Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, popularly known as Mr ‘Voiceover’, is a graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Benin. The Kogi-born graduate recently rounded off his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kwara State. In this interview, he shared his inspiring story of how he against all odds sat for O’Level exams for 17 times before making his papers to secure a university admission; his sojourn at the ivory towers and what he is doing to help young people overcome depression induced by persistent failures, amongst others.
You sat for O’level examinations for 17 times before making your papers; can you tell us your story?
My story has a connotation of grace and God’s saving mercy in it. The psychological experience from constant changing of schools as a result of family hitches led to my difficulty in passing my O’level exam in one sitting. Due to the peculiarity of my ordeal as a victim of broken home from early age, I was enrolled into 16 primary schools and subsequently enrolled into 14 secondary schools. Upon completion of the several primary and secondary schools I attended, I was enrolled for the following O’level examinations within the space of 5 years (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) which included; WAEC, NECO, WAEC GCE, NABTEB, NECO GCE and JAMB that ushered me into the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in 2014.
During the period of writing O’level examinations, I knew I wasn’t the cause of my problems, but I was determined to make the story different from the way I met it. I endured the pain to keep attempting each exam yearly with the sole aim of passing without engaging in exam malpractice, despite pressures to succumb. This is because I knew what I have been through sitting under different teachers in different environments and schools, thereby making me appear like an unintelligent student. So succumbing to malpractice would have caused me more harm than good.I never relented in studying both with self and personal tutor’s aid to the best of my knowledge but, in the end, I kept failing until God gave me breakthrough in 2014. Prior to when I finally passed my O’level examinations, I had been weighed down heavily by the previous failures and I felt I wouldn’t want to try more. People that cared heard about my situation reassured me to try a little more. I summoned courage and I told myself, Emmanuel you can do this! So I got enrolled into SSS2 in Government Science College Egbeda in 2013 when I strengthened my relationship with God and I also fully concentrated on my studies. My first day in that school, I studied the school environment, the teachers and the students in my class, then I approached the serious minded students; got very close to the teachers, structured a personal study time table and pasted the grades I wanted to come out with in my O’level on my reading table and on other parts of the room where I rented.
All these efforts paid-off as I eventually passed all my subjects in flying colours without cheating and got the best JAMB result in that school in 2014. It was this feat that ushered me into UNIBEN
Was it that you were failing all your papers at each sitting or there were particular subjects that were proving stubborn?
Mathematics was a major subject that I was failing, until I got it right in 2014. Prior to when I passed mathematics in the O’level examination, in 2013, I wrote the State promotional examination into SSS 3 to qualify me for a sponsored O’level registration by the State government, which was marked by experienced teachers across the state. With the level of my preparation, I had As, Bs and a D in mathematics. I managed to scale through for the scholarship.
At the time I chose to study Mass Communication, I did not know I needed to offer Literature in English in the O’level examination. So literature became a core subjects I took with high esteem through rigorous studying and with support of experience tutors and students. I passed all my papers eventually in flying colours by the grace of God.
How was it like raising money to register for your O’Level exams these 17 times?
The experience of raising money to register one exam after the other for 17 times was a traumatic experience. My mom has been the one God used in sponsoring majority of my enrollments throughout the 16 primary schools, 14 secondary schools and the entire 17 O’level examination attempts, including the University matriculation exams I wrote 5 times.
As shocking as it may appear, my mom spent virtually all her salaries as a senior civil servant, borrowed money from people, engaged in all types of petty businesses and sometimes went the extra mile to obtain bank loan just to sponsor my enrollments and education.
What were the reactions of your parents and teachers to your repeated failures?
Just like the common practice among African parents, I was compared with other children in the family and with my peers who were making their families proud. My mother would profusely weep out of frustration of my repeated failures and the shame I was causing her. At a point, she took a bold step to advise me to quit school and invited family members to beg me to consider carpentry or learn a trade rather than for her to continually spend money on an unproductive son. I technically suffered educational setbacks the most amongst my siblings as a second child in a family of five children. I was repeating class with my junior siblings and teachers would instruct me to meet my siblings for explanation in subject areas where I did not understand.
