School is not Entirely a A Scam - Nelson Vincent Ayomitunde
If You Are Not Careful, School Might End Up Becoming A Scam: Exclusive Interview With Nelson Vincent Ayomitunde
Can we meet you?
When people ask if they can meet me, I usually get to think about so many things, actually we are still in the whole process, so I basically describe myself as a digital marketer who is interested in God, law and the media. I studied Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University and currently engage in digital branding, growth and strategy for companies and organisations. I lead operations at Kolo Nigeria, a Financial Literacy Blog and I'm also privileged to be the director of the New Man Movement, a gospel media organisation, I am Nelson Vincent Ayomitunde.
Why law? Who inspired you to study law?
I would not say I was inspired to study law by anyone. I grew up with my father, a lawyer and my mum, a teacher. So, I actually knew the value of education. Growing up, my elder sister also studied law. I chose to go to Arts in secondary school because I used to draw and paint very well. I also love poetry, I write stories and all of this formed my decision to go to into Arts. I wanted to study journalism and media but as at SS2 to SS3, I had a conversation with my Dad where I told him I wanted to study journalism. He told me how I can actually study law and practice journalism by the side, he talked me out of journalism and media into law and the next thing I remember was filling Law for my UTME form. I chose OAU, the first year and I was 2 marks away from the cut off mark, the second-year I scored above the cut-off and I got admission that year and that's how I got into studying law. Largely, I'm still very much inclined to media more than I am to Law, what made me study Law was probably the push my dad gave to make me change from journalism into Law.
What's your take on Formal Education? Is it necessary?
Formal education is important today because it gives you a form of relevance. School is not entirely a scam as they usually say to invalidate formal education. School is not a scam, but if you are not careful, it could become a scam. I advise that, formal education should be taken properly but at the same time, we should not neglect getting education in every other part outside formal education, take on skills, projects and everything else you can do after formal education. You can definitely put a balance between those two, that point of balance is what people miss out today we have it that skills are taking over so many things but the truth is skills will always be skills. While web developers, cryptocurrency enthusiast, etc keep increasing, we will also need lawyers, doctors, accountants and other professionals. You cannot cancel one from the other. I usually give this illustration : For example, those who do menial jobs, they have their own importance. If you decide to study business marketing or administration and decide to go into selling agricultural produce with specifics on selling pepper, you can properly include branding because of your formal education. The local woman selling paper does not know these things, formal education can add a unique touch to whatever you do! There are carpenters and there are professional carpenters, the only difference is the type of value they add
You've the mantra of God, Law and Media. Can you please shed more light on this?
Saying God, Law and Media on my Social media pages generally brings me into the consciousness of things I have to do. My typical day is very busy, I have a list of other things but I've been able to confidently and properly put them into three. God is always a factor in everything I do, God is always constant, Law is not always constant but it keeps me in check in that what I studied in school is Law, Media looks more constant than law in most cases . I'm trying to find a point where I can properly blend my personal brand to the things I do. God is always at the forefront and I do that through The New Man movement , media gospel organisation, I do Media through NELOC media, a digital marketing agency which I founded while I was in the 3rd year in the University. I have an online law firm, many people reach out to me daily on issues around God, law and media. I'm still trying to build my authority on media and law
Your giant strides in the world of media is something worthy of note. What's a lawyer doing with digital marketing? How did you get here?
While the work at NELOC Media and everything I do looks like giant strides, I actually feel there is much more. A lawyer in the digital space is a necessity because the world is evolving. If you decide to stay in the primitive age of your profession, every other person will surpass you, if you do not want to be left out you simply have to go digital. My journey into media wasn't a mistake, I started from basic arts: writing poems and all of that, the major thing that made me go online was my poems on Facebook. I also started selling art works which made massive sales in church, but I decided to move on. A friend of mine who had a blog on Blogger then explained things to me although I had a previous blog on another site, from there I advanced. My journey into Media was self learnt, I would not advise anybody to take that path because self-learning consume so much time, because of trial by error due to large resources on the internet, you can fall along the line if you're not careful, how I got here is basically by trial and error and by continuous efforts.
What do you regret not doing or knowing early in life?
