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


Comments

  1. a very inspiring story, God is indeed faithful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmmm.motivating.thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  3. Inspiring story.....very helpful, i hope someone, somewhere can learn from this...God is ever faithful...I'm a living witness

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment