THERE are three kinds of people: Those you meet and instantly forget a few minutes
later. Those that give you a negative impression when you meet them, and those that
leave long-lasting pleasant memories after you’ve met them.
I am Onyeizu Chinedu from Obingwa LGA of Abia State; a Harvard University-trained
professional and a Petroleum Engineering graduate of the Federal University of
Technology, Owerri.
In late 2002, I was posted to Bayelsa State as a “Batch A” National Youth Service Corp
member. After the three weeks orientation camp, I was assigned to serve in Kiama
Grammar School, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area; where I taught physics
and mathematics.
Of course, I had a pleasant experience teaching in the community school and hanging
out with friends and other corps members most evenings under the famous Kiama
bridge.
One of the most significant incidents of my youth service experience occurred outside
the classroom and it started with a visit from an elderly friend of mine, Papa, who
supplied fresh plantain and fish to corpers. He had cataract in his right eye. So, I
decided to make it a personal community development projects (CDP) to relieve his
condition. I surfed the net for an NGO to help the old man.
The first thing I did was to register the initiative as an NYSC CDP. Afterwards, I went
online and found a medical charity in the United Kingdom, “Sight 2020 Direct”. I wrote
them an e-mail, asking whether they could come to Bayelsa for a free eye surgery
camp. After several e-mail exchanges, I was able to convince the group to come.
However, there was a big bureaucratic hurdle to jump with the state government
ministries. With the assumption that government officials would be enthusiastic about
the project, I reached out to the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health and the
numerous special advisers to the Governor on health matters. To my surprise, I was
turned to a ping pong: “Chinedu come tomorrow, Chinedu the commissioner is busy
with an important delegation, Chinedu the initiative is laudable, we will consider it and
call you, Chinedu do a formal application using the NYSC letterhead, and so on.” After
three months of seeking support from the government, I exhausted my resources and
the resources of the corps members that volunteered to help.
At a point, my small team and I decided to organize the eye camp on our own. We
informed the NYSC state office and got approval for the project. More corps members
volunteered to join. Soon we had opticians, medical doctors, in the team. We set up
make shift diagnostic centers across the state, used opticians that volunteered in areas
outside Yenagoa. Within weeks, we registered over 50 blind patients and conducted
visual acuity tests on them. I remember organizing a sensitization road walk along the
major streets of Yenagoa wearing a white T-shirt; we branded “Sight for all Bayelsans in
2003”. Because we had no money, we produced the road walk T-shirts out of a
cardboard paper cut-out and then used diluted oil paints to write on it.
However, the Bayelsa Radio and TV stations agreed to place our public announcements
and jingles on air free of charge. That leverage helped us reach out to patients that
reside far from Yenagoa.
When the UK- medical team landed in Port Harcourt airport on November 14, 2003, I
still had no financial or logistic support from any government agency. Meanwhile
patients had started contacting medical officials in Okolobiri General Hospital. Before I
made the last move towards getting the state government’s attention, I said a quick
prayer in my mind. I asked God to intervene; at least for the sake of the poor blind
persons that have made it out of the creeks to receive sight saving surgeries. This final
move was to visit the head of a Bayelsa youth organization. I met him and explained my
ordeal with the state government ministries. He apologized and asked whether I met
with the state deputy governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. I said no; but that if any help
has to come, it should be quick because the expatriate doctors were already on their
way to Bayelsa from Port Harcourt International Airport.
He made some calls, we drove down to the Bayelsa State Government House and we
were ushered into the deputy governor’s office. I told him about the free eye surgery
programme and my fruitless efforts to get support from the state ministries. I was
specific, I asked him for three things: accommodation, security, and transportation.
After listening to me, he smiled and thanked me for initiating such a laudable project in
Bayelsa State. You may wait at the reception.” His voice was gentle, like he was giving
me a suggestion, not an order. I left his office and waited at the reception room. I was
exhausted and anxious, still praying in my heart for a miracle to happen.
The Chief of Staff soon appeared and relayed a message from Dr. Jonathan. “You will
be provided a coaster bus, five mobile policemen and accommodation at
Intercontinental Hotel, Yenagoa. In addition, they gave me the sum of two hundred and
fifty thousand naira to purchase medical equipments for the project. It was modern day
miracle, especially after passing through hell in the last couple of months.
The free eye surgery programme started on Tuesday, November 18, 2003, at Okolobiri
General Hospital. The Sight 2020 Direct team performed a total of 68 surgical
operations; removing cataracts and inserting intraocular lenses. The blind indigenes of
Bayelsa State had their eyesight restored at the end of the programme. The full story
was initially published on pages 24-25 of the December 13, 2003 edition of SUN
Newspapers.
Twelve years have gone by since my youth service in Bayelsa State, but I have never
stopped wondering what would have happened to that free eye surgery programme if
Dr. Jonathan hadn’t intervened. What would have happened to Papa and the other 67
blind patients?
I strongly believe that Dr. GoodluckEbele Jonathan certainly belongs to the group of
individuals who give long-lasting positive memories. He addressed the major anxiety of
his people at a time it was needed. Although we met for less than 10 minutes, his
prompt action that fateful day had a huge impact on my life and the lives of those
patients.
From that brief encounter with him, I learned that persistence pays off. Problems and
challenges may obstruct your progress, but if you believe in yourself and your goal, you
will eventually succeed.
The second thing I learnt is that there are government officials who genuinely care
about the welfare of Nigerians and strive to improve lives.
A lot has been written about the upcoming February 14 presidential election, and
most of the debate revolves around speculation. I already know my choice for the office
of the president and it is based on personal experience, not fantasy or rumours. He
might not be a perfect president; but he is a man that can listen and act, especially
when approached with solutions to our national problems. However, my vote will go to
the affable former deputy governor of Bayelsa State who believed in a youth corper and
acted promptly to improve the health of the helpless.





