"How i regained my voice after two years" - Executive Director of Whispering Hope Africa Initiative (WHAI) explains.

Read her story below:

Two years without a voice; Limitless without a voice; Her voice couldn’t limit her – she keeps soaring; Empowered beyond Limit; Empowered Beyond Disability; In every challenging situation, try to be better not bitter.

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For over two years, I suffered from chronic tonsillitis and laryngitis which led to the total loss of my voice. Throughout the year 2016, no normal sound came from my voice box. I underwent several costly treatments and a surgery; lured to a herbalist against my faith; took in some concussions – none worked. Friends, professional colleagues detested me; some made mockery and mimicry of my voice, was disqualified from certain programs very important to me; went into depression. With the help of an expensive supplement, I started making some sounds in 2017. It was like a miracle to me and with voice therapy started, it improved to making some musical notes - I could sing a bit today.

In his book, ‘Discovering Your Destiny’, Bob Gass says “When you find yourself experiencing things that are beyond your ability; it`s when you know God is at work, demonstrating his great power”. In joyful thanksgiving to God, I write this piece to share the power of being empowered beyond limit. With loss of voice, I grew in my career and impacted lives. Also to let others learn from my experience.

HOW I LOST MY VOICE

For over 20 years, I have had recurrent tonsillitis which occurred every 3 to 5 months. During those years, I discovered that it is only when I take ampiclox or Penicillin V that I got relieved. In November 2015, I had the regular visitor, tonsillitis and took the usual ampiclox, rather than relieve, it got worsened and my voice kept going down. I consulted a pharmacist and took other medication recommended, none worked. The voice kept getting worse. In 2016. I sought for help at the ENT unit of St. Charles Borromeo Specialist Hospital, Onitsha where I underwent different tests and procedures in addition to medication, Also I was given a list of food items that I should abstain from and placed on voice rest. I obeyed all these therapy, yet none worked.

I proceeded to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), where after all the medical examinations, procedures, voice rest and medications failed. The consultants resorted for a surgery to remove one of my larynxes stating that my vocal chord is badly damaged. I asked the consultant, ‘will the surgery bring back my voice?’ He assured. Not convinced, I left for a program in the US and on return to Nigeria; I went back to NAUTH to continue with the treatment. I finally agreed and booked for a surgery to remove my larynx. So far it is one of the most painful surgeries I have undergone. I was left alone to bear the pains for over a month. One, two, three months after the surgery, I saw no improvement in my voice sound. I went into depression again, considering hundreds of thousands of naira spent and excruciating pain I underwent. Several times I went back to the ENT, the doctors were not telling me anything reasonable or the way forward to get my voice back since the surgery did not work.

LURED TO A HERBALIST

When I announced I have been booked for a surgery, a brother advised me not to go for it. Recalling that a friend of his in Abuja had same problem two years back and was booked for a surgery. His father in the village sent for him and took him to a native doctor who gave him herbal medication that healed him and he never had to do any surgery. I got excited with the ‘testimony’ and asked about how much the herbal drugs would cost, being a lover of organic African herbs. He pretended to get the contact from the guy in Abuja and the following morning, we headed to Alor.

Welcoming me to the gigantic modern edifice though poorly maintained were large statues of Jesus Christ, Blessed Virgin Mary, rosary and other Christian articles. The compound looked dirty/filthy with ducks, fowls, walking and stooling round the compound. We waited for few minutes before he arrived, said a long prayer in a traditional way and broke the kola nut which he gave all to eat except me.

It was my turn to see him; he asked I drop a N1000 consultation fee on an old, torn, dirty bible he was using. He started seeing vision and said so many things about my life. I was smiling and saying within me, ‘hurry up and give me the herbs to cure my voice, so I can leave this place”. He finished and asked me what brought me here. With a sign language and from the movement of my lips, told him I want to have my voice back. I was shocked with the next thing he said, “It’s deliverance that you need”. Deliverance?, he said yes. I asked what about the herb drugs, He said after the deliverance he will give me the herbs. I got convinced again, that I will have the herbs to get my voice back. This is what desperation could cause. I was highly desperate and getting depressed with my voice condition.

He said I should come when I’m ready for the deliverance. ‘Ready?’ I asked. He said yes, that it will cost me N10,000. I shook my head in disagreement and asked the person that brought me there to take me out from the place. We left and I directed him to the Catholic Church in Alor where I called the priest, who unfortunately was in Abuja for a meeting. I sent for the vicar, was told he was in a meeting with the teachers at the school. I was in a hot seat, panting to get quick info and make enquiries about the man and the authenticity of what he does before I commit myself. Time was going, the brother who brought me got angry I was wasting his time, and asked I pay the money.

I reluctantly went back with him, paid the money and he sent me to go up stairs and wait for him. While waiting for him, I was fidgeting and confused. He entered and asked I remove the finger rosary on my finger, I did. He brought out red and white candles molded in human form, tied them together with a rope and lit it. He made continuous incantation till a loud sound came from the image indicating the candle was burnt completely which he said implies my problem has been solved..

He applied an ointment on my palm and asked I rob them on my face; I did. He poured and splashed smellier oil on my face asked I continued rubbing it all over my face and body, was foolishly doing so. To cut it short, when he was done, he noticed I was angry; he said I shouldn’t be, that I should go and look myself in the mirror and see how my face is glowing. “I didn’t come here to make my face glow rather to get my voice back”, I told him. He gave an instruction that I mustn’t take my birth till after 48hours. .....

Visit to read more: https://www.crystalmag.com.ng/2018/09/how-i-regained-my-voice-after-two-years.html

Read more and listen to her amazing voice on www.9jagiveaway.cf/

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