A NARRATIVE OF MY JOURNEY IN ASPIRE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM THROUGH TO STAGE 4

THE TESTIMONY OF THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS UP TO THIS STAGE IS NARRATED BELOW

I can remember how it all started when @Obiora Jennifer (Linkedin Username) posted the link to registering for the 2023 – cycle one of the Aspire Leadership Program in her group specifically created for opportunity sharing. At that point, my motivation was the part in which I read from their instructions on the registration page that they were affiliated with Harvard University.

I quickly jumped on the link that night, despite my tiredness and all the rigorous stages within the application form, including the lengthy essays that must be written before the form can be successfully submitted.

In spite of all these, I passed through this stage, and some weeks later, I got an email congratulating me on being successfully admitted into the program.

Some days later, another email came in with the instructions that I am in "stage 1" and that the task involved in this stage is that I am to take a test on four core areas like use of English, logical reasoning, mathematics, and leadership ethics, which will all be timed. This, which I did take up...

Passing this exam would mean being promoted to stage 2.

Some weeks later, I received another email from Aspire Institute with the body of the message reading thus: "Congratulations! You have been promoted into stage 2 based on your test result". However, the score of the test was not sent along, so I don't know it now.

Later, just a few days later, another email came in from the Aspire Institute. It bore the task to be accomplished in this new stage, which was reading the chapters of a leadership course and taking the assessment that follows it.

I didn't actually do so then because I was quite occupied with lots of activities, including similar training. So, there was no time to even study anything, let alone take the test that followed it.

More so, I was afraid of not doing well in the test as a result of not giving absolute focus to studying the course. So, I was searching for a day on which I was not occupied so that I could do so.

However, surprisingly and realistically, there's no "free day" whatsoever, as every single day I was very much occupied with one thing or another. In fact, I ended up forgetting about the test entirely.

Fast forward to two days before the deadline. I received an email from Aspire Institute, and I did wonder what the email could be about. When I opened the email to view its content, guess what?

Hmm! It was a reminder that I have to take my test and that the deadline is just two days from then.

Phew! This is indeed a great task ahead—a gripping one.

I then mustered a strong momentum full of determination to cross over to the next stage.

I had to personally create out of my very busy schedule a time at which I must take the lessons and answer the subsequent questions that follow them.

It even led me to do what drilled me a lot, which was to stay awake all through the night.

I read through all the first three grilling and dripping chapters and was so tired that even doing chapter four was a huge challenge for me.

Seeing that I can't take the lessons further, I decided to at least skim through the whole of chapter four without showing much emphasis on its contents, which I see as a general lesson or knowledge on which I can always attempt questions without reading all through.

Quickly, before dawn, I had to log in to the test portal and answer all questions, which were all very easy to me, to the extent that I can't even identify which question is from chapter 4 (the chapter I didn't read or study), as all questions appeared similar and looked good to me.

Just a day later, another email came from Aspire Institute, and within it was my score in the test for the lessons, which was 93. This same email contained a certificate, cumulative to this stage, which I downloaded immediately.

With my name boldly written on it and the logo of Aspire Institute on it, I was really overjoyed and satisfied at the effort I exerted.

Just some hours later, another came in with a congratulatory subject; the content showed that I was promoted to stage 3 and also included what is expected to be done in this stage (the task).

At this stage, I am required to attend seminars to be hosted by leaders and heads of global higher education institutes.

For one to qualify for stage 4, the stage I had presumed earlier on to be the very last, he or she has to attend at least one of those seminars.

Unfortunately, at this stage, I had already become disappointed, as I thought that I would be rewarded with financial support or an incentive to remain focused and add more efforts to move on to the next stage.

I became shockingly reluctant, to the extent that I forgot about this mail...

However, I was reminded about it again just a few days later, when it remained just 4 days until the end of the seminar series.

Also within it is another piece of good news: three new courses have been added to the seminar series.

A few minutes later, I opened the WhatsApp app on my phone and discovered the untold and oblivious secret about the Aspire Leadership Program.

Guess what?

It was the usual opportunity advertisement in a youth-led community about the ongoing registration for the Aspire Leadership Program, 2023—cycle two.

Right on the flyer of the advertisement is a list of all the benefits that potential participants in the program stand to gain.

Among them are the opportunity to receive a study grant or sponsorship, a business grant up to the tune of $5,000, and the opportunity to connect with a global network of alumni who share the same goals and objectives.

Being aware of this, my morale rose again, and I quickly rushed to the link to register for the seminars.

