Spotlight on Funmi Awelewa
Beyond my wildest dreams
I thank God for his faithfulness in my life. I cannot but look back and smile with gratitude for what He has done for me. My case is a typical scenario of the Yoruba song that says:
Emi le ni taye tiro (I
am one of the ones the world have spoken about)
Wipe ko le dan nko re se (That I wouldn’t become someone great in
life)
Sugbon mo ri anu re gba (But I received mercy from God)
Olu orun lo bami se (The
God of the heavens has helped me)
I recall after
leaving secondary school in 1997, I had several challenges in passing Math and
English, which made it really difficult for me to gain admission into the
university. And when I had a minor breakthrough and got an admission into Lagos
State University, I could not pick it up because my School leaving certificate
requirement (WAEC result) was incomplete; and that’s how the journey started. I
stayed home for about 5 years waiting to gain admission before I finally got
admitted to study History Education in University of Ilorin. At this point I
was desperate and the course didn’t matter to me as long as I entered the University
System and studied something.
Those years of my
life, God used my Father to make me what I am today and I say this with all
love and respect for him. There was nothing he didn’t say in an attempt to
motivate me and get me up and moving with my life. If I didn’t wake up early, I
wouldn’t hear the rest of it throughout the entire day. If I didn’t switch off
the light bulb in the house, he talked just as well and when I didn’t pass an
exam again that was much worse. It got to a point that my Dad asked me to get a
job as I was being a nuisance. Not like he was broke, I’m sure my presence in
the house just irritated him. I recall so well one of his favorite saying then:
“Food you can’t
cook, book, you can’t read, you are not in the choir or anything else just go and
get married to a mechanic!”
I was frustrated
and also very scared. I was so sure my future will be bleak. But all this just
kept pushing me, as I didn’t want to be a failure in life. I wanted the best
for my life but fear of the unknown was a killer for me. Finally one day I left the
house for University of Ilorin and entered for A levels. After the course I
checked to see if I was admitted to the University but my name was not on the
list because I had failed my A’ levels with about 5 points. I waited back for the
supplementary admission list. I became more active in my fellowship. I went to
all the departments to drop my documents, literarily, all the departments had
my academic documents and I kept going daily to follow up for almost 3 months
even when school was not in session.
All the Staff knew
me; some encouraged me, some pitied me, and some could just not understand me.
Finally when the result came out, my name was the very first on the
supplementary list. No one would really understand my Joy especially when they
realized I was admitted to study History Education. But I was faithful in
school and in my walk with God. I finished in 3 years and after my last paper,
the school went on strike which was my prayer, that there will be no strike in
my school years.
God in his divine
wisdom and mercy turned my life around and gave me a head start above my peers.
After I graduated from school and completed my compulsory National service, within
a week, I got an offer at Phillips Consulting which was a good company to work
with. That was how my professional career started. In a few years after that, I
joined another firm which is where I currently work in IT Consulting. I head a
department and I am the number 3 person in the company by seniority. I am
happily married to a Tall Dark and Handsome and in the real sense of what TDH
means, Computer Science graduate (well a Mechanic in the actual sense of it…lol).
I now also make wonderful local dishes J
and I have a pretty daughter as my Angel.
I look back and ask
“what else, can I ask from you Lord? I may not be all that I should be, but I am
definitely not what I used to be”. Indeed God has been so very faithful. Even
though I am not perfect, neither have I fulfilled purpose completely, I am
comfortable and sincerely have no regrets with all I have and all I have
achieved. I
bless the name of God, for his faithfulness, mercy, goodness and blessings in
my academics and family. Indeed I am a happier person and most confident
person. He has elevated and promoted me beyond my wildest imagination, not even
“History Education” could have done this if not for his mercies. I will like to
encourage someone going through what I have been through and say that “God is
the Alpha and the Omega, He knows the beginning from the end and our future is
in hands and beautiful, no matter what our today is saying.” Don’t give up,
keep the faith.
Written by Funmi
Awelewa
a very inspiring story, God is indeed faithful.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.motivating.thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteInspiring story.....very helpful, i hope someone, somewhere can learn from this...God is ever faithful...I'm a living witness
ReplyDelete