Aspire Magazine

Emmanuel has spent six years at home after his secondary education seeking for admission into the university. Not like he’s got no brains and all that, but the challenge he was faced with was his financial background. As a matter of fact, he could only afford to write jamb after his fourth year at home of which he scored 273 and secured an admission to study computer engineering which he deferred twice! The third time, God smiled on him as his uncle came to help out with his tuition.

His dad, a poor farmer has been saving quite hard to see his son through his B.Eng degree. Emma himself has been actively involved in the saving process. Whenever farm work was on recession, he went to town to wash cars and thus grow his personal savings. His mum is a petty trader whose income had been channeled towards reinforcing the family’s stomach and was barely enough. After his secondary education, his dad even asked him to drop his fantasy of furthering his education and face reality by learning a ‘hand work’ so as to keep body and soul together, but he didn’t think it was the best idea, saying it wouldn’t be worth it for him to kill his dreams of becoming a computer engineer simply because of money, concluding that whatever it takes, he wasn’t going to give up and they both reached a compromise and decided to work it out together.

After his first semester on campus, he figured out the necessity of him having a laptop to aid his learning process. He asked his colleagues how he could acquire one at a relatively cheap price even if it’s a fairly used one (second-hand) but he was advised to just get a new one to serve him better, for buying a second-hand one is equivalent to gambling. On getting home during the break, he tabled the issue to his dad who immediately asked how much it would cost. Emma informed his that it was about eighty thousand naira to get a good one. Some days later, his dad confessed that it wasn’t possible for them to secure one at the time being unless they started to build extra savings which may take time. He agreed to this and went back to school. That was the last break he ever came home since it was about 596 kilometres from school.

Whenever school was on recession, he would join this construction daily pay workers and struggle, just to see to the fulfilment of his dream. He toiled and laboured continuously and managed to save up to sixty thousand naira after his third year. During the first semester of his fourth year, his dad called him up on a Monday morning, inquiring on the progress he’s been making with his savings. He gave his dad the latest figure who was quite impressed and promised to send him something the next day. Emma was receiving his afternoon lectures on Tuesday when he got a credit alert message on his mobile. He opened it and to his amazement, his dad sent him forty five thousand naira. This meant he would be having extra bucks after securing his new asset. He was visibly shivering not as a result of a low temperature, and the lecture which had about eighty five more minutes was ‘pragmatically’ finished in his eyes for the only contribution he gave was just to sit and stare like a seat filler. On getting to the hostel, one of his roommates who had seen him leave that morning without breakfast prepared some rice with beans and stew with the presumption that Emma would faint if nothing was done for he was flat broke, having only salt and dry pepper in his locker. “Emmy come chow!” said Musa, and to his surprise, Emma turned down the offer, saying he didn’t feel like eating. “Guy wetin happen? Na because of you I even arrange this chow, i even put obstacle (fish) inside”. After much persuasion, Emma managed to eat a little and climbed his bed. He couldn’t sleep that night, was just thanking God for answered prayers and calculating how to ‘permutate’ this money to cover his needs.

The next morning, ignoring his 3 unit course, Emma rushed to town to make his new purchase. After securing it with a back pack and some foodstuffs, he came back to the hostel smiling and rejoicing at his latest achievement and there was plenty of food for all his roommates that evening after which he called his dad to inform him of the latest development. His dad then asked how much he got it. “Eighty two” he replied. Thank God said his father and added, “Emma, please be careful with that computer, you know how we struggled to get it”. “Yes sir” Emma signed concordance. Two days later which was Thursday, Emma went to fellowship and shared his testimony with the brethren. “No wonder” said one of his colleagues, “he’s been all smiles this week.”

On saturday, Emma went to take his bath before proceeding to the classroom where he planned to install the necessary software he would need to help his career. God’s willing he thought; before the end of 500 level, all that I’ve lost since 100 level would be covered up. On coming back from the bathroom, he met his locker open even though the key was in his hand. He took a closer look, the laptop was gone! He fainted.

He regained consciousness twenty minutes later by the help of other students who had been sprinkling water on him. Wetin happen? They asked, and all Emma could do was cry. In the evening when he was alone, he started thinking of all he had gone through to get this laptop, toiling for over three years! And everything wiped out in a flash. If it was a dream, he would like to wake up from it. If not, what was he going to tell his dad? To cut the long story short, Emma fell sick and was hospitalized for two weeks after which he died of hypertension. His dad, on getting the news of the demise of his son, his hope, suffered a heart attack and died. The mum, went mad leaving his two younger siblings with no one to look after them.

The message is this, you that derive joy or fun or whatever in stealing what belongs to others, have you ever had the time to even stop and think of how what you’re planning to steal ever came about? Do you even realise you may just be sending someone to the grave? Do you know how many tears would flow because of your selfish act? If you happened to be in Emma’s shoes and this thing happened to you, how are you going to take it? Do to others as you would have them do unto you.That which you envy did not just erupt by magic. If someone was able to justifiably get it, you too can. It only takes determination and patience.

If you’re touched by this message, please share to as many people as you can and may God reward you as you do so.
God bless Nigeria!