CrispNG Youth of the Month: Moyinoluwa, the multitalented Nigerian breaking boundaries
With over 37 novels to her name, 25 years old Moyinoluwa Ajayi, who began writing at age eight, feels relentless.
In this interview, Crisp Nigeria’s Youth of the Month for April speaks on her journey to becoming the public relations officer of Augustine University.
She also details her determination to succeed against all odds and gives tips to women and young people on how to achieve their dreams.
Can you tell us more about yourself?
Ajayi: My name is Moyinoluwa Precious Ajayi. I am a public relations professional, lecturer, author, freelance writer/reporter, content writer, novelist, poet, playwright and researcher.
I founded a research institute “FrontierX Research Initiative” in 2023 to help undergraduate and postgraduate students develop skills in research writing and to bring together scholars and researchers from various social science disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, political science, and communication studies.
Can share your story on how you became a PR officer?
Ajayi: After obtaining my MSc degree in 2022, I discovered my passion for lecturing. However, I did not anticipate becoming a Public Relations Officer. Prior to that, I worked as a Media/Communications Officer at another university.
At one point, I actively pursued lecturing positions in various universities and polytechnics in Ogun State, Lagos State, and Oyo State. Surprisingly, only one university invited me for an interview, which turned out to be quite frustrating.
The interview process was prolonged, and we, the interviewees, were made to wait for hours. To my dismay, the test we were given was unrelated to my field and instead focused on natural and applied sciences. It was disappointing, and it led me to question whether pursuing a lecturing career was the right path for me. Consequently, I decided to give up, believing that it may not have been in alignment with God’s will for my life.
The following month, my friend informed me about a Communications Officer/Public Relations Officer position at their university; Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos, and the application deadline was the next day. Initially, I had doubts about my fit for the role and believed that I may not possess the necessary skills and qualifications. However, when I shared this opportunity with another friend, they encouraged me to apply, even if I wasn’t chosen. After some consideration, I decided to take the chance and apply for the position.
On the interview day, I was the first candidate to be interviewed and the only female among the applicants. Upon seeing the other applicants, I thought to myself that I may be wasting my time since they appeared to be more intelligent and qualified than I was. But to my surprise, I received my employment letter through mail just a week later.
Subsequently, I was made a part-time lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication & Media Studies
Although initially scared, I am grateful for attending the interview and feel that God has been supporting me in performing my duties.
How does it feel to become a PR officer of a university at 24?
I am absolutely excited to have landed this Public Relations Officer role at just 24 years old. It’s a tremendous opportunity that many professionals don’t get until much later in their careers. To be entrusted with managing the public image and communications for such an esteemed organization at my age is both humbling and motivating. I may be young, but I’ve been preparing for this type of responsibility through internships, coursework, and volunteering in PR & communications roles since college.
This role allows me to merge my natural people skills with my strategic communications abilities. I find sharing compelling stories and crafting narratives that reverberate with audiences incredibly fulfilling. As a digital native, I’m also excited to leverage the latest technologies and social media tactics as part of our PR efforts.
What energizes me most is knowing that the work I do directly impacts how the public perceives our University. Maintaining a positive reputation is so crucial, and I take great pride in that responsibility. You can count on my enthusiasm, fresh ideas and ability to connect with modern audiences.
At 24, I have unbounded energy, creative thinking and a hunger to prove myself. This PR Officer position is truly a dream starting point for my career.
Balancing the roles of a PR Officer, part-time Lecturer, and a PhD student is quite demanding. Could you share some insights into how you manage your time effectively to excel in each role?
I live by my calendar, carefully scheduling out all commitments, deadlines, and to-do items. This allows me to visually block off time for each role. I batch similar tasks together during dedicated work blocks to minimize context switching and stay focused. Each week I revisit my priorities and re-evaluate where I need to focus my energy that week across the different roles. I aim to wake up early to maximize productive morning hours before the day gets consumed by meetings/teaching. Despite juggling multiple roles, I strictly enforce time for self-care, exercise, and being present with family/friends.
It’s certainly a demanding schedule, but I’ve become a master at prioritizing, time-boxing, and eliminating distractions. Having a solid productivity system allows me to operate effectively across all three roles without sacrifice.
Tell us about your life as an author
Ajayi: I discovered my passion for writing at the tender age of eight when I started scribbling stories on sheets of paper. Eager to share my creations, I would often pass these papers to my friends to read, eagerly awaiting their feedback. Sometimes, the papers would be returned with their thoughts and comments, while other times they would mysteriously disappear.
Growing up in a household filled with books, thanks to my parents being teachers and avid readers, reading became an integral part of my daily life. Surrounded by the written word, I yearned to see my name and picture adorn the covers of books, though my parents initially viewed this dream as nothing more than a playful jest.
However, everything changed when I stumbled upon a remarkable book called “The Twin Sisters,” written by a talented sixteen-year-old girl. This book, among the required readings for my Junior Secondary School class, sparked a fire within me. If she could do it, why couldn’t I? It motivated me to embark on the journey of publishing my novels. From that moment onward, I dreamed of having my stories reach the hands of readers worldwide.
