AFRICA | After six years of rejection, a determined Nigerian Lady named Olatomide Ojajune has finally achieved her dream after she beat more than 9,000 applicants to win a place at the University of British Columbia, Canada, under the prestigious Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Olatomide’s journey started in 2014 when she enrolled at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, where she studied Agricultural Technology. In 2019, she graduated with a Second Class Upper degree.
But after graduation, she started her journey towards earning a master’s degree abroad but it was a tough journey. She applied for multiple scholarships, from Erasmus Mundus, Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, Schwarzman Scholars, and many others.
Over 30 applications in total. Every time, the result was the same: rejection. “Some rejections were polite. Some never replied at all. All of them hurt me so badly,” she recalled.
Still, Olatomide refused to give up. She joined scholarship groups, shared her essays for review, and received encouragement and corrections from past scholars. But with each rejection, the weight grew heavier. She confessed that at one point, she almost gave up entirely:
“I was tired of writing essays and tired of hearing ‘We regret to inform you.’ I almost told myself maybe this dream was not for me,” Olatomide said.
Her lowest point came in early 2024, after yet another rejection. She cried in the rain, unsure if her efforts would ever pay off. But later that year, she saw an opportunity she had never considered before, winning the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at UBC.
Olatomide said she almost did not apply, but something inside urged her to try one last time. “I just told God, if it is for me, let it happen,” she said. And this time, it worked out.
Out of more than 9,000 applicants across Africa, Olatomide was selected among the top 0.54% for the Master of Sustainable Forest Management program at the University of British Columbia.
“This program will push me beyond my capacity and give me the skills to make a real difference in sustainability across Africa,” she said with gratitude.
She stated that her story is more than a personal triumph, it is a powerful reminder of resilience, faith, and determination. Olatomide’s journey shows that rejections are not the end; sometimes, they are simply preparation for the “yes” that changes everything.
To anyone currently facing setbacks, Olamide leaves an encouraging message for them:
“If you are in your season of rejection, please do not stop. Sometimes the NOs are only preparing you for the YES that will change everything.”
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