31ST DECEMBER 2017

A brief recap on my life ordeals

Am Blessing Enyo Samuel
The 7th from late csp samuel ikani ocheni but the very first from Mrs veronica ocheni
Born in lokoja,kogi state, 15th March 1992
Primary school ----micheal omonogun memorial nursery and primary school, lokoja
Secondary -----federal government college, ugwolawo,kogi state
University -----------kogi state university,anyigba ( for the knowledge of those who've been asking if I graduated from Harvard university,note my primary, secondary,tertiary institutions are all in kogi)

Being a first child, even though I am a woman,i was raised by my parents to be not just independent but also look out for the well being of others
And this had always rang inner me while growing

Been born into a polygamous family where skeptical eyes watched me as I grew, monitoring my progress especially in school, which I never for once disappointed my dad,mum and I would say the whole family,some were there to always celebrate my intelligence and brilliance,others even though I was a child, knew they hated me cos I seemed to be dad's favorite
" what's it about this girl "
Well God twas,still is and would ever be

I remember bringing my presents awarded me on my graduation from primary school to daddy who was then serving at his last station in police college kaduna ( I and my siblings usually went to spend the holidays with him)
" baba,do you know I was the 3rd in federal common entrance examination in my school with 553 of 600 points,mathematics and English language earning me the highest? "

" I know omonu ( a name he fondly called me ( child of a king) ,your mum has told me, she said both the state and your school awarded you, you really made me and your mum,even the family proud,i will take you and your siblings out for shopping soon"

" yessss"
jumping like a toad,ran inside the room to inform chubi ( my immediate younger brother) of the proposed trip "

Well on my return to lokoja expecting the usual award of admissions to those who passed into federal government colleges, I was disappointed
Dem say we too pass, make we com rewrite " 2nd test " something that had never and never again happened after then
" Ok na,no be to write? "

The 2nd test was scheduled
My school been the best in town at the time was deliberately shuffled
We mixed up with other schools unlike we sat during the FCEE
The result came out in a week and " 182 of 200"
Wooooow...........
My first choice of FGCU was granted me and that was where life's battles began

I am very sure many were not happy with my going there
The preference was " state schools"
FGCs were highly rated at the time and were seen as schools for the highly intelligent

Anyway,my dad and I went about lokoja town shopping for my school items and I resumed

Half way my first term in secondary school, I was bitten by a terrible snake which almost took my life
Treated the first time by a herbalist, returned to school and in days the worst happened
There were no phones at the time,suffering at the school sickbay,the letter I wrote to mum only got to her 1 week later
" ha,my child "
She called my dad on a land line to tell him and he who doesn't joke with me hit the road by 12:36am from kaduna to ugwolawo ( my school)

At about 6:40am, I heard baba's voice in my school sickbay
"where's my daughter? "
" am taking her now, discharge her, omonu where are you? "
" sir, relax,we have to write to the school for permission..............."
" what nonsense "
He took me in his car and off we went
" straight to koton karfi"
There I was until the snake poisons were all taken off me
" iye omonu ( what he calls mum) ,omonu is not returning back to that school "

" never,she will finish from there, I will never grant satan that honor "

And I returned to same school in three days time to be bitten by a scorpion " what a mess,my God "
Life in secondary school wasn't easy at all,considering twas a boarding school
Wasn't feeding well ( even when you bring enough provisions, you share with your seniors forcefully)
Was forced to appear unkept cos I wasn't used to the tough life
serving some others same time expected to keep my self in check at a very young age
i mean,twas something else.........rolls eyes

But amidst all these,one very good thing I was able to learn was " adaptation " and " selfless service "

There were times of mockery
Times I were even accused of stealing ( I can never forget) cos I was more or less the introvertive type and lacked words to defend myself
Hahaha...........its well

Time for SSCE came,i sat alone, wrote alone, and cleared both WAEC and NECO in a sitting

Wrote my first JAMB ever in markudi,Benue state, passed
Post UME, passed but no admission

1st list of KSU, my second choice came out, I didn't see my name, but I really gave no hoot cos my dad forced me to choose it
I didn't know there was a thing like 2nd list, so didn't check ( though later found out in my 2nd year in school my name was on the 2nd list for biochemistry)

" omonu,next year please choose KSU as first "
" Ok sir " ( but was angry,since there was no medicine in KSU at the time, the most revered natural science course was BIOCHEMISTRY...........hissssssssed)

2nd year, I chose biochemistry with KSU as my first choice
Jamb,higher score
Post ume, higher score

" omonu "
" sir"
" professor ogbadu just told me the admission list is out, this is the last 500 naira on me, go buy scratch card and check please ( baba was already very ill this time with swollen tummy and feet,close to his death) "
" Ok sir"

I wore my gown, took my immediate with me to a cyber across the road
Anxiety, joy,fear,all mixed together
" chubi,please go into the result checker's room for me while I sit at the reception,if you see my name just snap your fingers,if you don't just remain mute "
" Ok auntie"

" auntieeeee you are number two on the list "
" Jesussss........urine dropped in my pant.......winks*****"
I knelt and thanked God before moving in to sight the result myself
" whaaaaat,which one be home sciences again? ( I was terribly angry but still kind of grateful for even stepping in)

