- Osasere Okundaye failed a final ICAN paper before qualifying
- She became Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant at 16
- Her achievement earned praise from Olukoya and the Youth Minister
Osasere Okundaye, who recently became Nigeria’s youngest chartered accountant at the age of 16, has revealed that her path to the milestone was not without setbacks, including failing one of her final professional examinations.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that she shared her experience during a visit to the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, where she reflected on the determination that helped her achieve the feat.
Okundaye said her parents encouraged her to begin the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria’s Accounting Technicians Scheme shortly after finishing secondary school instead of waiting to gain admission into a university.
Without any formal background in accounting, she admitted that adapting to the programme was difficult at first. She explained that she had to devote extra time to studying because many candidates already had prior knowledge of the subject.
Her persistence paid off as she successfully advanced through the different stages of the professional examinations. However, she encountered a major obstacle after failing one of the papers required to complete the qualification.
Rather than allowing the disappointment to end her ambition, she prepared again, retook the examination in May and passed, becoming a fully qualified member of ICAN at just 16 years old.
The Accounting Technicians Scheme is the institute’s foundation programme designed to prepare candidates for its professional examinations.
Congratulating the teenager, Dr. Olukoya described her accomplishment as an example of what commitment, resilience and faith can produce.
He said her story demonstrates that age does not determine success and encouraged young Nigerians to pursue their goals with dedication.
The achievement also earned praise from the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who said Okundaye’s success reflects the exceptional ability and promise of Nigerian youths.
By qualifying at 16, Okundaye established a new national record, surpassing Jonathan Adewale, who previously held the distinction after becoming a chartered accountant at the age of 17 in 2022.
