pages from samuel
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📘 1. Title Page
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# **Pages from Samuel**
*A Personal Journey by Ogungbade Samuel Oluwadarasimi*
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💌 2. Dedication Page
Dedication
To my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ogungbade — for their strength, sacrifices, and unconditional love.
To my brother, Emmanuel — for being more than just a big brother. You are my friend and guide.
To all my friends — those I’ve named and those I’ve forgotten to mention — you are part of my journey, and your impact lives in these pages.
And to anyone who feels unseen, unheard, or uncertain — this story is a reminder that your voice matters, and your story deserves to be told.
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📘 Autobiography of Ogungbade Samuel Oluwadarasimi
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📖 Chapter 1: The Boy from Alexander
My name is Ogungbade Samuel Oluwadarasimi. everyone calls me Dara. Not Samuel, not Oluwadarasimi — just Dara. It’s short, simple, and somehow, it feels more like me. I was born in the heart of Ibadan, Nigeria — loud, vibrant, and full of life. Although I’m originally from Ogun State, Ibadan is where I took my first breath . Ibadan filled my early years with unforgettable memories. Ibadan is a place where the days were hot, the nights were calm, and the air carried the sound of people shouting greetings from across the street.
I grew up on Alexander Street, and to this day, I still smile whenever I think about it. That street wasn’t just a place — it was a feeling. The sound of generators buzzing in the evening, children playing football with makeshift goalposts, and neighbours who felt like family. It was peaceful, familiar, and safe — the kind of place where a kid could dream big and feel like the world was just a few steps beyond the street corner.
Eventually, we moved to Elesinmeta. Now, don't get me wrong — Elesinmeta was nice too. Quiet, calm, and in its own way, comforting. But by then, I had grown older, and leaving Alexander meant leaving a part of me behind. The friends I laughed with, the street games that went on till dusk, the neighbours that knew me by name. Moving felt like starting over, and I wasn’t quite ready.
One of the clearest memories I have from Elesinmeta was the mango farm beside our house. That place was like treasure land to my brother, our neighbor, and me. Whenever the man who owned the farm wasn't around, we’d sneak in to steal mangoes. We’d pick the ripest ones, laughing like little criminals on the run. But the real game started when we saw the man coming — we’d grab what we could and run like we were in an action movie. It was wild, risky, and honestly… unforgettable.
I come from a small, tight-knit family of four. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ogungbade, are the kind of people who believe in love, discipline, and education — not the kind of discipline that’s scary, but the kind that makes you want to be better. And then there’s my brother, Mr. Emmanuel Toluwanimi Ogungbade — or as I like to call him, "Big Man" (because, well, he is 😅). He’s more than a sibling — he’s a friend, a role model, and someone who has always had my back.
From a young age, I knew I was different. While other kids wanted to be footballers or engineers, I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to tell stories — stories about real people, about feelings, about the things we think but never say. Books became my escape, and anime… well, anime became my second language. Well and also wanted to become the president of a nation.
Those quiet moments watching or reading became the fuel that lit up something inside me.
And that’s where this journey begins — not just as a kid from Ibadan, not just a student of The Polytechnic Ibadan — but as someone who wants to turn memories into meaning, stories into strength, and dreams into words on a page.
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📖 Chapter 2: The Classroom and Beyond
If you ever wanted to see a quiet troublemaker, that was me in school — the kind of kid who knew when to keep his mouth shut but always had something clever to say when it mattered.
I wasn’t the best in class, and I definitely wasn’t the worst. I was somewhere in the middle — just doing my thing. But what made me stand out wasn’t my grades — it was my vibe. I had a cheerful spirit, the kind that made people feel comfortable around me. Teachers liked me, not just because I was respectful, but because I brought positive energy into the classroom. My cheerful body language and open heart made it easy for people to approach me — and that helped me a lot.
I made a lot of friends over the years. Too many to name, honestly. But a few stand out in my memory: Jeje, Taiwo and Kehinde (the twins), Testimony — my guy from JSS1 till forever, Inioluwa (a.k.a. Four Eyes 😅), another Kehinde (I wish I remembered his surname), and Joba, whose dad was actually my mom’s childhood friend. There are many more I’m forgetting, and to those friends — I’m sorry for not writing your names here. Just know you’re part of the story in my heart.
Even though I wasn’t top of the class, school taught me lessons beyond textbooks. I learned about people, about connections, about showing up with a smile even when you’re not feeling your best. And I learned that being a leader doesn’t always mean standing in front — sometimes it just means being the person everyone feels safe around.
