A former motorcycle taxi rider, who is the first in his family to pursue formal education, reflects on his journey from sponsoring himself through a polytechnic to earning a PhD degree.
This remarkable individual, Friday Alobu, hails from Amagu village in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi state. His story is one of resilience and determination, marked by a steadfast pursuit of education despite challenging circumstances.
Coming from a humble background, Friday recognized early on that his destiny lay beyond the confines of his circumstances. Despite starting out as an okada rider in 2001 to make ends meet, he harbored aspirations for academic advancement to uplift his social status.
Born into poverty, Friday faced significant obstacles in accessing education beyond secondary school due to financial constraints associated with higher institutions. However, undeterred by adversity, he sought out alternative employment opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty perpetuated by motorcycle riding.
In 2001, an opportunity to join the Nigerian Police Force presented itself, and Friday seized it eagerly, seeing it as a stepping stone towards his academic ambitions.
In an interview with LEGIT.NG, Dr. Friday Alobu shed light on his arduous journey:
“I am from Ohatekwe Amagu in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi state. I actually came from a poor background where I was the only person to have attended university to the level of PhD.
“My father and mother didn’t attend even primary school, let alone secondary school. I was born with siblings of seven, but none of them attended university, and some dropped out from secondary school. After my secondary school, there was nobody to train me; hence I had no option but to join okada riding in my village.
“Later, in the month of June 2001, I joined the Nigeria Police Force with the rank of constable. After receiving six months of training at police college Orji River, Enugu state, I was posted to Rivers state command, where I took it as a challenge and got enrolled into university considering my family background,” he stated.