Alumni on the Move
Ten Years On: Choosing Movement, Music and New Beginnings
Ten years after becoming a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Ajoche reflects on a decade defined by profound transformation, intellectual achievement, and creative rebirth. Since her time at the University of the Western Cape in 2016, she has earned a PhD, contributed to vital European Commission-funded research on gender inequality, and navigated the difficult decision to leave her long-time home of South Africa. Yet, this leap of faith opened unexpected doors. While travelling the world, a chance encounter in Ghana reignited a lifelong passion for music, sparking the release of a series of joyful, Afrobeats and Afropop singles. Her journey is a powerful testament to the idea that growth is never linear and that there is always more life waiting on the other side of courage.
It has been ten years since I was a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, which I believe officially qualifies me for the title of “ancestor” in the Mandela Rhodes community. A decade is a long time. Long enough to complete a master’s degree, earn a PhD, build a career, leave a country I called home for fourteen years and somehow find my way back to one of my first loves: music.
When I joined The Mandela Rhodes Foundation in 2016, I was completing my master's degree in linguistics at the University of the Western Cape. At the time, I was still trying to figure out who I was and what I was capable of. The scholarship experience challenged me to see myself differently. It planted a seed of confidence that has continued to grow over the years.
Since then, I completed my PhD and worked as a researcher on RE-WIRING, a European Commission-funded project examining gender inequality across sectors including media, education, health and employment. Our South African team focused on the role media institutions play in shaping gender ideologies and the material consequences of those portrayals. The work was intellectually rewarding, but it also deepened my curiosity about how stories shape the way we see ourselves and the world.
In 2024, after spending more than nine months waiting for a South African visa, I made the difficult decision to leave South Africa. It was one of the hardest choices I have ever made. South Africa had been home throughout my adult life. Yet leaving opened doors I never expected. I travelled across the continent and parts of Europe, met incredible people and formed connections that I believe will last a lifetime.
One of those connections reignited a dream I had carried for years.
Music has always been part of my story. Long before academia, before research and publications, there was music. During a trip to Ghana, I met a talented producer who generously shared some of his beats with me. I started writing again. One song became two, then three, and before I knew it, I was preparing a new body of work.
In April this year, I began rolling out a series of six Afrobeats and Afropop singles that will be released over the next twelve months. The first single, Magic, is already available on streaming platforms. The project is playful, joyful and unapologetically light-hearted. In a world that often feels heavy, I wanted to create music that celebrates love, confidence, ambition and the simple pleasure of feeling good.
Alongside music, movement continues to be one of my greatest anchors. Movement of any kind: running, lifting weights, dancing, practising yoga or simply taking a walk, reminds me to be present. It has taught me resilience, improved my inner dialogue, strengthened my confidence and helped me navigate life's uncertainties with greater clarity.
Looking back, the greatest gift of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation has been its community. The friendships, values and conversations have remained constant through every chapter of my journey. They continue to remind me that growth is rarely linear, that it is never too late to begin again, and that there is always more life waiting on the other side of courage.
