21/12/2023
BECOMING DR. EFI OBAJAJA-EDO
I have a dream…
In 2005, during my National Youth Service , I applied for an M.Sc program in the University of Ibadan. Upon completion of Youth Service I was offered an admission to study M.Sc. Sociology. This was a new field, considering my first degree was in Business Administration.
Upon resumption of lectures, I inevitably had to do a lot more work than my course mates than who had sociology background. I was reading, learning and generally having a great time. I found some theories I could relate with some parts of the Bible. I was literally eating, sleeping, and dreaming Sociology. Till date, I remember Term Papers I wrote and Presentations I did.
A few weeks to the first semester exams, I got a job, a good one. With my parents as my sponsors and my understanding that things had become somewhat tough at home, I didn’t have to think twice to pick the job. I approached my Lecturers to let them know I had to leave. The words of Prof Uche Isiugo-Abanihe, my H.O.D at the time has remained with me to date. He said “I feel like we are losing an asset in the academia. No matter how far you go, do not forget where you belong”. I left with mixed feelings, but comforted myself with the thoughts that when there is money, I can always begin another Masters degree program.
2008 saw me starting another Masters degree program in Delta State University, Abraka. I had to travel down for lectures every weekend. It wasn’t as easy as my first experience, but I was making the best of it. I did the first semester exams, and everything was fine. During the second semester, I lost my only brother and was too unstable to write the exams when the time came. I tried to return to the program when I became more stable, but it had become a lot more difficult, especially as I was dealing with new faces as well as some new experiences. I got married and totally forgot about that program.
I tried to do some other programs with marriage, motherhood and all but just kept letting them fall through the cracks. At some point, it felt like the momentum with which I commenced every program ran out just when I am beginning to get a grip of it. So, one can comfortably say that beginning a program wasn’t my challenge, but sustaining it was.
In the midst of these all, life was dealing me her blows. I lost my sense of being, my self-confidence went below zero, I was depressed and just existing. It wasn't easy.
In 2018, light was shown upon my darkness in several ways other than one. I went back to complete some programs I left halfway through, picked up some new ones and this time, I finished them despite the struggles.
My dream was to have my Ph.D before I clocked 30, but somewhere along the line, I stopped remembering that dream. Covid happened to me too and while I healed through mine, in my isolation, I began to dream again.
One day, I drove into the Anwai Campus of DELSU to inquire about their Ph.D programs and coincidentally, forms were selling at the time. I requested a Part-time form but was told they only had a Full-time available. I contemplated, then went for it, with no little trepidation.
The journey began and it wasn’t an easy one. I had support from family and friends. I recall days when I returned home exhausted yet having an exam the next day, some persons stayed up just to wake me up to study after having some sleep. Once upon a time, my son had a surgery which coincided with my exams, I will leave hospital to the exams hall, then back, till we were discharged. A few times, I had hoped one of these people would call me crazy or even as much as let me know they doubted my ability, but that never happened. Rather, constantly, they told me they believed in me thereby urging me on.
With gratitude to God, joy in my heart and appreciation to my support system, on the 15th of December, I was proclaimed Dr. Efi OBAJAJA-EDO, having passed my viva. What was once a dream, has become my reality.
I didn’t do it, WE did it!
