It’s unusual for students to aim for university with one career path in mind only to discover a new passion along the way. That’s exactly what happened to Emmanuel Okia, who initially dreamed of becoming a medic but ended up sailing winds in Law.
Having completed High School with BCM/it (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics) combination, Okia was determined to pursue a career in medicine. He had always been interested in science and had a strong desire for medical practice.
As destiny may have been written, Counsel Mathias Ssekatawa who is one of the OBs (Old Boys) of St. Mary’s College Kisubi, a school where Okia attained his A’level – reached out to him, and had a career talk about the endless possibilities attached to a venture into Law; which met Okia’s interests.
It’s then, with inspiration and positive mind, he applied for a Law Programme, and sat for pre-entry exams, in which he excelled.
“I didn’t comfortably see medicine as my calling. I thought if I went all in with it, it wouldn’t work in the end. Counselor Ssekatawa’s talk triggered me and channeled me, I quit sciences for law.” Okia told a publication affiliated to UCU.
Okia was then enrolled into Uganda Christian University (UCU) for a Bachelor’s of Law, confident that he was on the right track.
Fast forward, he emerged the best in that undergraduate programme with a first-class of CGPA 4.4, and that’s how he found his way to Law development Center (LDC) as a standard, for the bar course.
Despite the many testimonies from students that steam out of LDC indicating the amount of pressure that comes with undertaking a series of modules within a rather short time frame, Okia kept his focus in check .
Here comes the year 2023, in the month of March when LDC results were released. Just like the gem he had always been, Okia emerged one of the best in the bar course with CGPA of 4.90.
Okia now believes that the hard transition he had to go through while choosing to put medicine on the side for Law has finally paid off. He is currently securing a qualification in CPA (Certified Public Accountant) which will bolster his position as a commercial lawyer.
In the end, Okia’s story is a testament to the power of believing. While his journey may not have been what he originally envisioned, it led him to a fulfilling and rewarding career that he’s proud to call his own.
