“Towards the end of my Masters degree, I experienced a personal crisis as I did not know which way to go afterwards. I was stuck in between several options: going for a PhD, a second masters’ degree, getting into consulting, working in tech or an engineering firm, etc. For a period of several months I asked numerous questions to all the influential people I knew, did lots of research, read books/writeups, watched YouTube videos, and signed up for coaching lessons/sessions. When this phase was over, I found that many other friends and acquaintances who got to my level also got to that same “crisis-junction” of decision-making of what comes next after school. That was when I decided to turn my experience, findings, and connections into creating a platform for career mentorship and professional development for students and young professionals. This is how Guidetryb was born.”—Fater Akuhwa
Mr. Fater Akuhwa grew up in a middle-class family in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria where he also had his primary school education at Adonai International School in Gwagwalada and High School education at Calvary Arrows College Gboko in Benue State. He studied for one year at the University of Lagos before attaining a scholarship to study in Russia where he gained his bachelor’s degree from Kazan State Power Engineering University and a Masters degree from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. Fater is the third amongst five children (4 boys and 1 girl). “We did usual stuff while growing up: played soccer, table tennis, and other board games together. We traveled at least once a year to my hometown to celebrate Christmas and new year with our relatives. My family is a big deal to me”- Fater.
“My parents placed a high premium value on education and were and still are a great motivation to my siblings and I.”
Aside his parents, His mathematics teacher in high school had been one of the strongest influences in his life with few other people amongst many instilling in him a vision for an all-round excellence, strong moral uprightness, giving him the right definition of success, and deepening the convictions he had already built.
Further more, Mr. Akuhwa derives a lot of fulfillment from seeing people make progress and get transformed through their interactions with him. “A few friends have secured scholarships and jobs, passed exams, gained a clearer spiritual and moral perspective to life, overcome wrong habits, and experienced overall growth and progress. These I find to be quite fulfilling.”- F.A
Mr. Fater Akuhwa is the CEO “Guidetryb” – an EdTech platform that helps students and young professionals answer their most difficult career questions, especially in the context of the rapid changes occasioned by the corporate shift triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He is also the brain behind a mobile application called “SecretPlace” that helps create a virtual digital environment free of distractions for morning devotions.
“Before the end of the year my team and I hope to launch another platform which will be a sort of repository for more detailed and personal interaction between mentors and proteges”, he emphasized.
“Next year we also plan to do something related to AgriTech as we are aware of the global trend towards agriculture and the huge business opportunities that lie therein. Fintech is also an area worth exploring and we will likely bring out a product in that area before or in 2025”, he further enlightened
In conclusion, Mr. Akuhwa mentioned that a combination of some intentionality, serendipity, and luck has led him along his career path and if he had a chance he would be bolder and more urgent in taking the steps he felt led to take that initially appeared unconventional.
“I guess I was too concerned about what others would think and particularly afraid of breaking out of the ‘mold’ of the impression people had of me”.
“I want to gain so much competence in my field to the point of being called upon to influence policy at the highest levels of government. I want to speak to and mentor people at different levels of society. I’m also hoping to bring about a breakthrough through research to solve the energy problem of our world today. So to describe a scene: I’m walking into the White House, welcomed into the Oval Office by the President of the USA. I sit to have a conversation with him and advise him on a certain area. Then I leave to give some lectures to leaders of Tertiary Institutions and corporate executives and then, I’d return home to have a late lunch and personal mentorship interactions with high school and college kids, then dinner with my family later on.”
Mr. Fater Akuhwa stated that if there’s anything he would wish for himself, it is to be able to smile more often than he does now.