Dr. Ijagha
Eme, my cousin, is a proud physician practicing in Seattle, Washington. Before
that, he was a humble kid trying to adjust himself in the United States after
moving from Nigeria, where he spent most of his childhood. He remembered trying
to learn the culture of the U.S. by playing sports like basketball, listening
to popular music, and being part of his high school STEP. Despite this, Ij
understood that he was a “minority of a minority” living in LA, finding it hard
to blend well with his community as a Nigerian. Fortunately, he was successful
academically as the education he received in Nigeria gave him head start in his
high school education. Through all these things, he had his mind on becoming a
medical doctor. He wanted to become a doctor mainly because he wanted to be a
part of the team that would find the answers to his mother’s illness that was
unknown back in 1998. He said the best advice he could give high school seniors
was to stay focused, know what you want to do after high school, and to ask for
guidance as soon as possible.
After high school, Ij continued
to a path of success from various institutions. He attended community college
for two years and then transferred to UC Los Angeles to complete his bachelor’s
degree in two and a half years. Next, he taught for two years at Leuzinger High
School. Then, while acquiring his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in
Nashville, Tennessee, Ij served in the US Army and became a captain once he
completed medical school. Now, he practices as a hospitalist in Seattle,
Washington. In addition, he is happily engaged with his fiancé, Maria. Through
his journey so far, he has learned there will always be challenges, but through
determination and management, you can overcome them. “At the end of the day,
there is a number one goal: make a difference in the community.” What kept him
motivated through his journey was family support, his competitiveness, and the
doubters who claimed he wouldn’t make it far. Family came first for him and I always
remember the big grin on his face and the joy he expressed whenever we would
meet each other at family reunions. Moving forward, Ij strives to be the best
doctor he can be while giving back to the community. He finds the satisfaction
in seeing his patients’ faces when he aids them and the connections he makes
with their families the most rewarding parts of his job.
Personally, it is inspiring to
know someone who truly believed in themselves and strived for their dreams.
Like Ij, I hope to one day become a medical doctor, giving back to my community
and healing others. Today, Dr. Ij Eme continues to be my role model and a
friend I can always rely on despite being over a thousand miles apart.
Nwojo, this piece right here made me think real deep about the struggles and obstacles that minoritized individuals endure to achieve success in America. It is so inspirational that your cousin reached his goals and then some through hard perseverance and a set goal from the start. He did not let his humble start hold him back from getting there. Good for him!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I appreciate it! I'm glad you recognized the the social issues we still face today and being a black man myself, I understand these obstacles and how we can overcome it through perseverance and community, such as my cousin IJ did.
Delete-Nwojo Abba
Nwojo, I absolutely love this. This is a truly inspiring story. It appears to me that you are following in the footsteps of your cousin and that is just great. I see you around school and I know you are always trying to better yourself both in character and academics. It is evident in your writing. By the way becoming a doctor is something I aspire to do as well!!!
ReplyDelete- Kailah O'Brien
This is such an inspiring piece that motivated me to succeed and continue striving for my goals and dreams, despite being a minority. I absolutely enjoyed how you mentioned your cousin being humble and excelling in high school, motivating you to persevere through the struggle of being a minority and gain a college degree in hopes to become a doctor. Good for your cousin and keep working hard to achieve your goals!
ReplyDeleteThank you Priscilla! I'm ecstatic that you could relate to this piece and motivate you to continue to pursuit your dreams! I am proud to have peers like you who want to accomplish greatness and make a name for themselves despite the doubters and obstacles we will face!
Delete-Nwojo Abba
I loved this piece. i love his strength and self discipline and i love that he made it to the American dream. -Rachel Smith
ReplyDeleteThis piece is well written and very inspirational. It made me realize how I shouldn't take things for granted here in the states.Great piece overall!
ReplyDelete-Harley Liera
This peice is thought provoking as to the struggles that so many have to face to achieve their aspirations regardless of set backs and challenges that they may face. I'm glad you chose to write about your cousin's struggles since we at time forget that there are people out there who have fought tirelessly to achieve their dreams, which serves to inspire those who are.
ReplyDeleteThis piece is so well written! The way it's written made it so obvious how much he means to you. It truly is an inspirational story, how he came from a very different culture and worked hard to achieve his dreams and is so successful at it. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteNwojo, your piece really made me realize how fortunate of a life I have. Being born here, I didn't have to struggle adjusting to another language and society. But because of stories like your cousin's, I can learn from their experiences and get the motivation to really put in the work to achieve my goals. I also admire that your cousin never forgot about family because nowadays a lot of teenagers are trying to get away from their parents. Great piece! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis was very inspirational! The message that determination and motivation will get us through our challenges is something we should all keep in mind.
