Ola was known for one thing in school, his sharp tongue and bad attitude. He disrespected teachers, insulted classmates and acted like he didn’t care about anything or anyone. Many gave up on him, even his parents but not Mr. Adeyemi, his Civic Education teacher.

One day, Ola insulted Mr. Adeyemi in front of the entire class. Instead of reacting with anger, the teacher calmly told him, “You’re better than this. I see something in you, even if you don’t see it yet.”

That simple sentence stuck with Ola.

Over time, Mr. Adeyemi took extra time with him talking, listening, guiding. It wasn’t easy. Ola resisted at first, slowly, the walls came down. He began to respect himself, then others. His grades improved. So did his behavior.

By the end of that year, Ola had become a prefect, mentoring junior students and apologizing to those he had hurt in the past.

He never forgot Mr. Adeyemi, the teacher who saw light in his darkest days.