Having results after so many efforts of trying gives one kind of joy that can't be qualified. Well, it happened, and that was exactly how I felt on November 2024. I didn't know how to express myself, maybe to sit, stand, roll on the floor, scream or cry. I'm was just speechless and the next thing I saw was tears of joy rolling from my eyes.
In 2021, I got a teaching appointment with my state of origin which is Kwara State and appointees were posted to schools in their Local Government Of Origin. Unfortunately for me I was posted to my hometown which is a village, located at the extreme end of the state leading to Kogi State. My village is a 4 hour drive from the state capital (Ilorin) but it's a 10 minute drive to another village in Kogi State called Egbe.
I accepted the offer because Private Schools had shown me shege promax, so accepting the offer is the best I can do at that time. Moreso it's a government job, it can't be as strenuous as that of private and I thought I will be able to transfer myself out of that village once the recruitment exercise is over. I never knew the government had other plans for the newly recruited staff.
Lo and behold, after reporting at our various schools, the government passed a circular that none should be transferred out of their schools till after 7 years. I thought it was a joke, so I started looking for way out after 6 months of accepting the job offer but all prove abortive.
I continued struggling in the village for survival. So I thought if I should use a session maybe the transfer will be possible, after a year no head out as well.
A top official at the Commission Secretariat that I know told me that the order is very strict, that anyone that attempts to help with such a transfer will be taken away from the office(Secretariat) to the classroomš³šš.
So I lost interest in the job and I started looking for government placement elsewhere, I started applying for government jobs I see online not minding the state in as much as it's within Nigeria because I don't want to resign from a government job and go back to a private establishment.
My outcry was answered exactly 3 years later, in July 2024. Oyo State government made a publication for Teachers recruitment and I applied. Thankfully, it was a neighboring State so I said within myself...... this is for me to escape this village, I was determined to do everything possible to get the job.
I applied online and luckily I was shortlisted for the CBT exam in Ibadan on 26th July 2024 that was two days before my birthday. I started reading and praying as well for the job to be my year 2024 birthday gift.
I travelled from Ilorin to Ibadan for the exam, I went to and fro not minding the cost. The result came out I got 76%, I was extremely happy because I believe I will see light at the end of the tunnel. I was called for an interview in August, I also went to and fro not minding the cost as well.
After the interview in August, I heard nothing about the recruitment again, I keep refreshing my job portal nothing was there. I thought politicians had hijacked the exercise, I never knew I would hear the good news very soon.
At exactly 3 months after the interview, which was November 2024 the good news came, my job portal changed and I saw the Congratulatory message and I couldn't contain my joy, it was like I was dead and something resurrected me, I was extremely happy my efforts paid off and it worked in my favor.
I went for my documentation in December 2024 and by January 1st 2025 my offer of appointment was out. I resigned from my village job January 2nd and resumed my new job in Ibadan by January 6th 2025. It was a dream come true for me.
I'm now presently living in the Ancient city of Ibadan, the third most populous city in Nigeria, where I can explore myself and see better opportunities of life. This experience taught me that hard work pays and positioning one self for information is also very important.
Although nothing good comes easily but when you are willing to fight for it with all your efforts, trust me there will surely be light at the end of the tunnel.
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