How can anyone ever survive on such meagre amount? An amount too little to get recharge cards for several people, too little to even...
How can anyone ever survive on such meagre amount? An
amount too little to get recharge cards for several people, too little
to even get lunch!
Moved by these questions within us, and those coming from our numerous followers online, The Pulse TV went back to the streets, brought him in to our studio to learn more about him
Gideon Ime Charlie, 25, from
Ukanafan Local Government of Akwa Ibom has had a life experience that
many people his age, even older people, cannot ever deal with.
When asked to narrate the story of his life from the beginning, one of his first statements by him appropriately captured it all
“I actually come from a good home, but there is no money,” he said.
Owing to that very fact, he could not get any
education beyond JSS 3, dropping out to allow his other five siblings a
shot at education, and hopefully, a better life.
Having dropped out of CJC Comprehensive Secondary School
in Otoro, Akwa Ibom State, Gideon got a call from someone in Lagos
about the groundnut-selling business, and found his way to Lagos.
About taking up the ‘job’, he said “[The man
already told me he’d pay #1500] and I’ll be eating there two times per
day… I accepted because I know that if I should stay in the village,
[I’ll be] a kind of trouble to my parents.”
When answering the biggest, most pressing question of
how he manages to live monthly on such a little amount, Gideon, who
comes off as a humble and determined young man says,
“It is not easy, but as a man who is looking for something, I try to save #500.”
However, the money is never enough to spend, let
alone save, even with his needs being the most basic – toothbrush,
bathing soap, body cream slippers, bottles for his groundnut, etc.
The 25-year old, despite being on the street always,
is still paying attention to his dream of being a musician and
songwriter, revealing that he has some songs written and recorded on his
phone, and actually taking every opportunity to show what he can do.
[And he really can do a lot of singing, can’t he?]
Away from sarcasm, it is really impressive to see a
young man [or anyone at that], forging on resiliently in the face of
what Gideon Gideon had had to face – you really need to watch the video
attached to this article to see where he stays, and how he lives to
fully understand how amazing it is to see that his faith in a better
tomorrow remains unflinching.
Perhaps, this is what moved a number of people and at least an organization, to show an interest in helping out the young man.
When asked how he’d feel if people decided to assist him, “I’ll feel so happy,” he says. “[I’ll feel so grateful]… and I’ll thank my God."
“As a man who comes from a good home, I think I
have plans for my life, I need to think of my past… I’ll like going to
school… further my education and while I’m in school, I will [do more]
on my music… because I know I have to do that."
“I have to build and take my mum from the mud house to the normal house.”
Living in Nigeria these days, as many of us can testify to, has become hell. And that is me being really mild about it. But this is not what Gideon’s story shows.
What stands out from all of this, is that there are some hells hotter than some others. And regardless of where you find yourself, there’s no point sitting on your backside, blaming everyone but yourself for your status, or situation.
Everyone has a shot at success, and sitting down, playing the blame game is not the way to shoot your shot at it.
PULSE.NG