A Prophet Said I Wouldn't Make it Academically: A Prof Says after Winning Big Abroad & Breaking Records
- The young man graduated with a 2.2 from the university and started applying for his masters abroad
- After many rejections, he proceeded to Cyprus for his masters where he finished as the best graduating student
- Obi has encouraged others to see failure as an opportunity to go higher and should not discourage them from achieving success
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Despite the negative prophecy given to him by a prophet when he was just eight years, Ifeanyi Obi has done many great things in life as he continues to make Nigeria proud in Cyprus where he's a professor of construction technology.
Obi has become an inspiration to many people aspiring to greatness as his life story is one that is embedded with many lessons.
A negative prophecy
When he was just eight years, a prophet told Obi that he would never make it academically and advised him to shift his focus to trading instead.
Source: UGC
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Speaking with YEN.com.gh's Tunde Ososanya, Obi said he couldn't afford to give in to the negative word and he was determined to upturn it by achieving success academically.
In his words:
"A prophet told me that I would never make it academically and I should rather shift my focus to trading. I couldn’t afford to give in to the negative word and nullify the purpose of my academics by making mockery the Word spoken over my life by God."
Success didn't come on a platter of gold
The young professor said success didn't come on a platter of gold for him as there were many hurdles on his way to achieving it.
After finishing with 2.2 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the young got many rejections after applying for his masters abroad.
Obi wasn't going to give up and he proceeded to Cyprus with great determination to further his education. He finished his masters as the best graduating student and was the valedictorian.
The young man said he felt great after achieving such feat as he was able to upturn the negative prophecy over his life.
He then came to the realisation that people are the architects of their own lives and they determine to an extent how any spoken word or the word of God will turn out.
Obi said:
"I was convinced without any doubt that in anything you set your mind to do; it is important and valuable to search and hear for yourself what God is saying or what He has said concerning the matter so as not to shortchange oneself in the process.
"The feeling was priceless because you can never replace the results that are seen which come from God. This was clear proof and confirmation of my determination that never for one bit was I forsaken."
His motivation
The young man said his motivation was driven by his vision and determination to make it in life. According to Obi, he had his mind set to accomplish his vision and commit to seeing it come to fruition by walking in the purpose God had for him.
In his words:
"I only had to mirror and become, knowing that success is the fulfillment of God given assignment and not just the ability to show achievements or accomplishments but also a principle of who I was mostly becoming and growing into as a person and as a means of not giving a voice to a negative spoken word."
Life at the University of Nigeria
Obi said he had a fairly good experience as an undergraduate even though the environment and the teaching approaches were difficult.
In his words:
"It was onerous, and in the classrooms, you had to be more conscious of proving why lecturers shouldn’t fail you because there were surely committed to fail you."
According to him, it was students' responsibility to prove to lecturers beyond reasonable doubt why they deserve a particular grade.
The prophet of doom
Obi said the prophet is now deceased but he strongly believes that he was aware that his negative prophecy didn't come to pass in his life.
In his words:
"I strongly believe the prophet heard about all these undeniable results that have not only lasted for a short time but have remained and I’m privileged to have been used as a referral point till this present day."
Advice to those on the verge of giving up
He said whatever God has pronounced in people's lives is the ultimate and will stand the test of time than what humans declare.
Obi advised people to stay committed to their purpose in life and allow God to perform wonders.
According to him, failure is an opportunity to go higher and it shouldn't discourage people from achieving success.
In his words:
"You have the capacity to change your life story and transform your life. Only you have the power and grace has been given to you, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
"Be determined and focused and pay the price to avoid unnecessary pressure to reach your destination, but when you fail along the way, know that this is an opportunity for you to go higher, improve and tighten the loose ends."
Nigerian man bags 6 PhD scholarships abroad
In other news, a Nigerian man identified as Onyeka S. Chukwudozie has taken to social media to celebrate his achievements after bagging six PhD scholarships abroad.
Taking to his LinkedIn page, Onyeka who graduated with a first class from the University of Lagos said he has started his PhD in biological sciences (virology) at the University of California, San Diego.
The scholarships didn't come on a platter of gold for the young man who disclosed that there were countless rejections over the years.
Source: YEN.com.gh
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