Past Life: I Could Hardly Afford To Eat Once A Day (SWC)

teekingtv (68)in #jerrybanfield • 6 years ago (edited)

This ain't some random story heard or copied from somewhere, it's a true life story of myself and this is my entry for the "Supernatural Writing Contest" held by @jerrybanfield. I'm hoping you're following this.

Childhood time is the most delicate moment in human lifetime. I believe how you spend your childhood time has great impact on what you become in the near future.

I came from a very poor family which lived at the South-West of Nigeria. Right from time, many people considered me to be a brilliant boy. I've heard lots of people talked to my mum on what they think of my future and how much she needed to cherish me. I was first registered to a government school in my primary school days. My parents couldn't afford to send me to the better schools around, we could hardly eat twice a day. I and my little sister grew to understand the situation of life - you don't eat when you don't work. Yet, I've always been the most popular student among my colleagues.

It was the 3rd term holiday. I was prepared to be promoted to my new class, primary 4, and there arose a misunderstanding between the state government and teachers association over salary issues, and every government institutions in my state went into indefinite strike. Months passed, the government wasn't ready to go by the teachers requests. The battle for who's more stubborn continued and my education life and other students' were facing doom. After some months, my parents struggled to find a means to transfer me into a private owned institution. I knew it for sure that our daily meal had to suffer the consequence; and that was how it was reduced to once a day. And the complex battle between me and other students whose parents were rich students begun.

The hatred for me grew higher when I got the first position in the first examination I partook in at the school. My parents couldn't believe their hears when they were told that I came first. I mean I couldn't believe me either. And that day, my dad vowed to do all it takes to make sure I attend tertiary institution. At primary 4, my parents were called upon by the school proprietor. He talked them into allowing me sit for secondary school entrance examination that was meant to take place in the following year.

I was placed among the graduating students and wrote the term's examination with them. Even though it was just weeks to exam before joining them, I came 3rd and for the first time, I changed their famous routine - the first three positions had never been occupied by any other student aside the 3 females in the class before my arrival. I happened to be the first male to make the 3rd position and that sounded the war drum between me and them again. To them, it's very shameful that a poor boy from a public school overtook their position. I almost got fed up of the everyday complex that continued to rise among us. I just had to cop 'cause I knew what it took for me to be among them.

Now, I was in secondary school. my admission came late due to some complications. And just few weeks after joining them, the students and teachers started noticing my intelligence. I was made our class captain and the overall monitor. I was known throughput the school. I met the best students from the best schools private schools in the same class I was. Even I myself acknowledged there brilliance. Just that we didn't go along so well. I remember Olamide, a very brilliant girl I was attracted to. Regardless of my noble intention, she rejected being close to me. She later opted to transfer from our school to a nearby school that's considered being better than ours academically by then. She was made the Senior Prefect Girl at final year and we met often at competition and like you're guessing, we hardly talked to each other.

My father got sick and was admitted at the hospital. We spent every last dime in our family to ensure the safety of his life. And the tough times commenced. The whole family was living on operation 010. we could only eat at noon. on a better day, probably we were able to get little garri to manage for dinner. The WAEC (West African Examination Council) exam was near. I was totally lost to the battle against poverty. Nothing I read could stay in my brain. Being alive became a misery. Then I understood why some people take their lives. If you've been in poverty, then you know life is a bitch.

Our hustle had to be doubled. I would go into the far forests alongside my mother and little sister to fetch some woods to earn some money so as to take care of our sick father. These are unforgettable times in my life. The memory seems very fresh as I'm writing this. During holidays, I would go to sawmill to work; carrying heavy planks across the ever busy express road. That's how I made some money to pay some fees at school.

The exam turned out to be the worst I'd sat for. Even though I managed to have at least Credit on every subject aside Mathematics, it wasn't what I had anticipated. But i couldn't blame myself either. It's hard to win exams with empty stomach. My dream to become a medical doctor swept away in my watch. At this point, my father had no other option than to allow me to stay with his younger brother against his wish. He'd said it severally how much he detested sending his children to live with his family members. To be candid, I wasn't happy with it also. But I knew I needed to give my family some break so there would be a less mouth to feed.

That was 2009, and it was how I ended up at Computer Village, Lagos - the popular computer and mobile phone market in Nigeria, often regarded as the largest computer and computer accessories market in the whole of West Africa. My uncle had a shop he where he sold laptops and laptop accessories. I wondered why he hasn't been coming to us to give my father a visit when he was gravely ill. Life they say, is phenomena.

I had to forget going to tertiary institution for at least few years. I focused on learning how to repair PCs. In few months, I could do all sort of works on hardware and software. After exactly 6 months, my uncle made me the engineer that attended to customers and repaired laptops when needed at age 17. I became fond of computer and computer related stuffs. And in 2013, I was admitted at the state polytechnic where I studied Computer Science.

It's traditionally my way; getting known especially with my intelligence. I know it for sure that I'm a born leader. The past and present experiences assure me of that. I became famous at school that some even said it to my presence that "I've learned coding and software stuffs before coming to the Lagos Poly." I didn't blame them, I'd say the same.

At first year, I was the second best student in my department and at the second year, I came first, beating the previous best student alongside my partner in crime, Mike maintaining his third position.

Here I am today, even though I haven't worked on any famous software project, I know what I've done already and what I'm about to announce to the public few months to come.

I was able to rent the apartment my uncle was living before moving to his house at age 23 while I was still at school and became a fully responsible man (although i haven't married yet). I currently work as an internet entrepreneur on my own, providing home services for computer related problems and I have an entertainment blog; teekingtv.com.ng I currently manage. I also have a project, a software that will soon overtake Microsoft Office software, but I don't wanna talk about that for now.