ReplyDeleteThis piece makes me so incredibly proud of your cousin! It truly sparked a motivation within me to pursue my own dreams as well. I believe it's very important that POC strive towards their goal with a head held high. Dr. Ij is a perfect example of persevering in a difficult situation. Thank you for sharing Nwojo :)!
ReplyDeleteThis cousin of yours really seems like he inspires not only you, but anyone who reads your piece as well. After reading all about your cousin and how he accomplished so much in his life, it really got me thinking about how this all was done only because he truly believed in himself and had a greater purpose in life. This piece really inspires me to find the best in myself in order to reach future success. Excellent job, Nwojo!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you took something away after reading this piece Ramiz! I agree in that it really takes belief in ONESELF in order to accomplish our goals. Having a greater purpose in life is indeed a major key for success. Thanks for dropping a comment!
Delete-Nwojo Abba
I loved this piece it really showed me the way that being a minority makes normal challenges seem almost impossible. it is inspiring to know that our world still has amazing and determined people in the world.
ReplyDeleteNwojo I loved this blog, because it really opened my eyes to the reality of what the real world is all about and how its within our own power to strive through our goals. Obviously our goals would never be achieved without going through the challenges and bitterness of life, but willingness and positivity is the key to keep us going and motivated towards what is best for us.
ReplyDeleteThis piece was very well written and it inspired me. I very much loved it, great job.
ReplyDeleteOf all the blog post I've related to the most,coming form a immigrant family as well and being first generation American I really appreciate stories about people succeeding in a place with minimal guidance and experience.
ReplyDeleteNwojo, great piece really made me think how the struggles people have to endure to get to where they want to be, and your cousin is a great example of those struggles many people have to face.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing role model to have, truly inspiring. The strength and drive to reach his goals really shows how he was able to fully reach his dreams, keep working hard and I'm sure that you will be able to do the same! Great job on this piece.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this piece because I too want to become a medical doctor so seeing how your cousin was able to get to where he is now having gone through so much I honestly have no excuse for not getting to where I want to be in life. From reading your three paragraphs he has become an inspiration to me so I see how he would be your inspiration. Great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this piece Nwojo. I've struggled to be optimistic about my future and aspire for more. This proves that it's possible and I have learned so much in one sitting.
ReplyDeletevery inspirational piece , almost made me shed a single tear :'-)
ReplyDeleteThis story really shows us the struggles many immigrants have in moving here to the U.S. However, your cousin's story of success allows us readers to appreciate the benefits we receive from living here and how the struggles others face can lead into tremendous success in the future. Thanks for sharing this inspirational piece!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this piece! It really shows the struggles of minorities, but it is amazing that he was able to reach his goals! Overall, this piece is very inspirational and shows you how your goals can be accomplished if you stick with them and never give up no matter what the situation or circumstances are!
ReplyDelete-Gabbie B.
Your article highlights the importance of having an idea about career choosing. It is vital to find out what stands out in an individual's life because it may be a deciding factor for what they choose to do in life.
ReplyDeleteNwojo this peice makes me really respect your cousin'a story as the way he has gotten through life really illustrates the american dream and what many do to make it in their life.
ReplyDeleteThis was incredibly inspirational. Detailing you cousin's struggles and eventual happiness and success really shows that we are all blessed to have the advantages we are given, and that it would be irresponsible to do anything but our best with what we have. Thank you for writing this!
ReplyDeleteYour piece stood out to me because of the word "Role Model" which made me want to read it because these individuals who help us decide who we want to be are very influential on the person we end up becoming. The content of your piece really got me thinking about the struggles some of our parents and those we are close to had to endure to be successful in an unfamiliar place. I'm glad you wrote about this because many people do not know the difficulty of coming to a new country with the hopes of achieving their dreams. Thank you for writing a truly inspiring piece.
ReplyDelete-Bryanna Torres
Thank you for reading Bryanna! If you took something away from this piece, then I did my job. I understand we all need role models in our lives because they help set expectations on OURSELVES to be the best we can be. I appreciate the kind words and your insight on the challenge of achieving our goals!
Delete-Nwojo Abba