Who is Joseph Onuoha?

There are a number of people I’d like you to think of. I’m trying to draw a comparison, but I’m not crazy to think I’m in their class. At least, not yet.

Think of Harrison Ford

And Vera Wang

And Oprah Winfrey

Ford was a carpenter at 30. According to him, “I wanted to be an actor, but I basically had no preparation whatsoever. I didn’t even know what the names of the major motion picture studios were. About a year and half later, I was under contract.”

Vera Wang did not design her first dress until she was 40. Fashion was, in fact, not at the top of her dream list. Her father wanted her to be a lawyer. Speaking with the China Morning Post’s Post Magazine, Wang highlighted that she wanted to be an Olympic skater. In her words, “I was completely dedicated to it.”

She did not make the team, but she decided she had to find something else she had enough passion for. Fashion became that.

And Oprah? Oprah, at 23, was sacked from her media job at Baltimore’s WJZ-TV. She was apparently “not fit for television”.

Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer. I had watched most law series and admired the fictional characters Denny Crane and Alan Shaw, played by William Shatner and James Spader.

Along the way, I developed a passion for writing. I think I was influenced by my father. He didn’t say, “Joseph, you must become a writer”. He did not have to. There was just something about how he locked himself inside his room, and from outside, you’d hear the sound of his fingers as they clashed against the keys of his typewriter.

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

I studied mass communication at the university. I studied at two Universities — first, at Covenant University and Godfrey Okoye University.

At Covenant, I was exposed to many of my guiding ideologies. These new ideologies can be found in my life, my career, and my relationships with people. Here, I was also exposed to a number of leadership roles, serving as an editorial board member of Stream Newspaper and Stream Magazine. I was also among the select group of students to be part of the Global Partnership Programs between Covenant University, Universidad de Monterrey, UDEM, and East Carolina University.

Sadly, I had to transfer out of Covenant University. I moved to Godfrey Okoye University for my final year.

At Godfrey Okoye, my exposure to leadership roles was even more highlighted. I stayed only one year at the university; however, I was elected the Student Association President of the Department of Mass Communication. I also served as the Chief Press Officer for the department media team, interviewing four world leaders from three countries.

CAREER EXPERIENCE

Content Developer Lead, Axifour Search, Slough, UK

Transport and Organizing Secretary, Nigeria Christian Corper’s Fellowship, Rivers State

My life has not been as straightforward as I imagined when I was barely 10. I did not become a lawyer, as I thought. I did not become the doctor my mum wished for. But I thank God for the direction He has led me in.

There were times I failed, and there were times I could have given up, but I am happy to be alive for one reason: to make today count more than yesterday did and to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.