It takes courage to share true life stories especially when it has to do with failures. You might find this unbelievable but this is my true life story. I'm sharing with you so that you can as well have success at the end.
Let me go straight to my story. I like to keep this brief because I don't want to bore you.
My name is Sola Mathew. I was born in the far Northern state of Nigeria, Jalingo, Taraba state.
As you know, not everyone is born with a silver spoon. Some were born with golden, some with clay spoon and some with wooden spoon. Mine was with a semi silver spoon and it was almost taken away from me.
The Struggle After The Death
All things were going smoothly until 1996. I was 6 years old then. My Dad gave up the ghost. For some that don't understand that, I meant, he died.
My family started struggling but thank God for my Mum who was a Tailor and trader.
Of course, she was into those businesses to support her husband who was a soldier in the Nigeria Army.
After 7 years of loneliness, my mum decided to remarry.
On the day she gave birth to her last child, she died. So pathetic! I cried and my eyes almost gushed out but that couldn't bring her back.
Consequently, we all moved to Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, My hometown.
The Orphan Life
Nobody to take care of us. Only my Aunt, the younger sister to my Mum took us in.
My only sister gained admission to college but because of fund, she had to drop out. She is now into tailoring.
I had to stay with several people and attended several denominations.
Angels As Humans
Through a woman, Mrs Ige, I gained admission to Ado Grammar School, Ado-Ekiti.
I was DEDICATED TO WIN.
I graduated as the best student and senior boy in that school.
I was able to do that because of an advice by a woman, Mrs Fatoba, who said READ AS IF YOU ARE NOT PRAYING AND PRAY AS IF YOU ARE NOT READING.
I hope that helps someone struggling academically.
After secondary school, I couldn't gain admission in time and when I eventually did, there was no school fees.
Again, Mrs Ige resurfaced and we began to look for school fees.
To cut that story short, we got help from two churches, Anglican and CAC. That was how I paid my 100 Level School fees.
In my 100 level, I was serious and had good set of friends. I had 3.55 as my CPA even though I resumed late because of my school fees.
Distracted
Second semester of that 100 level, I bought a BB phone and that affected my academics. I had a cumulative CPA of 3.05 in 100L.
Later, I had a message by some folks in school that almost destroyed my academic career. They preached that academics is babylon. That affected my studies the more.
His Word
However, thank God, He restored me. He told me I would pass out with a Second Class Upper Division.
That came to pass when I reapplied the advice of Mrs Fatoba.
Wait! At that time (my final year) I was the Assistant Drama Coordinator of my Fellowship, the Zonal Congress Coordinator, The President of my NGO, the Financial Secretary of the largest group on campus (Watchtower) and I had my project.
With all that, my results for that section was the best. It shot me to the Second Class Upper Division that God told me about. I made Ain all my courses including my Final Year Project. Except for a Bin a course.
Truly, there is nothing God cannot do.
Favoured by Grace
How did I pay the rest of my school fees? I'll quickly go through that.
In 200 Level, my former secondary school teacher, Mrs Adejuyigbe connected me with a woman who gave me ₦100,000 to pay my school fees. The school fee was ₦99,750. That's EKSU!
In 300 Level, the woman gave me ₦50,000 out of my school fees. That was what she had. I borrowed to complete it.
In 400 Level, I wrote an article on my Facebook about how God has been helping me and one man saw it. The man never liked or commented on my posts before.
He called me over phone and you know what happened? He paid my school fees and my project fee.
Becareful what you post on social media. It can either make or mark you.
I was able to pay up the money I borrowed in 300 Level with the remaining money.
Today, I'm a graduate and serving currently in Taraba State.
While in University also, I was not idle, I used to repair people's laptops including my lecturers and I was into blogging. That helped my feeding and purchase of handouts. Thanks to my friends who also helped.
I know I am not where I am going yet but I am not where I used to be. God's favour, Mercy and grace have found me.
Quickly, I'll like to tell you some of the things that helped me.
- Suffering is not a yardstick to failure or success, it's what you define it.
- Read books. Great Men read books. You're a sum total of what you read.
- Build your character. Your gifts would open doors for you but it's your character that would keep the doors opened.
- Invest but investigate first. Don't invest in what you have not investigated.
- Fail many times, it's part of success. It shows you're doing something but learn from your failures.
- Live a life of love. You can give without love but you cannot love without giving.
- I didn't write for you to get emotional but that you might learn from my story.
About the Writer:
Sola Mathew is a Blogger and Podcaster at Charity Connect Podcast. He helps individuals and businesses set up their blogs and podcasts. You can download his simple guide on How to start a Blog/Podcast on www.charityconnectpodcast.com/start-your-podcast. You can also connect with him on Facebook and twitter.
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____________________________________________
Do you ever witness news or have a story that should be featured on Cloud Gossips?
Submit your stories, pictures and videos to us now via WhatsApp: +2348139244243 or Email: cloudgossips@gmail.com
