This is his story as shared by today. Francis was born into a very poor home. They could barely eat a meal in a day . He lived in the village and was so determined to go to school that he went to do certain menial works just to actualize that dream. He was able to go through Secondary school, wrote WAEC and passed, then wrote JAMB and scored 247. At that time UNIBEN was his first choice and their cut off mark was 262. He had no one to help him since he was poor and had no prominent person so with that score there was nothing he could do. He ran into a woman that tried to help only if he would study Political Science but he rejected it because he wanted to read a course that could give him a good job as soon as he leaves school (with all due respect to political scientists) and not what he will nose around looking for work. His first choice course was accounting.
Having realized that all efforts to get admitted had failed, he continued doing menial work for people until one day a company sent him as a laborer among many others to work in this company. He cleaned the gutters, in fact any manual labor call him he will deliver. While doing these he did not waiver in his focus to join the company as a full staff and he never disbelieved his strengths or thoughts that he will be great. All he knew was that pain was for a season and things would change in no time. Though he had so many dependants on his meager stipends he still enrolled in University to get that degree he could not get. This time he was given admission to study Business Administration. He combined both the work and school well because without the job the school was useless and without the degree his dream to join the company was futile. He strove on until he graduated. There were no excesses throughout his school year.
Having finished he was prepared for the big break any moment from then. He was known for his loyalty and love for work, be it easy or hard work. He was friendly with every boss around and so they all loved him as well though he was a laborer. As a laborer he spoke one of the best English around and they knew there was something about him that was different from the rest. One day, he heard of an opening for Staff Operators that required first degree or HND in any field of study so he went to one of the white bosses introduced himself and told him how qualified he was to do that job. The white man was excited to assist him (having known him for his commitment to duty) immediately took his CV and forwarded it so he could be shortlisted for the aptitude and subsequently interview. Soon it was interview and there were so many rich children around, the atmosphere was so intimidating but that made him even more determined to write and pass. In his words, “The more I thought of poverty the more I got even more determined that my brains opened and I saw the files in my brain and wrote the test and passed (laughter interlude)”. It was interview and I approached it the same way I did the test that there was just no way to reject my employment or play politics with it. Though I knew all the interviewers because of my many years of manual labor with the company, I still performed better than the rest because I studied hard and left no stone unturned. Some of his colleagues (I mean laborers) mocked him for giving it a try, they told him he was being stupid that which big man will allow him to come into the cabal of the rich but he was not waivered, he was even more determined. He was employed and now he is a Superintendent here, no more manual work. What he did not get he is determined to give his kids.
Disclaimer:
This is a true life story. But name "Francis Bolaji" appearing in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Credits: Engr. Ifiokabasi Udo
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