DT AT 3: THE VISION, THE VIBES AND THE VOICING.

 

THE VISION. 

- “It all started from a DM”

- “We changed the name three times”

Anniversaries are always a good time to reflect and think about where we have been coming from, consider where we are and look ahead. For us at DT Pen tribe, we thought it would be a wonderful moment to be reminded of the very motives that started this wonderful group, and what better way to get this insight than from the founders of the Distinguished Teenagers group themselves? 

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The Distinguished Teenagers group started with two young Christians, Popoola Ajibike Josephine and Oyedele Oluwaferanmi Favour Olamide. Now, contrary to what you might be thinking that they probably grew up together or were school mates, or something like that, Jibike and Lamide met each other on another Christian WhatsApp group that was used to send daily devotionals of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Open Heavens. 

Both were members on the group and according to Lamide, they both noticed the devotionals were not sent for two consecutive days on the group. Therefore, they called the attention of the group admin to this and from there, the discussion that would eventually lead to DT started.

Jibike had just finished her secondary education and shared that she was getting frustrated because admission was not forthcoming although most of her friends and classmates seemed to be progressing with their tertiary education. 

“I was so angry with God, I needed some explanations. My friends were peppering us with fine pictures of them being in school.”, she said. She then resolved to throw herself more into knowing God and hearing from him. This she did through several Christian WhatsApp groups, one of which she met Lamide; the Open Heavens devotional group. 

INTO THE ‘DEEHEM’- passion, leadings and perceptions

Ironically, even though Jibike wanted to hear from God as regards her admission matters, a passion for teenagers began to grow by the side and before she knew it, the burden became a priority for her. 

After the chance discussion with Lamide over the devotionals that were not sent, their further discussion progressed into how more teenagers could be reached with the devotional. Confidently supported by Lamide, a WhatsApp group was created to this effect and DT came into being!

“Lamide made it all easy, I wasn't confident to take the bold step. We are here today because he was supportive and is still supportive.”

Lamide on the other hand admits that he got a leading in the direction of teenagers prior to meeting Jibike on the devotional page. He recollects realizing certain things he felt could have been done better in his early teenage years and was resolved to find a way around helping other teens ahead of those stages. “...but I didn’t know of a way I would do that. I just got the leading, then I felt, maybe it would happen. So as God would have it, that December, we (Jibike and I) met online.”

THE VIBES. 

GROWTH – triplicate naming, reviews 

By and by, more ideas came up and now the group has grown from just sending daily devotionals to include a wide range of sessions and programmes. “We started with reviews. Just Bible reviews for like the first 9 months. Then we later moved to sending song of the week. Other activities joined. We started theme of the month late 2018.”

Settling for a name was not easy though. Jibike recalls that the name “Distinguished Teenagers” was agreed upon after about 3 name changes.

“We had issues with getting a name for the vision. We were confused at some point whether to make it a group for teens only or for teens and youths because we had youths among us. we still have youths though. We were losing focus that period. So after changing names like 3 times or so, we finally agreed to Distinguished teenagers.”

CHALLENGES AND LOW MOMENTS

Part of the things anniversaries bring to fore are the challenging moments that have been surmounted in the years past and for these two, the story is not different. 

When asked if they ever thought about giving up on the vision, Jibike replied in the affirmative. She however added that DT has “good support systems” and said that without these folks, the story might be different. Lamide added that the first year of the group’s existence was a low period for him. 

“During the very first year, before the creation of team DT, we were deficient in workforce. The workload was on the admins alone. Those days, we would go to people's DMS to literally beg them to take reviews. JB was off then. So I really felt like giving up at the time. But thank God we walk by Faith and not by sight. This was the low period, for me.” The young man said.

The duo recalled with nostalgia a friend, Sophia, who assisted in running DT in her early days. 

“We met in a UI aspirants group at the time. So we got along quite well, and I decided to add and make her the 3rd admin of the group. She just got admission to study Medicine in UI at the time. And it's amazing that many of our strongest members that time came through her. Sophia is a key character is DT's story.” Lamide explained.

THE VOICING. 

MANAGEMENT AND ADMIN

The passion to help the world become a better place is a driving force behind DT. Consistency is pivotal to the success of anything. With the running of DT, Lamide says it is no different. “Consistency is one of my core values. I won't start what I won't finish well. It stresses me to leave things half done. And so, that was what drove me, especially in the first year, when I was solely responsible for the administration.” 

Challenges are also akin to groups and gatherings such as these. Administratively managing young bloods from different homes and backgrounds is not always easy. 

“We have gone through so many challenges that at some point made me want to give up. So really there is no greater challenge because solving one and then entering another makes the previous one I thought was greater become smaller.” Jibike revealed.

It has also not been without arguments over admin related issues. Lamide however comments that things are quite better now and reveals that a major lesson he has learnt is that “relationships are intentionally and not accidentally sustained.”

MOVING FORWARD

Speaking further on future goals and aspirations for the Distinguished Teenagers group, they both expressed hope that DT becomes more than a group, and a ‘portal of righteousness’. “…That DT becomes a platform from which great men and women emerge in various sectors of life. That DT typifies Love, Family and much more.”

They both see the DT family reaching more teenagers, taking over social media and blessing more lives.

A desire to help teenagers overcome hurdles that they had passed is what bought about the Distinguished Teenagers; a community committed to raising a set of young people set apart from the world, yet will bring impact to the same through the godly principles in God’s word. 

We can all be agents of change, however little the idea may seem. However, whom we share the ideas with can be the deciding factor in how the lives of many we do not yet know or see will turn out.

Compiled by DT Pen Tribe.