The power of the human will is so strong that God confounded people’s language at the Tower of Babel because He saw that no one could restrain people from doing whatever they desired. Whether saved or unsaved by the blood of Jesus, the human heart has the power of pursuit. When we are pursuing something, God creates a biological mechanism that enables us to outperform our normal abilities. This provision of God has been explored by men to attain great feats in various fields in life.
Today, I want to share a story about a sister and friend who overcame many challenges to earn her doctoral degree in mathematics education. I hope her journey inspires someone to persevere in reaching their goals. I first met Mrs. Kumuyi in a postgraduate class at the University of Ibadan in 2008. The name Kumuyi caught my attention, and she mentioned that her husband is a clergyman in the Anglican Communion and is not related to Pastor W.F. Kumuyi of the Deeper Life Church. I also learned that he is a trained medical doctor.
Odd number one- MPhil Grade
She completed her master’s degree with an MPhil grade, which meant she could not immediately pursue a doctoral degree. In most Nigerian universities, a master’s degree has about four classes of degree: PhD grade, MPhil/Ph.D, MPhil, and Terminal. Anyone with an MPhil grade like her will have to complete a three-year Master of Philosophy degree before embarking on a minimum three-year doctoral degree. Her result was not due to her lack of dedication, commitment, or academic ability but rather the challenges that women often face in balancing their responsibilities. At the time, she was a classroom teacher in the Ondo Teaching Service Commission, caring for her family in Owo, supporting her husband’s ministry, and, most significantly, going through pregnancy and taking care of babies. Additionally, she had to travel between Ibadan and Owo, spending Mondays and Tuesdays in Ibadan and returning to Owo on Wednesdays. Even the most brilliant researcher would struggle under these demanding circumstances.
She was not discouraged by her grade and continued to pursue her dream of obtaining a doctorate. She completed her three-year Master of Philosophy in record time and then began her doctoral degree in Mathematics Education.
Odd number two- O-Level Physics
The admission requirements for the doctoral program now include having a credit pass in O-level Physics, which was not previously required. This change was made to align the requirements with those of the undergraduate program. Despite not having initially passed O-level Physics, she successfully retook the exam as a private candidate and passed with flying colours.
Odd number three- Presenting the Unit Seminar Twice
After successfully passing her O-level Physics, she encountered another challenge during her doctoral seminar examination. She had to present twice because she did not satisfy the examiners during her first presentation. This was very painful for her, and she even wept bitterly. It’s worth mentioning that she was also balancing family responsibilities with those of ministry, as she was commuting from Owo, Ondo State. Sometimes, she would arrive home around 2 am after leaving Ibadan in the evening because of the poor condition of the road, even though the journey should have taken less than three hours. During one of her journeys, she even lost her mobile phone.
Victory at Last
Finally, on Tuesday, 3rd September 2024, she defended her doctoral thesis and achieved the dream she had been pursuing since 2008. Aside from her resilience, her story is incomplete without acknowledging the support of her spouse. Reverend Dr. Kumuyi loves Dr. Mrs. Kumuyi as Christ loved the church and was always by her side during every key moment of her journey. She is also fortunate to be supervised by a God-fearing and loving supervisor in the person of Prof. M.K. Akinsola
I am encouraging you to face whatever odds are on your way as we speak. Ask God for strength to move on and be determined to push on UNTIL YOU ATTAIN YOUR DREAMS USING GODLY MEANS.
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