“Olajumoka Orisaguna, Ayodele Dada and the hypocrisy of corporate Nigeria”

About four weeks ago, a lady came into national consciousness. She photobombed her way to riches and fame. Her name is Olajumoke Orisaguna.

The bread seller mother of two was going about her normal routine at the Sabo area of Lagos state when she bombed into a photo session of celebrity photographer, TY Bello. TY Bello spotted the potential in Olajumoke; the model in her. Her life was instantly transformed. Her Cinderella story became an instant hit.

Her Cinderella story resonated with Nigerians whose belief in miracles know no bounds. Make no mistake about it: Nigerians know what suffering is. We are also hardworking, resilient people but the conditions are just not right. Hence, most of us resign to fate, in frustration waiting for any ‘accident’, any miracle or luck to come our way.

This is also true in the case of Olajumoke who left her hometown of Ire in Osun state to ‘hustle’ in Lagos. It was in the course of this that fortune came her way. She became the toast of Nigerians; they identified with her. Some opine that her ‘ancestors in heaven were not sleeping’.

The respected Olusegun Adeniyi shared his experience in his column, about a fortnight ago of how the lady leading the prayer session in a church he attended asked her brethren to pray to the God of Olajumoke. In fact, Olajumoke became a prayer point. Some even go to the extent of telling to allow them meet her luck in their early morning prayer to God.

Not to be left out, corporate Nigeria latched on to this rave of the moment. She became the face of companies who splashed money on her. She got an endorsement from one of them. They duly exploited this ‘accident’. Their interest in her was a mixed of the logical to the ridiculous what those who are propping her up as a motivational speaker.

Three weeks after Olajumoke’s emergence came the most incredible yet impressive story so far this year. This came from one of Olajumoke’s neighbours.

His name is Ayodele Dada who hails from Ekiti state- the Fountain of Education. Ekiti borders Osun (Olajumoke is from Ire in Osun State) to the East. His incredible story happened in Akoka which is very close to Sabo, the scene of Olajumoke’s Cinderella story.

Ayodele graduated as the Overall Best student of the University of Lagos whose convocation held last week. He is the best ever First Class graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) having graduated from the Department of Psychology with a record 5.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

What makes this feat remarkable? Ayodele got all anyone could get from his course. This feat will become clearer when one realizes that Unilag was established some 54 years ago! Nobody, absolutely nobody has achieved this till Ayodele through sheer hardwork, dedication and discipline, decided to alter the course of history.

The truth is that no tertiary institution in Nigeria has produced such graduate. This is a national first. Ayo never scored below 70 marks, except in a last semester course where membership of many committees affected his preparation for the exams. To put it in a proper perspective, Ayodele would have taken courses of about 70 credits, both core and elective. He was not bothered whether a course was a departmental course or ‘borrowed’- he dusted and cleared all. What a feat.

This writer, like Ayodele, paid his ways through school and understands what Ayodele went through. He relied on financial aids from relatives as well as teaching to ensure he did not have to drop out of school. Worthy of note is that his feat happened in Lagos with its attendant distractions but Ayodele is not one to fall for distractions.

He knew what he wanted and went for it. The fact that he had to get to Unilag’s degree programme through Direct Entry route having undertaken the one-year diploma programme shows a dedicated young man.

Hear him: ‘I came in through Diploma in Unilag. I actually sat for the UTME in 2011 but the feedback I got was that my result was withheld because that JAMB felt I cheated……………………. I lodged my complaint but it was taking time to resolve it, and it was not as if I had so much money to play with, so, with people’s support, I had to go for the one-year diploma programme. I was the best in my faculty………………………………………………….’

Ayodele’s extra ordinary feat never happened by accident. It was never a case of ‘may fortune come my way’. He studied vigorously, he avoided distraction, and did all the right things one needs to do to graduate with such result. It has never happened before and will take a while before his feat will be replicated. I doff my hat for Ayodele Dada. This writer was also the Best Graduating Student of his department but was never close to what Ayodele achieved.

What has been the response of corporate Nigeria? Loud silence! None has been as conspicuous as it was with the Olajumoke case. I gathered that Unilag Alumni Association made a cash donation while the embattled MTN invited Ayodele to their office, gave him an iphone, a special GSM number and free airtime for the rest of 2016.

Images of this were seen on the telecommunication giant’s Twitter handle. Where are other corporate entities? Are they unaware of this feat? Why has Ayodele’s face not been seen on the cover of magazines? Why is he not the face of our corporate entities who always mouth excellence in all they do? Will this indifference confirm our appreciation for academic excellence again?

The same corporate entities do not usually offer employment opportunities to graduates with 2.2 CGPA but here is one with not just 2.1 or First Class but maximum CGPA. Corporate Nigeria fall over each other to commit millions of Naira to sponsor beauty pageants and musical shows. They sign huge endorsement deals with artists.

This silence in the face of Ayodele’s academic feat is annoying. He must be celebrated, he must have endorsement deals. He must be used to send a signal to kids on the streets that though ‘accidents’ can happen and one may have riches by chance, there can never be substitute for dedication and discipline in academic pursuit. Those in our higher institutions want to see Ayo celebrated to give them impetus to strive to be the best.

It is outrageous, but a National Award for Ayodele is a possibility. He has put the name of the country on the map and if we truly appreciate what he has done, we should reward/honour him appropriately. We cannot be chanting ‘education is the root of national development’ while we ignore Ayodele but dole out huge amount of money, cars and land gifts to footballers and beauty pageant winners. It is nothing but hypocrisy, absence of clear priority and wickedness.

It is against this backdrop that one calls on the government of his state of origin, Ekiti state which prides itself as the Fountain of knowledge to truly honour its own. The government of Lagos state, the Center of Excellence should live up to its name and honour Ayodele. Otherwise, we would have missed a golden opportunity to clear a clear message that we value education.

Written By: Oyewo Ishola, Twitter: @kingshola22