source

source: www.ngrguardiannews.com/features/policy-a-politics/196965-audacity-of-hope-a-corper-s-encounter-with-president-jonathan

"Jonathan is a nice man, but surrounded by corrupt advisers"-Sanusi. But the truth is the people surrounding Buhari are worse. The likes of Atiku, Tinubu et al. Check their records and you will vow never to vote for the old soldier.

GEJ doing it from time immemorial

God bless u mr president!! GEJ till 2019!!!

fattybombom:
"Jonathan is a nice man, but surrounded by corrupt advisers"-Sanusi. But the truth is the people surrounding Buhari are worse. The likes of Atiku, Tinubu et al. Check their records and you will vow never to vote for the old soldier.

Exactly!!!

Rubbish!!!
Trash!!!

Well, it's good to know, but that doesn't change the fact that Buhari is our next president.
The suffering is too much and we Nigerians need a change.

Vote feBUHARI.
Vote Change

2undexy:
Well, it's good to know, but that doesn't change the fact that Buhari is our next president.
The suffering is too much and we Nigerians need a change.

Vote feBUHARI.
Vote Change

do not forget that the change you're calling is like change from fried pan to fire;
you called it yourself

@Op good for you.
But are you the only corper in this country?
If other corpers had the same story to tell, then it would have been different.
Anyway nonsense story.

Jona is a clueless yes man surrounded by devils, he is fast becoming one too.

faladeSM1132:

do not forget that the change you're calling is like change from fried pan to fire;
you called it yourself

Yes, we will embrace that "fried pan to fire" change 1st and if it doesn't suit us just like this corrupt & clueless government, then we'll vote them out as well.

As for OP, 1 good deed isn't enough to redeem your Otueke Drunk Fisherman from a life time of wickedness, corruption, massacre & impunity.

Next!

how do these sentiments and emotion change the reality on ground. Even bad people do good things and good people do bad things. no human is totally bad. years back he assisted u to restore d sight of so 68 people, but today thousands of our friends and loved ones are dying in our hospitals for lack of electricity and equipment which was better before his tenure.

he said Nwobodo shouldn't v been jailed because d money he stole wasn't huge enough. that common stealing people will term it corruption. whether he helped u or not, this kind of a man should v been booted out of Abuja d next day in a sane society. I heard these words directly from him and not rumour.

Even Idi Amin had d good side of him. if I tell u what massive looting does to d poor and d society, u will understand why China is brutal to corrupt officials. At least, I thought if nothing was benefited at d end of dis man's tenure, stable light is sure.

lastly, I feel u r educated but not yet polished. ur reason to have dis man there again is devoid of logic. people like u woman dey use do woman wrapper. where critical issues r being deliberated, u should v no business there. thank u for helping d needy sha. God bless u

Obiagelli:
Jona is a clueless yes man surrounded by devils, he is fast becoming one too.

after listening to ur story,he smiled and helped right? Good...why didn't he help after listen to the parents of the abducted girls? Why did he sack sanusi after he wrote him a note about the miSsing 20billion$? He has listened so many times when nigerians are crying agains boko haram,he should just smile and help naw!!! Corruption and stealing is d order of the day,after listening,he smiled and said stealing is not corruption!! He listened to the story of soldiers accused of mutiny,he smiled and allowed them to be sentence to death!! We r tired of him listening and smiling,he should continue doing that in otueke after he has opened a zoo and do what he knows how to do best!!

@OP What progress has been made in the health and educational sector under Jonathan's presidency? No sweet sounding words and long pointless stories, just hard data please. Save these sob stories and empty sentiments for people who can't see the bigger picture. Jonathan has failed and only excuse makers, bigots and ostriches who like to bury their heads in the sands would refuse to admit it!