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📖 Chapter 3: Finding My Voice (The Writer in Me)
I don’t remember the exact moment I fell in love with writing — it wasn’t like a movie scene or anything dramatic. It was quiet. Natural. Like breathing.
Maybe it started the first time I picked up a book and saw pieces of myself in the pages. Or maybe it was when I realized I could escape from reality just by putting words together. What I do know is this: writing makes me feel alive. It gives me a voice when I don’t feel like talking, and it gives meaning to things I didn’t even understand at first.
At first, I wrote for myself. Little thoughts, poems, random stories that made no sense to anyone else but me. I didn’t care about the rules — I just wanted to write what I felt. Sometimes it was deep, other times it was weird, and most times it was me. That’s the thing about writing — it listens when nobody else does.
Over time, I started noticing things more — how people speak, how silence feels in a room, how the sky changes when rain is coming. Writing made me more aware. I started putting feelings into words, and those words started turning into something I could be proud of.
People would say, “You’re quiet,” but on paper, I was loud. I could be anything — a leader, a fighter, a dreamer, or even a broken person trying to fix himself. I didn’t need permission to express myself, and I didn’t need approval to believe I had something worth saying.
One day, I hope the world gets to read my words and feel seen, the way books made me feel seen. I want to write stories that heal, stories that open eyes, and stories that make people feel like they matter — because we all do, even when the world forgets to say it.
They say writers are born, not made — but I believe I’m both. Born with a voice, and shaped by every experience that made me pick up a pen instead of giving up.
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📖 Chapter 4: The Struggles, the Shifts, the Strength
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I’ve been blessed with parents who tried their best — even when life made things hard for them.
I didn’t struggle much growing up, not in the way some kids did. I never had to sleep hungry or cry because I didn’t have school shoes. That doesn’t mean we were rich — far from it. It just means my parents made sacrifices, big ones, so that my brother and I could have the life we needed. They were always there, always providing. I now understand how hard that must have been for them, even if they didn’t show it.
Looking back, I can see how they were fighting their own battles — differences, challenges, personal things — but they never let it stop them from giving us love, care, and everything they could afford. I may not share their private story now (maybe later, if this ever becomes a book), but just know this: behind every smile they gave us was a weight they carried silently.
That strength… it taught me what real love looks like. It's not about being perfect — it's about showing up. Providing when it's hard. Giving when you barely have. That’s what my parents did. And that’s why I’ll always be grateful.
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📖 Chapter 5: Dreams Bigger Than Me
Everyone dreams of becoming something — a doctor, a pilot, a millionaire. Me? I want to be a writer, a leader, and a voice people actually listen to.
From a young age, I’ve been fascinated by the way words can change minds, stir emotions, and even change the world. That’s why I fell in love with writing — not just to tell stories, but to express the things people feel but can’t say out loud. Someday, I want my words to reach far beyond my circle. I want to write books that speak to hearts, articles that challenge the mind, and stories that stay with people long after they read the last line.
But it doesn’t stop there.
I’ve always had this quiet fire in me — the kind that wants to lead, not for power or fame, but to make things better. I’ve often said I’d love to become the president one day (yes, I said it! 😅). Not everyone takes that seriously, but I do. I want to make real change — to give hope to people who’ve stopped believing, and to create a country where every child has the kind of love, safety, and opportunity I had growing up.(And whether you all like it or not I want to become like Adolf Hitler when I become the president 🤧🤧🤧🤧.)
Of course, I’ve got a long way to go. I’m still learning, still growing, still figuring things out. But I believe in myself. I believe that with faith, effort, and heart, I can get there — maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even ten years from now — but someday.
And when that day comes, I want to look back at these pages, at this story, and smile. Because every big dream starts small. It starts with a boy from Alexander Street, a cheerful spirit, a pen in his hand, and a head full of words that refuse to stay silent.
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✍️ About the Author
Ogungbade Samuel Oluwadarasimi is a writer, student, and proud dreamer from Ibadan, Nigeria. Born in ibadan but of ogun state origin, his early life shaped his love for people, words, and storytelling.
Samuel is currently a student at The Polytechnic, Ibadan,(who would soon be done and planning his next way to go)where he's known not only for his cheerful personality but also for his deep curiosity about the world and how to change it for the better. He believes writing is more than a hobby — it’s a way to connect, heal, and inspire.
When he's not writing or reading novels, you'll find him watching anime, laughing with friends, or quietly imagining a better future — one he hopes to help lead. His dream? To one day become a voice for the people, and maybe even a president who listens.
“I don’t just want to write stories. I want to become one.”
