Mohiddeen Blog

  Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers , made an argument that disturbed a lot of comfortable people. He said that success is not simply the result of who works hardest. It is the result of where you were born, when you were born, and what was waiting for you when you arrived. Bill Gates didn't just code brilliantly, he happened to be a teenager in 1968, at a school that had rare access to a computer terminal, at a time when almost no teenager on earth had that. Gladwell calls it "accumulative advantage." I call it luck wearing a suit. Kindly, pardon me. I know this is uncomfortable! We have been told, since childhood, that effort is everything. Wake up early. Study hard. Stay disciplined. And yes, those things matter. I am not here to bury hard work. But I am here to be honest about something we quietly know and rarely say out loud: two people can do the same thing, with the same fire, and arrive at completely different destinations — simply because one of them was luc...

Before the invention of Flowdiary, my pen “wrote” to inspire people on this podium. But today, it turns to “code” to change thousands of lives in Africa, a dream of “making it big” becoming a reality before the eyes of the world. Understandably, when experts say “investment in knowledge” is the biggest investment of all time, they mean deepening our activities to make lives better through all possible means, and this is how Flowdiary began. Kindly, pardon me to take a moment in my space of “changing the world” to take you back a little bit to explore some of the biggest achievements of this startup in the year 2025. First of all, early this year, Flowdiary made its first international debut by representing Nigeria in Morocco at #GITEXAfrica2025, a remarkable moment we named #FlowdiaryInMorocco and celebrated as if there were no tomorrow. After a month, Flowdiary presented in #FlowdiaryInMaiduguri and was honoured at the University of Maiduguri for winning the Northeast Creativity and I...

When I publicly broke the news of Flowdiary's selection to represent Nigeria at Africa's biggest tech event, GITEX Africa, an old friend hit my inbox congratulating us, adding that he thought we started this thing (he meant Flowdiary ) as just a "play" project, which made him to ask, “What's the secret of Flowdiary's success?” The latter question got me thinking from the day we set this startup up fast forward to the day we announced our participation in GITEX Africa. The journey wasn't easy – it was tough, of course. However, to fulfill a big dream isn't a journey of even a thousand days, it goes far beyond that. When we first applied for GITEX Africa, we didn't expect we'd be selected to represent Nigeria — as Sir Tafawa Balewa put it that when he assumed office as Nigeria's Prime Minister he didn't expect things to be easy! Then after a couple of days, Engr. Ibrahim Auwal, our Senior Technology Officer, showed me the email that excit...

On January 18th, 2024, I was at Federal University Gashua to collect my Statement of Result, officially confirming my status as a graduate of Computer Science. It marked the completion of a 4-year degree programme that had taken nearly seven years. January 18th was a historic day for me. Coincidentally, it was also the same day six years earlier that I attended my first lecture as an undergraduate student. It was held at the 500-CCH Hall, where Mr. A.A. Okeke taught Introduction to Mathematics (MTH 101) at around 8:15 AM. I remember sitting with my fellow students, Babagana Ali (now a Biochemist), Hussaini Bakau (a Political Scientist), and others, before the arrival of Usman Idris Kafur (a Home Scientist). Don’t be surprised — I document almost everything that happens in my life and rarely forget significant moments. When I arrived home that Thursday with my Statement of Result, the first person I presented it to was Baba Tela, my late paternal grandfather who passed away on October 1...

From the start of my life, I wanted to be almost everything: civil servant, doctor, teacher, journalist, lawyer, singer, lecturer, writer, entrepreneur, scientist, technologist... and even an astronaut. Each time I thought about being one of these personalities, I would dive into research and immerse myself in that identity. However, it is not only me who has suffered from the challenge of standing at the crossroads of countless choices without committing to a single one. This dilemma is deeply rooted in what Barry Schwartz calls the paradox of choice. When presented with too many options, we often feel overwhelmed and paralyzed. Instead of making a choice, we linger in uncertainty, fearing that committing to one path means losing out on others. Philosophically, this aligns with Kierkegaard’s concept of angst - the anxiety that arises from the burden of freedom and responsibility to choose. Malcolm Gladwell, in his Outliers, mentions that one of the problems geniuses face is the overwh...

Flowdiary Kano Meetup, June 2024 Every journey begins with a single step, but at Flowdiary , we believe that every day counts—especially when those days add up to a movement. Today, we are celebrating a significant milestone: 1,000 days of Flowdiary . Over the past two and half years, Flowdiary has evolved from a vision into a platform that empowers, uplifts, and transforms lives of thousands youths in Northern Nigeria. This is more than just a number; it represents 1,000 days of learning, resilience, and success stories that continue to inspire people. When we started Flowdiary in March 2022, it was a small but determined initiative. We wanted to make a difference by equipping youths with digital skills such as Web Development, Graphic Design, Android Development, Cryptocurrency among others. The journey wasn’t easy, but each day brought progress. From a handful of students to a thriving community, Flowdiary has become an icon of hope for many young people in the Northern region. #Flo...

