From K-drama fan to valedictorian: Nigerian student delivers speech in Korean at graduation
August 22, 2026 2:48 pm
Nnenna Onyima delivers graduation speech in Korean at Daejeon University, South Korea. Credit: Facebook| Tony Onyima
What began as a domestic friction over a young lady’s obsession with Korean dramas and K-pop music in a Nigerian household has culminated in an academic milestone in South Korea.
A proud Nigerian dad, Tony Onyima, has shared how his daughter, Nnenna Onyima, recently graduated with the highest academic honour in a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from Daejeon University, South Korea, where she was also named valedictorian for the international students’ class.
Onyima shared the journey on his Facebook page on Saturday, describing how his initial scepticism toward his daughter’s fixation on Korean culture eventually transformed into one of his proudest moments as a parent.
Recounting the journey, he disclosed that Nnenna’s fascination with K-dramas initially caused minor disagreements at home.
“At home, she was constantly engrossed in Korean movies, much to the discomfort of everyone else in the family. There were times when I wondered what exactly she was getting from all these Korean movies.
“Naturally, we disagreed. But rather than dismiss her interest, I eventually decided that if she was going to be so fascinated by Korea, she might as well turn that fascination into something useful. So the family encouraged her to learn Korean,” he wrote.
That decision reportedly paved the way for her selection in September 2023 for the competitive Global Korean Scholarship.
“She was among 1,099 scholars selected from applicants from 131 countries and one of only 14 successful Nigerians,” he noted.
Three years after departing Nigeria, he travelled to South Korea to attend the graduation ceremony on Friday, August 21, 2026, unaware of the surprise awaiting him.
During the ceremony at Daejeon University, Nnenna was reportedly called upon to deliver the valedictory speech on behalf of all graduating international students, speaking fluently in Korean.
Attaching a video of her speech in Korean, Onyima wrote, “I thought I knew what awaited me. I was wrong… Then something happened that I had not anticipated. Nnenna was called upon to respond on behalf of the international students. For a few seconds, I wondered why. Then it dawned on me. This was why she had insisted that I come.
“She had kept a secret from me. My daughter was the valedictorian. Suddenly, the long flight from Lagos, the visa anxiety and all the stress of the journey seemed insignificant… Here she was. Near fluent. Confident. Graduating summa cum laude. And speaking on behalf of her fellow international students,” he recalled.
“I understood why she had wanted me there. She wanted me to witness the moment. And what a moment it was. Nnenna stood before the international students and spoke confidently in Korean. I listened in amazement. Here was my daughter—a Nigerian —speaking to a gathering of international students in a language that was neither hers nor theirs.”
Onyima noted that in his daughter’s address, she admitted to initial fears about relocating thousands of kilometres away to an unfamiliar culture, but noted that pushing past uncertainty proved life-changing.
“How insanely amazing it is that I, a foreigner, am delivering a speech to a group of other foreigners in a language that is neither mine nor theirs,” she was quoted as saying, adding, “This was the best risk I’ve ever taken.”
Reflecting on the experience, Onyima advised parents to support their children’s non-traditional interests and help channel them productively.
“What had once looked like an obsession had become a vocation. What had seemed like a distraction had become a door… Our responsibility, perhaps, is not always to understand their dreams immediately. Sometimes, it is to help them turn those dreams into something meaningful,” he wrote.
“It was the best risk she ever took. And for me, it was one of the proudest journeys I have ever made, “Onyima added.
Nnenna’s achievement reflects a growing trajectory of Nigerian scholars breaking linguistic barriers and earning top academic honours across non-English-speaking nations.
PUNCH Online reported in July that a Nigerian student, Dr Dorcas Akanbi, graduated from a medical school in Russia with an outstanding 4.90 out of 5.00 cumulative grade point average, emerging as one of the institution’s best graduating students, and delivered the valedictory speech in fluent Russian.
The Nation similarly reported that a Nigerian scholar, Nnabuike Chisom, known by his Chinese name Qi Yunsong, wowed an audience of nearly 4,000 people at the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, China, by delivering his Master’s commencement keynote address in flawless Mandarin after mastering the language and culture.
Watch Nnenna’s video below:
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐊-𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧: 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
What began as a domestic friction over a young lady’s obsession with Korean dramas and K-pop music in a… pic.twitter.com/L4ppWhddNr
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) August 22, 2026
Deborah Sanusi is a First Class Mass Communication graduate and journalist with over three years of media experience. She reports on governance, human rights, development, and human-interest issues, integrating digital and multimedia storytelling strategies to enhance audience engagement and reach across social media platforms. Her reporting focuses on issues that shape public discourse and contribute to informed understanding among everyday readers.
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