An Airman's inspiring journey to become an American

  • Published
  • By Col Eric Axelbank
  • 65th Air Base Wing vice commander
LAJES FIELD, Azores --  Raised by his mother, a small grocery store vendor making twenty dollars a month in Lagos, Nigeria, Staff Sergeant Olufemi "Femi" Owolabi conquered enormous odds to become an Airman in the U.S. Air Force. Femi, a Public Affairs Craftsman at the 65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office, is an impressive young Airman who caught my attention because of his exceptional writing abilities.

As I visited his office recently, he recounted to me his life experiences and challenges growing up in Nigeria.

While in Lagos, Femi's brother, Akin, asked him to fill out paperwork for the U.S. Visa lottery. With a population of twenty million people, the odds of winning this lottery in Nigeria seemed impossible. However, Akin was persistent and he convinced Femi to sign the forms. At about that time, the professors from the college Femi was attending were on a six month strike.

In February 2002, during a heated game of Scrabble between Femi and his friends, the mailman came and delivered a letter from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Without even opening the letter, everyone knew that any letter from the United States could only mean good news. After Femi opened the letter congratulating him on earning a Visa to the United States, the word spread quickly throughout the town of Lagos.

Once their elation had subsided after a few weeks, Femi's challenges became overwhelming. He had to raise $400 for the Visa application. After he successfully raised the $400 and sent it in, he received the Visa. Then, he had to come up with an additional $1,000 for the airline ticket to Baltimore. After the entire community pitched in, Femi had accumulated enough money to make the long awaited journey.

On Valentine's Day in 2003 Femi left Nigeria and on 15 February, Femi stepped onto American soil. When he arrived in Baltimore, he did not know anyone and a stranger took him in for three nights. A friend from Lagos whose father lived in Annapolis, Md., was supposed to meet him at the airport, but the area was snowed in and he couldn't make it. Eventually, Femi met up with his friend's father.

During the next six months, Femi worked at Radio Shack in Largo Town Center in Maryland. On a busy day, he convinced a gentleman to purchase a satellite dish. This man turned out to be Air Force Major Brian Parker. Impressed with Femi's communication and persuasive skills, Major Parker returned to the store and asked Femi if he was interested in joining the Air Force. Even though Femi's friends and family expressed their fear about being in the military during a time of war, Femi had to pay back this wonderful country that gave him his freedoms and opportunities.

Shortly after the events of 9/11, Femi knew that he wanted to serve and he went to the recruiter's office. Scoring very well on the entrance test, the recruiter rushed his application and Femi was on his way to Basic Training at Lackland AFB on 7 August 2003. After graduating from the Air Force Journalism School at Fort Meade, Md., he reported in to his first assignment at the Laughlin Public Affairs Office. In 2006 while at Laughlin, Femi was awarded the Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs Airman of the Year.

Femi reported to Lajes in October 2008 and he has impressed everyone around him since then. He is married to Temitope and he has an Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering. As for the future, Femi is on track to complete his bachelor's degree in March 2011, and he has his sights set on joining the Air Force Medical Service Corps.