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My Stage Fright Story
How I Went from Losing School Debates to Mastering International Conference Stages
Not everyone is born with the confidence to step onto a stage and address tens, hundreds, or thousands of people for the first time without feeling nervous. Honestly, I doubt there’s anyone who hasn’t experienced stage fright at least once when speaking to a large audience on a grand stage. I certainly wasn’t an exception. My first time was particularly tough, and frankly, it was a heartbreaking moment for me back in 1991.
I had just arrived in Lagos with my late aunt, who was practically like a mother to me, in 1990. I was only ten years old, full of life and brimming with hope. It felt like the beginning of a new era in my life. Having stayed with several relatives in my early years, and my consistent movement from one place to another had impacted my education. I couldn’t really settle long enough in one location to attend school regularly. But finally, I was in Lagos to continue my education, and my excitement was unimaginable.
I gained admission into secondary school at the age of eleven, the oldest in my class — year seven. My grasp of English was…
