Wonders shall never end. Or else, how can one describe the news that Osasere Okundaye, a 16-year-old girl is today a full fledged Chartered Accountant? She’s also a national record holder as the youngest ICAN graduate in Nigeria.
She was recently congratulated effusively at a public reception organised by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, in Abuja. Young Okundaye successfully passed at first attempt, the famed rigorous accounting exams failed severally by university graduates and experienced adults.
This was a far departure from the hackneyed stories about life in Nigeria.
In the week of negative news about flooding, deaths, political upheavals and akara tales, it is surely refreshing to read about the exploits of this young girl who has chosen to embrace excellence and academic laurels.
She did this incredibly at an age people like her are still groping with developmental challenges. Some are neck deep in antisocial activities such as Yahoo, cult, drugs, betting and alcoholism.
So, we’re curious to know what her parents did differently to steer her towards this path. We learned that they provided her with unfettered access to quality education and allowed her to make the choice of study. Some parents are known to influence the careers of their children. Some like to interfere in the vocation of their children expecting them to follow in their paths.
We learned that some parents have implored their children to study Law or Medicine while they are naturally gifted to play sports or music.
I always joke that if the Williams sisters were born to Nigerian parents, they won’t have been superstar tennis players that they are today.
They would have read Law or Mass Communication or something else in Unilag or Ife! They would have ended up not fulfilling their real destinies.
Technology and advancement in artificial intelligence have opened up new opportunities for young people to excel. It is said that some courses and professions will be rendered obsolete in the next few decades.
This is calling on parents and guardians to give free rein to their children and wards to express their natural gifts and talents. This means encouraging all gifts including academic, artistic, sporting, fashion, etc from the latent stages.
You never know if that little girl of yours could be the rock star talent of your family. We certainly don’t want her wasting away at the wrong career due to ignorance or lack of oversight.
We congratulate the latest and youngest ICAN graduate and wish her greater strides in the future.
What about you, my friend, what other careers did you miss out on because of the conservatism of your parents?
Please join this conversation with your comments and feedback on this and other topics. Send your comments to mooborscounsellingroom@gmail.com.
By Mubo Okosun
Women’s Editor
