What a Transformation!

Nneka means Mother is supreme; it is amongst the wise saying of the wise people, of the Igbo speaking region of the Eastern part of Nigeria, they pointed out this out and it is absolutely true.

The dearth of mothers , may become the dearth of formal education of some girls in some homes. Just exactly like that of my young friend; Abosede. Unlike her peers she lost her mother, the source of her education's finance. She was thrown out of school, and became always withdrawn; though blessed with white set of teeth, she seldom flashes her teeth. Her ever cold mood attracted her to me. My bold disposition pushed me further into her and her mother’s spirit sealed the relationship.

Why are you always looking withdrawn and faraway? I asked.

I'm always sad when I see my mates going to school, want to go back to school, she responded.

Go back to school dear girl, every child deserves education was my response.

Not my father’s children, she spat out.

Why? I demanded to know.

My father said, even nursery school, I will not sponsor a child to attend.

What, what a father?

He said that our education ends with our mother’s death

I don’t understand what you are driving it...as I raised my eyebrow.

He said that our mother died with our education. She is our sponsor, and our education died the day our mother died.

At this point, I was shivering. How can? This is Lagos not the remotest part of Nigeria.

Take me to him, I need to meet this man and instill the value of education into his medulla oblongata.

It was a futile journey, the house is full with ten children from 2 wives, one dead one alive, the second wife is a hustler selling everything and anything to keep her four daughters and a son in government school. He is just floating in the world, he cannot regurgitate or digest the topic of a girl-child education. The topic of education is a sore to his tongue and bitterness to his soul. He could not gie what he does not have; that was his response.

If it is this hard for a blooming tree, how much more for a dry tree? Abosede is the only daughter of her mother and she has four other siblings, all boys, all drop outs and all living a dissatisfied life. What wasted potentials? Her mother was a roadside vendor before she met her untimely death.

The day I had the discussion with Abosede was the day I had my last sweet and sound sleep. Her face became a constant flash in the stream of my consciousness.

Worldpulse my worldpulse, I cannot take it any longer, I posted it online and a great sister that I met and connected with on Worldpulse, sister Jumoke Giwa sent an inbox message to me. "Olutosin, bring her to our office at Change-A –Life, we transform lives, one person at a time".

I grinned from molar to molar. Yes sure, you do, and together, we did it!.

Eversince there is a plastered grin on Abosede’s face, her life became permanently changed forever. Now she seats as one of our organization’s Board of Director. What a genuine transformation!. She is the only person in our Board who has time to attend every activity, arrives on time and contributes so intelligently that I wonder how powerful sadness is; sadness can eat joy, swallow it and digest it in minutes.

My Jumoke showed us that anything is possible, paid her exams fee and registers her for further studies, with a promise of University education if she performs excellently.

Hmn every child deserves education, it turns impossibilities to achievements.
Abosede became one of our 50 girls mentored by 20 great women scattered all over the goal in our Star of Hope mentorship programme, her mentor is a great artist Art by Mia.

Stretch the hand of hope to a dying dream of a girl child; that the girl-child may blossom.