How I sponsored myself through school selling moin moin — 27-year-old graduate

Olaleye Adigun, who financed his tertiary education through the sale of Moin-moin, tells TEMITOPE ADETUNJI what prompted his decision to venture into the business

Could you describe your family?

My name is Olaleye Afeez, also known as Mc Oropo. I am 27 years old, and I graduated from Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic Eruwa, Oyo State.

I have two older brothers, two younger brothers, and our parents. I am the third child. I am a native of Ibadan, where I was born and raised.

What motivated you to start selling Moin-moin to fund your education?

Let me begin by saying that I finished secondary school in 2013. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sit for WAEC that year. In 2015, I took NECO, but I got a D7 in mathematics, which made it difficult for me to get admitted to any school, finally, in 2016, I registered for WAEC.

It took me three years after finishing secondary school to complete this step. I had to return to a secondary school in Ibadan, wAhere I wore a uniform again and sat with the SSS3 students to take my WAEC exams.

It wasn’t until 2016 that I completed my WAEC. Then, I started the admission process. None of my four brothers is educated, and my parents did not have the opportunity to attend school. There are no graduates in my family.

When did you get admission?

I gained admission in 2016, and I informed my parents about it. It was my mum who paid for my WAEC exams. It was my parents who covered the expenses.

I shared the desire to pursue education with my mum and dad, and she was very supportive. She expressed her readiness to back my decision.

However, upon entering school, I pondered whether I should constantly rely on my parents. Although I would call them regularly, I didn’t want to burden them with my needs because they also had my brothers to support.

I felt that I should be able to manage some expenses on my own, so I thought of starting a business that everyone would need, and I decided to sell pure water. Water is a necessity, so I believed almost everyone would buy from me. However, when I discussed my idea with a friend, he discouraged me. He said that if I sold pure water in school, people might not see me as a good student. However, I emphasised the importance of remembering who I am when I’m in school.

Although I hoped for encouragement from my friend, I was discouraged instead. But when I returned to school, I was determined to start something. During orientation, when there were almost a thousand students present, I decided to start my business. I began selling pure water that day and made a profit of N1,100.

So my business journey started right after orientation. The next day, I began selling within my class and later moved from one class to another. I continued selling all over campus. I studied Mass Communication, and the day I started my business, I became the most popular guy in school.

I never missed a class, and I made N1000 naira per day. If I managed to buy more bags, I could make N3000, which helped relieve stress from my parents. I was even nominated for the popular guy in school and won an award.

After my ND, I decided to pursue my HND to break the barrier of no graduates in my family. During my IT, I remained in Eruwa, still in school, and worked for a newspaper firm. I sent them news through the mail, and during my IT, I continued selling pure water in school to save money for my HND.

So I went home and told my mum that I wanted to start my HND. Knowing she wasn’t financially able to support me. She suggested I stay home until the following year. However, I explained to her that I had been running a business in school and couldn’t sit idle. That’s when I thought about what people consume regularly and decided on moin-moin.

I started by preparing three cups of beans a day and then increased to four cups, and eventually, I could make two and a half congos every morning. I woke up very early to begin preparing, peeling the beans before 7 am so that the moin-moin would be ready early. Then, I would hawk around my street and return home around 8:30 or 9:00 am. After that, I rushed to class.

I informed my lecturers that I wouldn’t be able to attend class early, they were aware and showed understanding. This routine helped me pay my school fees, buy handouts, and take care of other necessities.

So I graduated from buying Congo to buying bags, and a keg of groundnut oil. At that time, I even had a girlfriend. When she came around, I explained to her and she encouraged me.

How do you come about the MC Oropo?

That’s my stage name. I do master of ceremony and I anchor events too.

What year did you start the Moin moin business fully?

I started fully in 2019.

What were the reactions of your friends and family when they saw you hawking moin moin?

It wasn’t easy at all. There was a lot of discouragement but my mum encouraged me. My girlfriend then also encouraged me. I didn’t look at what other people said then because I knew how much my needs were. I was also determined to ensure there was a graduate from my family.

How long were you with your girlfriend?

We dated for six years before we got married and she has been very very supportive. She knew when I was selling pure water and when I was selling moin moin. She has been supportive.

How much were you selling the moin moin?

