From Being Kicked Out of Diploma to Bagging PhD… Samuel Ejiwunmi’s Journey to Doctorate

By Kazeem Sherifat Oluwadamilare, Jacinta Emeka, Ugah Thelma Ogechukwu, Omope Oyinnijesu Omolola, Success Essien and Daniel Nnamani

Dr Samuel Ejiwunmi has been kicked out of school, started over more times than he could count, and watched life collapse in ways that would permanently defeat many people. Yet,  today, he holds a PhD, he is remembered by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) students as a life-changing mentor, and now serves in the United States Navy. His story is not one of smooth progress, but of relentless rebuilding.

“I’ve always had a can-do attitude,” Ejiwunmi said.

 “I have this conviction that whatever I want to do, I can do it if I apply myself.”

That conviction was first tested early. He grew up with his maternal grandparents while his mother ran an exportation business. Life was comfortable until it wasn’t. When the business collapsed after she was duped, everything changed. Private school gave way to government school. Regular meals became uncertain.

“But from that moment, I learned to start again,” he said.

 “We rebuilt one brick at a time.”

That lesson would repeat itself through his academic journey. Originally trained in the sciences, Ejiwunmi earned a diploma in Information Technology before discovering a passion for advertising and communication. He rewrote his O-levels, gained admission into UNILAG to study Mass Communication, and then suffered another setback when issues with his diploma led to his withdrawal.

“At that point, my classmates were already in their third year, and I was starting again from year one,” he said.

Still, fear never entered the equation.

“I’m not scared of failure,” he said.

 “Falling down is part of life. 

“The only time you fail is when you refuse to stand up again.”

That mindset carried him through to graduation, where he emerged as the best graduating student. It later shaped his approach to teaching, where students came to know him not just as a lecturer, but as a mentor who believed education was a “transformational partnership.”

“Learning doesn’t stop in the classroom,” Ejiwunmi said.

 “Students learn better when teaching is practical, relatable, and connected to real life.”

Years later, another restart came, this time across continents. After relocating to the US, Ejiwunmi made an unlikely transition into the US Navy, driven by a fascination with structure and a desire for challenge.

“It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done physically,” he said.

Ejiwunmi recounts losing over 40 pounds during training and pushing his body beyond limits he never imagined.

Yet even in uniform, he has not left academia behind. He still teaches remotely and plans to return fully to the classroom.

Because for Ejiwunmi, life has never been about avoiding disruption. It has always been about recognising it and rising again.