Yahaya Baruwa’s journey from York student to published author
Katherine Tria Kehoe
Contributor
If you ask York student Yahaya Baruwa how to plan for the future, he’ll tell you that we all need a vision for our lives: a direction and a purpose that is defined not by circumstance, but by the fabric of our desires.
As students, we are poised at the tipping point of success with the ability to use our education to better ourselves and the networks that surround us. Baruwa has made a profound impact on the lives of his peers and the lives he will change through the publication of his first book, Struggles of a Dreamer.
Baruwa’s book is a call to action and the inspiration for change which he would argue exists within us, but only if we choose to open the door.
“If you have faith, intuition kicks in. And if you have intuition, you’re able to follow your heart. And then comes faith. Faith is there to guide you,” says the 23-year-old writer.
We are not here just to earn the gold star of higher education. Our degrees, and eventually our careers, will mean nothing if we allow ourselves to choose lives that do not fulfill the dreams in our hearts.
For Baruwa, the choice he made was to publish his first work as a writer through Tapestry House Publishing, while finishing his psychology undergraduate degree here at York.
Born in Kano, Nigeria in 1988 to Hajia and Maroof Baruwa, Yahaya immigrated to Canada with his family. He appreciates his stern upbringing and heritage.
“My parents taught me to have self-control. They raised me to become a strong, independent adult,” he says.
Baruwa believes that his book was born out of intuition. He has proven with his book that there are no limitations to what you can achieve if you simply believe and work hard to make your dreams a reality. What would happen if we believed that knowledge was free? What would happen if we chose to educate rather than to segregate? Such is the catalyst for change in Struggles of a Dreamer.
The story follows the protagonist, Tunde, a homeless man who struggles to find meaning in the life he leads on the streets of New York. Tunde’s life changes forever when he is given a book by a wealthy businesswoman detailing the story of Toku’te. The knowledge found in the tome is free, but it is the choice to listen to its message that holds Tunde’s fate in the balance.
As Tunde reads the story of Toku’te—the son of a farmer forced to leave his traditional homeland—his hungry heart is filled with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. This story within a story becomes our own, as we take the journey along with Tunde to understand his own talents and self-worth.
This book calls us, as students, to appreciate our education and value the mentors we are privileged to meet at York. Those who can change your life are not just your professors; they are the peers you meet who motivate and challenge your opinions. They are the people who you choose to study with, the ones who know the value of education.
Baruwa believes that his book is meant to “entertain as well as to teach.” It reveals that the people we meet throughout our lives become the road maps and mentors that influence our understanding of who we are and where our life missions are leading us. Despite the traditions that exist in his society, Toku’te finds a way to gain new perspectives in order to shape his independence and success.
As the plot progresses, Baruwa cleverly shifts perspectives between the plot lines of Tunde and Toku’te, propelling the reader into the struggles that both characters face.
Although tradition exists in the characters’ lives, the story proves that gaining new perspectives and independence can help reshape your identity and success.
Toku’te meets people whose dreams are shattered, challenged, or reinvented by the choices they make to take ownership of their lives. Like his protagonists, Baruwa has allowed mentors to shape his understanding of the creative process. These mentors include industry professionals, and even friends and family—especially his younger brother, Habib Baruwa, who has always been supportive of his ambitions.
When a student is ready, a teacher appears. Baruwa’s maturity in allowing the teachers that appeared in his life to shape his perspective are based on what he coins as “an ability to recognize and receive [guidance].” It is these chance encounters driven by faith, awareness, and belief that are responsible for the growth of both Tunde and Toku’te.
Baruwa explained that he met many mentors that influenced his desire to pursue his talents including a meeting with the world-renowned life coach, Bob Proctor, featured in Rhonda Byrne’s film, The Secret. Proctor gave Baruwa direction in the plans for his book and courage to keep his dream alive.
Baruwa does not believe in coincidences. It is clear that with his passion to succeed and faith in a higher power, he has brought about many opportunities into his life. He expects a film adaptation of his book to help spread his message.
I asked Baruwa if he had any advice for people experiencing struggles. To that, he explained the importance of staying focused: “Vision. If you have a vision, even when struggles come, you will find a star in the desert sky that will lead you out. From that vision you can find persistence, and have faith in where you are going.”
Struggles of a Dreamer dares us to dream. It ignites purpose in our hearts, and it has changed my perspective as a student. Knowledge is free, but the price to pay is commitment, dedication, and a continued passion to learn. Or as Baruwa says, “We must pay well in advance for our success.”
It is clear that with the vision that Baruwa maintains for his book, he will reach his goal and our hearts.
