“I want to tell every young man and young woman out there that you should not let the momentary barrier you are facing prevent you from your goal. Always push boundaries and somewhere, somehow you will get to where you want to go.”

Known as ‘Mr Deadline’, Dr Perekeme Mutu moved to South Africa from Nigeria to pursue his studies, and worked multiple jobs – including as a security guard and a car washer – to fund his academic career.

His perseverance paid off handsomely when he completed two degrees at the same time, including his Doctor of Philosophy (Law) from UP. He is currently a researcher at the Centre for Child Law and a post-doctoral fellow with UNESCO Education Law in Africa, at the University of Pretoria.

In our new episode, out Monday 27 June, he talks to the LeadUP Podcast about transitioning to and adapting to life in South Africa; the hard work he put into all sorts of jobs to pay for his studies; aiming higher regardless of the challenges you face; how he measures success, and what else lies ahead for him.

The LeadUP Podcast gives members of the UP community and the broader public access to prominent UP alumni and alumni associates, who share their top tips for success, and the stories behind their own climb up their industry ladder.

Download, listen and subscribe to the LeadUP Podcast today ­– click here to find LeadUP Podcast in your favourite podcast app, listen on YouTube, or go to https://www.up.ac.za/alumni/podcasts to listen from your browser. New episodes are out on the last Monday of the month.