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Against all Odds: My journey as a youth living in Nigeria

Experience the story of perseverance, from early school days in Northern Nigeria to overcoming career struggles and landing a dream internship abroad. Discover insights into education, work, and cultural resilience.By Confinity Reader · 2026-04-23 · 8-minute read

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Naomi Okorodudu Nov 3, 2024 I was born to my wonderful parents on November 26th in the early 2000s. My dad who’s an accountant, and my mom worked as a secretary at a telecommunications company. We lived in the Northern part of Nigeria, when it came to education, my parents wanted my siblings and me to receive the best education possible, so we attended one of the best schools, which was not very close to home, We had to wake up at 5:00 AM to beat the traffic, while my parents woke up even earlier to prepare for work, my mom never liked the idea of giving her kids money to get lunch at school so we took home made food to school. The typical Nigerian household, Mondays to Fridays are work days, Sundays were for religious activities, that’s just how the cycle continues.

My School Days

My very first day of school was memorable; I vividly remember crying and clinging to my dad as if I were being sent to jail (well, it felt like jail to me back then) every day at school, I would cry and ensure that my dad accompanied me to class. Most times, he would play tricks on me to leave and head to work. I also tried a few tricks on my parents to avoid going to school, but sadly, only one worked, and that was the happiest day of my life. Academically, I wouldn't say I was the smartest student, but at least I managed to pass—what can you expect from a kid who dreaded school? When I changed schools, it was a bit challenging for me. I was filled with anxiety, and guess what? I cried again, If you’ve schooled in Nigeria, you know how these things go. I still remember trying to hold back my tears when my class teacher looked at me and said, \"Should I bring a bucket for you? So you can cry more.\" Now, looking back, I find it quite a funny statement, and I will always respect Nigerian teachers for their unique ways of dealing with children. After that day, I stopped crying. With the help of that same teacher, I improved my handwriting, which was previously quite terrible. I also got involved in numerous spelling bee competitions, which greatly helped me, thanks to my English lesson teacher—my mom. Fast forward to Primary 5, the year when most Nigerian parents and schools want their kids to take the Common Entrance exam, I never really understood the reasoning behind it, but I participated anyway. After days of waiting for the results, it finally arrived, and I didn't see my name, Yes, you guessed it right: I failed—not because I didn't study, but because I just wasn't ready to enter secondary school, and I forgot everything I had read. In the end, I eventually passed with a really good score when I retook the exam in Primary 6. Throughout my years in school, from nursery to university, if I were to put myself on a scale based on performance, I will say a six, I was just moving wherever the wind took me, all I ever wanted was just to get it all over it.

Work Life

After finally completing my Primary and Secondary school and then University, I began job searching, I could remember when I was a kid, I used to think when you are done with University, there is a job waiting for you there, well that wasn’t the case it was the complete opposite. Looking for a job is one of the most annoying things on earth, it is like mining for gold especially for someone just finishing school, particularly in Nigeria, its far worse, its like fighting war with giants because you are in the room with people who have good grades, have work experience but still looking for an entry level role and the ones who are filling in space during interviews just for official purposes because they already know the job is already in the bag, it’s a whole circus show. Although, worked as an intern for one of my uncles during my third year, and I can’t really pinpoint my role but I did get some experience anyways, and I couldn't continue due to difficulties concentrating on my studies. I eventually secured a position thanks to a friend who referred me. I worked as a UI/UX designer for a few months and then started freelancing, designing flyers and posters. This work kept me going for a while, but eventually, I became tired and discouraged. In June 2024, I decided to take LinkedIn more seriously. Initially, I found it boring and didn't believe those who claimed they found jobs through the platform because I had tried many times without success. But this time, I was determined to make it work, so I turned on all job notifications, even for roles outside my expertise, I was ready to hop on any role just to gain experience, I had heard about how people secured roles outside Nigeria, but the chances seemed slim—especially for someone with limited experience. Then, something unbelievable happened one day in July. As usual, I refreshed my email to check for any updates, and although there were none, I stumbled upon a job opening posted just 10 minutes before. I quickly visited the page, and at that moment, my mind was racing. I sent a message to the CEO, a move some might call ‘delusional.’ To my surprise, I received a reply—not six months later, but that very day! I thought to myself, \"This must be a dream.\" I was interviewed, given a trial test, and was eventually offered the internship. To my care, I started working for a company outside Nigeria! For weeks, I couldn't wrap my head around it. In my mind, I was wondering, “Isn’t this a dream?” I didn’t even mind not being paid because, since I was 15, it had been my dream to work for a company outside Nigeria. The ‘delusional’ dream had come true!

My Journey So Far

Looking back, I can say that I have achieved several things, some small but significant, and I am grateful for how far I've come. As my dad always says, “Where you are going is far from where you are coming from.” I’m still trying to understand what that means, but my dad is my Nigerian Aristotle, so I decided to include his quote here. I am still really young, there are many goals I want to accomplish, I have a lot to learn, meet new people (maybe meet the CEO of Google someday, just kidding, actually no I am not) , but I believe the key to reaching great starts from the small things we do everyday, ultimately I’ll forever be grateful to my parents for the solid foundation they set for me to start my journey. Cherished forever © 2024 Confinity Inc. Investment Crowdfunding Resources Insights Get updates about new features, milestones, and product launches. Cultures

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Against all Odds: My journey as a youth living in Nigeria

By Confinity Reader · 2026-04-23 · 8-minute read

Quiet tools, not a toolbar.

My School Days

Work Life

My Journey So Far

More stories

My School Days

Work Life

My Journey So Far

More stories