I was sorrowful. Though
I had poured out my heart, I ready for the next. I wondered how I could cope
with English Language. There was just nothing I could do. My role was just to
read hard, pray and write and pray again in righteousness, and that I had done.
The rest was just his.
Joseph Dokubo had been
admitted into the University of Port-Harcourt to read Civil engineering. At the
same time, he had gotten admitted into the Niger Delta University to study
electrical engineering, but he preferred the University of Port Harcourt to the
Niger Delta University. Not only that, he wanted to be a structural engineer.
He had gotten his inspiration from the character, Michael Scoltfield in Prison
Break. Joseph admired Michael and his extraordinary abilities. He kind off
acted smart, but tricky sometimes. I was not cool with that, but I had no
choice.
Joseph told me of the
situation. I was sure that was the same battle I was fighting; a battle I believed
I had already lost. Joseph’s Jamb admission letter had the Niger Delta
University admission offer. So he was also expected to make a change as I was
told. I disclosed the information to him. He in turn went to NDU and confirmed the
process; someone had to go to Abuja at least. He spoke to his father about it,
and his father agreed to travel to Abuja. Something in me asked me to ask him
to also take my papers as well. So I obeyed the voice and asked him to help me.
Joseph’s father agreed and after some days of travel, he came back with two
forms. According to him, we are expected to go to the school we want to reject,
get the admission rejected and also go to the school whose admission we want to
accept. Get it accepted and then return it back to Abuja. But the father told
us that he won’t return to Abuja for that purpose because he spent too much in
his first trip. I was sure, Joseph’s father was serious. He was a retired Naval
officer and hardly are such officers unserious.
I had a little life
line with me, but I wasn’t sure of the step I was about to take. Verification
process was getting to a close. I was afraid I wouldn’t meet up. At a point I
was asking myself if the step I took was the right one at all.
I visited the Gospel
Deliverance Mission, at Amassoma where I got to speak one on one Bro. Odubo, the
registrar of NDUas he then was. He convinced me of the fact that I will get
verified after the rejection. So, I was sure of the verification exercise. What
was left was the rejection to be done at the Federal University Otuoke.
I began my journey to
Otuoke one good day. The School was under construction then. The school
administration was making use of some buildings outside the school environment
for administrative activities. I waited to see Mr. Suowari the registrar of the
school, but all to no avail. I was about leaving the premises when I saw a phone
number on a sign post with the name Mr. Souwari on it. I was skeptical about
the number, because I saw no reason why a registrar’s number will just be
displayed on a post-board. But the voice in me asking to take the number was so
strong, in that I had no other option than to make a try. I took the number and
put a call across. The call was picked and the person who answered confirmed he
was the registrar. I was shocked. I told him about the situation and he asked
me to visit him in the office. I later called and met him in his office where
he signed the rejection form and stamped it. He wanted to convince me to stay
in the School but seeing my other course, he reserved his convincing.
One side had already
been done. I went to NDU and got it signed for acceptance and with a note given
to me by the registrar I was attended to immediately. I was immediately
verified. Although, verification had ended already, the School had to open it
for my sake and others. One of the staff in the admission office wanted to
confirm it all, so I she asked of my name which I gladly gave her. She logged
it in and Lo, I got to realize that my name was the first in the list having
scored the highest in the POST UME. I thanked God for everything. I thanked him
for the strength and ability. I was grateful for his help and with what I saw I
was convinced of my readiness for the next task.
Soon I had finished all
the registration process and was set for School. I arrived the Niger Delta
University, looking so naïve. One Azi Imomotimi was the first person in my
class I spoke with. I asked some question to get myself acquitted with the
happenings in the school. I met some wonderful persons and started making some
new pals. The students were quite intelligent and I was impressed. But while in
school my mind was always bordered with the thoughts of my new jamb admission
letter. I checked the Jamb admission severally but all to no avail. I had sent
the acceptance form to Abuja through the DHL. Although, I was told that the package
had arrived, but with the delay I experienced I wasn’t sure anymore. I had no other
choice left than to go to Abuja.
I traveled to Abuja and
stayed in the Gospel Deliverance Mission branch then at Lugbe. There I met Bro.
Simeon and Bro. Goodnews. I went to Bwari where the office was located only to
find out that the form was nowhere to be found. I contacted DHL and was given
the name of the person who received the letter. Her name was Mrs. Kanu. I
located the fat lady, but she denied signing any of such a letter. I was so
confused. The secretary at the Registrar’s office checked as well but there was
not such record. With the advice of the secretary I had to collect another form
and returned back to Yenagoa. I passed through all the processes again, after
which I returned to Abuja for the second time. This time, the form was stamped
and receipt collected after payment of as sum for the rejection.
I returned to School
and kept on checking online. Some days after, the change was made. I became
calm. At least, I was sure I was in school. Soon we were called to the Faculty
of Law, Bar where we took our oath of allegiance. For a display, some of our
seniors at the Bar, introduced us to the profession by teaching us of the
ethics of the profession and Court decorum. We were also introduced to Court
mooting which was about advocacy but quite different from debate. I watched
closely and enjoyed every bit of the display. I was sure of one thing: I WILL
GO IN THIS ONE DAY!!
[STAR
ADVOCATE OF THE EPISODE- There will be
no star advocate for the episode]
[Suspense- in next episode, readers will get to know how I began my
journey to Mooting]
WATCH OUT FOR EPISODE
11