Obinna’s Story

My Journey To The University Of Nigeria

I can’t tell how happy I was when I heard that the University of Nigeria____ I mean the only University in Nigeria, had given me admission. If I remember correctly, I screamed and shouted as if I had just won an Oscar or a Nobel Prize. You may not understand how I felt on that day unless you, like me, had to write that exam they call JAMB four times or more. Seriously, that examination board dealt with me. They made me look like a prodigal son before me parents who, I’m sure were sick and tired of seeing me around. In my street, I was turned into an object of caricature as some friends laughed and mumbled any time they saw me pass. It was so bad that after my third JAMB which was seized, the year my girl friend who just came out of Secondary School gained admission, I decided to leave Enugu (Abakpa) for Onitsha where my elder sister lives with her husband.

It’s not like I’m not intelligent. In my class at the Community Secondary School where I obtained my WASSCE in one sitting, I was the smartest kid there. I never struggled for first position read. In fact, I still remember they dubbed me ‘Machine Brain’ (MB for short) in my secondary school days. However, JAMB made me had a re-think about my abilities after they ‘jammed’ me many times. During those days one thing I did was that after each unsuccessful trial, I increased my study life. Things were so bad that sometimes at night I hear my mum pray that every Goliath that is against my getting admission should fall down and die. I must also mention that we’re of the Mountain of Fire extract.

Don’t ask me about my sojourn to Onitsha because if I talk about it this write up would be too lengthy that you may not have the desire to continue reading. Having said that, one remarkable thing that happened in Onitsha was that my sister’s husband incessantly encouraged me to forget about going to school and join him in his business. He even promised that he would settle me just after three years plus some other mouth-watering offers he made to me as an in-law. He said one doesn’t need to go to the University to be successful. One thing my i-law said that got to me was that the University is for ndi nwere isi akwukwo.

To cut the long story short, I did not just do well in my fourth JAMB, I smashed PUTME and here I am today studying Pharmacy.
I still find it difficult to believe that my Matric is coming Saturday (Feb 7th). In fact, my parents had already called to say that they are coming with coolers of assorted delicacy and drinks. Rice and stew would be plenty on that day. As for my in-law, somebody should help me tell him that I would go to school and also be a successful.
Congratulations to all those celebrating their matric this Saturday. It’s your homeboy, Obinna (a.k.a MB) writing from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

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