Promise was not just her name — it was her identity, her message to the world. Born and raised in Ebonyi State, she grew up in a modest home where hard work was the only currency. Her mother sold vegetables in the bustling Abakaliki market, while her father, once a government worker, sat quietly on the porch every morning, flipping through old newspapers and nursing dreams that never fully blossomed.
Now a final-year student of Public Administration at Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Promise had grown into a young woman with fire in her heart and purpose in her steps. While many of her classmates were talking about NYSC locations, weddings, or japa plans, Promise had a different kind of ambition.
> “I want to create something that lasts,” she often said.
“Not just for me, but for others like me — young people who have ideas but no platform, dreams but no direction.”
Promise didn’t want to wait for a federal job or sit around waiting for “connections.” Her goal after graduation was clear: to start a digital empowerment platform for young Nigerians — one that teaches public policy, entrepreneurship, basic governance, and how to access funding for community projects.
She wanted to call it “Admin360.”
To prepare, Promise spent her nights taking free online courses on Coursera and YouTube, learning how to build websites, manage social media, and write compelling grant proposals. During semester breaks, she volunteered for NGOs in Ebonyi, helping to organize town hall meetings, track local budgets, and teach women how to petition their lawmakers.
She wasn’t just studying public administration — she was living it.
Her friends often teased her:
> “Promise, calm down! This country doesn’t favor honest people.”
But she’d smile and reply,
“If we all wait for the country to change, who will change it?”
She saved part of her allowance, sold customized notepads on campus, and even helped final-year students edit their project work — all to raise money for her dream.
Graduation day finally came. As Promise walked out of her final exam, the sun shining over the campus buildings, she paused for a moment and looked up. She wasn’t afraid of what came next — because she had a plan.
Not to chase a job.
But to create opportunities — for herself and for others.
Promise was more than a student of EBSU.
She was the seed of change — ready to grow.
And her story was only just beginning.
