HOW I OVERCAME: Oluwakemi: From Kitchen Apron To Academic Gown

When Mrs Lawal came to the parents of Oluwakemi to seek their consent to take their daughter to Lagos to serve as her housemaid, the only conclusion the 11-year-old girl arrived at was that her early life would be enslaved. But that never happened; instead, it was the beginning of a life-journey she would later celebrate

Mrs Lawal was a banker and desperately needed a maid to care for her two children so she could concentrate on her job.

Oluwakemi’s world revolved around chores, errands and survival. Going to school was out of it. Yet, destiny quietly rewrote her story within the walls of that household.

Soft-spoken and diligent, Kemi, as she was fondly called, carried out her duties with uncommon dedication. Her mistress soon noticed remarkable things in her — the girl’s curiosity to learn and the timely delivery of any assignment.

Even though she did not know how to read and write, Kemi was interested in the education of Mrs Lawal’s children. She would gather them around the dining table, peering at their textbooks and shouting: “Do your homework now or else I will report you to mummy.”

Moreover, the children were delighted with her and spoke well of her to their mother.

One day, Mrs Lawal found Kemi tracing diagrams with silent fascination and the children teaching her the alphabets.

This excited her mistress, who, instead of dismissing her interest, chose compassion over convenience.

The couple enrolled Kemi in a nearby public school at the age of 13 in Primary 3. At 15, in Primary 5, she sat the common entrance exam to a popular college in Lagos and passed.

At first, the school rejected her because of her age, but at the last minute and after hearing Mrs Lawal’s story, Kemi was offered placement.

Combining chores and classes was not easy for her. She woke before dawn to carry out her chores, then studied late into the night. There were moments of exhaustion, but she never surrendered. Her “madam” became her mentor, guiding her homework, encouraging discipline, and nurturing her confidence, while her husband supported her financially.

Years passed, and the timid housemaid evolved into a determined student with a growing passion for science and mathematics. Her brilliance began to shine through outstanding academic results. She completed her secondary school at the age of 21. She proceeded to the university.

Late last year, tears of joy as Kitan, clad in a blue academic gown, was announced as a graduate of Computer Science — a feat once unimaginable for a girl who began life scrubbing floors.

Her final word: “I am short of words to appreciate the Lawals. I will never forget the day they came into my life.”