A521.3.4.RB_OYEYEMIOLUSANYA

TOMORROW BEGIN NOW

I hail from a polygamous family of 4 wives and 19 children. When I was in high school, six of my father’s children were in high school scattered across the classes. It was tough for my father to pay our school fees in most cases. He was a peasant farmer along with other wives except my mother that has her separate business. She sells raw foods order from the northern part of Nigeria, she was a little richer than the rest of the wives and my brother and I lives with our mum separately in her house of about two street from my dad’s house.  Our usual system was attending school Monday through Friday and on Saturday we help our father in the farm.  In 1991, I was at the middle of high school, as usual, whenever my father could not raised all our school fees at once.Some would have their money and asked the rest to get loan from our mum and promised to pay back.  I was usually a victim of this because he knows my mother is capable she was also responsible for the full fees of my brother’s undergraduate. Then I decided to stop going to my father farm instead work for my mum where my school fee could came easily. At that time, another five of my step sisters and brothers were in different higher institutions which my father was the only source.. All my siblings advised me to stay but I told them, we are still together only that I wanted to be serving my mother for a prompt school fees. The decision I made that day exposed me to the world of business, after my high school my mother would sent me to the northern part of Nigeria where we bought raw Beans and some other raw foods that she sells. Though I was a science student, my experience of my mother’s business was a training ground for my entrepreneurship and risk taking.  I have seen the rising and falling of business.  It’s my driving strength today for a friendly negotiating ability.

THE PREFECTS

In 1988, I was nominated as the senior prefect in my primary school after three years of class captain consecutively. Two of us were nominated for the position, but I won the election leading with 25 points. I led the school for one academic year successfully and was honored for my performance.

I became the first class captain in my first year in high school for three years. In the forth year, I steps down for someone else to occupied the post but my classmate disagree that I should continued. I insisted that someone else should do it, still they wants me as assistance to help the new class captain.

In 1993, I was in my penultimate class when our seniors misbehave and the school authority dismissed their entire prefects. Four people were nominated to lead the school for that year from our class, two male and two female. I was fortunate to be the senior prefect for that year while I was still having senior in the school. I led the school successfully with no rancor.

In 1994, I was announced the labor Prefect of the school though, the entire student was amazed because everybody’s expectation was that they we retain me as the senior prefect. The school concern for changing my portfolio was that I have the ability and charisma to lead the school than the guy that was selected and they need such skill in labor prefect than in senior prefect. With our school system, the position of Labor Prefect supervise the cleaning and clearing of the school compound. On the other hand, senior prefect position is just a general overseer, a figurehead position.

In 2003, I was nominated in my class as their representative in the student union government and the president of the Drama Group in final year of my undergraduate.

All the leadership ability accrued from different stages of my academic life has been my knowledge based bank to withstand the secular world. Even when I do not think of it, without my knowledge leading role will just come my way. No matter how little, as an adage in my culture says; a one eyed man is the king of blind people. At times, because of my little experience or too early challenge at work I felt reluctant when called appointed to a leading role even if I refused completely they still seek for my advice at long run which has been so useful. And all accepted leading role has always ended up successful beyond my understanding. This is one of the reason behind my chosen cause for this master degree to build initial confident require in any leading role I find my self in future.