Letters from Yola III
Of Discipleship and Mentorship
Dear Fellow,
I had a special guest from Jos at my office on Wednesday, 19th March 2025. He came to Yola for a work assignment, yet he thought it worthwhile to check on me amidst his filled itinerary. I read somewhere that love is spelt as time for children. That kind gesture made me feel truly loved. But the significance of that visit is even greater.
Sir Alvin O. Forteta was once a Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES) staff member. Likewise, Sir Hankuri Tawus Gaya. Both of them had served as Training Secretaries (TS) but at different stations. I knew this detail about Sir Gaya before coming to Yola. Sir Forteta told me about his own story barely a month ago. Sir Gaya was my employer from January to March 2024; Sir Forteta is currently the one I report to at my place of primary assignment (PPA). It is amazing to know that Sir Gaya and Sir Alvin know each other. Since discovering this detail, I eagerly looked forward to Wednesday, 19th March 2025.
I remember stuff that happened in my life between finishing my undergraduate programme and reporting to the NYSC orientation camp. Sir Gaya employed me as a staff member of Campus Missions and Leadership Initiative (CMLi) immediately after my undergraduate programme. I left CMLi in March 2024 to prepare for my NYSC year, intending to leave with 2024 Batch B Stream I folks in June. But like I said in the previous letter, I did not go to camp until November 2024, as a member of 2024 Batch C Stream I.
From June to November 2024, God had something special for me. Sir Stephen A. Akintunde and I met for Bible study every week during those five months. We had a study manual, but it always went beyond the text. Each meeting left me better than I showed up for it. After a week filled with peer pressure and nosy questions about my NYSC enrollment, that study was the place for me to defuse, put things in perspective—each meeting was just the moment for me to slow down.
Sir Gaya, Sir Akintunde, and Sir Alvin have each played unique roles in my life. Sir Gaya has been more than just my employer. Following the promotions and release of his book Influence: Leading without Position, Sir Gaya recommended that I be on the promotional review team for a state-acclaimed book. God used Sir Akintunde, an accomplished academician, to show me how not to depend on my wisdom and understanding. Sir Alvin, my boss for barely two months now, has exemplified excellent academic conduct and practice, from his workflow at the office to dealing with his students in class as a faculty member (lecturer). Even so, there are similarities among their roles in my life.
Sir Gaya, Sir Akintunde, and Sir Alvin also gave me books! I first read a book by Sunday Adelaja because it was an assigned reading from Sir Gaya. He even gave me access to his library, where I dwelt most whenever I visited him. Sir Akintunde—in his capacity as a pioneer staff of the University of Jos Library, and as the librarian of the same library from 2014 to 2020—has done the most impressive work of documenting the history of the University of Jos Library and his journey from cradle to his tenure as university librarian. I have a good understanding of the history of the University of Jos Library because of his books and discussions about the library with him. Sir Alvin first made me read a book on economics and global politics. He gave me, among other books from his collection, Bad Samaritans: The Guilty Secrets of Rich Nations and the Threat to Global Prosperity by Ha-Joon Chang to read and review, which now makes me see and think differently about the world.
Sir Gaya brought a special gift for me on Wednesday, 19th March 2025. He brought me a few copies of a book he wrote just before I left for the NYSC camp. The book? Serving the Nation Intentionally: 10 Letters to Inspire Purpose, Growth, and Impact. This book is special for a reason. Consider this excerpt from the book’s Preface:
Serving Intentionally: 10 Letters to Inspire Purpose, Growth, and Impact is a journey that began with a single, thoughtful question. It came from a young man named Tongjal, a prospective corps member mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps. With genuine curiosity, he asked me, “Are there specific areas you think a corps member (NYSC) should grow in while serving?”
His question, though personal, touches on something larger—a desire shared by many corps members preparing for their service year. Inspired by this question, I decided to respond in a way that would serve not only Tongjal but also every young person embarking on this journey.
Instead of a single answer, I chose to write a series of letters, each one filled with reflections, guidance, and practical advice for making the most of this unique year. What began as a personal conversation with Tongjal quickly grew into a broader guide on how to approach the service year with purpose and intention. As I wrote each letter, I kept in mind the thousands of corps members who, like him, want to know how to make this year truly count.1
Neither is my biological father—Sir Gaya, Sir Akintunde, and Sir Alvin—but they complement his work. More men in my life serve similar roles to these three. Are their roles combined not what discipleship and mentorship are about, at least in part? Men, oh, what wonder they are! Male and female, God made them all for His glory. I, one of them, delight in what God is doing with those I have fellowship with. May our relationships blossom in time and beyond, I pray. Amen.
Till I write to you again, may you never lose your wonder!
Your LetterMan,
Tongjal, W. N.
Gaya, Hankuri Tawus. Serving the Nation Intentionally: 10 Letters to Inspire Purpose, Growth and Impact. ACTi Publishing, 2024.
LetterMan for a reason!
Your inquisition drove your mentor to write a book