Blind Girl Oshiomhole Adopted in 2011 Bags Law Degree With A Second-Class Upper

14 years after her public adoption by Adams Oshiomhole, Joyce Imasuen Osaivbie had graduated with a Second-Class Upper degree in Law from the University of Benin.

Oshiomhole fulfilled his 2011 pledge by supporting Joyce’s education, healthcare and learning needs from primary school through university.

Disability rights advocates had described the relationship between Oshiomhole and Joyce as sincere and sustained, rather than politically motivated.

Fourteen years after a chance encounter at a disability rights lecture changed her life, Joyce Imasuen Osaivbie has graduated with a Second Class Upper degree in Law from the University of Benin.

The achievement marked a defining chapter in a journey that began when former Edo State Governor and current Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, publicly committed to supporting her education as a nine-year-old blind pupil.

Joyce first came into public view on December 4, 2011, during the inaugural Rights Above Charity lecture organised by the Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities to mark the United Nations Day for Persons with Disabilities.

At the event in Benin City, she delivered a Braille-prepared speech that drew an emotional response from the audience and prompted Oshiomhole to make a pledge that would later shape her future.

Oshiomole’s pledge that changed everything

Oshiomhole said at the time: “I listened to the young girl who read the speech earlier. I have never heard a child, even the non-physically challenged, read like she did. It broke my heart… I want to say publicly today that I want to adopt her as my child.”

Doubts that the declaration was political theatre faded within days when Joyce, her family and representatives of NAPVID were invited to the governor’s residence. There, Oshiomhole introduced her to his children and assured her parents of sustained support.

Over the years, he ensured access to medical care, specialised learning tools and quality education. Joyce’s academic progress soon stood out. By 2017, when she turned 15, Oshiomhole organised a surprise birthday celebration at her family home on Upper Siluko Road, Benin City. The event drew senior state officials and coincided with her strong performance at Queen’s College, Lagos, where she earned a reputation as an outstanding student.

From promise to academic success

On Friday, Oshiomhole returned to the Imasuen family residence to celebrate Joyce’s graduation. His visit attracted residents from the neighbourhood, many of whom gathered to share in the moment. Reflecting on her resilience, he said: “Rather than lamenting what you cannot change, you choose to demonstrate that with determination, you can still get to where you are going to get to. There are many people who are not challenged at all, and they cannot get a law degree; they go, and they fail. Imagine you are making a 2.1 with all the challenges.

The sky is your starting point in life.” He also recalled initially questioning her choice of course: “When you told me you were going to read law, I was like, ‘It is a very difficult one; why not political science or public administration or mass communication, which I really think are relatively easier?’ But you chose to read law… You are now a graduate of law.”

Joyce expressed gratitude for years of support, saying: “He made sure that I was always comfortable… On 31 January 2025, I finished my programme, and now my result is out, and I am proud to say that I made a 2.1.” Her father, Michael Imasuen, described the intervention as life changing. “What could have been a burden… he lifted the burden from me.”

For NAPVID Executive Director Melody Omosah, the story reflected sincerity beyond politics. “The relationship you have with her is devoid of politics completely.” From a Braille speech delivered as a child to a law degree earned through persistence, Joyce’s journey stands as a testament to opportunity matched with determination.

Source: Legit

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com