From Nigeria to Global Citizenship: How Samuel Adekunle Uses Storytelling to Empower Changemakers

Samuel Adekunle's life is a testament to the power of storytelling.

Born in Nigeria and currently residing in the US, Samuel has embraced his African roots with pride, weaving his heritage into a narrative that transcends borders and cultures. As a avid storyteller and a design student, Samuel is passionate about designing for social good and using storytelling as a tool to empower others, influence societal change, and make an impact.

Samuel's story begins in his teenage years when he joined a non-profit aiming to build a leadership academy in Nigeria, a cause that Samuel held close to his heart. Seeing firsthand the lack of leadership in his home country, he felt compelled to act.

At the age of 14, he was given a “school” where he taught seven children in his community for free for more than a year. He also was part of the team leading storytelling efforts of the organization. But after a while, Samuel felt like he had given up. The state of leadership in Nigeria had deteriorated, and he felt dejected, and had lost sight of the point of it all.

“It felt as if we were pouring water in a basket. Maybe we were, maybe we were not - it was hard to tell.”

When Samuel moved to the United States, he began pursuing his career in telling stories, with a deep-rooted passion for career development and financial growth for immigrants and international students. “I know how intimidating it can be when you are in a space of people with impressive portfolios and strong … impact … and you are the only one with a high school degree, or you are still struggling to [keep] up with your class assignments. I know what it feels like being the underprivileged person in the room with people who have had opportunities. I [want to] leverage my experiences and help [those who think] they are too small to make an indelible impact.”

Despite his early disillusionment with the state of leadership in his home country, attending Camp 2030 was a turning point for him. Samuel, who attended Camp through the Rowan College Delegation, where he attends university, realized through Camp 2030 that “leadership was not an African problem. It was a human problem."

He understood that his efforts, no matter how small they seemed, could have a ripple effect for others. “Everywhere and anywhere struggles with leadership,” Samuel shared. It was at Camp that he saw how the intentionality of being an impactful leader could potentially change things in ways he could never imagine. “You need to show people how they can make an impact in the spaces they’re in, even if it’s a small space.”

His biggest takeaway? “You are enough. At Camp, I realized I did not have to bring a new person to the table. My experiences, my background and struggles made me the perfect person to be at that table.”

Breaking Down Barriers

As a storyteller, Samuel knows the importance of conversations in changing people’s perspectives. On the first day of Camp, he met his team, which was comprised of 5 people from different continents and professional backgrounds. Almost immediately, he felt a palpable difference. But during their first team-building exercise, his team opened up about their backgrounds and what led them to New York. “That conversation made all the high walls crumble because we saw that we were first humans before the differences.” The walls tumbling down was a pivotal moment for Samuel. He felt they could connect and make jokes even in the most intense moments because we moved beyond their differences.

“I saw that I was living in a mirage of a world that involved 9 billion other people with varying experiences and perspectives. I was awakened to see how my experience, even though it is valid, is not absolute.”

At the heart of this new-found belief is Samuel’s desire to be a global citizen. In an increasingly globalized world, Samuel believes wholeheartedly in the belief that you must first identify as a citizen of the world, rather than a citizen of your own country. He realized that appreciation for other cultures contributes to creating a safe world for everyone. I am quite excited at an opportunity to show the delegates what it feels like to be united by our differences. “For the first time at Camp, I saw myself as a global citizen first, before [my identity as] a Nigerian in the United States.”

Supporting Future Changemakers

Samuel knew immediately that he wanted to apply for the Counselor role as soon as he was eligible to apply, so that he could share his transformative experience of how Camp cemented his identity as a global citizen and illuminated the impact of even the smallest decisions. He looks forward to empowering future leaders, showing them how unity in diversity can create a safer world for everyone. And most important of all? He wants to pave the way with empathy, proactiveness, and energy, to create an environment where all Changemakers feel seen, recognized, and motivated to push beyond their limits.”

What makes his approach to the Counselor role different is empathy. “We are coming together to solve a problem that is beyond us. At the same time, there are a lot of differences [to overcome], and as a Counselor, it is my job to ensure that everyone feels seen and recognized based on what is … important to them.” He notes that, despite Camp’s intensity, it still manages to accommodate the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of each individual. “I believe my best way to encourage Campers to step out of their comfort zone is to guide them to see what is possible if they believe in themselves. To Samuel, authenticity creates and fosters “a strong community among Changemakers that helps them be comfortable with being themselves.”

For Samuel, everything starts with a good story. “All good things start with a conversation. Camp 2030 brings differences to the same space. Camp is a platform to start conversations, and make an impact.” Beyond Camp 2030, Samuel is focusing on building up his expertise and clientele in social storytelling, and is currently working on a project to demystify the topic of mental health among men.

His words for future Campers?

“Camp 2030 redefined my perspective on impact and what we could do as individuals and a collective force. We might be small but we are a force.”