My Story: The Accidental Chartered Accountant, The Undesired Chemist and the Doctor that Never Was
Habib Shittu, ACA
Like almost every young boy and girl growing, whenever I was asked question about my future discipline, the first statement was usually ‘I want to be a doctor’. That is the same ideology I nurtured from my primary school which made me stay in science class in my secondary school. I was not a genius but an average student so I always needed to attend extra mural classes and do some extra reading. I was in SSS2 when I attempted my first GCE and passed only Physics while I had P7 in all other subjects. My JAMB was good as I had 220 at first attempt.
Fast forward to my WAEC SSCE, I cleared my papers but not with distinction as my highest grade was C4. I tried JAMB again but my score was very low and couldn’t secure me admission for medicine so I opted for remedial studies at the University of Ilorin. I had 67% at the end of the remedial programme and I was given admission to study Chemistry. I tried to see people around if I could change my course to Medicine but I was told that it was only those that scored 70% and above that can be admitted to faculty of health sciences, so I resigned to take the Chemistry offer. With the hope I will write JAMB again, my mind was still not in the course given to me as I focused on how to gain admission into Medicine, making my 100 CGPA in 2nd class lower band.
Unfortunately the JAMB result was so bad – 199/400. Meanwhile before the result came I was down with sickness and the fear that I won’t get my desired course of study aggravated the illness which spanned throughout my 200L, 300L and part of first semester 400L during which I wrote 9 make up exams and about 5 make up tests. During this time I was fighting for my life and I didn’t remember to write JAMB again. I never focused on Chemistry till I graduated, although I managed to still have a 2:2.
After my graduation I approached my mum (I lost my father while I was in primary 2) to discuss my future, I was still head bent on the Medicine issue or take a masters abroad in pharmaceutical chemistry (which I thought will bring me closer to Medicine). As a widow that had done tremendously well for me she explained that she did not have the capacity to carry on with me since she still needed to take care of my younger ones. She prayed for me that God will bless the certificate while she advised me to prepare my CV so that she can give to some of her friends and brothers.
The burning passion was still pushing me and during my service year in Kebbi state I was still pursuing the dreams to do a masters in Pharmaceutical Chemistry or any other Medicine related course abroad which made me apply to several varsities abroad; in fact at a time my intention changed and I was like any course abroad will be okay. I got offer for MSc Energy Future Oil and Gas at the University of Aberdeen, MSc Environmental and Energy Management, University of Twente, MSc Chemistry at University of Leicester , MSc Material Science at Loughborough University and I think MSc Pharm Chemistry at University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Although, there was no money to travel, so I started working in a local yogurt company owned by my cousin as a quality control officer. I left for Lagos after few months in order to secure a better job so as to raise more money for my admission but couldn’t get a better job so I joined my aunt’s husband in his cement shop and began hustling.
I slept in Apapa Wharf during cement scarcity so as to raise more fund. It was during this period I lost my most revered person, my immediate younger sister who was at that time in 200L Accounting, she died of sickle cell but prior to her university admission she bagged an OND accountancy with upper credit and had a dream of becoming a chartered accountant.
One fateful day I received a call from a revenue consulting firm to come for interview test on a Thursday. I prepared for it and after the test I was given my result immediately. I scored 71% and I was given another test on computer appreciation where I did well too. I was told to hold on for interview immediately. I was interviewed by an electrical engineer cum chartered accountant (he later became my director), and he told me he was impressed by my overall performance that I will be called shortly but asked me one salient question which was ‘have you heard of ICAN?’.
I had been hearing of it while I was small from my area brothers and particularly my late younger sister who had been buying books in preparation for it(I later used her R.A Adams to prepare for my PSAF at some stage in my exam) so I told him yes so he told me I can go. Five months later I was told to resume. All this while, I never knew the firm belongs to my uncle . After few weeks of resumption my director called me for a chat, it was there I knew he was an electrical engineer cum chartered accountant, he advised me to go for ICAN that he saw the potential in me and assured me of his support if I went for it.
In the same week, my uncle that owned the firm also told me the same but my intention was just to use 2 years and save money to pursue my previous dream abroad. Exactly 6 months into my employment my uncle asked me if I was through with the ICAN foundation. I was dumbfounded as I couldn’t utter a word, he lambasted me that I wasn’t serious and it seems I wanted to disappoint him. After some days and due consultation with my HOD (he told me that ICAN is difficult but surmountable and that I should take any failure along the line as part of it so that I won’t get discouraged), I agreed to proceed and give it a shot with the following points:
1 I saw that it may be difficult to secure another job so if this is what I need to do to secure my future let me do it and have a secured job that I can use to even pursue any other thing I wish to pursue in the future.
2 when my director had a chat with me, I understood there was prospect of future economic benefit
3 I didn’t want to disappoint my uncle who felt I wasn’t serious
4 Emotionally, I really wanted to do it for my late sister that died of sickle cell (she wanted to be a chartered accountant.
I enrolled at WYSE Associates, it was very easy at start but got difficult along the line but to the glory of God almighty I scaled through and achieved the dream – I became a Chartered Accountant. I am currently acting as the payroll manager and also double as the deputy chief accountant of the firm.
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