It was N50 then and the Congo of beans was at the rate of N350/N400 then.

So why did you stop the business?

I stopped when I had to leave Eruwa and go for my NYSC. It was at that point that I stopped.

What year did you serve and where?

I graduated in 2022 and served with the 2022/2023 NYSC batch. I served at Olusosun Primary School Oregun Ikeja Lagos.

So how did you meet your wife?

She was an O’ level holder and her parents are old so she couldn’t further her education. We met on Facebook, we met in 2017, and she runs a POS business.

At what point did you realise that you were going to get married to her?

After my NYSC.

When did you get married, and how do you feel about getting married?

We got married on February 22nd this year. I feel much more fulfilled marrying my wife. She has been there for me through thick and thin, always supporting and encouraging me. Her presence and support make me very happy, and I am grateful to have her by my side.

In light of your current unemployment status, what strategies do you have in mind to take care of your family?

I was working as a technician in a company before, but I lost my job shortly after our wedding. Even though I am not employed at the moment, I am actively looking for new job opportunities. I am also considering starting a small business to help support my family. I am determined to find a way to take care of my family and will keep working hard to provide for them. I told you that I am a master of ceremonies too, so we’ve been managing with the little jobs I get from anchoring events.

Are you actively engaged in seeking employment opportunities?

Not really. I have a lot of business ideas in mind but no capital to launch the business. I don’t want to be a job seeker. I prefer starting my own business.

Did the proceeds from your Moin-moin business contribute to financing your wedding expenses?

No, the incomes from my moin-moin business were not used to sponsor our wedding. We had a simple wedding at the registry and did not spend a lot of money. It was not an elaborate event. However, we hope to have a bigger celebration in the future. For now, we are happy with our modest wedding and look forward to celebrating more later on.

What does your wife do for a living?

She’s into the POS business.

How do you feel being the first graduate in your family?

It makes me very happy. Every time I think about it, I feel so much joy. I am proud to be a role model for my younger siblings (Including my cousins). They often tell me that they want to follow in my footsteps. Even my cousins have gone back to school because they see me as their motivation. Knowing that I inspire them to pursue their education makes me feel very proud and thankful. It shows that hard work and determination can lead to great things, no matter where you start.

Didn’t you see both the moin-moin and the pure water business as a distraction to your studies when you were in school?

When I was doing business, I made sure to do it well. When it was time for classes, I made sure I didn’t miss any. It wasn’t easy to balance both, but I tried my best. I set a schedule to manage my time, so I could focus on my studies when needed and handle my business when needed. It took a lot of effort and discipline, but I managed to keep both going without letting one distract me from the other.

How significant were the earnings from your Moin-moin business that helped fund your education?

I can’t say specifically but I spent two years on my HND and it sponsored my education and it helped me for some months before I went for NYSC. It was NYSC that made me stop the business and when I was done with NYSC, there was no capital to continue.

What do your parents do? You said your mum was supporting you at some point.

My Dad is a bricklayer and my mum is a trader. My mum sells provisions. My dad has been supportive too and I would say that both of them were supportive.

So what advice would you give to other young people facing financial difficulties in pursuing their education?

If God can help me overcome the challenges in my family, then doing a good business can also help them. They should try to start a small business and avoid doing things that are not sensible and risky. They should trust that God, who helped me, can also help them. They should stay focused, work hard, and believe in themselves.

How has your perspective on education evolved?

I believe that education is very important. It is not a scam at all. Education has helped me a lot in my life. Without it, I would not have been able to reach my goals. It has given me the knowledge and skills I need to succeed. Because I am educated, I have been able to meet a lot of people I have met. Education opens doors and creates opportunities. It has played a big role in helping me get to where I am today.

Did you fail any course in school?

I did not fail any course.

What were the challenges you faced while trying to juggle business with school?

To be honest, it was not easy at all. Balancing schoolwork and running a business was very challenging. There were many late nights and early mornings. Sometimes, I felt very stressed and tired. I had to learn how to manage my time very well. I missed out on some social activities and had to make a lot of sacrifices. However, I am grateful to God because, in the end, I was able to achieve my goals.

What are you most grateful to God for?

I’m grateful that I became a graduate in my family and I’m able to get to where I am.