I’m sharing my story hoping that it inspires someone out there. My name is Emmanuel Onyema. I was born and raised in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. I completed my secondary school (Sacred Heart Seminary, Port Harcourt) education at the age of 15. Like most kids, I had a dream to someday become a medical doctor. I knew my family couldn’t afford the cost, but I was convinced I would find a way. So, I set out to write the JAMB exam in 2002. For my first JAMB, I applied to UNN, and Medicine was my first choice. I recall being very confident after the exam that I had crushed it. When the result was released, I checked mine online and it read “Results Withheld.” I cried inconsolably all night. “How could this be?” I asked myself. Little did I know that this was the beginning of my struggles with JAMB.

For the next 5 years (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007), my JAMB results all read “Results Withheld.” During these years, I started giving up hope on schooling. I had to take a job at a Fast Food joint when I got tired of begging people for help to go to a private university. Most of my friends had graduated and found good jobs. I recall vividly one of my friends telling me sometime in 2006 that I was no longer on his “level” because he had just graduated from UNN. Rather than let his words hurt me, I was determined to prove him wrong. By 2008, I gave up on JAMB, and I decide to try UME (Poly JAMB as it was called.) I opted to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at IMT Enugu. This time my result was released. Yes! I scored really high (I can’t remember what the score was). I went for the aptitude and the result was even better. I had the overall highest score for all applicants to the school! My name was written boldly as number 1. Wow! I couldn’t believe it. Meanwhile, in 2007, I also started applying for admission and scholarships to a school (Politecnico Di Torino “POLITO”) in Italy. Did I have the money to study abroad? For where na. All I had was hope.

The first time I applied to POLITO, I wasn’t admitted but I didn’t give up. I applied again in 2009. By this time, I decided it was better to start school at IMT rather than wait for the Italian school to admit me because I don dey old o. During my first year/first semester exams at IMT, I checked my email one evening and POLITO had written me. I was admitted! Chai! See joy that day. But then came the toughest of decisions I had to make. I had to begin processing my visa. I no get money for visa agent wahala. I had saved some money from the years that I work at the fast-food place so at least I had something to begin the process. The decision I had to make was either to abandon my exams at IMT and hope that things work out with POLITO (and if it didn't, na plenty carry overs be that oh) or stay at IMT which I fought so hard to gain admission into. Needless to say, I took the first decision because I had hope and I didn’t regret it. After 9 months of back and forth with the Italian consulates (both in Abuja and Lagos), I was finally given my Schengen visa. With the help of some good friends, I was able to buy my flight ticket. I left Nigeria on 20th September 2009 with 500 Euros spending money which also included the first installment for my school fees. This was the beginning of great things for me, but there were hurdles.

After two months in Torino, I was broke. I had to survive on 50 Euros until December 2009. There was this scholarship (called EDISU) I applied to while in Torino that required you to be above average by the end of the first semester. If selected, I would get 2500 Euros per year and free hostel accommodation. Also, as long as I maintained the required grades, I was guaranteed to be on this scholarship throughout my university education. Now, 2500 Euros sounds like a lot of money, but it is not when you live abroad. Plus (you know na) once you live abroad, your family go think say you don hammer. So, it becomes your responsibility to take care of them. Well, as God will have it and through hard work and determination, I persevered. I graduated with 4.0 summa cum laude with B.eng in Electronics and Computer Engineering in 2012 (yes, a bachelor degree can be done in 3 years.) Because of my grades, I qualified for a scholarship to study a double Master’s degree, one year at POLITO and the last year in Chicago, USA. Eh! Chicago? See levels ooo. In 2014, I graduated from POLITO with a degree in Embedded Systems Electronics and from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. I was offered a Ph.D. scholarship but I told myself say "I no go take book kill myself." Being 28 years at the time, I decided to put the Ph.D. on hold and go work instead.


Today, I work for big semiconductor conductor company in Austin, Texas, that manufactures electronic chips for smartphones, tablets, cars, passports, you name it. When I look back, I can clearly see the hand of God and the power of hope, hard work, and perseverance. I have decided to give back to my community by preparing kids for tomorrow. I started a primary school in Port Harcourt where kids receive quality education at subsidized rates. I also have been remotely teaching kids in Port Harcourt how to write computer programs, hoping to prepare them for the challenges ahead. I recently wrote a book that will teach kids and all beginners how to program. 100% of the royalties from this book will go to the Code IT project (a project I started) to teach African kids and teenagers how to write computer programs. My aim is to expose Nigerian (and African) kids to the knowledge their counterparts in Europe and the US enjoy. There is still so much for me to learn, but I will continue to share the little I know.

Here's the link to my book’s website: www.codeitjs.com
Check me out on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-onyema-a480847a/

Never give up!

This is inspiring, I'm moved and touched by this story. After all the hurdles and delays, you preserved and more determined to achieve what you aimed for yourself...
I wish most youths will key into such zeal.
Happy for you Bro!

Wow

This is beautiful..
cc: Lalasticlala

Impressive! I have mentioned you in my company's blog.

Op your persistence is something to admire. I am really glad you came back home to inspire others. When there is life there is hope.

thank u JESUS

Lemeechi:
Impressive! I have mentioned you in my company's blog.

Thanks! From your posts, I noticed you are a programmer. Hope we can link up and someday partner on the Code IT Project.

Onyeskicigar:


Thanks! From your posts, I noticed you are a programmer. Hope we can link up and someday partner on the Code IT Project.

Definitely! Would be glad to lend a helping hand in whatever way possible. I started learning JavaScript on my own way back in the early 2000s.

Onyeskicigar:


Thanks! From your posts, I noticed you are a programmer. Hope we can link up and someday partner on the Code IT Project.

I'm inspired by your story!!! Kudos bro

Lemeechi:

Definitely! Would be glad to lend a helping hand in whatever way possible. I started learning JavaScript on my own way back in the early 2000s.

wow nice one..

Onyeskicigar:


Thanks! From your posts, I noticed you are a programmer. Hope we can link up and someday partner on the Code IT Project.

Am also learning programming with my java phone,though always feel terrible and at times i feel like giving up but still persist to continue learning. Even with this my java phone i was able to learn html,css,javascript and php. Now i want to enlarge my scope to android development and it is only possible with a laptop. That is just my limiting factor.