Adolor lives seven rivers away from our village where the only primary school is located among the twenty-seven communities that exist in the province. He is such a hardwood that he objected to going to his father's rice farm, he instead wants to be in school to learn how to read and to write. His only option was that he would be on the farm at weekends. The British missionaries led by Reverend Moore had told some teens the benefits of having a formal education. So, Adolor accepted to go to school and to be on the farm all weekend.
Every day, he would journey through the seven rivers to attend school at Obodo-ukwu. This he did for six years. In the sixth year, the school authority registered forty students for qualifying exams into high school, Adolor was one of them. When the results were released, he came out top of all the regions and was offered admission at Kings College, Lagos. The admission came with a scholarship for the period of his studentship in the college.
His father was happy that his son came out top but he couldn't place it.
Is Adolor this brilliant to have come out top of the region?
On the day he was to join the bus from Obodo-Ukwu to Onitsha from where he would join a luxurious bus to Lagos, nobody went to the farm. The entire village accompanied him to Obodo-ukwu. It was a royal entourage. Mama Ada helped in carrying the metal box and they all sang native songs of goodbye along the way till they arrived at the park where Adolor joined the bus and sojourned to Onitsha.
As the people continued back home, every man started discussing with his wife to enroll their wards in the central primary school. Adolor has set a pace and the entire community is turning a new leaf in the issue of formal education.
Kings College had enrolled many students from all parts of the country. At that time, politicians have not started sending their children to school abroad. A lot of them were at Kings College. There, Adolor made new friends. Throughout his stay at the college, he was well behaved and the envy of all teachers.
After the school certificate examination, Adolor stayed back with his friend, Obi the son of the minister of health in Ikoyi-Lagos where he took a job as an office assistant. In the same year, he applied for a scholarship at Davenport University in the United Kingdom. He came out successful with Obi and together they traveled to the United Kingdom.
Before they traveled to the United Kingdom, Adolor came home with Obi his friend. There was no road to access Obi's village, so they had to cross the seven rivers. On arrival at his father's but, the whole clan went agog and a feast was organized. That night, Adolor told his father about his scholarship abroad. They were so excited. He prayed for him and Obi.
The gods of our ancestors go with you. May you bring back the good of the land.
Obi and Adolor traveled to the UK and completed their university education. Having a degree in Economics and Business Administration and Management. He got a job at the United Nations Agency for Africa's development the first point of development he suggested to the organization was Obodo-ukwu where bridges were constructed across the seven rivers to connect other communities. Primary and secondary schools were also constructed courtesy of the agency.
Adolor's Graduation @Davenport
Obi had settled down as a medical doctor in Nigeria with his wife. Adolor fell in love with the Briton and the wedding was to be held in London. As part of the preparation for the event, he came to pick his father and mom from England. It was a moment of their lives. His father reminisced the time he had objected to him going to Obodo-ukwu for school. It was the first time he would board an airplane, Adolor's parents were excited and afraid of this thing called an airplane but there was no other option for them.
All these happened because Reverend Moore came as a missionary and sold to the villagers the benefits of education. Everything seemed just like yesterday.
If I hadn't allowed this boy to go to school, I may not ever have a privilege to board an airplane let alone traveling abroad. When we get back on the journey, I will ensure that every child in the Obodo-ukwu gets an education.
Despite all that had occurred, education is one aspect of the whole life that must not be toyed with. Life continues from all sides but with education, it becomes better and worth living.
Many children in Africa are out of school. A lot other are stopped by their parents. While in some other continent's, the girl child is not allow to attend a formal school.