We got home " omonu, how was it? "
Baba couldn't comprehend my looks
I handed him the printed list and the next thing I heard ( oga mi takpa ( my sickness has finished ( gone) in igala)
I began wondering if he didn't see the course granted me
" baba,cant you see its not biochemistry? "
" yes,am not blind, we can change course when you get in and if God says no,you let him have his way "
" whaaaat"
i was damn angry
Diverting from my all- time revered medicine is enough slam on the face
now,not even manageable Biochemistry
" which one be Home Sciences,biko? "
And I resumed

First semester,dad was already worsening
My first boyfriend that called me 10times a day "omonu,have you eaten,what are you doing now,where are you presently?" suddenly stopped
To cut the long story short, I went home to discover baba had been quiet cos his health was already taking a toll on him
Far from home in the prayer house where he was,no network,he couldn't even recognise his omonu again
" haaaa,aye mi ooo,is this my dad? "

Returned to school to resume 2nd semester
ASUU went on strike
On return home, had a very fatal accident that put me in coma for 15days
" This aggravated baba's health "
He could only make it to see me the very first day I was rushed in by the ambulance and the last day ( 15th day)
At 2am,i regained consciousness
At 2am baba passed on
Mummy who had suffered more than she could bear,first for baba who had been sick for a year, now her first fruit whose chance of survival was very slim went wide - eyed when chubi came to the hospital to break the news to her
" ha, what kind of life is this ( those who were in the ward) ,whats happening with this woman? She's being here for her hubby,her hubby was discharged, next day returned for her first child who now woke up on this 15th day paralyzed
"
I was moved to a herbal home where I was treated for months until my dad's burial

This really affected my Gp cos I wasn't in school and my friends had registered the semester courses for me
All proud Fs ,landing me on PASS

I really struggled through my university education
The all - time intelligent, brilliant, confident Enyo began dwindling
Didn't even know what to make of myself anymore
Read, read,read
Wrote,wrote, wrote
After the whole As, GP will move forward by just 0.0005 point
" meeen,this is frustrating, should I drop? "

Anyway I finally graduated with a 3rd class degree ( for the notice of those who are already assuming I graduated with first class)
" I am a proud 3rd class graduate "

After my defence, went home to see my mum and siblings before NYSC
" salary started shaking,my health began taking a heavy toll on me, hunger plus health issues"
Even a day before resuming NYSC camping I didn't still have an idea how to move
Mummy had gone to heaven and returned," who even get? "
There was this one friend of mine "Theresa ichado" who saw me through these tough times
I was practically eating in her house
Her mummy was giving us foods on credit
A time even came,i resorted to shamelessly seeking aids from friends I knew or not on FB
Only " TWO " came to my rescue
Barrister Richard Akinnola 11 and MR Tony Iyare are two men on this platform am forever indebted to cos at this point, they saved me

Entered NYSC camp with not even a dime left on me cos I had to leave 4000 naira of the 15000 naira mum was able to raise for them to feed at home
Sent 2000 naira to chubi who was crying in school of hunger
Bought little toiletries
Transported with the rest and that was it

Couldn't eat the rugged camp food but still had no choice cos I had no money
To even trim my oversized NYSC uniforms was wahala
A friend did it for me
At that point God stepped in

A man I led to God, a chief in abia state, asked to see me in camp
Appreciated and gave me 7000 naira
My NYSC state coord I drew a diabetes diet plan for gave me 10,000 naira
A nursing mother I helped in camp ,visited with provisions and 5000 naira
A Tolu ( a male friend I made in camp fellowship) surprised me with 5000 naira he deducted from his first 19,800
All a day before the closing camp parade
And that was how I was able to send money for feeding to my mum and siblings at home
Sent chubi pocket money in school
Paid Theresa Ichado's elder sis the money for shoe I bought on credit for NYSC etc

My NYSC was another line of battle
The type I had never experienced in my life
Betrayals by the ones I trusted
My Christian faith was strongly put to test
My family was starving
Even the 19k I sent from my 19,800 naira allowee monthly wasn't close to being enough
I almost stopped walking ( my health was taking a big toll on me?)
I will send my allowee to my family and start starving in imo state
The cousin I was with got angry with my sacrifice, saying I was taking advantage of him and stopped feeding me
I almost died
Theeennnn.......Chief Richard Akinnola 11 again
This man was my saving grace
Saw me through my physiotherapy with so much money
Funded my costly brain scan

And instead of being what my enemies expected " a cripple, handicap,3rd class graduate with no job,deformed with no man to marry her"
My heavenly Father turned the tables on them

I passed out from NYSC in October
Left imo December for lagos to sort myself
January " oh God, I am too responsible to be jobless, anybody can be without a job but not me with all the loads on my shoulder, many look up to me, remember my services to you, this is the time to prove yourself"

February at 11:01 pm, a call from Dr Ambrose ( an optometrist) came in " are you Blessing? "
" yes sir, I am "
" I will need your services "
Jumping......ok sir, OK sir ( I don dey think say na salary job,no know say na diet therapy to flatten him Belle e dey talk)
When I later learned of that,i still was able to convince him on how I could work with him and turn around his dental clinic

So my journey to abuja which led to this great mandate started
And today,am not just working but own my own company
An employer of labor
" who says God is not sufficient? "
" and who says your school result determines your future? "
Very mighty lie!.........
I am a very typical example of God's grace in action
Where it says that " God uses the basket to fetch water to Shame the bucket "

If you love God,he will always prove himself in your life
Those of you surprised at the happenings around me, well..........this is what we call GRACE
Please serve God the way you can
It will go a long way to speak for you when you least expect
The Blessing Enyo Samuel you celebrate today went through things 3/4 of her mates wouldn't pass through and survive