22/08/2024
MAYBE NOW, MAYBE LATER, YOU HAVE A DATE WITH DESTINY AND HISTORY
Two years ago, I applied for a TESCOM job and scored 46 in the CBT exam. It was painful because I knew I had put in my best effort, yet my score fell below the cut-off mark of 50.
Three months later, I took another computer-based test for the position of Education Officer. This time, I scored 25, just two points shy of the cut-off mark of 27. The disappointment was overwhelming, and I started to consider leaving politics altogether. I needed a job to support my family, especially since all the time and energy I had invested in political campaigns had yielded no tangible results—except for a few photographs with prominent figures during and after election campaigns. People mistakenly believed I was making millions, seeing me in those circles, and I received numerous requests for financial help, adding to my frustration.
Amidst my struggles with these exam results, I considered pursuing a Master's degree at the University of Ibadan. Having studied Guidance and Counseling/Political Science there, I had developed an interest in Language and Communication Arts at the master's level. My passion for this field stemmed from my extensive experience in new media. I found joy in creating content and helping others rebrand and promote their personalities online. My online presence connected me with many in the media industry, and I became one of the most talked-about social media influencers in Oyo State. The testimonies, requests, and invitations I received confirmed that I had carved out a space for myself in the digital world , Facebook to be precise.
This passion led me to apply for the Master's program in Language and Communication Arts. However, despite scoring 68/100 in the CBT English proficiency exam, I was denied admission due to not having Literature in my O-level results, a required subject for the course. The following year, I decided to pursue Peace and Conflict Studies instead and scored 69% in the CBT exam.
Reflecting on my earlier failures in the TESCOM and Education Officer exams, I started to believe that office work might not be my calling. I focused on my side hustles and managed a small shop to support my family. Then, one morning, I received a life-changing call from Barrister Nurudeen Temilolu Seun Ashamu, who had just been appointed to lead the Oyo State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. He asked me to submit the certificates I had kept for years and offered me a job in an energy Company that required special skills, which I later acquired through training.
Perhaps I was never destined to work in a classroom. Maybe God had a different plan for me, a plan that required me to go through all those challenges before reaching my current position.
To everyone who scored below average in the recent TESCOM and SUBEB exams, know that it doesn't mean you're not brilliant. God might have a better plan for you, and I believe it will come to pass.
Believe me, brothers and sisters, you too have a date with destiny, and you shall be celebrated.
