24/08/2022
Do not judge a book by its cover!!
I attended one PhD exit seminar at BSU and the student dressed this way to the presentation. The lecturers were all angry at him and began to rain insults. He stood crying as they said horrible things about him.
When they were done, he began "Standing before you today that I am defending my PhD Thesis is a miracle no one else can do except God. Today is the most special day of my life and I know I have to look my best. I actually did, I wore my best cloths. Standing before you is the son of a very wealthy man whose parents died in a motor accident when he was 9 years old and in primary 4. His late parents left him with 2 younger sisters. The eldest was 6 while the youngest was 4 when they died. All my parents had, was inherited by my father's younger brother and he threw us out of the house. There was no one to run to. We survived it and I promised myself, me and my sisters must get the best of education.
I went to a community school in Ushongo where I work on people's farms in the evening to feed my sisters and later worked in the construction site to make sure they both attended and graduated at Federal Government Girls college Gboko. My sister's sold fried yam and ice fish in Gboko and saw me through school in Uni Agric Makurdi. When I graduated, I thought a job will come and our lives will change. That didn't happen and my sisters insisted I go for M.Sc. I finished my programme at the University of Ilorin in 2017 came here for the scholarship while also insisting my sisters take their JAMB and enroll into the university. Yes, we have God fighting for us and they all passed and are admitted here in BSU. The eldest is in Geography while her kid sister is in Law. The load is all on me. Many of you my lecturers may not even know me because I am not always in class. The little I make goes for their school fees, feeding and accommodation. They have made sacrifices for me and I owe them this education. Profs., Drs, pls pardon me. I know where designer suits are sold in Modern Market but I have to appear before you this way because my sisters would drop out of this university if I do...."
Everyone was shocked and heads down. A lady Doctor couldn't hold her tears. She had to stop him from telling his story and asked the sisters should pack into her house in town no one is occupying since she is staying in the Staff Quarters.
The guy defended his Thesis perfectly and everyone in the hall stood up clapping for him and admiring his strength, courage and resilience.
Stories behind many looks will shock us. As this brings some of us to tears, please promise right now and say it, "Henceforth, I will not judge anyone by his or her appearance because I do not know their story". Reading things like these should inspire change in us to help as much as we can, make sacrifices for people around us. It makes life worth living.
