"A Sé Sé" - When Disabilities Don't Kill Abilities
- Andrea Zsapka
- Jun 29
- 4 min read
Story 16/365/2025
Have you ever felt like your qualifications meant nothing in the face of systemic barriers? What happens when society tells you that your hard-earned achievements aren't "enough" for the life you envision? This week, we gather Around the Fire to explore Osuji's remarkable journey of transforming perceived "disabilities" into unstoppable abilities.
For Osuji Uche Olamilekan, a determined Nigerian professional now holding offers from major international financial institutions, success wasn't handed to him on a silver platter. While he graduated with distinction and served his country with pride, he faced a harsh reality—his Higher National Diploma wasn't considered "enough" in a system that favored bachelor's degrees and age limits that seemed designed to exclude rather than include.
It wasn't until he decided that his perceived disabilities would never kill his abilities that everything began to change. His journey would prove that sometimes the very barriers meant to stop us become the foundation for our greatest breakthroughs.
The question that haunted him wasn't whether he was qualified—it was whether a system built on artificial limitations could contain someone truly determined to succeed.
The Educational Crossroads
"I felt I had wasted several years of my life only to get a certificate that is not usable."
After graduating from Imo State Polytechnic with distinction in Public Administration, Osuji thought his path to success was clear. He had chosen this institution specifically to connect with his Igbo heritage while building his professional foundation. But Nigeria's complex educational hierarchy revealed a painful truth: despite five years of rigorous education and mandatory national service, his HND wasn't opening the doors he expected.
The dichotomy in Nigeria's labor market became glaringly apparent. To get a good job, you needed to be educated. To be seen as educated, you needed the "right" kind of certificate. And increasingly, that meant a Bachelor's degree, preferably obtained before age 25.
Osuji found himself caught in a cruel paradox—overqualified for some positions, underqualified for others, and aging out of opportunities with each passing day. The system seemed designed to keep him exactly where he was.
The Survival Strategy
Despite earning only $25 monthly as an Assistant Human Resource Officer at Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Osuji recognized that experience was as valuable as credentials. When he transitioned to Nigeria's banking sector, accepting support staff roles that barely allowed weekly survival, he wasn't just working—he was strategically positioning himself.
"I was committed to gaining valuable experience. I knew I needed to get exposed to the system that will challenge me and help me develop as a man, and as a professional." Through three different banking positions, each presenting new challenges and limited growth opportunities, Osuji developed something invaluable: a deep understanding of how systems work and how persistence pays off over time.
He learned that sometimes the most important education happens not in classrooms, but in the trenches of real-world experience. Every rejection, every underpaid position, every moment of doubt was building the exact resilience he would need for his breakthrough.
The Strategic Decision
Rather than accept his circumstances as permanent, Osuji made a decision that would define his trajectory: he would earn his Bachelor's degree while continuing to work. This wasn't just about getting another certificate—it was about proving to himself and the world that circumstances don't determine destiny.
Enrolling in Business Administration at Southwestern University while managing full-time work demands required extraordinary discipline. He was already past the traditional "age of employment" that many Nigerian financial institutions used as a filter, but Osuji had learned something powerful: true success isn't bound by arbitrary timelines.
The decision demanded sacrifice, long nights, and unwavering commitment to a vision that seemed impossible to everyone except him. But Osuji understood that the very challenges making his journey difficult were also making him unbreakable.
The Breakthrough Wisdom
When Osuji graduated with his Business Administration degree in October, he carried more than academic credentials—he carried proof of concept. His Yoruba phrase "A sé sé" had become more than words; it was a lived philosophy.
"I learned, unlearned and in all, it is agreeable to say that my disabilities and my inabilities to achieve some expected success prepared me for the expected success. When it's my time, there was nothing stopping me." The rejection emails that followed didn't discourage him—they refined him.
Each "no" was building toward an inevitable "yes" that would come not just because of his qualifications, but because of the character those struggles had forged. A sé sé wasn't just hope—it was certainty born from persistence.
What Might Your Professional "Disabilities" Reveal?
Looking at your own career journey, what perceived disadvantages might actually be developing the exact skills you'll need for your breakthrough? How might your current struggles be preparing you for a level of success that requires precisely the resilience you're building right now?
"Don't judge your future by your present and past experiences. Your professional success is determined by your personal success, you must first succeed as a person before succeeding as a professional." Sometimes what appears to be a disability is actually an ability in disguise, waiting for the right moment to reveal its true power.
The barriers in your path aren't there to stop you—they're there to prepare you for a level of success that demands exactly the strength you're developing by overcoming them.
Join Us to Begin Your Strategic Persistence Journey
Join us at our next "Around the Fire" Monday sessions with Osuji Uche Olamilekan, and other authors.
As Osuji reminds us: "A sé sé ooo"—in spite of every trouble and setback, every goal is achievable.]
The Global Empowerment Hub's "Around the Fire" 365 Stories campaign runs from May to October 2025, collecting and implementing wisdom across four key pillars:
STRONG CORE (personal development)
PROFESSION (business & wealth)
RESOURCEFULNESS (innovation)
COMPASSION (social impact)
Join our community of Authors and share your own story of transformation at:
Follow Osuji Uche Olamilekan on LinkedIn
Meet weekly and Move forward by implementing the takeaways of each personal stories together: Join the GEH Tribe:
See you around the Fire
Andrea
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