Emmanuella Adaora Otu is a first-class law student from Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK). Beyond her academic achievements, she has held multiple leadership positions, volunteered with different organizations, interned with top-tier firms and agencies, authored several articles and engaged in various national and international competitions. She is also the CEO of Melanie cakes and pastries.
Hii! Let's get to know you.
I am Emmanuella Adaora Otu by birth and Melanie by style. I am from Afikpo, Ebonyi State.
Has it always been Law or you had gained clarity along the way? When was the Eureka moment?
I was a bright student in secondary school in my junior classes and as most bright students experience, I was under pressure to go for sciences. I almost did but something just told me my path was to study law and I also had the strong support of my parents on it. Coming into the university, I was sure I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn't have clarity on what kind of lawyer I wanted to be but I had this dogged conviction that I was made to be an academician.
What made you decide to be more than a classroom law student? Why do you think these extracurricular activities count?
To be honest, it's hardwired in me to always go the extra mile in whatever space I find myself in. I can't trace it back to any moment. It has just been in me since primary school, since ever. So when I came into law faculty, it just happened and I got involved in a couple of things. What I didn't know though was that I would do as much as I did. It just happened.
It's important to note however that not everyone is hardwired that way. We can't all be multitaskers. The earth needs balance and every one on earth is sent to fulfill a purpose. We are here for different reasons, find your purpose and stick stubbornly to it.
You've always positioned yourself right and strategically. How are you always at the right place at the right time? Does personal branding help? If so, how?
I just tried to join organizations and spaces with people who shared similar views, had similar goals and similar drive. Earlier in my university days, I was so keen at opportunities, I jumped at any I could find. Most southeastern school had limited access to information so I leveraged on different social media channels to find the right opportunities.
I didn't sit down one day to craft a personal brand. Personal brand comes from doing, you just do stuff and people start to view you in a certain way. Next thing, they start to bring opportunities to you because they believe you deserve it but you have to prove yourself to people first. No matter how much you know what you're capable of, no one cares until you show them. Also, we need to understand that life is a process and when you see people getting accolades, don't be envious of them. I spent five years working so hard to be here today. It took a lot. It's not easy.
You are certainly the Jack of all Trade, master of all. I liked that you are an all rounder. A bit of this and a bit that. And yet, none too little, none too big. How were you able to strike a balance? Did you ever get burn out?
I have answered this question partly earlier. I got exhausted from time to time. I cried sometimes especially because I constantly feared my over activeness will affect my grades. I was placing a bet on my future. I wanted to experiment and know if one can be involved in so much and still make a first class in law. I didn't have precedents from the faculty, some came close but none actually did as much as I did and still came out with a first class. Still, an experiment could fail or succeed and I was gambling. It was risky.
It was harder to keep going because there was no immediate gain or benefits per say at the time. I tried to slow down at some point, but I realized it made me sad. It's funny, not being overly engaged made me sad. I felt unproductive and useless. So then I realized, this is what I like to do, emphasis on like. I wasn't doing it because I wanted to gain anything. I was doing it because it made feel fulfilled and happy, so it was easier to keep going.
I wouldn't say I struck a perfect balance, some things suffered at different points. I had a scale of importance for different points in the semester, for example, at the beginning of the semester, it's usually, Academics, Extracurriculars, Business, Socials, Others. So you can imagine, the first two always had my attention mostly and the last three suffered at different points but I still strung them along well enough.
What was the biggest challenge you faced from your multidimensional life? How did you handle it?
Being consistent. It's not easy to be consistent for five years. I think that's the hardest thing about varsity. Distractions, problems, difficulties even family issues. Anything can make you lose track but somehow God just gave me strength.
I was severely sick during my final semester. I fell sick three times and one of them was really close to exams, few days to exams and our exams were shifted two weeks earlier. I was admitted in the hospital for days and I was still reading. When I was discharged and came to school, I had to start taking a lot of caffeine and energy drinks so I could keep up as I way behind because of the sickness. During exams, I would take energy drinks and sip it in the hall while I was writing. I almost fainted during company law, I felt my eyes closing but somehow God came through.
What will you change if you go back?
Everything about my academics went as planned. The only thing I would change is taking borrowed courses seriously. They were the only courses I read a night to exams sometimes and I had my worst grades from them. What I would really change is something personal which I can't share. No one's path is perfect but we keep moving. Keep it moving!
What is your advice to the younger ones?
No one knows you more than you do. You know what makes you happy, you know what you want to make of your life. Hold on to that dream and be stubborn about it.
Life favors the bold. Don't be scared to chart your own path even if you don't have enough precedents to learn from. If you believe strongly in yourself, go for whatever you want.
Don't underestimate mentorship. Always ask for advice, learn from their success stories and failures.
Finally, romanticize life, have fun, live!
How do we find you?
Emmanuella Adaora Otu on linkedin
Adaora Otu on Twitter.
Emnanuella Adaora Otu on Instagram
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