided the necessary tools and equipment. Furthermore, whenever I struggled to figure something out, I would ask for guidance, and they would set me on the right path. Essentially, the school has been at the forefront of training me in the science and technology of fabrication and innovation.
So, does this mean you originally acquired this knowledge from the school?
Yes, I acquired it from the school, but I also combined it with my own innate ability—a gift I believe Allah (SWT) endowed me with. My parents often mention that I started trying to assemble toys and objects related to this kind of work when I was just two years old.
What are your dreams for the future?
My hope and prayer is that, just as other nations known for innovation have advanced, Allah (SWT) grants our country, Nigeria, similar progress in the field of innovation technology, enabling us to compete favorably with any nation in the world. That is my hope.
What would you say to your school regarding the training that has brought you to this level of expertise in innovation?
Honestly, I have nothing but words of gratitude for our school, Ummul-Qura Science Academy Azare; it is through the help of Allah, the school, and the teachers that I have been able to acquire this knowledge of science and technology.
What message do you have for your fellow students?
Actually I have a message, my message to my fellow students is that there is a need for them to wake up early to study and when they come home from school, they should stop wandering around, and think about doing other things that can help them in their studies.
This will be a guide for them to continue their studies because if a student sits and thinks about what he should do, then God willing, God will give him the skills to do something because everyone has the kind of gift that God has given him, because like me, as soon as I come home from school, after eating and praying, there is nothing I do but take my books and study.
What other challenges do you face in relation to this creativity that you have started?
In fact, I face the challenge of lack of money from time to time especially when I find out that I am going to create something that will require money because I feel the burden of asking for it at home since my parents are busy with their work, so in fact, this sometimes puts a brake on me from fulfilling some of my dreams.
What is your message to the government towards helping young people like you who are trying to create things that can move the country forward?
Indeed, I call on the government of our country Nigeria to help young people like me especially those who are trying to create things in technology and science, which by doing so, this country will surely progress because it will support talented children like me. It will encourage us to focus on the creative things that we have set for ourselves because we do not know what we will be like in the future, God willing.
Head of Quality Assurance at Ummul-Qurah School, Malam Ali Ibrahim, also commented regarding this development.
Malam Ali, as the director of quality education at Ummul-Qurah School, what teaching method do you follow that leads you to train students in science and technology and even leads to a talented student like Hayatuddeen?
Alhamdulillah, as this school lives up to its name, it trains students in the things they should know. Since from the beginning the director of this school every day his goal is to produce intelligent and talented students, that’s why he does not allow a teacher who is not experienced in the subject he will teach to be in this school as a staff.
The teacher must have knowledge of the Holy Quran, because the school since from the beginning has been walking hand in hand with teaching modern knowledge along with Islamic knowledge since its inception. Therefore, this is the reason for producing such children in this school.
Sir, have you noticed how one of your students has acquired creative skills like your student Hayatuddeen did? How do you feel about that?
In fact, we are very happy and incomparable. Of course, we train students in different fields, some of whom have become doctors, some engineers, and some reciters of the Holy Quran, but I know this boy has impressed us a lot.
Likewise, whenever we discover a child with talent and intelligence like Hayatuddeen, we encourage him to achieve his goals, just as we did with Hayatuddeen.
In the past, there was a student of ours, Aliyu Mustapha Shettima, who was one of our students who also invented something similar, and the school also supported him a lot to make a car, a sumo and other things, although not as good as the student Hayatuddeen did, and Aliyu later went to do a minor diploma in computer science, which even our school portal that we use was created by him as a former student of the school.
What is your call to parents in terms of encouraging their children towards studies?
I call on parents to continue to encourage their children in their studies, especially once their children start to ask them to buy them reading materials such as books and other materials that will help them in their studies, this will encourage them to stop and study things that will lead them to create things that will help them and their country as a whole.
In this regard, our correspondent had a one-on-one meeting with the Principal of Ummul-qurah Science Academy, Malam Jibrin Shirama, to learn how he manages the school and how it has enabled it to train even the most talented children.
When was this school established?
In fact, this Ummul-qurah Science Academy located in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State was established in October 2010, which is now 16 years old.
We started living in a place that was not ours, we rented it and then by the grace of God, we were able to own our own now, Alhamdulillah.
What is the status of the school now?
Alhamdulillah, initially we started with 40 students in the first year and in a rented house but now as I said earlier we have our own accommodation as we have about 2313 students now from nursery, primary, junior high to senior high school.
And we established this school with the aim of taking students who will be taught Islamic and modern knowledge which will be taught to them at the same time as we have designed our curriculum accordingly.
How is the school development now?
Thank God, we started with 40 students in the first years and in a rented house but now as I said earlier we have our own accommodation as we have about 2313 students from nursery, primary, junior high to senior high school.
And we established this school with the aim of taking students who will be taught Islamic and modern education which will be taught to them at the same time as we have designed our curriculum for that.
Director, it happened in your school that, a student was found who made some amazing inventions, how did you feel about that?
Alhamdulillah, I would almost say that he is not the first student of this school to show his talent in creativity, but this student Hayatuddeen is the one who stands out the most in this regard as the teachers always show the children the importance of their country so that they can change Nigeria which is the main goal of this Ummul-qurah school, which is to change Nigeria to become one of the countries rich in creativity.
That is why our teachers are always thinking of training our students in the knowledge of how they can change our country Nigeria to be on par with other countries that have creative education in the world.
Director what is your hope for such students?
Well, I really hope for such students, especially this student Hayatuddeen, we hope for him to continue with such creativity, because at this school level we have promised that, with him and his other colleagues, whatever they want in their studies, especially in creativity, we will support them with everything to encourage them according to this determination, God willing, so that they will reach a level that not only this country but also the world will be proud of them.
This is also a private school that is similar to a community school, if there are others to come in, especially the government and non governmental organizations (NGO’s) to help, I assure you that we will also be committed to seeing the school do “A great deal of effort is put into training students in matters related to creativity, innovation, and other aspects of technological and scientific advancement.
I therefore appeal to the parents of the students not to leave us alone, as soon as their children return home, to consult with them on the things they have been taught, which will create a situation of working together to ensure that everything runs smoothly.”
Hayatuddeen’s father, Malam Abubukar Sadik, also enthusiastically commented on the talent that God has given his son.
As the father of Hayatuddeen, how did you feel when you were told that your son had created things that made him stand out among his classmates?
Indeed, I have never felt more happy than on this day when it was said that my son Hayatuddeen had become a champion in science and technology, which made him stand out among his fellow students.
I swear, I didn’t even realize when tears of joy began to stream from my eyes; I felt that this victory wasn’t just my son’s—it belongs to every citizen of this country.
My gratitude to Allah (SWT) for bestowing such a gift of talent upon my son—a talent that enabled him to acquire innovation skills while still in Junior Secondary School (JSS 3).
I thank the teachers at Ummul-Qurra School for training my son, Hayatuddeen, and fostering the innovative skills that led to this achievement—an accomplishment for which I remain deeply grateful to Allah.
I reaffirm my commitment to continue supporting my son in every possible way, encouraging him to nurture this talent with the hope that, in the future, it will enable him to contribute to the nation through innovation and technological creativity.
