No JSS CERTIFICATE, NO SSS CERTIFICATE BUT I AM HERE

I dropped out of JSS because of abuse from one of my teachers and thought that was it, found my way back to SHS and when it was time to register for the final year exams I could not afford to register, so I dropped. I registered with JCPI to obtain three certificates to allow me entrance into Central Univeristy. But I could only afford two certificates and could not pay for the 3rd certificate, so that dream of having my first degree at Central Univerity was shattered. I Roamed around trying to find my way back to school but how? Shu'aibu Hussein who was in the same SHS with me asked that I take the shot at AUCC and I could get admitted as a matured student. I registered with them and they said they were going to call me when the class for the mature entrance exams starts and guess what, no call came for months. It took a Facebook friend, who I graduated with today, Nafisa Mohammed, to send me a message on here that she saw my name in the class list but did not know why I was not attending class, and that they were left with just a week to write the exams. I quickly joined, wrote the exams a week later and I gained admission. Now, how to finance was a challenge. I had to fall on Judith Bernard who was a good friend and an inspiration, she helped in paying part of my first-semester fee, so I had to struggle around to pay for the rest by doing some social media jobs for some people. Into my second year in the school, I realised I had to do whatever possible to make it through to the end. But there was this fear of me not completing and dropping out just as I did in JSS and SHS AND JCPI. But I kept the dream alive.

I looked into the school's social media presence and I realised it was not the best, considering it being a communication school and they were not leveraging the opportunities that come with social media. I designed a social media strategy with a proposal for the school and they accepted it, but they said they would not pay me, but would rather take responsibility of my fees in return for the services. And I said to myself "Why do you think I proposed to manage your social media presence, to help pay my fees" lol. And that is how I had the confidence of completing the school. But the struggle was not over, when I got to my final year, I lost control during the second semester. Something was not right somewhere, the motivation dropped to it lowest. And I could not explain why. I prayed to God to make this dream come through. And I believe He answered my prayer.

Women played a vital role in my life, the reason I stand to defend them whenever necessary.

The society (Zongo) played a role in motivating me. It gave me the reason to continue the hassle. The dream was not to wear this gown, but the dream was to be educated and, in turn, impact my society in a positive way. To be a change maker, to lead a new path, to inspire the younger ones, to be a role model and to see in myself, the reason to keep on keeping on. To tell others that, the failure of yesterday cannot determine the outcome of today. I could have given up and I could have said to myself enough is enough. But I did not, I kept on. It has not been an easy road and I am not saying it gonna be an easy one after this.

In fact, this is not the end of the road, this is the beginning, the beginning of a bigger dream, the beginning of touching lives, imparting positiveness into the younger ones.

To my colleagues who graduated with me today, I say, congrats, let's shake the world. If you have an opportunity to join a corporate organisation do join and make you mark and possibly go beyond. To those of us who believes in entrepreneurship, let's make our mark and possibly go beyond. Do not sit idle.If the job is not coming, create one yourself. Keep On Keeping On (KOKO)