Many of us are keen to secure admissions to foreign educational institutions for the prospect of a better future. However, most of us lack the resources to do so. This young Nigerian boy, fought against all odds to fulfill his dream of studying in a good university abroad by working hard day and night.
The story begins when Olusuyi, a young Nigerian teen, completed his higher secondary education. Like most of his peers, he appeared for exams that would help him secure a seat in institutions for higher studies. All of it seemed pretty simple. But life often takes a drastic turn when it seems to go smoothly.
Unfavorable turn of events and an unshaken motive
Initially, in 2006, there was a three-day nationwide warning strike. The next year, this strike got amplified into a three-month-long suspension of all civilian activities across the nation. This dramatic turn of events forced a young Olusuyi and his parents to rethink the entire plan they had put in place for his higher education. They thought about applying to private institutions in the country itself but their standards were pretty low compared to foreign institutions.
Plus, three of his cousins were already pursuing their education at various universities outside Nigeria. This motivated him and his family to look for a suitable option abroad. Once they had set their minds to send Olusuyi to a foreign university, the next step was to dive deep into research in order to find out the most viable country and institution based on their desires and resources.
From Nigeria to Canada!
Hailing from a country where the academic process was often disturbed due to political turbulence, the family wanted to choose a country that was much more politically stable and the academic calendar remains undisturbed for the most part. After hours of research, they concluded that Canada would be the most reasonable choice for them because it is immigrant-friendly, and hosts a series of renowned institutions and most importantly, the cost of living was not very high. (Even Telegraph admitted to it!) As for the harsh weather during some periods, Olusuyi felt that it will be a small sacrifice in return for the excellent academic environment he will be in.
All that rush for Visa
They engaged in serious discussions with their acquaintances who had undergone the process earlier to determine what kind of visa would be the best for him and what is the best way to apply for it and secure approval. They finally decided that they would apply for a student visa. Next, Olusuyi and her parents started looking for an agency that was well-established and reputed in order to have a trustworthy guide through the entire process. They chose a consultant who was Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) so that they receive the best of the available services.
The struggle for funds
There were a number of great schools in Canada but Olusuyi didn’t have the budget for all of them. Thus, the most logical choice was to apply to institutions where he could easily get access to a scholarship. He chose to send an application to more than one institution in order to increase his chances of getting selected. The agency took care of the entire admission process, all he had to do was to fill up the essential forms and submit his various test results and school transcripts.
It was difficult to cover the costs of studying abroad with his family’s available financial resources, thus, he aimed to get a scholarship that would cover his entire tuition fees. This is where his hard work during the IELTS examinations paid off. His high grades, along with the agency’s push, resulted in receiving the exact scholarship he wished for.
Olusuyi did not even have a passport at that time. He went down to get a passport along with his parents. The entire process intimidated him as there were hundreds of other people waiting in long queues to get their passports. After he received his passport, his family set about arranging for the various other documents that would be required for sending in the visa application.
All the efforts finally paid off!
Once all the documents had been collected, and the visa application was duly filled, his application was sent to be approved by the Canadian embassy in Lagos. The family had spent a lot in order to secure a student visa in Canada for Olusuyi. Not only that, but they had also developed high expectations of their son receiving a high-quality education. Thus, the period between submitting the visa application and getting called for an interview was a pretty tense one for all of them. It was a joyous coincidence when on his seventeenth birthday, Olusuyi received the call to come for an interview at the Canadian embassy in Lagos.
The D-day is here
Olusuyi was very excited and nervous for the interview. In fact, he couldn’t sleep the whole night prior to it. He had been well informed about how he should conduct himself while sitting for the interview by the agency. He groomed himself and set for the embassy. After acing the interview, Olusuyi’s happiness knew no bounds when he heard the VO utter the words that his visa has been granted. All of their efforts had finally paid off! He would now be able to have access to the education he always wanted to receive.
Presently, Olusuyi has completed his higher education and is a blogger and writer based in Toronto. He has now become a Canadian citizen.