The founder of Defining True Leadership (DTL), Godwin Egba is one of the most inspiring young persons you would ever meet. In this interview, he shares his change creation story with Teens Going for Gold Network. His passion for promoting rural literacy has made him part of a global community of teenage change leaders.
Tell us about Godwin Egba?
My name is Godwin Ovat Egba, I am from Obubra Local government area, cross River State, Nigeria. I am the last child of four children. I am currently in my 4th year in the University of Calabar, studying food Science and Technology. I love swimming and good music. I run an organization called Defining True Leadership (DTL), The core idea of my work at Defining True Leadership (DTL) is to equip and engage young people with tools to be academically successful, gain accelerated learning, and create solutions to problems in their communities. The mission is to promote literacy among teenagers throughout the continent of Africa, opening their eyes to the importance of education.
I didn’t have the money to buy books but there was a passion and willingness to make a change. That is what counts.
What motivated you to start DTL? What is your story?
During my last year in secondary school few years ago, I moved from a standard school in the city of Calabar to a sub standard school in the village, because of the financial challenges faced at the time. When I left Calabar to attend school in Ofat, Nigeria, I was shocked at the poor conditions and lack of educational resources in Ofat. There were no study libraries or proper places for students to study. This left me wondering, as the school had been in existence for eight (8)years. The students were neither motivated nor supported to perform well, and most were involved with gangs and drugs. My exposure to the environment started affecting my study efficiency. The poor educational environment and particularly lack of a fully equipped library in the school facility, posed a major challenge for me at that time and this, in turn affected my final year results. However, when I graduated, I left for the city, changed my behavior and moved on to a better path. Inspired to encourage others to do the same, i said to myself “ I may not have the money to buy books and study materials, but, I have books that I will not be using going forward, as I have outgrown that level in education. My friends, someone out there may also have books to give up.” I started an online publicity and used various strategies to get study materials. In three months (3), we got a total of one thousand six hundred books (1,600) and went back to the secondary school in Ofat village, to set up the very first library. That inspired the creation of “Defining True Leadership (DTL).
Most of the teenagers that have been featured on this column have made us realize that finance is not necessarily an obstacle to the attainment of your dreams. Was finance a challenge for you? If yes, how did you overcome it?
Like I have mentioned, “ I didn’t have the money to buy books” but there was a passion and willingness to make a change. That is what counts. Yes! Finance is always the challenge but for me, I never allowed it to stop me. So what I do is, if I have a project to carry out and I don’t have the cash I need at that moment, I will play my role by going ahead to make the blueprint of the project after which I look for people that will support my idea financially. It’s better to get the plan handy than to spend your time waiting for the money that may not come.
What would you consider as the most daunting challenge that you have had to face since you started DTL (
Those moments when I thought I was wasting my time meeting the known and the unknown people, asking for textbooks. It can be so discouraging when you get a NO, you know, especially when you have high expectations for it. But I don’t give up.
You won the Future Africa Leader Award worth $10,000 for the work you do at DTL. What does that award represent to you? Did it change anything? Hope I got the award figure right.
Yes you got it right. It’s the Future Africa Leader Awards (FALA) by the Chris Oyakhilome’s Foundation. First off, I will like to publicly say a very big “Thank You” to my father and life coach, Rev. Dr. Chris Oyakhilome (PhD) for the rare opportunity to be a recipient of the FALA award. Thank you for believing in me. To me, the Award represents hard work and consistency, it represents continuity and expansion of my work. It has changed my way of reasoning and planning, it has given me a global platform and I won’t take this for granted.
I know the work that DTL does is in the area of rural education but what do you really hope to achieve with your organization? In other words, what do you want your organization to be known for?
As an organization, we hope to achieve the fulfillment of knowing that Children and Teenagers, even in the most remote areas in Africa, have access to quality educational materials and that they also have opportunity-generating ideas for themselves and others.
What would you consider your greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement is seeing the smile on the faces of the beneficiaries of our work in DTL. It’s just so fulfilling. Also one of my greatest achievement is to be selected as one (1) out of ten (10) Africans from 54 countries in Africa to be the recipient of the FUTURE AFRICA LEADERS AWARDS in 2018. It only shows that hard work pays.
The theme for this edition of the bulletin is Creating Change. Drawing upon your experience, can you share a change creating ‘formula’ with teenagers who would like to create positive changes in their communities?
One of the things I will like to say to young people who want to create a positive change in their communities is this: success has a pattern. Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little – That is all. Also cultivate the habit of learning from people no matter how young or old they are and never underestimate your contribution towards your work in your community. That’s my formula!
If there is a decision you wish you had taken earlier what would it be? (
Well, I thank God I met him at a very early age and having a close fellowship with him very early and also having the best and positive friends on earth so I don’t think I should have wished for anything else.
How do you juggle your academics, and the work you do in your non-profit? Do you have a super formula you can share? : )
What I do is when it’s time for school, I pay maximum attention to schoolwork and less time in my NGO and when it’s break or holidays, I leave schoolwork aside and face my NGO, full time. So I plan with the school calendar and it has worked for me!
What are your plans for the DTL in the next five years?
My plan for the next five years is to reach 10 African countries with our vision; to promote literacy among teenagers across the continent of Africa, enlightening them on the importance of education. We are also planning to get our work running perfectly in these countries. We have already started in some countries. In the next years, we hope to raise leaders and not followers. Those who will carry out the work perfectly even with in my absence. Just as my mentor, pastor Chris has always said “Success is impacting the world with the investment of your personality, these are my plans.”
