Cameroon Prince Finishes High School with 21 Free University Credits

Oliver Ahmadou Tiani Vessah is a second-year finance student at the University of Cincinnati, and he also serves as a prince in the Bamoun monarchy of Cameroon. He acts as the sultan's representative abroad. His primary duty is to preserve the culture of the Bamoun people. He does this while pursuing a career in investment banking.

Vessah was born in Oakland, California, but he spent 13 years living in Cameroon. He moved to Cincinnati to start high school. He joined his two older sisters, Aicha and Laetitia, who were already living in the Queen City. His mother and another sister remained in Africa. Laetitia worked as a manager for Procter & Gamble at that time. Aicha noted that her brother is ambitious and ready to achieve new milestones.

At Withrow High School, Vessah was an honors student. He also served as a soccer team captain, a theater stage manager, and an interpreter for French-speaking students. He arrived in Cincinnati speaking fluent English. His primary school in Cameroon used the ENKO Bonanjo system, which required students to speak only English on campus. He now speaks seven languages, including French, English, Duala, Bamoun, Basa, Pidgin, and Yaoundé.

He chose the University of Cincinnati because of the College Credit Plus program. He completed approximately 21 college-level credits for free while in high school. This experience helped him prepare for a degree in finance. He hopes to become a chartered financial analyst. The credential is valued in investment management.

Vessah receives the Marian Spencer Scholarship. It covers full tuition, room, and board. It also includes a service trip abroad. The scholarship honors Marian Spencer, a civil rights activist and former Cincinnati city councilmember. Scholars live together in Marian Spencer Hall. They gather weekly for debate nights to discuss global issues.

During his first year, Vessah completed a co-op at Tire Discounters. He worked as a financial analyst. He managed accounts receivable performance. He worked with Goodyear Company, a supplier for major clients like Pepsi and Coca-Cola. He said the hands-on experience was invaluable for a college student.

He is part of the University Honors program and the Investment Banking Club. He founded a nonprofit called Hope in Action. The group helps orphans in Douala, Cameroon. It received support from Neptune Oil and Ecomonk. Vessah plans to expand the nonprofit's work to other parts of Cameroon.