McDonald's employee accepted to West Point, follows family tradition of academic excellence
Above, recently promoted crew trainer Izzy serves a happy customer at his part-time job with McDonald’s, which he held during the school year while playing for the football team and maintaining a 3.5 grade point average.
Ehizele Akojie, affectionately known as ‘Izzy,’ center, is surrounded by his family members, older brother, Idahota, 19, a Morgan State University student, mother, Halimat, who holds Master Science in Nursing and Healthcare Administration degrees and Mary Hopkins Navies, owner and operator of eight McDonald’s franchises in Prince George’s County joined to congratulate him on his milestone accomplishment.
Angela Pete McDonald’s shift manager gives Izzy a hug after finding out he was accepted to the West Point Academy in July.
Ehizele Akojie, known as Izzy, has aspirations of creating his own company like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to try and change the world and make it a better place after he finishes his military career at West Point.
Izzy noted he would enjoy serving his country as much as serving the public at his current job.
Ehizele Akojie, affectionately known as ‘Izzy’ by his family and friends, is accomplishing major goals in his life.
Wearing his Nigerian heritage proudly, the 18-year-old senior at Dr. Henry A. Wise High School, has the admiration of his peers for bolstering the school’s football team as a strong safety to a winning season of 14-0, while maintaining a 3.5 grade point average throughout the school year.
Akojie’s work associates are equally impressed with his work ethnic and mature demeanor in addressing the public during his part-time job at a McDonald’s franchise in Clinton.
However, his most coveted accomplishment is his recent acceptance to the United States Military Academy West Point scheduled in July. According to prepscholar.com, the acceptance rate at West Point is 9 percent — 9 out of every 100 applicants.
Humbled by the experience, Akojie simply stated, “By the grace of God I’m getting a full ride. I’m not paying for anything.”
Excited at the opportunity to attend the renowned military institution, Akojie admits he originally entertained going to another college. “I had already committed to another school previously, but I had to take a reality check and looked into West Point and felt it would be a really good fit for me. I liked what they were about so I decided to take that step and go there,” he said.
Akojie wants to excel in the military’s intelligence community, in particular cyber security. “After the military, I want to hopefully create my own company like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs did and try to change the world and make it a better place,” Akojie said.
Upon finishing his four-year commitment to the academy, he will graduate as a second lieutenant with a Bachelor of Science degree and serve five years of active duty.
Looking forward to the bright future ahead of him, Akojie’s was quick to acknowledge following the academic example of his oldest sibling and mother — both holding master’s degrees.
Dedicated to the family tradition, Izzy’s twin brother, Ehidiame, known affectionately as Eddie, will be attending Shepherd University in West Virginia.
“I get my smarts from my mom, she’s a hard worker and I just look up to her in everything she’s done for us, raising four kids while still going to college herself,” said Akojie, admiring his mother’s current pursuit of a doctorate degree in nursing while holding a full-time job. “That’s something that I try to model. If she can do it, why can’t I?”
Evidence of pride swelled in the matriarch of the family as she spoke about her son’s achievement. “I’m very glad this young man did listen and is doing so well,” Halimat Akojie, who holds Masters of Science in Nursing and Healthcare Administration degrees said. “I’m in school part time right now and I told my kids if I, mother of four, work a night shift and I’m able to go to school, you don’t have an excuse,” she said.
Although only three of her sons are college-age, she said, “The minimal required degree for my four boys is a masters.”
She explained that she and her husband employ faith-based guidance in raising their sons. “Everything that you do in life is possible, if you believe in Christ and leave it up to God; that’s the basis,” Halimat, a church minister said. “The bible is the foundation of everything because there are so many distractions in the world. I’m happy and grateful to almighty God for my son’s success.”
Akojie also praised his older brother’s influence in setting the bar in keeping his priorities straight and making sound decisions.
“I would say my older brother, Idahota, is the noblest out of all of us,” Akojie said. “He’s very responsible and my parents did a great job of raising him, being the first-born and all. So we look up to him as a leader. We all kind of model what we do after him,” said Akojie, whose brother attends Morgan State University.
Idahota, 19, proud of his brother’s achievement, noted, “Growing up, my parents always instilled in me that I was the leader and forefront of our little clan and I always had to lead by example to show my brothers the right way. My brother has definitely turned into a fine young man and I’m really proud of him,” Idahota, a Morgan State physical therapy major and team football player.
Supremely proud and elated with the performance of Akojie, both at school and as an employee, Mary Hopkins Navies, owner and operator of eight McDonald’s franchises in Prince George’s County, lauded his accomplishment.
“He’s the best ambassador that I could ask for, he represents me very well,” said Navies a franchise owner for the past 27 years.
“I wish I could get everyone to represent me like he does. He’s mannerable, intelligent and he’s always friendly. I’m just so proud and honored that he’s working here for me. I want the world to know that we do have young black men who are doing great things.”
Admired and respected by his work associates, Angela Pete, McDonald’s shift manager, had mixed emotions about Akojie, who was recently promoted to crew trainer. “He works really hard in here, so I see him doing very good overall. That just makes me very proud. I’ll be sad to see him go, but I know he’ll be successful in life.”
“Izzy exudes great leadership inside of the restaurant. The younger people working here look up to him for direction, which is one of the reasons why he was promoted to his present position,” Ernest Mobley, McDonald’s Training Consultant, said. “I’m happy to see him move on, but at the same time I’m a little sad to see him go on as well, because the next step would be management, meaning that he would take over a department here in the restaurant. But I’m happy to see him go to West Point.”
Akojie joined a mentoring group at Wise High School called Men of AMATE, which stands for All Men Aiming Towards Excellence, instrumental in his mission of helping others to better cope.
“Basically we’re just trying to help the young men in our community, especially with what’s going on throughout the world, with us being a minority and our skin color being the reason for being shot or killed,” Akojie said. He is also active in other organizations to help mold his future including The Future Business Leaders of America and the National Technical Honor Society.
When asked how he juggles his busy schedule, he noted, “I try to live my life as an adult. I see that adults have to do a lot things, so I have to prepare myself and going to West Point is going to require that as well.”
