A young Nigerian man named Ademola Adeleke who dropped out of high school because he lost his vision has defied odds to win a scholarship that enabled him to earn a master’s degree at Liverpool Hope University in the United States.

Ademola was awarded the prestigious Common Wealth Scholarship to study for his master’s degree in the United Kingdom. He bagged his master’s degree in Disabilities Studies at Liverpool Hope University.

Narrating his story on Linkedin, he stated that his achievement was a big win for him as he had dropped out of school before. He stated that he dropped out of high school for four years because he had lost his sight.

Ademola bagged his bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication at the University of Nsukka, Nigeria before he moved to the United Kingdom. He said winning the Commonwealth Scholarship was a dream come true for him as he had applied for a couple of fully funded scholarships and was rejected.

Upon getting to the United Kingdom, Ademola said he faced some challenges. He said he struggled with understanding the unique accent of Liverpool and would have to strain his four remaining senses as a blind man just to understand the contributions of his classmates.

Ademola said he is excited to bag the degree after months of interactive class sessions, PowerPoint presentations, reflective essays, group discussions, and critical writing. He mentioned that his dissertation focused on the misrepresentation of blindness in Nollywood films.

While at the university, Ademola also completed a 7-week summer internship. He said even though it was a short-term placement, he garnered more than enough experience that he is thankful for.

Ademola stated that though the academic journey was overwhelming, it also left him with a feeling of fulfillment at the end of it all.