MALT

I came across an article today which really inspired me and I would like to share it with us here. This is the story of a young Nigerian; Jonah Ayodele Omajeun who was among the finalist of the 2008 World Bank International Essay Competition which was just concluded in Cape Town South Africa. Jonah Ayodele Obajeun, is a 400-Level student of Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) . He spoke with NGOZI NWOZOR of The Nation Newspaper.

A full text of the Essay is available here for your reading pleasure and possible action i you believe in change.

One thing that caught my attention was the underlining theme in his Essay that booked a place for him in the group of eight contestants that made the final - our roles as individuals, arms of government, corporate bodies as well as non-governmental organizations in making a paradise from the slums we live in (this is with reference to some countries in Africa and other parts of the world).

This is the excerpt of the interview he granted Ngozi Nwozor of THE NATION after the Essay competition:

I was born into a family of six and brought up in Lagos. I attended Army Children School, Abule Egba, Lagos before I proceeded to Orile Agege Community High School, Agege, Lagos where I finished with eight distinctions and one credit.

I did not find this funny; I mean the credit which was in English Language, as even then I wanted to be a great writer. At present, I am the president of the Association of Campus Journalists (ACJ), OAU. I was at various times the Assistant Secretary-General and Secretary-General of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, OAU students’ chapter. I have served as the editor-in-chief of various magazines and other publications on and off campus. I am the coordinator of Youth Ambassador for Development Embassy (YADE), a non-governmental organisation.

How did the award go?

The award was planned along with the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics co-organised by the World Bank and the National Treasury of South Africa. It was at the conference that eight of us were given our diplomas by the Finance Minister of South Africa and other top personalities in the World Bank. Our essays were ranked and my essay was among the top rated ones. It took the fifth position.

All of us (eight finalists) were adjudged the best set in the history of the competition. The organisers argued that this feat was not unconnected with the fact that this edition was not only keenly contested as it recorded the highest number of participants, but also in the quality of the ideas of the best eight authors and the enviable team-work skills we exhibited during our one week stay together in South Africa.

Tell us about your essay.

What triggered my curiosity on the theme of the essay was the fact that I grew up in a society where people show apathy to the living conditions threatening their very existence and where those in power are only concerned with the seat of the government house.

Thankfully, my essay provided a holistic approach, involving the major players in the affairs of my city in transforming our slum-embellished cities to those of enviable standard. I made a few references to some great cities of the world which I described as “paradise”.

I wrote about how corporate organisations can lend helping hands without undermining their profits. The roles of the mass media, philanthropic individuals, non-governmental organisations and governments were also stressed.

How can this essay be assessed?

Yes, it is readily available on the internet. Just type in my name and the title – “Making Paradise from Slums”

What next from here?

I am currently strategising to strengthen my NGO. We have seven board members who cut across seven Nigerian campuses. We are working very hard to extend our tentacles and take our empowerment programmes to other campuses and the streets.

I have been put forward by the Deputy Director of African Leadership Forum to attend a leadership youth conference coming up very soon. There are also plans by Cities Alliance, a subsidiary of World Bank for all of us (the finalists) to air our ideas to the world and bring us together to share ideas at a world forum very soon.

Besides, the eight of us are currently working on a project. We will soon create a website where we will post our activities and people will know more about us and our projects.

On a personal level, I am working on publishing my first novel titled Tales of Two Professors. I hope to achieve this with the help of my school management. It is generously laced with humour; it captures happenings in the professorial world mixed with romance. The story tells how a female student got it wrong with life and how life eventually got it wrong with her in the professorial world.

What about the dream of becoming a chemical engineer?

The dream is still intact. It is a childhood ambition but I know that I am a guy of many parts. I have been accosted by my colleagues on many occasions that I have misplaced priorities. They argued that I should have been in an arts course since what I do is more social or art-related.

I have always treated their comments with scant regard because if I had misplaced priorities as they argue, I ought to be flunking (failing) my papers and generally finding it difficult to follow my lectures. Thankfully, I do not struggle “vehemently” to get good grades.

Concluding comments

I cannot wait to live this moment and I’m currently living it. I am extremely proud to put Nigeria on the global scene. It is time for other Nigerian youths to pick up the gauntlet and fight for their place in the global youth league.

Let us join hands and put Nigeria among the comity of nations. The Gbenga Sesans, the Deolu Akinyemis, the Chimamanda Adichies are waiting for us to join them and fight for our place. So guys keep your spirit alive, it is possible to be among the minority and eat with the kings.

Culled from The NationOnlineNG

Written by Olanrewaju Lewis - Visit Website

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