Oh! How sweet the story sounds. Like “Amazing Grace” that saved the wretch. He was a poor out-of-school boy -with gloomy future- perambulating the street of Abia State hawking cooked groundnut while his mates were being groomed in the classroom.
He was not once lost but completely lost and out of reach. He was totally blind waiting for providence to locate him and restore his sight. When it seems hope was lost then appeared out of the blues a savior disguised as a customer.
The little boy who anticipated patronage was bemused when the stranger instead asked with a lovely and caring voice akin to the saints of God: “my son why are you not in school?” Perplexed, the poor little boy responded pathetically, “my parents had no money to pay my tuition fee.” In a scenario reminiscence of that between Jesus Christ of Nazareth and the blind Bartimaeus, the stranger asked the little poor boy, “What do you want me to do for you?” “That I might go back to school,” the little hawker replied.
“Then go and get your parents,” the would-be savior commanded the poor little hawker. Today the rest is history as the poor boy had long graduated from the university, got married and settled into a life of contented domesticity. Not only that, he is one of the aides of the present Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu. Transformation, isn’t it? How I would have loved to mention his name but for the preservation of anonymity sake, let me refrain.
“I call him daddy. He is the God I see today,” the boy, now a man said enthusiastically.
“Ochendo did for me what nobody even my parents could not do. Everything I have become today, I owe to him. I will forever be indebted to him,” he added.
Another similar scenario was Mpama Frank Ifeanyi born 24 years ago in Obohia Ibere, a remote village in Ikwuano local government area of Abia State to a poor widow whose only means of livelihood was farming. Her hopes that her fortunes would be turned around by his son was dashed one fateful morning, when baby Mpama, then 2-years-old, showed signs of visual impairment.
To the consternation of the mother, the doctor confirmed her worst fear. “Madam we are sorry. Your baby has gone blind.” Oh! Poor widow, she never recovered from that shock; gave in to dismay and gave up the ghost after a brief illness leaving behind little blind Mpama who was barely 10 years old.
Determined to ensure little Mpama does not become a beggar, his grandmother through the help of Abia State Ministry of Education enrolled him in school but not without help from one Mrs Amajo Sunshine.
Mpama completed secondary school education and thereafter gained admission into the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) where he is studying Education.
He was at the verge of dropping out of school when his ordeal was brought before our amiable Senator Theodore Orji.
“All I was saying in my prayers was God show yourself in my predicaments,” an emotional Mpama said.
“But instead of sending me a helper, God gave me a father I never had in Sen. T.A Orji. You are all I have now,” he added as he tried to hold back tears.
Sen. Orji is not a saint and has never for once projected himself as one. Like every one of us he is not infallible. He sometimes becomes emotional and even pained. In one of the interviews he granted Funso Olojo of Bussiness Hallmark, Sen. Orji Said, “Apart from the scholarships, youths’ empowerment and Federal projects, another programme I have is skill acquisition through which I will empower my constituents.”
“I am already in contacts with some experts and professionals in some of these vocational jobs who will be invited to my constituency to teach people requisite skills in these vocational jobs like GSM repairs, fashion designs, hairdressing, catering services and the likes.
“The empowerment programme will be about three months after which I will give funds to the successful ones to start the business they are taught.”
Today, it has become a reality as Ochendo Skill Acquisition Team commenced training of youths in Abia central senatorial district. Ochendo is the sweet story that saves the wretch.
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