Some of my teacher’s reaction to my performance didn’t really help the situation. Some of my teachers even advised me to quit school at a point. There were times I was denied going for breakfast during break hour because I couldn’t cope or understand what was taught.
How did you manage to overcome the hurdle?
Without mincing words, I was able to overcome the hurdles at the point I took the bold step to go beyond mere religiosity to experiencing Christ Jesus as my Lord and personal savior. It was until then that God Almighty changed the story, that people never imagined I went through such a traumatic experience. His grace and mercy saw me through the hurdles. Besides, focus and determination to succeed against all the odds kept me from giving up.
I saw quite a number of my colleagues who became University graduates and Masters Degree holders before my very eyes and some were already working as professionals in various fields, while I was still wearing secondary school uniforms to repeat SSS 1 & SSS 2 in various schools and struggling to pass my O’level examination, but I was focused and determined to succeed without quitting.
At some points, I felt traumatized, depressed and nursed suicidal thoughts, but I kept hope alive with advice from close associates and people with loving hearts. In the end, I emerged as a university graduate who represented my university, my state and my country (Nigeria) to bag both national and international award competitions.
Did you also face challenges in gaining admission to the University after passing your O’Level?
Not at all. I secured admission into the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in 2014 which was the same year I passed my O’level exams.
Nevertheless, during the period I was writing my O’level exams, I simultaneously tried securing admission into more than 15 higher institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, College of Educations) in 5 years, but my grade deficiency in mathematics kept disqualifying me.
You gained admission to UNIBEN to study Mass Communication; how was your academic journey like?
Well, my academic journey was a successful one by God’s grace. Immediately I secured admission into the University of Benin in 2014, I told myself that I would finish strong receiving the handshake of the university’s vice chancellor. Although I did not know how it would happen. From 100 level, I started working towards the goals, and at the time I was graduating, I had portrayed the image of the university on major national newspapers through awards I won by representing the school. I also initiated programmes that transformed the lives of the students of the university. I was among students that the university was proud to have had.
I gained admission into UNIBEN in 2014 and finished my degree programme in 2018. My passion to succeed distinguished me from other students. During my days at UNIBEN, I represented the university, Kogi State and Nigeria on several occasions where I won many outstanding national and international competitions. These achievements called for my invitation for celebration by the then university’s Vice Chancellor for winning awards and being featured on the international television network, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) amongst other numerous platforms globally. The achievements necessitated a promise of an automatic employment by the Vice Chancellor, Professor FFO Orunwense and creation of an archive in the university’s library to document all my achievements for the institution so other students can see and be inspired towards the pursuit of greatness against all odds.
You are now a graduate and just rounded off your NYSC; how do you feel looking back at all you have gone through?
I feel really privileged. It also raises the consciousness in me that highly successful personalities I see in the universe today have passed through the tides and storms of life before attaining stardom. One thing that is certain in life is that our challenges are temporal.
What are you doing to motivate young people who might be facing depressions as a result of repeated failures and frustrating experiences?
Burdened to restore hope to those going through similar or worse challenges, I have spearheaded series of personal projects on “Mental Health Awareness and Sensitization Programmes” in Kogi and Kwara, focused on tackling the menace of depression and suicide in Nigeria. My target is to reach over 200,000 young people and adults in schools, campuses and communities. The impacts of the series of personal projects have gained recognition and public commendations by the Nigerian presidency, the state governments, monarchs and other stakeholders on the innovation.
It is without doubt that millions of people have been thrown into hopelessness, depression, failures, abuse, suicide thoughts, and fear of what the future holds, despair, and low self-esteem amongst others in Nigeria due to the impact of COVID-19.
What is your ambition now that you are done with your NYSC assignment?
My aspiration is to be the hope in the mind of troubled adolescents and youths in Africa. I am seeking financial support to complete the registration of my NGO with hope of joining forces with international and national agencies, brands, state governors, NGOs, stakeholders and individuals who mean well in tackling this leading cause of death in communities, high schools, campuses amongst other social institutions across Nigeria and Africa.
