Ola’s dream finally comes true
NIGERIAN WOMAN OVERCOMES ODDS TO GRADUATE FROM SUNDERLAND UNIVERSITY
A Nigerian mum has fulfilled her lifelong ambition to graduate in Sunderland.
As the youngest of nine children in a Nigerian family, Ola Tony-Obot was expected from an early age to learn a trade braiding hair and forget her education.
But, refusing to give up on herambitions,Olasetherself on a path that would finally see her standing on the stage at the Stadium of Light this month, picking up a firstclass degree in Health and Social Care, awarded by the University of Sunderland.
It may have taken Ola until the age of 42 to finally succeed, but she says the struggle has been worth it and she hopes other girls back home in Nigeria will view her as a role model.
Ola said: “I should have given up a long time ago when my father died when I was aged three and I was told by my family to forget education and learn a trade. Only I could see a different path in life for me and I refused, but was considered a rebel by everyone.
“Now, hopefully they can all see this is what I have been longing for. It’s not because I’m stubborn, I just saw more for myself.
“Getting a first-class degree is heaven to me and I would say to women back home ‘never give up’.”
Ola’s journey began with her love of writing when she secretly applied to study a diploma with The Nigerian Institute of Journalism and managed to persuade her oldersisterstopaythe£50fee.
Ola clinched a job covering sports journalism with the Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation.
It was during her time with the station that she met her husband, Tony, also a journalist, and the couple had two daughters, Dikan, 13, and Akem, 11.