From Pepper Seller To Engr: Nigerian Lady Breaks Record At Canadian University


A former Nigerian pepper hawker who goes by the name Adey Orla took to her Facebook timeline to share her success story.

The young lady who is the last child out of five revealed how she worked hard to become the first black PhD holder in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan.

Here’s what she wrote:

As the 5th child of 5, I always had to wait for my turn.
I was the last, a girl child and raised by a mother who is farmer and a father who has little, I hawked pepper on the streets of Ibadan as early as age 10 to help my mum.
Went to public primary and secondary school in Ibadan. Attended OOU and studied Physics. Because I had a 2.1, it opened the door for me to proceed to Finland for a Masters Degree in Biomedical Engineering.
During this masters degree, I worked part-time as a cleaner and did this after my Masters as well. Out of determination, I applied to over 100 schools for my PhD and finally got a full 3 year scholarship (later extended to 4 years scholarship) at University of Saskatchewan, Canada to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. While in that PhD program, I worked part-time as a makeup artist, teaching assistant, braided hair and fix weaves to make extra money.

Today I walked the stage as the first black person to bag a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from University of Saskatchewan, Canada!!! I walked this stage for you Mama Africa and for my Motherland Nigeria!!! I walked the stage for all of you black women disrespected and looked down on!!!! I walked for all of you from my ghetto hood “Mokola”, Ibadan.

I walked for all OSU students and ex-students that got that look from people who think we are not brilliant!! I walked for all of you Africans in Finland wondering what is next for you!!

Specially, I walked for you my parents. siblings and extended family in fulfillment of your dreams! Specially, I walked the stage for you my late sister Omoleye Olubamiji and my late mentor Ayodele Olatunbosun.

Today I walked for my future husband and my unborn children who patiently waited for me to fulfill my dreams so that he can have a wife he will be proud of and they can have a role model to look up to.

I walked for all immigrants and all young adults who strived everyday chasing their dreams!!! I walked in celebration of the unfailing love of my first and one truly true love Jesus Christ (in you I walk in you I live and in you I have had and will continue to have my being)!!!

Be bold, be innovative, be different, be you, be everything you want to be but remember to put God first!!! Let no man, upbringing, money, circumstance, colorism, past mistakes, institution, company, partner, background, let nothing tell you you can’t do it. Go smart! Go hard!! Go for Gold!!! Go with God!!! Just Get Going!!!!! #Grad2017 #PhDConvocation #UofS


Here are photos from her convocation:


http://www.emmanuelbabatunde.com/2017/11/from-pepper-seller-to-engineer-nigerian.html

Congrats.

She try

wow congratulations

My gf left a note on the fridge: this is not working, im going to my mom's house. I opened the fridge's door, the light came on,the juice was cold. What the hell did she mean?

good to see...

but everything you listed up there are the same things almost everybody that is schooling abroad does from day to day, year to year,
you even had an extended scholarship so what's the fuss?

some have to struggle, work and pay their fees out of pocket and still come out tops!!

My kind of woman, if this one talk say she be feminist I go mellow down. No be all those empty heads with nothing to offer.

SO INSPIRING.

I'm touched by your story


If a pepper seller can make
it to this level

Then a tomato seller like me surely have a chance to surpass her achievement


After all tomato big pass pepper

judgedredd22:
good to see...

but everything you listed up there are the same things almost everybody that is schooling abroad does from day to day, year to year,
you even had an extended scholarship so what's the fuss?

some have to struggle, work and pay their fees out of pocket and still come out tops!!

LOL @ your meme!!

Nesso:
My kind of woman, if this one talk say she be feminist I go mellow down. No be all those empty heads with nothing to offer.

Lol,na so.

She is a wonderful lady. I have known her since her secondary school days.. She was a Senior girl then.. We attended the same University
(Olabisi Onabanjo University)as well.. Keep on shinning Dear..

judgedredd22:
good to see...

but everything you listed up there are the same things almost everybody that is schooling abroad does from day to day, year to year,
you even had an extended scholarship so what's the fuss?

some have to struggle, work and pay their fees out of pocket and still come out tops!!

I taya o.

recycled news!

May God almighty lift you higher and higher. We should celebrate people like this and not criminals who are gifted honorary degrees and can't even spell their name.

Still resemble pepper seller small.
Congrats sha

Congrats beautiful sis,we're proud of u!

Congratulobia madam.

Congrate

Saskatchewan, difficult to spell, hard to draw. The land of the living skies. Congrats girl

And so

How many times e go reach front page

OboOlora:

I taya o.

abi o!

errmm... if that is you in that profile pic..
i think i wanna earn a PhD studying every detail of those curves!!

won't even need a scholarship ...will put in work ..like a horse!!

how did she get money for masters abroad

Correct!

Thanks for repping OOU!