A DREAM COME TRUE ( Student's inspiration to success in education, Chapter 7)

It's another week of the inspirational story that can lead to student's success in education.

Source

Asuama had saved enough money from the cracked kernels that was enough to make him start school. But the money was not enough to purchase him some decent clothes. However, he used the little money he could realize to buy some empty bags of salt, which was made of cotton material in those days. He turned them inside out and soaked them in hot water overnight to remove the remnant of salt before taking them to a tailor to sew them into shorts for him. These were Asuama's main clothes for important occasions in the community. His friends and peers often made jest of him, calling him, "wearer of bags of salt." This often made him feel ashamed at social functions, but there was nothing he could do. That was what poverty had reduced him to.

Asuana had to continue in more search for palm kernels in the bush to enable him to meet some pressing needs. He would go into the bush after coming back from school. His younger brother, Okutama, used to accompany him to the bush.

One day, as they were searching for palm kernels in the bush, something flashed in his mind. He sat on a log of wood meditating about the issue. He remembered that all his classmates had passed out of primary schools into various secondary schools, and here he was in the bush to get money for his school fees.

At that moment, a squirrel jumped out of a young palm tree and came face to face with Asuama. It started making its usual sound as if it was lamenting the fate that had befallen Asuama, and urging him to forge ahead, not to surrender: "the rodent seemed to encourage Asuama as Asuama interpreted it to mean "what is money, what is money that would prevent such a brilliant boy from actualizing his dream, what is money...". Asuama got the message from the animal and was encouraged, and his hope was revived. As he suddenly sprang up to continue his search, the rodent disappeared into the heart of the bush, but was still "announcing" its message at a distance to the hearing of Asuama, Asuama had raised some money from the sale of palm kernels to finance his education and to purchase some fairly used clothes. He was very determined and more hardworking. After a few years, he was in primary six and was preparing for his first school, leaving certificate examination. With a little assistance from his mother, Asuama hoped to make some savings that would enable him to proceed to secondary school after his primary school education the following year.

Asuama was not sickly right from his birth. The mother had attributed her children's robust health to God's providence and grace in the face of acute scarcity that afflicted the family. One day, Asuama woke up to complain of pain in his joints. Some herbs were procured for him by his mother, but these did not cure his ailment. Within a few days, Asuama's eyes became yellowish, and he started shivering and vomiting.

He was rushed to the nearest hospital. That was the first time he had been to the hospital. He was diagnosed with hepatitis 'B'. The hospital authorities demanded a deposit of some money for his treatment to commence in earnest. His condition was so pathetic and really evoked sympathy from his father and his four other older brothers. They all rallied around Asuama to save his life by contributing generously to add to the little savings of his and that of their mother. After two weeks, his health improved rapidly, and in the third week, he was discharged.

The family was completely striped of their lean savings, and they were beginning life anew. Things got even harder for the family. Asuama was compensated for his travail when his former teacher in
primary one and two, Mr Ekom Nsidibe, paid an unscheduled visit to the family with good news. Mr. Nsidibe rarely visited the family. He had come to break the cheery news of the result of the First School Leaving Certificate Examination, which Asuama took a few months ago. Asuama had passed with distinction. He was one of the two pupils in the entire school who got the highest grade. The whole family was thrown into great jubilation, especially with the recovery of Asuama from his terrible illness, to receive such a great result. A few years ago, Asanga had already obtained a merit pass in the same examination. He was now selling some provisions in order to raise some money to further his education in the near future.

The mother advised Asuama to resume the search for Palm Kernels, and she promised to assist him in his quest for secondary education. But Asuama would not buy her idea. The main reason for his rejection of her mother's advice was that many poor pupils and students had infiltrated the "business," and it was no longer "lucrative" as it used to be. Rather, he decided to seek a greener pasture outside his community in order to actualize his ambition. Asuama then decided to leave for Ifon in Ondo to work at a rubber plantation.