Influenced by my passion, I inspired numerous classmates in high school to channel their thoughts and stories onto paper as well. We would tear sheets from notebooks and pour our imagination onto them, distributing our creations within the confines of our classroom.
My zeal was contagious.
In high school, I inspired scores of friends to start furiously penning their own stories, tearing out sheets from notebooks to distribute among classmates. We became a secret society of young writers, hushed whispers exchanging precious pages during lessons. At one point, we got a little too ambitious. We pooled what little money we had and brought our story papers to a printing press without our parents’ knowledge or consent. However, when confronted with an exorbitant fee, well beyond our means, we were forced to abandon our plans. Undeterred, we reverted to our humble sheets of paper, continuing to fill them with tales that captured our hearts and minds. Through all these experiences, my love for writing has persevered, nurturing my dreams of one day sharing my stories with the world.
The journey began with simple sheets of paper, fueled by a desire to be heard and understood. But the exorbitant fee did nothing to deter my passion for writing. From that early failed printing press endeavour, I continued crafting tales on any paper I could find, undeterred by the obstacles. The dream was planted, and it finally blossomed years later when I published my two books in hard copies in 2019 during my 400 level at Babcock University.
Prior to that milestone, my dad bought me a phone that could access the internet. From there, I started sharing my novels, poems and short stories on my social media pages to build an audience. And here I am today, at just 24 years old, with an incredibly prolific body of work – over thirty-seven published novels spanning action-adventure, historical romance, travel romance, contemporary romance and paranormal romance. I’ve also authored an astounding five hundred and fifty highly-regarded poems. As a playwright, I’ve had my pieces performed at my high school in Akure.
As a poet, I’ve received recognition from the Babcock University Student Association (BUSA), among many other accolades. My novella series on Facebook has also harvested much acclaim. I am a recipient of numerous awards for my work, including the prestigious Babcock University MCSA Award for Writer and Blogger of the Year in 2018. From those humble beginnings of trading handwritten stories between friends, I’ve blossomed into a celebrated author making my mark across multiple creative genres.
More articles on Youth of the Month:
Youth of the Month: From secondary school dropout to MSc holder in UK, how Demola defied odds
Youth of the Year: Tunde Onakoya, the chess king transforming homeless kids into geniuses
What is your advice to young women facing doubts and obstacles in pursuing their dreams, especially when the path seems unclear?
Based on my inspiring journey as a prolific young writer who pursued her dreams relentlessly from a very young age, here is some advice I would give to young women facing doubts and obstacles when the path seems unclear:
The path to achieving your dreams is rarely clear or obstacle-free, but that should never deter you from fervently pursuing them. I faced so much doubt and uncertainty in my youth about whether the dream of becoming a published author was even possible. But I clung to that passion and desire with every fiber of my being.
There were so many bumps and failures along the way – like when my friends and I naively tried to get our stories published at a printing press without money or our parents’ permission. Instead of letting that crush my spirit, I used it as fuel to work harder on honing my craft through writing at every opportunity.
When the path seems unclear or roadblocks emerge, do not be deterred. Maintain an unwavering belief in yourself and your aspirations. Let setbacks motivate you rather than discourage you. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, even if you can’t see the final destination yet. Persistent effort, despite the doubts and obstacles, is what enables dreams to flourish into reality. Draw strength from any ounce of progress or positive feedback, no matter how small.
For me, it was the affirmation of having my work recognized by awards and being able to connect with readers online. Those were the seeds of reassurance that kept me going.
Most importantly, block out any voices of doubt and criticism – whether from others or your inner critic. Surround yourself with people who support and believe in your ambitions. Stay tenaciously fixated on the dream you want to achieve.
What is your advice to other young persons aspiring to break barriers and pursue diverse career paths while maintaining a sense of fulfillment?
Pursuing multiple passion areas and forging a non-traditional career path is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also demanding. The key is to have strong time management skills, prioritize ruthlessly, and build a support system around you.
Don’t listen to naysayers who insist you must pick just one career or passion to focus on. We’re multidimensional people with diverse interests and ambitions. With discipline and boundaries, you absolutely can “have it all” across different spheres if that’s what fulfills you.
Start by getting crystal clear about your priorities at any given stage of life. My writing has always been my deepest passion, so I organize my other roles around protecting chunks of time for that creative work.
Know what matters most and schedule it first. However, don’t fall into the trap of overcommitting everywhere. Be selective about the roles and projects you take on based on your priorities and bandwidth. For me, turning down certain opportunities was crucial to avoiding burnout juggling everything.
Create routines and systems to maximize your productivity in each role. Batch similar tasks together, time block your calendar firmly, and eliminate distractions during work periods. I’m ruthless about maintaining boundaries around my dissertation writing time.
Perhaps most importantly, build a circle of supportive family, friends, and mentors who encourage your multifaceted pursuits. Their positive voices drown out the doubters. Their assistance also provides a much-needed breath when you need to recharge.
EDITOR’S NOTE: CrispNG’s Youth of the Month is an initiative to celebrate Nigerians bracing the odds and contributing positively to society. The recognition, which holds monthly, spotlights vibrant Nigerians who have either used their resources or skills to create value, while also inspiring others in the process.