I knew God at a very early age, thanks to my Mum. However, there's a knowledge of God that can shut down any form of darkness totally. My journey into mainstream media, most especially the New Man movement came after a season of struggles with addiction. I battled with masturbation and pornography at a young age. I was exposed to the digital world which badly affected me. Many people didn't know that I was battling with addiction, including my family. Deep within me, I felt so much guilt and condemnation until I got saved. If there is one thing I regret not knowing earlier: it was to fully trust in God in overcoming addiction, because if I did, I will not be where I am now. One thing that addiction does is that it takes you back to where you were before so you have to start again. That's what I had to face. If there is one thing I would love to change if I go back is to properly take charge of my addictions and make sure that they do not rule of over me. All thanks be to God for total victory
Can you share with us some of your challenging moments? How did you overcome it?
My challenging moments were my down times with God. The devil is crafty, and every time you fall, he makes you feel condemned so you struggle again and again. For example let's assume you went to church on Sunday, you were energized at church but that same evening you open Instagram, Facebook and then something triggers you and all of a sudden you fall back. Gradually, you begin to fall into depression and get overwhelmed, the devil taunts you with so many things. While I battled addiction, these down times affected me so bad that I could not attend church on come Sundays. I claimed I was not feeling too well, because I was really soaked with guilt. It was a very challenging season and at some point, I actually wanted to commit suicide. I knew I was depressed and if I continued that way anything could have happened to me.
The day I overcame it was that I went with my sister FUTA to write her Post UTME. I sat down waiting for her, tired and thinking about so many things. A young man came to me and started talking to me, he told me to keep looking in his eyes, told me how I was depressed and how I was trying to live, how I had masturbated and watched pornography the previous day, he even mentioned my mum's name and lots more. When I looked at his face, I saw fire coming out of his eyes there was so much conviction and that was what ended it all. That day, I properly re-dedicated my life, and that was an end to that form of depression.
My mum is a praying woman, her prayers had effects on my life, because of those prayers I enjoyed words of knowledge, prophetic words, words of wisdom, but you know there's a kind of encounter that you have with God that redefines everything for you. That was exactly what happened
After that, I've actually gone through some other seasons that almost caught me in the form of depression: issues of life, very worse things than what happened but I scaled through them with the confidence that 'God is with me' ,that is how it is today
Will you fully practice as a lawyer? Or you'll go fully into Media?
Well, my law studies will not be a waste. I may not go to court to shout "My Lord! My Lord'. I'm not throwing away media or law. There are many ways to practice, you just have to know yourself, find a merging point and fit in.
What do you do to have fun?
While I work a lot, I still have fun. I rest well and sleep for about 6 hours everyday especially in the morning, so people do think that I don't have work to do. I resume work by 9am. I go out with friends once in a long while. I watch movies too. It keeps my brain light before I get back to work. I'm really somewhere between being introverted and extroverted. I don't watch football or play games.
Are you willing to stay in Nigeria and practice? Or you want to elope for greener pastures?
I believe that green pastures can be anywhere and we can always make Nigeria better. I have intentions to contest if God wills. I'm from Ondo state so anything can pop up from that. Nigeria deserves a lot better than what our past leaders have given us. They've tried in their own capacities, some of them have not even tried at all. If we all decide to leave this country, it will remain as it is. Either way you play your cards, understand your choices and be careful with your decisions.
As someone rooted in God, Law and Media.What's your take on the circumstances regarding the popular singer's death, Osinachi. What do you've to say on the arguments on the media?
There are so many sides to this, but first, God does not support divorce. However, wisdom is profitable. Also, separation does not mean divorce. You can leave the house to stay safe and you are only trying to tell the man to amend his ways before you co-habitate with him. However the media is trying to push a narrative saying "once anybody beats you, divorce him".
Of all relationships, the only one God gives you the permission to choose, is marriage. You don't have the permission to choose your father or mother or brother. God can show you visions but there is common sense to identify red flags. While we walk by faith there is also a need for sight. Read your Bible, hold what is true and understand what God wants.
Kindly share your views as regards this interview, I would love to read them all. Join the conversation by dropping them all in the comments section
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