Living in a church has become the reality of a University of Lagos undergraduate, Nicholas, who says financial hardship and family challenges left him without a place to call home while pursuing his degree.
“I’m the only person in my family that has made it to university. I’m using student loan to fund myself through school right now. I live in my local church while schooling. I don’t have my own apartment right now,” he said.
According to Nicholas, he grew up in a poor family and moved from Ebonyi State to Lagos at the age of eight to live with his elder sister.
He explained that although his sister supported him for years, he had to leave after gaining admission into UNILAG because her husband wanted him to abandon his educational ambitions and join his accessories business.
“I come from a broken family, like a poor family. I’ve been with my sister since I was about eight years old. But when I got admission to the University of Lagos, her husband actually asked me to leave the house.
“He always wanted me to go into his line of business, which was selling accessories, but that’s not what I wanted. I wanted to go to school and become a music artist,” he said.
The undergraduate, who performs under the stage name BMX Royce, said the sharp increase in tuition fees almost forced him to abandon his education.
He disclosed that he considered dropping out before applying for the Federal Government’s student loan through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
“I was thinking about dropping out, but I had to take that loan because I didn’t want to stop. If the loan didn’t come, only God would have helped me.
“Seriously, I was going to drop out about two sessions ago, but then I took the loan because I didn’t want to stop,” he said.
Nicholas said NELFUND currently pays his tuition fees, although the monthly upkeep allowance has been inconsistent.
He explained that beneficiaries can apply for both tuition support and a monthly stipend of ₦20,000.
“I applied for both. They paid my school fees, but for the stipend, they paid about three months before they stopped. This session, they’ve paid my school fees again, but I’ve only received one stipend so far.
“I’m not complaining about the stipend. As long as they pay my school fees and I’m able to register my courses, that’s fine,” he said.
Describing the application process as straightforward, Nicholas encouraged students facing genuine financial hardship to apply.
“It’s easy. Just go to their site, register with your email and school credentials. They’ll verify it and you get paid,” he said.
However, he advised students whose parents can comfortably sponsor their education not to apply for the loan unnecessarily.
“If you have your parents sponsoring you, you don’t have to be greedy by taking the loan. But if you’re in my situation, it’s different.
“They gave us two years after NYSC to repay it. I believe that by then I’ll be able to pay because I have faith in what I’m building,” he added.
Nicholas said completing a university education remains a personal mission because no one else in his family has reached that milestone.
“I’m the only person in my family that has made it to university. I’m the last born, and I want to keep that legacy going,” he said.
His story reflects the reality many students face in pursuing higher education, where financial support, resilience and determination can make the difference between dropping out and achieving their dreams.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.