The night was unusually quiet in the small neighborhood where Tolu grew up. Life had never been easy. His father left when he was twelve, and his mother struggled to keep the family together. Tolu, the only one in his family who dreamed of university, knew the cost would be on him.
He told his mother and brother that university admission was free. In truth, he had to work six months after secondary school just to save enough money for the fees. His mother provided only food, believing it was all he needed.
Tolu smiled through exhaustion, quietly determined to pay his way and reach his dreams. Every day brought new challenges, but he refused to give up.
That night, as he lay in bed, he whispered a mantra to himself:
"Keep moving forward, no matter what."
It was his shield against humiliation, his spark of hope in a world that often felt too heavy to carry. And deep down, he knew—this was only the beginning of his journey.