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| Support Girl Child Education. |
I made it to my
usual bus stop just in time to get a bus that waits for commuters to get on the
bus. At the extreme of the bus as I got on were 2 young female students, one
carrying the other on her laps, this way they only pay the transport cost of
one commuter. I decided to pay their fare before I got sited. Now sited directly
behind them, I began immediately to contemplate if I really had to pay their
fare because I had already budgeted for the day and the prompting was sudden
and unusually as I do commute with students every day. Finally I made up my
mind to do the right thing. I paid for them before they attempted to do so and
got a thank you sir as a show of appreciation.
As the bus moved
on slowly toward our destinations, I continued to ask myself why the unusually prompting
to pay their fare, is there more I could do with the opportunity - like talk to
them about education, studies, interests, background and equally share with
them my experience. Time as a deciding factor, as it wasn’t long after I
decided to talk that they got to their bus stop, I only told them,’ take your
studies serious’. I prayed to see them again if fate permits.
The very next
day I made it to the bus stop about the time of yesterday and there in the bus
were these same students, now sitting beside them, we exchange greeting, ‘hi
good morning, you guys again?’ I asked. I quickly paid our fares and got
talking immediately. There is no time to waste to think about it; not like
yesterday. I got to know their names, Tayo and Kehinde - twins, 9 years and
half, and in their senior secondary class 2 at Command Day Secondary School, Ikeja,
Lagos located within the Nigeria Military Cantonment Ikeja. Tayo, the elder to
Kehinde is more outspoken, eloquent, sociable and beautiful *wink* but with a
smaller body frame, the reason why she is always the one that sits on her
younger sister’s laps whenever they are commuting. Tayo wants to be a dietician
as she has interest in ensuring that people eat well and are healthy especially
when there is a stomach ulcer patient at home who she says requires a special
diet unlike what others normally take while Kehinde looks forward to being an
accountant because she loves numbers.
While discussing
with them and pausing intermittently to envision the lovely, bright future that
lies ahead of them in their studies, young life, careers, building their homes,
and the society at large, I acknowledged the dominant role that education must
play in their future for their dreams to come true; they still have university education,
mentoring, interests and challenges ahead of them. A very long way that will
require us all to assist them and many more young girls to attain their dreams,
with that we can shape our society the way we want. We can assist by sponsoring a girl’s
education, training, giving them opportunities that are not ordinarily given to
them and empowering them in any way we can. I see a very stable family and
society and future free from illiteracy, poverty, hunger, child mortality,
maternal deaths, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases in an environment that is
safe, green, friendly and sustainable.
For Tayo and
Kehinde, I pray that their mum who is an educated business woman provides them
with all the education they need to realize their dreams and that we can take
up from where ever she may stop. I advised them never to let anything distract
them from their studies, and to remain focused to their dreams. Finally bye-bye
as they got to their bus stop as I know it will be hard to meet them anything
soon together.
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