Beyond JAMB: Will You Train Them in School?- By Chukwuma Okafor

In 2008, when I was supposed to proceed directly to SS1 in my village school, I wrote entrance exams and interview.

Then, I was admitted to another school in Onitsha.

There, I started afresh from JSS1, despite being among the best students in my former school.

My parents, who were farmers, struggled to pay my school fees, as they had other kids to care for.

Coming from this background, I worked extremely hard to excel in academics, making my academic performance my selling point whenever I sought sponsorship.

In JSS2, I wrote a poem that was published in our school magazine.

While selling the magazine, I would direct buyers to the page featuring my poem.

Many of them were impressed and offered me financial supports.

During that same holiday period, I joined my then Parish Priest for a retreat at Fegge, Onitsha.

There, he was conducting a retreat program for the Knights of St. John International.

He introduced me to the Knight members as a brilliant child from a poor home and shared my poem with them.

The Knights there were touched, and many of them offered me financial assistance.

I gathered plenty money that day.

At the sacristy, I overheard my then parish priest discussing my situation with the Worthy President of the Commandery.

The Worthy President took an interest in me.

He noted that I was brilliant and offered me a fully funded scholarship.

The scholarship covered all my expenses, including holidays, clothing, feeding, and every other needs.

The Worthy President paid my school fees from JSS3 to 400Level.

He was also the one that advised me to pursue my M.Sc.

His daughter, who was around my age, was pursuing her M.Sc. in Mass Communication at UNIZIK then.

I took his advice, registered, and was admitted for a M.Sc. program.

Remember, this man is not my father, Uncle, not from my town, not from the same Local Government.

He is not in any way related to me.

But he took me as his son, gave me everything I needed to succeed.

I could remember those days in school.

Whenever I sit on my table to read, I read with much anger in my heart.

I position my mind in my family while reading.

This method has a way of resetting my brain to know where I came from.

On my reading table still, I do always recall that it was a stranger that picked me up, decided to spend his hard earned money just to see me through education.

These were the forces that drove me to do well.

Sometimes, I read throughout the night, my books soaked with tears.

I guess all these shaped me into valuing education.

After seeing my results, your conscience may not allow you to withhold your support if at all you are in the position to assist.

Why am I writing all these?

If you came from a poor home, just know that no one is coming to help you except when you show yourself as someone worthy of receiving help.

Coming from a poor home is already a MINUS for you.

You will remain in that situation and your children will inherit it if you fail to stand up.

It’s only when you stand up that people could see you.

How then can you stand up?

Dare your fears!

When you are put in the same class with the children of the rich, try to outshine them.

Yes! Outshine their own kids.

Their parents may be better than your parents.

But try to be better than their own children.

If you are better than them, they will start seeing you. Others will start seeing you too.

You can easily attract helpers when you are standing. No one will like to spend on NOTHING.

Rich Men are Business Men!

For your information, there are many Nigerians willing to invest in talented students.

Nature has her own ways of balancing things.

So long as you are highly intelligent looking for who will assist you, nature will bring people that are rich, seeking for students to help.

Do not allow your background to keep your back on the ground.

Stand Up!

Currently, I know someone who is looking for medical students to sponsor in school and still send them to America for Jobs.

We have many kind-hearted Nigerians out there looking for who they will invest in.

If someone like me from a humble home can be a PhD candidate in my 20’s, I don’t think I am in position to discourage anyone from sitting for JAMB exams even if his/her family is poor.

But remember, RICH MEN are BUSINESS MEN!

You need to stand up first, so you could be noticed.

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