A leap towards greater heights
At just 26 years old, Mohammed Shehu has made history as the youngest student at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) to attain a PhD.
Justicia Shipena
Mohammed Shehu, a young Nigerian-born national, toured the African continent before arriving in Namibia, having previously lived in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana.
Shehu graduated from Nust on 26 April with a PhD in informatics.
After finishing high school at the age of 16, he went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Botswana in 2013.
He then moved to Namibia to commence a master’s degree in informatics at Nust, which he attained on 29 April 2016. Just 24 hours later, he was rocking the stage as one of the hosts of the 2016 Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs).
During his master’s studies he lectured various courses at the university’s faculty of computing and informatics.
Many of his former students shared the stage with him during the just-ended graduation ceremony, and it was a moment of pride for the newly-minted doctor.
While studying he got involved in radio broadcasting at Nust FM, a vocation that would see him hone his trademark voice for broadcasting, narrations and voiceovers.
Having made a name for himself as a prolific photographer, he co-founded his design, media and advertising agency, Mo Shé Media, in 2016.
He has done various work for brands such as FNB, MTC, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) and the award-winning advertising agency, Advantage Y&R Namibia.
His passion for PR saw him take on the mantle of vice-president of public relations for the Seagulls Toastmasters in Windhoek. As a skilled digital, media and advertising professional, he wields experience in the telecom, finance, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beverages sectors.
Speaking to The Zone, Shehu credited his decision to study informatics to a deep interest in understanding data, and how it can be used to make better decisions that impact businesses and society.
“Businesses, careers and innovative breakthroughs all come from leveraging certain insights to create something new,” he said. “Accessing, understanding and leveraging data for positive gain is something African societies need to emphasise more.”
His dissertation focused on the application of social media analytics to business intelligence in Namibia, which was motivated by his passion for entrepreneurship. “There was very little research being done locally on social media analytics when I started my PhD,” he said.
“I wanted to put social media on the radar of three groups - young students considering career choices, entrepreneurs trying to build brands on social media and established organisations trying to extract more value from their social media efforts.”
Shehu explained he will use his doctorate to help build better brands from a social media and design perspective.
He urged anyone starting a brand or social movement to explore how social media could help boost their visibility and cement them as preferred service providers.
“Always focus on the end-user and never, ever compromise on good design, whether in your marketing, product development or service delivery,” he stressed.
He added that it is very easy to damage a brand on social media through poor strategy, unprofessionalism or limited knowledge. “The name of the game is value, and if you give none, you’ll get none back.”
He further urged anyone embarking on a doctorate to seek out mentors who have completed the path, as they would be able to relate to the trials and tribulations of the journey.
“It takes someone who has been through it to be able to relate to the emotional and academic rollercoaster you’ll face. For me, that person was my dad, a university professor,” he said.
Shehu now plans to branch into the field of law, while seeking to better understand legal contracts and subsequently help SMEs conduct business more confidently with customers, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders. He is currently exploring available opportunities, programmes and scholarships within that space. He can be reached on all his social media platforms (@shehuphd).
Facts about Shehu
He is the owner of Mo Shé Media.
He was a radio presenter at Nust FM from 2015 until 2016.
He has lived and worked in five different countries so far: Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia.
He speaks four languages (English, Setswana, Swahili and Afrikaans).
His research was supervised by Dr Nobert Jere of Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
He loves reading, writing, publishing, design and photography.
His social media handle is @shehuphd across all platforms.
Mohammed Shehu, a young Nigerian-born national, toured the African continent before arriving in Namibia, having previously lived in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana.
Shehu graduated from Nust on 26 April with a PhD in informatics.
After finishing high school at the age of 16, he went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Botswana in 2013.
He then moved to Namibia to commence a master’s degree in informatics at Nust, which he attained on 29 April 2016. Just 24 hours later, he was rocking the stage as one of the hosts of the 2016 Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAs).
During his master’s studies he lectured various courses at the university’s faculty of computing and informatics.
Many of his former students shared the stage with him during the just-ended graduation ceremony, and it was a moment of pride for the newly-minted doctor.
While studying he got involved in radio broadcasting at Nust FM, a vocation that would see him hone his trademark voice for broadcasting, narrations and voiceovers.
Having made a name for himself as a prolific photographer, he co-founded his design, media and advertising agency, Mo Shé Media, in 2016.
He has done various work for brands such as FNB, MTC, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) and the award-winning advertising agency, Advantage Y&R Namibia.
His passion for PR saw him take on the mantle of vice-president of public relations for the Seagulls Toastmasters in Windhoek. As a skilled digital, media and advertising professional, he wields experience in the telecom, finance, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beverages sectors.
Speaking to The Zone, Shehu credited his decision to study informatics to a deep interest in understanding data, and how it can be used to make better decisions that impact businesses and society.
“Businesses, careers and innovative breakthroughs all come from leveraging certain insights to create something new,” he said. “Accessing, understanding and leveraging data for positive gain is something African societies need to emphasise more.”
His dissertation focused on the application of social media analytics to business intelligence in Namibia, which was motivated by his passion for entrepreneurship. “There was very little research being done locally on social media analytics when I started my PhD,” he said.
“I wanted to put social media on the radar of three groups - young students considering career choices, entrepreneurs trying to build brands on social media and established organisations trying to extract more value from their social media efforts.”
Shehu explained he will use his doctorate to help build better brands from a social media and design perspective.
He urged anyone starting a brand or social movement to explore how social media could help boost their visibility and cement them as preferred service providers.
“Always focus on the end-user and never, ever compromise on good design, whether in your marketing, product development or service delivery,” he stressed.
He added that it is very easy to damage a brand on social media through poor strategy, unprofessionalism or limited knowledge. “The name of the game is value, and if you give none, you’ll get none back.”
He further urged anyone embarking on a doctorate to seek out mentors who have completed the path, as they would be able to relate to the trials and tribulations of the journey.
“It takes someone who has been through it to be able to relate to the emotional and academic rollercoaster you’ll face. For me, that person was my dad, a university professor,” he said.
Shehu now plans to branch into the field of law, while seeking to better understand legal contracts and subsequently help SMEs conduct business more confidently with customers, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders. He is currently exploring available opportunities, programmes and scholarships within that space. He can be reached on all his social media platforms (@shehuphd).
Facts about Shehu
He is the owner of Mo Shé Media.
He was a radio presenter at Nust FM from 2015 until 2016.
He has lived and worked in five different countries so far: Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia.
He speaks four languages (English, Setswana, Swahili and Afrikaans).
His research was supervised by Dr Nobert Jere of Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
He loves reading, writing, publishing, design and photography.
His social media handle is @shehuphd across all platforms.
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