On clicking on the link, I discovered from the landing page that all the seminars had been filled except for two among the courses that were recently added.

Without hesitation, I quickly registered for them.

However, the timing for the seminar became my next challenge as it was fixed at the same time as my working hours.

Notwithstanding, I was already determined, as the zeal in me now was superfluous or of high momentum.

I made a firm decision to be in the seminar at any cost or sacrifice it may take from me.

Now, it's the day for the first seminar, and I had to sneak away from my office to a solitary place.

Unfortunately, I was frustrated by an unstable network connection to the extent that I was unable to join the seminar until almost the end of the seminar, and so, when I was able to join, the link for the seminar attendance had long been shared, plus I was having divided attention due to my urgent office assignments, which I needed to attend to...

So, outright, I never did fill out the attendance form for the first day.

This can't be so for the second seminar, as it is my only hope of qualifying for stage 4.

The next day came, and I was already prepared for it.

I had to sneak out of the office to an isolated location, get my phone well charged, test network stability to confirm it's okay, and confirm my Zoom app.

Immediately, from 5 minutes to 3 p.m. (the time of the webinar), I joined the seminar on "urban and regional planning".

I found out that I was not even the first participant doing the same, as I happened to be number 450 out of the maximum Zoom meeting capacity, which is 500.

As the lecture began properly, I was attentive to the lecturer's teachings, and in the middle of the class, I started asking salient questions, which were attended to by both the speaker and Aspire Institute's virtual assistants, who responded to questions in microseconds as though they were bots.

On getting to the end of the class, though enjoying the lessons thus far, I was uneasy as I was aware that this is the last class and an opportunity to crossover to the next stage of the program.

So, I was very concerned about the attendance. When I was about to ask for the link to sign the attendance, a co-participant did so before me, and as usual, the Aspire Institute's virtual assistants promptly responded to the question by sending the link for the attendance via the Q&A pane.

Now, here comes the grave mistake that would have marred my chances of getting into stage 4

On scrolling through the Q&A pane of the app, I saw a message from Aspire Institute's virtual assistants that contained links to the attendance form.

There were two: the first and the second. Out of impatience, I had to click on the second, which bore the "domain name" of "attendance”, not minding to look up the included instructions on how to go about the links.

On clicking the link, I was redirected to the landing page, where I answered some survey questions.

The issue then was when I got to the field where I was to fill in my bio data.

When I clicked on the field box, it wasn't responding or opening.

I became weary as the time allotted for the form's filling was about to elapse.

I tried and tried all I could, including changing from a mobile device to a laptop, yet the same issue remains.

I started mustering in my mind what I would do next to save myself from the impending doom of facing elimination.

Immediately! A sharp thought came to me, reminding me of the reports and complaints email that was attached with the usual email address from which I do receive email updates from Aspire Institute

I click on the email address and made a new email with subject "complaint”

In the contents, I wrote an emotional letter stating clearly the issues I encountered and backing them up with evidence (screenshots).

Two days later, an email came from them regarding my complaint. They acknowledged my being part of or attending the seminar.

Wow! You can't imagine how happy and jubilant my heart was at that moment, as I am aware that I have overcome the crossroads.

I am relaxed now and relieved. I then crossed my arms and awaited the results or outcome of their evaluations and possible shortlisting by the end of April 2023 (30th), as stated by them.

Phew! The 30th came, and no email came...

Why? What happened?

I don't really know; these and other questions are some thoughts that came to mind. I went on to cross my fingers while waiting for the surprises.

Not knowing that it's on the way.

At exactly 8 p.m. on May 5, 2023, the email came, but I got the notification in the morning of Saturday, May 6, 2023, when I switched on my phone's data connection.

When I checked the notification, I saw a bold inscription of "Congratulations" in the subject line of the mail, and immediately I knew that it was good news.

However, just to be sure and to douse any atoms of doubt, I clicked on it and opened the email.

Guess What?

It's very true now. I made it into stage 4, and in that moment, my joy knew no bounds. Only heaven can explain how jubilant I was over this good news.

Therein too, in this email, are some little tasks to be performed to be shortlisted for stage 5, which is the final stage.

God did it; may his name be praised and glorified forever. Amen!

ADMONITION

This program has taught me a lot of things, which I would love for you to imbibe today. Some of these lessons are:

1. Never give up until it is over. Be always determined to finish strong in any pursuit and stand by it through consistent and prompt effort

2. The more farther a race get to, is the closer it is to the finish line and to the reward

3. The ideal beauty of a container is not a measure of its outward appearance but of it's content

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