Northern Nigeria is a region full of potential, with countless young people who have big dreams but often lack the tools to achieve them. This is where Flowdiary comes in, a platform created to break barriers and open doors by teaching digital skills that can change lives. When we started Flowdiary , it was just a few of us with a handful of courses and a passion to make a difference. The challenge was clear: many young people here face more than just financial constraints. The language barrier is a major issue. Most online learning platforms use English, which makes it hard for many to learn effectively. So, we asked ourselves: Why not teach in Hausa? Why not offer these valuable skills in a language that truly connects with people? That idea became the heart of Flowdiary’s mission. Teaching in Hausa isn’t just a smart move—it’s a necessity. Imagine trying to learn complex tech concepts in a language you barely understand. It’s like trying to find your way without a map. By offering c...

Isn't it fascinating how our planet is painted with over 6,000 languages?  6,000. Huh! Muhammad Auwal Ahmad (Mohiddeen) CEO Flowdiary Take a closer look at Nigeria, and you'll find a colorful tapestry of 525 tribes stretching from the Northern to the Southern parts of the country. This makes Nigeria the country with the most tribes and languages in the world. Well, Nigeria spent 40 years under British rule, during which the British merged the Northern and Southern regions and made English the official language. That's how English became the common tongue, despite the rich tapestry of major languages in the country including Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, etc. However, for a nation of 220 million people or thereabout, with Hausa boasting over 50 million speakers domestically and a staggering 150 million globally, a question arises: shouldn't digital literacy, the key to navigating our increasingly digital world, be accessible in the language closest to their hearts – Hausa? Histor...

  Muhammad Auwal Ahnad (AKA Mohiddeen) First of all, what does it take to be a CEO? My simple answer will be like this: the courage to manage a business —no matter what it does or how it looks. One should have the ability to solve problems, make decisions, and persist in the face of challenges. One modern thinker says a CEO should have self-motivation and self-discipline. He should be able to motivate himself and the people around him. He should also have the confidence to confront problems, solve them, and delegate tasks. As for me, my daily routine is as follows: As a struggling youngster who want to survive, and as Ayra Starr lyricized the saying, "You must hustle if you wan chop," so I have to wake up early in the morning, say my morning prayers, do some personal activities, and then begin to complete the tasks on my desk. First of all, every morning, I use to check all my emails to see if there are any important messages that need my attention. I then open my browser, lo...

  We are working on a mega project to reduce joblessness in Nigeria, primarily the northern region, by teaching the core knowledge, adoption and implementation of digital skills among youths for self-reliance at our digital learning platform, Flowdiary . This eLearning platform is an EdTech startup that teaches digital skills in Hausa language for reliance. It's a huge task hardly to be accomplished by a small group of people, it needs cooperation from different aspects to achieve the goal of empowering youths through digital skills. Being in the world of tech for almost a decade, and because I have a passion and zeal for helping my fellow youngsters with the little I have through training, mentorship, and support, I have tried to cover these in less than 3 years:   In September 2019, I authored a 110-page eBook called eBillions Mastery which talks about the legitimate ways to earn money on the internet by adopting some lucrative digital skills and gave it for free to my fello...

  Despite the fact that psychology says man is born cruel, in some situations, it is said no one would dream to be like Escobar, bin Laden, or Evans in their earlier childhood. Who knows the beginning of history, the middle and the end? No one. This is where the limitation of man exists. But today, due to psychological and philosophical influences, man is able to analyze what it takes for someone to change personality over time. Because it is said people change because they've either learned a lesson or they're hurt. First of all, at the beginning of history, everyone would want to be a good person and leave a good legacy in this world. This is where The Good personality comes in. Secondly, in the middle of history, when they're hurt, they would want to adhere to the traits of bad people because they were treated badly. This is where The Bad personality arrives. Thirdly, at the end of history, they would gradually become fond of their wrongdoings and fall for their ugly dee...

  Life has amazing power – it defeats people without their knowledge. It is said, it’s not always what we like we get, and not everything resembles a position. We fall for the wrong people without realizing that we’re defeated. This is why it is said, people who are meant to be yours would be with you at all cost, but those who find reasons to leave you aren’t yours no matter how you cherish them. Unfortunately, sometimes, you end you chasing the ones that are not meant for you. This is Parallel Incompliance! But deep down, apart from the natural laws, things fall apart when they’re incompliant. We might don’t know because we don’t usually realize until it is too late. Dear reader, if you can endure reading pieces of heartbreaking stories, this episodic write-up will suit you. But if you can’t, it is very good to note this earlier to avoid falling into Parallel Incompliance! Because experts say expectation is the root of all heartaches, this is the main reason why I don’t...