Zur Karriere von Rilwanu Lukman

Which were the most important steps of your career? Elementary school (1944-48), Middle School (1948-49), Barewa College, where I received the Cambridge School Certificate (1950-55) and completed the General Certificate of Education in the Ahmadu Bello University (Nigerian College of Arts, Sciences & Technology), 1956-58. My education after graduating from the ABU continued in the U.K. at the Imperial College of Science & Technology (Royal School of Mines) of the University of London, where I received my BSC of Engineering (Mining) and the Degree & Diploma of the Associateship of the Royal School of Mines (ARSM). I consider this the best college, which provided me the best possible backround regarding mining engineering, hence this war an important first step of my career. On completing my education I was offered a job as an Assistant Mining Engineer at A.B. Statsgruvor in Sweden (1962-64). This proved to be a very important step in my career, because Sweden had a lot to teach about Mining. My philosophy is, that the learning process does not stop at schools and universities, but must rather be an on-going process on a daily basis. I believe that experience is a good teacher, and the secret of learning is to constantly use one's experiences. I want to stress the fact that I was not apprehensive about going down the mines myself and learning from the workers down there. I did this on many occations throughout my life and I believe it to be an important part of my success. This job in Sweden opened the way for another job back home in Nigeria as Inspector of Mines and later as Senior Inspector in the federal Ministry of Mines and Power. I stayed with this job until 1967, when I decided to go back to the University of Mining and Metallurgy at Leoben, Austria. In 1968 I received my degree in Mining and Mineral Exploration. On returning to Nigeria I became the Acting Assistant Chief of Mines at the federal Ministry of Mines and Power and kept this position until 1970. I believe that my success in this position is attributed to the fact, that I brought many ideas from the private sector - especially from Sweden - to the public sector of Nigeria. In 1970 I was asked to head the Cement company of North Nigeria in Sokoto. I consider this as a very important step in my career, because this was the first time, when I was capable to put all of my learning and experience into use. During this time I received many other job offers, which I refused basically in order to succeed in my present post. It was only when I was successful, that I accepted another position with the Nigerian Minng Cooperation as General Manager and Chief Executive. I held this position until 1984. During this time I discovered that I needed more know-how regarding the economic principals and mineral resource exploration, so for one more time I was willing to return to school. During 1977 I went to Canada in order to study Mineral Exonomics at McGill University in Montreal (until 1978). Most of my work happened through correspondance since at the same time I kept my post at the Nigerian Mining corporation. Because of my excellant record with both private and state companies I was asked to take up the position of Federal Minister of Mining in 1984. I accepted the offer, because I felt ready to offer my services on a subject I had a lot of experience with. Later I was asked to be Federal Minister of Petroleum and worked as president of the OPEC Conference for eight consecutive terms. Other posts, which I held in government included Minister of Foreign Affairs (1989-1990) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Power Authority, Lagos (1993-94). It is important to state, that after the 1993 change of government I was the only civilian to stay in both governments, due to my very successful record in all the posts I ever held.

Zum Erfolg von Rilwanu Lukman

How do you personally define success? To me success is not material but rather an inner satisfaction which one generally carries inside or not. If you do, you have to constantly strive to keep it alive, if you don´t, you have to constantly strive to obtain it.
What where the decisive factors of your success? My secret of success is, that I was always willing to learn from everybody, who had knowledge, irrespective of their position. I always listen very attentively to people before I do something, and I always regard any fact of a situation before I change it. Finally, the secret of success to me is to like what you do, which I think is the only way to succeed. My first and last hobby has always been work, and I was always willing to give it as much time as necessary.