Yesterday, during a drive from Abuja to Lokoja, a lady killed my nerves with her heart peircing story. She had finished her law degree and set for the mandatory law school. But something was amiss; she had no money to pay for her registration. She had combed everywhere and no one was able to bail her out.Then despondency set in as she resigned to helplessness. So depressed was she close to that she contemplated the unimaginable… Yes, life can actually wreck to such lane especially when all hope is gone.
Words got to an unusual quarter when she chose to utilize the social media option at her disposal. She sent a message to Chief Edward Onoja who was then Chief Of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello. The man replied thus; ‘I don’t know you but you want my help, I will pay your law school fee but certainly not for you alone. If you can find it difficult to pay your fee, I’m sure there are others who are so crippled by the reality of hardship. Go get about 30 people across Kogi , I will pay their fee to law school”. This man’s insistence that the list rather than be only Igala’s be inclusive of other students from Kog West and Kogi Central….is typical of a man whose heart has been divorced from the hydra headed monster of tribalism and religious bigotry
Yes, the man who was casually reached out to had decided to not just to pay for the lady in distress but 29 others! God can use one person to change the fortune of others. The lady in question is Pet Petpearl Naturale the celebrated young entrepreneur from Kogi state who doubles today as one of the finest lawyers in Nigeria and runs a local brewing drink called Kunun aya!
She was a guest of the Kogi Social Media Awards where she was listed as an award recipient. Incidentally, a repeat of Edward’s gesture happened during the award ceremony. A young artiste had finished performing- his song laced with emotional lyrics sent everyone to sullen mood. From his appearance, you could see a talent wrapped in poverty. By the time he had dropped the mic, everyone was wrapped in mournful mood. He sang to our hearts with pericing messages. He had seen poverty in his life but his voice was filled with hope. It was this mood that touched someone in the crowd who motioned that the mic be given to him. If I hadn’t seen miracle before, I finally saw one yesterday. Dr Mubarak Emperor the owner of Emperor city homes replicated what Chief Edward did to Petpearl and her other colleagues by announcing a donation of 1million naira, a house, a record label, a one year sponsorship to abroad and a car to this boy who literally trekked from Ofu local government area to Lokoja for the event. He begged his way to Lokoja to come perform free for Dansofo Usman Jr. And got his life changed for ever. The boy’d name is solid rock !
Indeed those who change the life of others don’t carry microphone around, they do things without a recourse for the media. This was six years since Chief Edward changed the depressing state of Petpearl and her mates and nowhere has this story be told anywhere. Because I am easily motivated by stories of greatness, see me writing about it even when I am not a beneficiary. This man has done a lot for people, sponsored many to schools, made thousands hitherto trekkers mobile either by bike or cars, built homes, empowered many, sponsored many weddings but hardly you see the beneficiaries echo this in appreciation.
Those who do for the sake of God, may nature double their bounties and grant them their desires. For Edward and Mubarak, the world stands in testimonies of your benevolence.
