If ever you dare to dream a life for yourself that right now seems unrealistic, I dare you to think again and DREAM AGAIN.
It took me almost a month to put pen to paper for this piece of 30 days 30 voices; not because I lack what to write but simply because I have a lot to say from my sojourn so far on planet earth. What is it about my life that will inspire someone? I thought within myself, and then I remembered my foray into dream land.
Growing up I loved to dream. I dreamt about the most unimaginable things. I had dreamt one day I would become the president of the world, I have dreamt I would marry the most beautiful woman in the world; I have dreamt I would become the richest man in the world. Dreams stretches my thinking, it gives me hope of things unseen. Today, I have found myself living some of my dreams I had years back. Now I know some dreams will never come to pass but I am still dreaming and will still dream again and again.
The most striking feature of my dreams was that I wanted to be relevant; I wanted to affect the world in my own little way.
In retrospect when I was younger, I was always the guy no one wanted to associate with; I was quite insecure and didn’t have much interest in putting myself out there and I also got into trouble a lot. I had been suspended from school for fighting and fomenting trouble. I also struggled with anger for a long time. I got angry even with seemingly little things; I just wanted to be left alone. I thought no one loved me. At a point I attempted running away from home because I thought my parents didn’t like me enough.
But as I began to think about the way I wanted my life to be, I began to realize why my life was the way it was in the first place. I had attracted it. My constant complaining of not being good enough, not getting enough attention, not being noticed made me the way I was and so I gradually changed my way of thinking. It was at this point I made a commitment to never again put off happiness but to live a life of incredible moments and memories. I began to dream. I began to make vision boards with pictures that represented my dream life. I pasted them everywhere, wrote them on every piece of paper I saw so that I could see them everyday. I love those dreaming moments. Each time I saw them, I visualized a semblance of perfection.
I wanted to be many things. I wanted to be a pilot and fly round the world, at a point I wanted to be a Doctor, My dream one day metamorphosed into becoming a teacher. On getting to secondary school I wanted to become an Engineer. Of my many and myriad passions and obsessions, one thing however, remained my focus; I wanted to be rich, very rich. This business of dreaming can get confusing, but I have kept dreaming. I opted for the sciences and went ahead to study Engineering after I dreamt I would work in the oil and gas industry.
In my second year in the university, I had yet another dream. This time I knew there is more to life than just studying a good course, graduate well, get a government job, marry, raise kids and then retire and die. I longed for something more satisfying. Dreams and books definitely will not provide this. Then I came to the ultimate conclusion, the Supreme Being. I knew God had a plan for everyone and only this can bring ultimate fulfillment. So I decided to search for His plan with whatsoever it would cost me.
In the quest to be fulfilled, I decided to take to my childhood strength -writing. So I began to dream again. I would write many things down, transform them into essays and then send them to publishing houses. Soon enough I started finding fulfillment in them. I would interview my colleagues on issues around their welfare in school, put up a report on it, and would send them for publishing. I was just doing this to bring some succor to my boring life.
Then I started entering for writing and journalism competitions and I was winning. I started getting bylines in international magazines, started getting little awards. I attracted a few enemies who thought they could write better but because I was the one winning. I didn’t get angry at them. I only laughed because they didn’t understand that I have found grace in my calling.
And then I started getting phone calls “Dayo we saw your article in the newspaper”,“that piece you wrote really changed my mindset”. Many times I got into trouble with the school authority because I would write about the plight of students in school, wrote about basic amenities that were not provided and how students were being molested by lecturers. This got me a lot of enemies and some friends. But still I found fulfillment in what I was doing. I gradually became the students’ mouth piece in the media. I remember my dad called me many times to warn me to stop writing and face my studies. Many times I attempted quitting, but the passion kept drawing me, I just couldn’t stop. I knew there is something about me and media that is greater than myself. So I decided to chase it for whatever it would cost me.
Fast forward I can say I have found fulfillment in what I am doing. One thing I have learnt in my little life is “fulfillment only lies when you follow the plan of the Supreme Being”.
My little experience in journalism has taught me a lot and has exposed me to a lot of things. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the best in the field. Nothing compares to your dreams. I am proud to say, I am living my dreams.
As a media personality, little things matter more or can be better, perhaps I will find out soon. But I am very happy being right where I am as I am living my dream. I have not even achieved much yet. I am still creating a path for my story. My enthusiasm and courage grows more each other day. If ever you dare to dream a life for yourself that right now seems unrealistic, I dare you to think again and DREAM AGAIN.
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30 Days 30 Voices series is an opportunity for young Nigerians to share their stories and experiences with other young Nigerians, within our borders and beyond, to inspire and motivate them.
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.