After receiving his parents' approval and blessings, Asuama took off for Ifon in Ondo. He was led by one of his brother's friends named Effanga
Asuquo, who also worked at the rubber plantation there. On getting there, Asuama was introduced to the foreman by Effanga, who at once hired him at a monthly salary of ten shillings. Asuaına was so elated at such a "huge" amount of money. His duty was to clear the forest for rubber seedlings to be planted. He started his work with great enthusiasm and energy. He worked from 7am till 5pm every day without complaint. His foreman was quite satisfied with him and praised him for his diligence to duty

One day, a giant tree was to be felled to give way for rubber seedlings to sprout well. Asuama was at a distance working. He had thought of moving to a far distance away from the tree when it was about to fall. But unknown to him, and those who were feeling the giant tree, it had a hollow in it which suddenly cave in by a push of a mild wind. The tree came tumbling down directly toward Asuama. The poor boy had to use all his energy and speed to escape being crushed by the tree. But he was not that lucky. The leaves of the tree hit Asuama on the shoulders, and he was pushed down. Effanga and his colleagues started yelling that Asuama had been crushed to death. Luckily, he did not die, and miraculously too, he did not even sustain any injury. He was only so terrified by the shock that he continued to lie prostrate and still for some minutes. In the end, when it was discovered that Asuama had survived such imminent disaster, there was a great jubilation and gratitude to God by all the workers, Nevertheless, his travail had just started.

Asuana had a phobia for snake either in the bush or being held by a charmer in the market or garages. Even seeing a picture of a snake would make him develop goose pimples. Before he decided to leave the village for Ifon to work at the rubber plantation under the leadership of Effanga, Asuama had enquired from Effanga about one thing-whether there were snakes in the plantation! Effanga had told him that there were no snakes there. He was only lying to Asuama, for he did not want him to continue to drift around in the village, eking out a living through palm kernel search.

Since Asuama started work at the rubber plantation, he had witnessed three incidents where snakes were killed in the plantation, and he could not withhold his fear. In each incident, he had complained bitterly to Effanga, who had lied to him that there were no snakes in the plantation. Effanga had been struggling to justify his position or belief that there were no snakes there.

"Oh, these snakes migrated from far away areas because of a massive clearance of forests there for oil palm plantations, just as we are doing here for rubber," Effanga tried to explain. But this did not in anywhere convince Asuama that there would be no more snakes in the plantation.

Asuama never had any inkling that one day he would come face to face with the deadly creature in the plantation. Perhaps if he had known, he would have resigned and gone back home. One fateful day, Asuama was clearing the bush in his characteristic diligence to duty. Unknown to him, he had severed a big snake into two in its enclave where it was lurking. If Asuama had known that he had cut a snake into two, he would have bitten the handle of his matchet which would have forced the snake to bite any tree or stick around and die there, as he was told by his father. But he forgot to do this, and half of the angry deadly creature crept stealthily behind Asuama, perhaps to retaliate. But in an attempt to bite his heel, the serpent ended up biting the thick plastic, footfear that Asuama wore and died sticking to it!

When Asuama turned and looked at the red-eyed monstrous creature sticking on his sandals, it sent shivers around his spines, and Asuama almost fainted. He summoned courage and, with one stroke of his matchet, cut loose the sandals, which sliced his foot in the process, but he never minded the wound. He ran out of the plantation shouting and wailing, which attracted a large crowd of workers. Effanga was the first worker to rush down to Asuama when he heard a distress cry. Asuama was shivering in terror as he tearfully narrated his ordeal with the serpent. On getting to the spot, Effanga witnessed a gory spectacle - a big dead snake that was glued together to one leg of the sandals! And that was the end of Asuama working at the rubber plantation. He left straight to his house and was contemplating going back home the following week after collecting his last pay from the company.

As he was resting on his mat, spread on the floor, his mind wandered to far places. He quickly remembered his experience in the bush with the squirrel, which appeared to encourage him to brace up for the challenges in life and forge ahead to actualize his ambition. He also recalled the counsel of Mr Effiom to his parents to help him actualize his potential by sending him to school. As he continued to meditate upon this, his spirit welled up with renewed vigour and hope. He knew that one day, some day, he would get into secondary school. But how long that would take, he could not exactly tell. He only entrusted everything into God's hand.

That is the end of chapter seven. See you in the chapter eight.

I am @udyliciouz