As I sit down somewhere not
too far from Osubi Airport, certainly not a stone throw but probably a ‘bullet’ throw, I cannot but
smile, exposing my white teeth. As I think on “this” particular incident, I
cannot hold myself from Laughing Out Loud (LOL). How I connected with “HIM”
still amazes me till tomorrow. My meeting “HIM” has given me two track records
in my speaking career this year. I have accessed “inner-room” information and
even won an award courtesy of Foursquare Student Fellowship (Fellowship).
That’s why I can’t stop thanking God that “HE” slept outside, because “HE”
slept at LT1, I stepped into a relationship with “HIM”. I guess you still don’t
understand the jargon I am saying but you will in few minutes from now, that’s
if you will take your time to read this article till the end. I must warn: This
is a really a lengthy article. I tried to make it short but I just couldn’t, I
guess the spirit of “HIM” possessed me but I will advise you read to the end because this
story am about to share has taught me lessons, few I will share at the end of this
piece. So come with me on my time machine as I take you back in time.
After my hundred level, I
stumbled into a “self employed” work as a Student Agent—helping Students get
accommodation off campus— and I was working with fupreblog then, a platform
that keeps student updated. These two ‘positions’ positioned me to receive
calls from aspirants and students looking for accommodation and I also assisted
Freshers with temporary accommodation at my house.
So on this fateful evening,
I was at home after a hectic day at school and just then, my phone rang and I quickly
answered the call. “Is this Pojomatics?” the Caller asked. “Yes” I replied with
perplex look on my face hoping to know why the Caller asked to confirm my
identity. “Please I just arrived from Ogun State and I don’t have anywhere to
stay. I asked around and I was directed online to fupreblog. I called the
number I saw on the facebook page and I was directed to call you”. At this
point, I was confused because my house was already occupied but I felt
compassion for the Caller. “Where exactly are you” I asked. He told me where he
was and I directed him to a location to meet up with me and at last we both met
up. At this point, there were so many questions on my mind to ask this dude but
I exercised self control till we got to my place.
After giving him some time
to relax, I started up a conversation with him. “Why would you set out for a
journey to a location you don’t know anybody?”. That question was enough
inspiration for this guy to pour out his ordeal and believe me, the guy story
made me very angry, not with him but with the Christian Fellowships on campus.
The part when burst my head was when this young Man said, “I had to even sleep
an LT1”. “What church do you attend” I asked as I look so intently into his
eyes. He then mentioned a very popular Pentecostal church in Nigeria. Anyways,
I just left the young Man to rest but I couldn’t sleep, I just started
thinking: Probably, there are other Freshers like this guy out there knowing no
one and having no where to stay. “All fellowship ought to have made themselves
fully available to accommodate their brothers and sister in-the-Lord” I
thought. The wires of thoughts gradually came together and produced a spark of
inspiration and I quickly got my notepad and pen. “WHERE ARE THE FELLOWSHIPS IN
FUPRE” was the title of my article and “jejely”, I started pouring out my anger
starting with this guy’s story.
The next morning, I posted
the article on all Fupre facebook group I was in and sent it to all Fupre
Student on my watsapp list. I knew I will be stepping on some toes but I didn’t
care. I was ready to dance to the difficult beat I had created. Like I
predicted, comments started coming: some were insulting but others were inspiring
and some were threatening, I got
comments from Christians and they were like ”FEAR GOD”.
Few days later, I got a
watsapp message from “HIM” and he scheduled a meeting. This was not what I
planned for but here it was, an invitation to meet one of the most influential
Student Politician on campus. I placed a call to the CEO of Fupreblog and we
met up with “HIM” at SUG Building, opposite the former SUG president’s office
to be precise. The meeting started on a light note. I explained in detail why I
wrote the article and told him the “needful” thing all fellowships should do—Earlier
on before meeting “HIM”, I had felt bad for writing the article but at this point,
I was so happy I wrote it. In short, I was already thinking of writing another
article that will bring me to the VC’s office. Immediately, he dropped N1000 on
behalf of his fellowship, Foursquare Student Fellowship (FSF), for the “needful”
to be done for them.
After that, he began to
pour out words of wisdom and at this point, I was mentally soaked with
Information oozing out of his mouth. My seat was so uncomfortable for me—I
wanted to shout but I had to hold myself. He also commended my brand,
#Pojomatics, and he ‘testified’ he always read my works and that was ‘unbelievable’.
He offered to promote my brand and I accepted the offer ‘sharperly’.
The rest, they said, is
history and this was how I met “HIM”.
LESSONS
I LEARNT
1. Whatever you do, towards yourself, others or God,
will primarily and eventually affect you.
Offering to help “HE” triggered my write up and brought
me into relationship with “HIM”.
2. Sometimes, it is needful to take a far journey
outside your comfort zone. Do the unusual. Go against popular belief.
That article I wrote was really ‘abnormal’.
3. This is especially to Writers, Don’t judge the
quality of your works by the number of likes or comments because there are a
lot of people who read your works but intentionally stay ‘with’ the crowd. When
I was sharing my thoughts, I never would believe that “HIM” was somewhere
reading my works.
Words are insufficient to describe the personality of
this Great Man. A Man of Vision and Excellence.
A Man who has studied to be approved. A man who has set a high standard for politics
in Fupre. A Pace-setter and Trail-blazer. A Man with the big dream to be
Nigeria’s President one day.
Happy Birthday to my Friend, Brother and Mentor: ONNI Joseph.
Politics, I wish you the very best in
life and in the works of your hand.
As you officially sign out of Student politics, I pray
the Lord gives you adequate wisdom to efficiently and effectively run your political
career outside the four walls of Fupre.
Back to the story, hope you all now understand why I was
thanking God that he slept outside? Anways, as I prepared this piece, I reached
out to “HE” and took permission to use his ‘success story’ and the next thing
he did was to smile, I guess the ‘movie’ played in his head again. He was like,
“No problem. Share me after you done”. They shocking part was when he said, “You
can Mention my name”. So, the “HE” in my article is Ereyomi Samuel , A two hundred level
Physics Student.
Chai, Virtue has gone out of me. Who touched me?...
Biko, somebody should get me Malta Guinness because I cannot come and die
oooooooo.
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