Immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr Boss Mustapha, has urged Nigerian youths not to allow their humble backgrounds to determine their future, but to use their circumstances as a stepping stone to achieving greatness.

Mustapha gave the charge in Demsa, Adamawa State, during the official handover of a library complex he built and donated to Lutheran University Nigeria (LUN) as part of activities marking his 70th birthday.

The facility was named the Wesley Mustapha Library Complex by the Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), Most Revd Musa Panti Filibus, in honour of Mustapha’s late father, who was a devoted teacher.

Speaking at the ceremony, the former SGF urged young Nigerians to remain focused and determined, saying his personal journey from a modest background to public service demonstrated that one’s origin should not be a limitation.

He said, “I want my life to be a template for the younger generation. If the son of a classroom teacher can make it, then you can make it.

“Do not allow your background to define your life—use it as a stepping stone.

“My decision to undertake this project is borne out of the need to better the lives of the generation coming after us.”

Mustapha recalled that his father was a classroom teacher who later rose to become a headmaster at the Government Science School established by the LCCN.

The former SGF said the library project was intended to contribute to the educational development of young people and provide a lasting resource for students and researchers.

Speaking as chairman of the occasion, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, commended Mustapha for choosing to invest in education rather than personal luxury as part of his 70th birthday celebration.

Mutfwang described the gesture as an investment in the future of young Nigerians, noting that educational infrastructure remained critical to human and national development.

Also speaking, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, described the library complex as a monument to knowledge that would serve generations of scholars in the state and beyond.

Fintiri commended Mustapha for his contribution to the development of tertiary education, stressing the importance of institutions having adequate facilities to support teaching, learning and research.

In his remarks, the Archbishop of LCCN, Most Revd Musa Panti Filibus, expressed appreciation to the former SGF for the gesture, describing it as an enduring contribution to tertiary education in the region.

He said the library would not only honour the memory of Mustapha’s late father but would also provide students and researchers with a valuable academic resource for years to come.

The ceremony was observed to have brought together political leaders, religious authorities, academics, family members and other dignitaries to celebrate Mustapha’s 70th birthday and the commissioning of the educational facility.