By: Liana Carriker
When Ugo Oyefia was about 12 years old, he moved back to America from Nigeria and was put into a middle school in St. Joseph, Missouri. It didn’t take very long for him to say to himself, “Wait a minute, these classes are simple.”
So he started taking advanced classes online. Two years later – at age 14 – he graduated from high school.
Teachers were sometimes annoyed with him, Oyefia said, “because I was quite a little bit ahead of the class,” said Oyefia. “But the logistics of busing me from a middle school campus to a high school campus as a 12-year-old would have been too much.”
Now, all of 16 years old, Oyefia lives on his own in the Twin Cities. He is a pre-med student at the University of Minnesota, already with enough credits to be considered a sophomore.
He spoke about his experience with InFlux Magazine. His comments have been edited for length and clarity.
You’re a citizen of both Nigeria and the U.S. You have also lived in the U.K. What cultural differences have you experienced?
Well, I think the emphasis on education is very different. Here in the US, it’s not as emphasized. I mean, no one really cares about academics here in the U.S. as much as they care about the Kansas City Chiefs, or, I don’t know, the Eagles, or whatever the next team it is.
In the U.K., it’s ‘Go to a prestigious university, get yourself out of poverty.’ In Nigeria, it’s just ‘Go to any university, get a degree, and hopefully, you can find a good paying job so you don’t work manual tasks.’ Here in the U.S., it’s almost like, ‘Wait a minute, if I go to high school and I do well in basketball, then I can go to the NBA, or then I can go to the NFL and what have you.’
The U.S. really likes to prioritize sports, which is a little bit odd, but you gotta have your football.
What made you choose the University of Minnesota? How does it align with your academic and career goals?
Well, the University of Minnesota is a truly good school. They have some of the greatest programs for physics and political science and biology in the country.
The U is not trying to be something it isn’t. It’s not trying to be the next Princeton or Harvard. It knows it’s a state school. It still selects a handful of great and intelligent individuals. And I think, truly, if you do want to succeed, you can come here to the University of Minnesota, and you can find any opportunity.
What is your support system like? How do you stay motivated and focused, especially during challenging times?
I have a very close relationship with my mom. I bring her up a lot. Everyone I know hears something about my mom. That’s because she calls me almost every, every day! She’s very determined at pressuring me every chance she gets.
She lives in Canada and runs a cooking company, like a private chef of sorts. The greatest support system I have is just her, my brothers and my aunt. I have three brothers.
Is she a good cook?
I like her cooking. I don’t get to taste it quite often, but I do enjoy it.
It would be more efficient if I were commuting from my family’s house or commuting to university, but I’m on my own. I’m quite literally juggling classes and work. So, I have to figure everything out myself, and I think that’s some important liberty I have been given. I really do enjoy it quite a lot.
What do you hope to do with your career in medicine? I’ve heard you talk about wanting to be a lawyer, too?
I truly do have a passion for medicine, but I do see a lot of injustices in our healthcare system here in America that we can change for the better. That’s really what motivates me every day.
The best way I can see is learning how to be a doctor first; learning how to use these skills and learning to take care of people.
Do you have any advice for someone who feels they’re “too young” to pursue their dreams or make a lasting impact?
We’re on this planet on average, let’s say 80 years. You have 80 years to do whatever you want … to go become the president, to go become a governor, to become a doctor, to become a lawyer, to become a communications expert, to become a D1 athlete.
Let’s say everyone has 80 years. The sooner you start on your plans, the better it is. You are never too young to start working and preparing for what you want in life.
There are established norms. You have to be 18 to be in the military. There’s no way you can bypass that. So maybe you start working out, you start getting built, and by the time you are 18, you’re quite ripped and you’re in good shape so you can join the military.
You must find a way to work towards your passion. You have to build a future for yourself. So every minute of every day, you just have to say, ‘Am I doing what I love?’ And if you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t matter what anyone else tells you.
By the way, if you’re in high school right now, and you’re reading or listening to me, please, please, please, enjoy your high school experience. Just do dual enrollment or PSEO.
I promise you, you’re gonna enjoy it more.