I was supposed to graduate with a First-Class but made 2:1(second class upper) because a lecturer vowed that I can’t be the best student ever in Computer Science Department.
What was my offence?
He said I was so insolent to publicly correct a wrong notion he postulated in class during one of his lectures, also, since he didn’t graduate with a First Class then nobody else would be in the department as long as he is alive.
This happened about 12 years ago.
He was the head of the conspiracy that marked me down in my final year…
I was very depressed the day I collected my call-up letter to the National Youth Service Corps and saw I was posted to Kebbi one of the educationally less developed states in the country.
Going out of the school, I met Dr. Irukefe at the walkway and he said ” I heard about your posting.”
He laughed and continued ” It doesn’t cost much to give your details to someone at NYSC, I want to see how your computer knowledge will be useful in a state where you can count the number of computers, you felt you know something l will see how you will make it in this profession. Best of Luck”. And he walked away.
I was stunned because I wanted to serve in Lagos, so this was how I got Kebbi.
Later, a reliable source told me he said that I should thank my stars that he didn’t make me have an extra year in school.
I didn’t know the hatred was so much.
I was diligent in my studies because of my poor background, my parent struggled to send me to school.
I went to the NYSC camp in Dakingari, very discouraged because I wanted to serve in Lagos where an IT firm had promised to pay me 20,000 Naira apart from my NYSC allowance.
Three days to the end of the camp, a man came asking if there is anyone who can repair a Laptop computer. I volunteered and successfully repaired it. He said his thanks, collected my phone number, and left. He didn’t even pay me for my effort.
I thought I was going to teach in a school, When I received my placement letter, I was shocked that I was posted to the office of the Senator representing one of the constituencies in the state.
I was astonished. More amazed, when my phone rang about an hour and the man who came with the faulty Laptop was waiting for me in a Jeep.
He drove me to meet the senator, who thanked me profusely for saving his laptop because it contained bills that he wanted to sponsor at the Senate for his constituency.
The Senator offered me a job as his Personal Assistant and computer instructor at the computer institute he had set up in the state. He laid down his plans on how he wanted young students in his constituency to be computer literate and I am to be the coordinator.
My salary was over 80,000 Naira, with a furnished apartment, and medical allowance. I had access to his cars, and the first contract I executed made me a millionaire because I was asked to procure laptops and accessories for all the senior civil servants in the state ministries.
His company was given the contract.
It was from this state that I was able to secure a scholarship to study after three years of working with my principal after NYSC. He didn’t want me to go because the computer school was a success story but he facilitated my comfortable arrival in the United States.
All this happened within 12 years.
I have a Ph.D. in Forensic and Information Technology.
Not quite a long I was speaking at the conference of World Forensic Scientists in Japan. After delivering my lecture, there was a standing ovation from the participants all over the world.
Among them was my old-time lecturer, after the proceeding, I walked up and greeted him, he acted like he couldn’t recall who I was so I reminded his exact words which were “let me see how you will make it in this profession. I am the boy you said those words to.
He was astonished.
I advised, “try to be a mentor to the young students, you don’t know who and what they will become.”
“Not only have I made it from this profession but internationally am recognized, you must have been seeing my publications, It was I who paid $5500 to sponsor your trip for this conference under the auspices of GRAND Inc. I owed the company.
“Sir, yearly you will be invited, to speak at a conference like this, it’s my way of saying thank you for influencing my posting to Kebbi state that particular year. If you had not done it I would not have made it to where I am today. You meant evil but God turn it into good.
“I hope your hotel room (Room 312) has a nice view of Tokyo?”
He stood rooted to the spot, he was too dazed to speak as I was taken away to meet other professionals in the tech business.
He later sent a mail of apology
when ASUU went on strike, I was informed he was boasting at the department in Nigeria that he is the only lecturer in Africa, who was invited to participate at the GRAND Inc World Conference and subsequently he would be one of the speakers. I guess a leopard never changes its spot.
I am glad he is not poor but he didn’t meet me where he left me 12 years ago.
No matter what anyone does to you, continue to be hardworking, a man’s gift one day will always make a way for him.
