While growing up, I was taught a particular pattern of life. I was brought up to be quiet and reserved. I was made to see socialization as a distraction to my focus, so I grew up maintaining my lane all through my nursery and primary school. I just had two friends that I played with sometimes.
My innaugural speech as the Senate President of the Students' Union
Unknowingly, I gradually developed a shy attitude to the point that I found it very difficult to maintain eye contact while talking with someone or to even talk in a gathering of people.
This continued till my class 2 (JSS2) in secondary school where I was made the class prefect on grounds of academic performance.
This new responsibility at the beginning was very difficult for me because I couldn't even stand in front of the class to address them. At this point, I said to myself that even though this is how I grew up, it is not the life I want to live. This decision marked the beginning of a turning point in my self-development.
I decided to make more friends. I equally joined the school press club and debate club where I gained the courage to talk and interact with people. I continued this till class 5 (SS 2) and there was a great improvement. In this class, the school appointed me as the overall senior prefect/head boy of the school. This came with greater responsibility as I now supervise not only my class but all the other classes from class 1 to 6.
With this new position, I discovered a new passion. And that is leadership. So, I commenced a new journey into my second phase of self-discovery. I got a few books on leadership. Notable was the book titled 'The 7 habits of highly effective people' by Stephen Covey. Even though at that time, I was not able to understand some things in the book but it was a foundational block.
After secondary school, I gained admission into the university and as usual, my parent's advice came, 'as you are going to the university now, please focus squarely on your academics, and don't allow friends and social life to distract you'. I said OK and left.
On my first day at the University, while I was trying to locate my departmental building, I met a guy called Prince. Coincidentally he was also looking for the same building and it happened that we were both fresh students in the same department. We both became friends automatically. We later added another guy Josiah to our list and we then became 3 best friends and classmates. By what I consider a divine coincidence, both them, Prince and Josiah had interests in leadership and later held different positions in the school.
All through my first year in the school, I had this part of me that I felt was yet to be developed and that's leadership. My passion for leadership continued to grow by the day and I couldn't suppress it anymore. That era was characterized by a Student Union leadership that did not have the interest of the students at heart. I felt this urge within me that I can make a difference. I can be that student union leader that the students are yearning for. I can set aside the status quo and champion a new leadership ideology. Even though there would be some challenges, especially some ethnic issues since my university was not in my geopolitical zone. But my convictions were stronger than my challenges.
So, in my second year, I decided to take the bold step and give it a try. I picked the nomination for the position of the Director of Transport of the Students Union Government. I was cleared by the electoral committee and I went into the campaigns. That was my first time appearing on a campaign poster and I was happy about that step. Though for some reason I lost that particular election, I was never discouraged.
I noted my strengths and weaknesses in the election and above all, I was happy that I gave it a try. I was glad that I was able to stand in front of the thousands of students to give my manifesto amidst a cheering ovation. This was a great improvement from my past years when I couldn't talk to one person, to my present self addressing thousands of university undergraduates. Though I wasn't declared the winner of the election, to me, I won by embracing my passion, conquering my fears, and setting myself on the path of courage and boldness.
And this positive attitude took me to the next phase of this journey.
After that election, my department, which believes so much in my great plans for the students then had a congress and unanimously nominated me to represent the department in the legislative arm of the students' union (The Senate). So I became a Senator of the Students' Union. While in the Senate, I used the opportunity to make more friends, consolidate my strengths and work on my weakness.
In the next election year, I picked the nomination form for the Deputy Senate President of the Students' Union. I constituted my campaign team, did my campaigns as usual and this time, I emerged the winner of the election with a landslide victory. I was so happy that finally, I have the opportunity to prove my worth to the students. I carried out projects and programs that won the hearts of the students. I achieved all I said in my manifesto and students developed confidence in me. At that point, I could comfortably go for any election and win.
My certificate of return as the Deputy Senate President
After a period of interim government constituted by the University, in the next election cycle, I then picked form for the Senate President of the Students' Union. This time, it was an easy ride leveraging on my past performance as the Deputy Senate President. I won the election with a wide margin and as well delivered on my mandate. I also served as the National Financial Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Students Association, amongst other positions. And still, hope to keep the fire burning in this passion for leadership in the next phase of my life.
My certificate of return as the Senate President
In the end, I am glad that I was able to discover my passion and who I want to be. I was able to find what gives me joy and conviction from my innermost self, which is putting a smile on the faces of the people through an excellent, quality, and people-oriented leadership.
My certificate of recognition as the NiMSA Financial Secretary
The summary points of my story which I also find as the cardinal points to success in whatever we do are;
DETERMINATION
When you have a personal conviction in what you do, you will surely excel. The determination must be your own decision and not someone talking you into it.PASSION
In anything you do, the passion remains the key. This is because challenges will come and it's your passion that will sustain you. If I did not have a passion for this, I would have given up immediately after I lost my first election. But my passion kept me going. I saw it as a stepping stone rather than a challenge.COURAGE
It is also important that state that good things may not come easily. It takes hard work, determination, and grace to achieve your dreams, build your brand, complete your education, etc. To develop yourself and be who you want to be, you must be courageous to face your fears and any challenges that may come your way.
My campaign poster for the office of the Senate President
- SELF DISCOVERY
While it's good for us the follow the path set before us by our parents, it's also good to look out for those genuine burning desires within us. Even though my parents did not want me to partake in anything politics, they were very happy the day I called to inform them that I have been elected to the governing council of the Students' Union.
We have also seen great footballers whose parents didn't want to play ball in childhood, maybe they felt it was distracting them from their books. But these children had this passion, developed it and they are stars today. Same with some musicians, actors, etc. So, parents on the other hand should encourage their children to develop their passions.
Yours may not be leadership, but in any aspects of yourself you want to improve, in any passion you want to develop, I believe that you may find these points helpful.
A group picture with my senators shortly after the inauguration
Thanks for reading through my story.