Tales of a Nigerian Journalist:
Abdulafiu Lawal
S
by valerie adamski
itting in a Starbucks at the corner of Tremont and Boylston streets, Abdulafiu Lawal, a journalism graduate student, is far from the life he expected to have. After reaching what he thought was the peak of his career, this Nigerian native is reaching for what some would call “The American Dream.” But his road to the United States was more than luck, requiring a lot of hard work, determination, and a little bit of favoritism. Lawal’s journey to the U.S. started when he was taking an aptitude test for a Chevron scholarship. Tell Magazine, the Nigerian equivalent of Time Magazine, scouted his university to fill an open reporter position. A senior journalist mentioned Lawal’s work, and Tell was immediately interested. When Lawal returned two days later, he was told the publication was expecting a phone call. The beginning of his career, however, was far from glamorous. Just like American journalists, Nigerian journalists have to work their way up to totem pole. Lawal started at a local newspaper while in college, but he soon reported for one of Nigeria’s top magazines. After six months of being in the field for Tell, the editors were impressed with what Lawal contributed and wanted more from him, regardless of his lack of a completed first degree and bachelor’s degree. Soon after, Lawal started working as a special correspondent. By June 2011, he earned an assistant editor position. “My work in Tell has shaped my career in such a way that I can’t
imagine what life would be like if I didn’t have the opportunity,” he said. Lawal was presented The Diamond Award for Media Excellence in 2007 for a story published in Tell on human trafficking between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. This award prepped Lawal for one of the biggest moments of his life.
photo by madeline smeaton In 2009, he won a Ford Foundation Scholarship, a program run by the International Institute of Education, to pursue a master’s degree in journalism. The committee selects individuals from Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal that exhibit leadership potential and have strongly executed their chosen career. Lawal was one of 16 finalists and was chosen after multiple rounds of interviews. All that was left for Lawal was to pick which college to attend. “Somebody suggested that it would be good if I go to Columbia,” he said. “But as an individual I like to do things differently. So among
the schools I applied to I think Emerson was one of the first … I felt that it was something unique.” The biggest challenge was adjusting from his tight knit community in Nigeria to the NewYork-minute lifestyle of America. He was afraid his new American acquaintances didn’t enjoy his company. “I had the feeling that my classmates did not like me because when we are done with classes you see everyone ran out and that was kind of weird for me,” he said. “But eventually I got to know that people are working people and have busy school schedules.” While the lifestyles contrast severely, Lawal eventually started appreciating their differences. After the death of his mother during his first year at Emerson, he realized just how much he was cared for and how kind his American professors were. While America provided Lawal with what seems like endless possibilities and support, the closed-mindedness and rushed atmosphere that surrounds him is often a shocking cultural facet to accept. “America is a wonderful place to be, but sometimes, when you get on a train and you sit down near somebody and she gets up because you’re a black person,” he said, staring at the ground. “It baffles me that there are still people who think this way in 2011.” This globetrotting, awardwinning journalist hopes to complete his Ph.D. before calling it quits with school. Lawal also hopes to add a family and teaching career to his already impressive life while continuing his career with Tell.