How Odedina Emmanuel is building the lives of children through KCT in Ogun Community

In Ogun State, a quiet education revolution is underway, led by a passionate educator with a heart for change. Meet Odedina Emmanuel, a dedicated teacher turned mentor, who has embarked on a mission to transform the lives of young minds through his initiative, Kingdom Creative Thinkers. From humble beginnings as an unpaid teacher in a private school, Emmanuel’s journey has taken him on a path of inspiration, empowerment, and hope. In this exclusive interview with Folaranmi Ajayi, he shares his remarkable story. Excerpts

Tell us about yourself and your family background

My name is Odedina Emmanuel, a lover of God and passionate about making an impact on young minds. I hail from Ogun state, Abeokuta North, I was born in Lagos, and I went to community junior/senior high school in Tafawa Balewa Crescent Lagos. I proceeded to the best legacy college of education ogbomoso, Oyo State. I am the president of Kingdom Creative Thinkers, a platform set aside to build a positive mindset, Mentor and bring out the hidden potential in young minds.

I am from a family of five, three children I am the firstborn and two other siblings

Can you share your journey from being a teacher in Ifo to founding Kingdom Creative Thinkers?

As a person, I had an interest in influencing local communities because I believe great minds are from there despite having fewer resources. Being inspired to the land ifo with a low offer, I chose to give it a try since it has been my passion to help those at the grassroots level, teaching in ifo since 2020 I have chosen to teach in different schools mostly to observe the students, though I had the vision of KCT before then, well I saw the need after going to some schools and seeing how helpless they are so we had to start in 2022 and since then many have been helped till now to discover a lot

What inspired you to start mentoring and building public speaking skills among students?

Coming to a community like this and with the schools have taught, I saw many young minds who could speak among their peers but could not load the assembly or speak when a teacher asked them questions they found it odd, I also discovered many young minds with talents who withhold themselves because of their environment or the norms in the land, many who do not believe in themselves or see a good model or mentor around, with all this I saw that there is need for someone to give up his dream to help other dreams so I choose this as a burden to myself, I love when the student are not forced to read rather they do it with joy and the right focus at heart. Mentorship is lacking among young minds and they need it instead of blaming them for the wrong step most of them are now taking because of a lack of care

How do you navigate the challenges of being an unpaid teacher in a private school in Ifo?

It hasn’t been easy, collecting stipends as a teacher with a lot of responsibility. One thing that keeps me going is I keep in mind the students which is my core passion and I see their future, that’s what is driving me to do more despite less support. I find joy in doing this

What strategies do you employ to instil value in education among your students and the community?

1) I tell them to look beyond the community even at large and make the picture the whole world since the community has fewer examples
2) Download pictures and videos of various fields and tell them to study hard
3) keep counselling them on their various fields
4) brings some personalities to them who are good models to encourage them to read more and be focused

How do you believe your NCE qualification has influenced your teaching methods and approach?

During my days in NCE we were taught a lot, it has helped me become so friendly with the students that it’s easy to get their hearts to learn, These students are not robots and also no one is above learning so I do place myself in their shoes and proffer solutions whenever it looks hard to understand learning has a language

Can you describe a particularly rewarding experience you’ve had while mentoring students at Kingdom Creative Thinkers?

I can’t say, but from the students, I have seen many parts gotten, well some of them do give the little they could to show appreciation

What are the primary goals and objectives of Kingdom Creative Thinkers?

The goal is to build a positive mindset amongst young minds, discover young people’s talent, and make young leaders. The objective is to reach out to as many young minds as possible, mostly the grassroots, to Mentor them and also make them believe in a better tomorrow.

How do you engage students who may initially lack interest or confidence in public speaking?

1) I make them see beyond themselves
2) break them out of their shell by giving them a better definition of who they are
3) I tell them how many people are relying on those words they want to say, only if they could speak up

What support or resources do you think could improve the education system in Ifo, particularly for teachers in private schools?

1) light: if there’s any way light can be provided in ifo, that will go a long way not only for the teachers
2) teaching materials: materials like a laptop, a good phone, access to good teaching materials like textbooks and teaching aid
3) food and clothing; a teacher collecting a low salary could hardly buy good clothes or iron his clothes when going to work, also a teacher that has not eaten at school and would be used in school throughout the day how do you expect the teacher to perform?

This is a reason the teachers do extort from students to survive sometimes.

4) programs; if external bodies could come in to bring different expository programs to encourage teachers, it would go a long way to inspire the teachers

How do you balance your commitments between teaching, mentoring, and other responsibilities?

It’s a big work though, having teaching through the week, KCT holds on Saturdays, I just have to create time because it’s important to mentor, survive and do some other things, so I don’t allow any to affect each other, so I reject some offers that would disturb my schedules

What advice do you have for aspiring educators or mentors who want to make a difference in their communities?

I’ll say, that the leaders of tomorrow are these young ones, it is important to see it this way and know that it requires patience. so keep in mind that it will take you to believe, see ahead and keep pushing despite any challenges that you would face training these young minds. If it’s your passion make sure you promise not to go out of the line because it will require your time for a long while I’ll say training a young mind is a long game

What impact do you hope to have on the students you mentor and the education system in Ifo in the long term?

I hope to see great leaders in different fields, great writers, lawyers, speakers, and live changers, people who are ready to change the world. In the education system, I hope to see students who do not just go to school, but rather have a great vision and goals ahead and are ready to pursue it till the end.