Starting over in a new school is never easy.
Especially when you already feel different from everyone else.
My first day at ERCC Secondary School felt strange.
New faces.
New teachers.
New rules.
But there was also something else.
A fresh start.
Unlike my previous school, ERCC had many very intelligent teachers who took their work seriously.
The academic environment was strong.
And slowly, I began to adapt.
Despite everything I had gone through, I was still determined to do well in school.
I studied hard.
Not because I was the smartest student.
But because I was determined.
There is a difference between intelligence and determination.
Some people are naturally brilliant.
Others succeed because they refuse to give up.
I belonged to the second group.
It was in ERCC that I met two friends who would shape my school experience.
The first was Victo.
Victo was extremely intelligent.
The type of student who understood difficult topics almost instantly.
But he was not arrogant about it.
Instead, he enjoyed discussing ideas.
We would talk about science.
About mathematics.
Sometimes even about professional wrestling.
Those conversations made school more interesting.
Then there was Emmanuel.
Emmanuel was disciplined and focused.
He later became the Head Boy of the school.
Even though the school only had junior classes, that position meant a lot.
Being friends with both Victo and Emmanuel pushed me to improve.
Competition is a powerful motivator.
When you surround yourself with intelligent people, you either grow… or you fall behind.
I chose to grow.
By the time it was time to write the Junior WAEC examination, I was ready.
In fact, I registered for the exam myself.
When the results came out…
I passed.
That moment gave me a quiet confidence.
For the first time, I began to believe something important about myself.
Maybe I wasn't the smartest student.
But if I worked hard enough…
I could compete with anyone.
But secondary school life was about to become much more complicated.
Because my father had another plan for my education.
A plan that would take me to a different school.
A school where he was the Vice Principal.
And that decision would lead me into some of the hardest years of my life.