Local Entrepreneur Creates Foundation Around Global Mission

Sunny Akhigbe founded A Boy and His Dream so he would be able to provide necessary resources to young people trying to navigate their childhood trauma. Photo provided by Vee L. Harrison.
Sunny Akhigbe founded A Boy and His Dream so he would be able to provide necessary resources to young people trying to navigate their childhood trauma. Photo provided by Vee L. Harrison.

Local Entrepreneur Creates Foundation Around Global Mission

By Tia Carol Jones

Sunny Akhigbe founded A Boy and His Dream in 2015, as a way to help people who have experienced childhood trauma and provide them with the necessary tools they need to succeed. Akhigbe and A Boy and His Dream will host the annual legacy gala from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21st, at the Midland Hotel, located at 172 W. Adams St.

Akhigbe was born in Nigeria and faced challenges growing up. He compared his life story to the story of Joseph in the Bible who faced challenges and became governor of Egypt. He always knew that education was the key to him being successful. He stayed in school and received his bachelor’s degree and went to serve in the Nigerian government. He connected with a friend who moved to the United States, and he was offered the opportunity to come to America.

When Akhigbe came to America, he started coaching soccer at the YMCA. Being able to volunteer his time there, he was able to get the necessary documents to be able to work in the United States. He began working as a corrections officer, while attending school and still volunteering at the YMCA. He took advantage of opportunities and enrolled in Purdue University. He received a master’s degree in accounting and finance and started businesses.

Akhigbe wrote a book about his life and titled it, A Boy and His Dream, under a pen name. For him, it was a way to free himself of all the things he felt while he was going through his life’s journey. People resonated with his story of facing and overcoming adversity. He decided to distribute the book to young people in high school and college to show them that whatever challenges they face, they can make it through and succeed. For those young people, he has a word for them.

“Everything that controls you is in your mind. Forgiveness is the key. Once you learn to forgive and trace your childhood adversity and reconcile with that, you are healed and can become so peaceful,” he said.

Getting the support, he needed after writing the book and having people read it, Akhigbe knew he had to help other young people and started the foundation. He wanted the foundation to focus on education, sports and nutrition, youth and college readiness, young people and employment preparedness.

 A Boy and His Dream provides scholarships to young people for four years of college. It also provides meals to young people who are in need, as well as helping young people with sports and nutrition, by helping them create a workout plan.

Since A Boy and His Dream was founded in 2015, it has provided 75 scholarships, mentored students and helped them as they move through internships and being employed. Akhigbe has seen the positive impact of creating the foundation and sharing his story in the United States, as well as in Africa, where he has been building playgrounds, providing meals and school supplies. He also recently started a coffee company, Obulu Coffee. The goal with Obulu Coffee is for the funds received from it to create capital for A Boy and His Dream to use to support the organization. With A Boy and His Dream, Obulu Coffee and his fitness company, Akhigbe is creating a movement and serving young people in the United States and in Lagos, Nigeria.

For more information about A Boy and His Dream, visit www.aboyandhisdream.org. To purchase tickets to the Legacy Gala, visit https://tinyurl.com/2rmned7b.

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