'I no fit read until 18, now I be professor for Cambridge University'
Dem diagnose Jason wit autism at di age of three.
13 March 2023
One man wey no fit read or write until im be 18 go become di youngest ever black professor for di UK Cambridge University.
Dem diagnose Jason Arday wit autism and global development delay for im early years, and im no fit speak until im be 11 years old.
Now, di 37-year-old dey set to become professor of sociology of education for di prestigious university.
Although im no fit tok, di young Jason dey always question di world around am.
"Why some pipo dey homeless?" im remember dey wonder "Why war dey?"
Born and raised for Clapham, south-west London, Prof Arday, one sociologist, say im formative moments include watching Nelson Mandela release from prison on television and South Africa symbolic triumph for di 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Im remember im dey always dey deeply moved by di suffering of odas and one strong compulsion to act.
"I remember thinking if I no make am as a football player or a professional snooker player, then I wan save di world," e tok.
Im mama play ogbonge role in developing im self-confidence and skills.
She introduce am to a wide range of music in di hope say dis go help how im dey learn language.
But e also kick-start one lifelong interest in popular culture wey don characterise some of im research.
“I dey always feel say na privilege to get a period of 11 years wia maybe I no fit speak and follow pipo tok wen everybody else fit tok because e allow me see tins in a different way.” Oga Jason tok
Dem diagnose am wit autism at di age of three.
Oga Jason add am say, at 18, im mama get me to a point wia she decide she need anoda pesin to believe in im as much as she believe in am.
Therapists predict say Jason go need constant care, throughout im entire life.
One college tutor, Sandro Sandri help teach am to read and write. Im spend hours of im free time dey teach Jason.
Im go on to get a degree for Physical Education and Education Studies from di University of Surrey before e train as a PE teacher.
Growing up for one relatively disadvantaged area and then working as a school teacher, im tok say, give am first-hand insight into di systemic inequalities wey youngsters wey belong to ethnic minorities face in education.
Wia dis foto come from, Prof Jason Arday
“Wen I be 22 wey I tell my tutor say I dey think about doing my PhD
“And im tell me say dis go be di greatest tori for di world.
“if di kid wey no sabi how to read and write, manage to get a PhD im fit take on di world”, e tok
Now di 30 year old go become di youngest ever black professor for Cambridge University.
"Looking back, dat na wen I first really believe in myself. A lot of academics say dem stumble into dis line of work, but from dat moment I dey determined and focused - I sabi say dis go be my goal."
Learning to become an academic, however, dey very difficult, particularly because im get little practical training or guidance about how to do am.
During di day, Prof Arday work as PE lecturer for higher education.
For di evening and night, im hours dey filled drafting academic papers and studying sociology.
"Wen I start to write academic papers, I no get any idea wetin I dey do," im tok.
"I no get any mentor and no-one don ever show me how to write.
"Everything I submit get violently rejected.
"Di peer review process dey so cruel, e dey almost funny, but I treat am as a learning experience and, later, begin to enjoy am."
Im new boss tok say di university dey lucky to have am.
Im research go include finding ways to make higher education more accessible for everyone, regardless of dia background.
For Jason dis no be di end - na just di beginning.
"Di reaction dey amazing and I truly dey grateful to everyone for dia kind sentiment and kind words. We get a lot of work to do.", e tok.
Prof Arday go on to gbab two masters qualifications and one PhD in educational studies.
Wen dem ask am wen im realise say im be sociologist, e tok say na probably in about 2015.
"On reflection dis na wetin I suppose do."
Eight years on, im go now become professor of sociology of education at Cambridge.
Currently na about five black pipo wey be professors for di university.
Official figures from di Higher Education Statistics Agency show how, for 2021, just 155 of more than 23,000 university professors for di UK be black.
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