Opinion: School no be scam By Agba Jalingo

My friend, Ogar Mike Adie, but I call him Atabuchi, from Bekwarra, is on his way to the top. I want to tell you a short story about me and him.

I met him at Carlcon hotel in Ekorinim, Calabar. I stayed in Carlcon very regularly for over two years because I was coming from Lagos every week for my radio program, “The Dialogue With Agba Jalingo” on Hit 95.9fm Calabar.

Atabuchi was one of the security boys that opened and closed the hotel gate. He limps because he has one bad leg. He was very hard working and dedicated to his job. I always sent him some personal errands during his free time.

One day UNICAL was admitting undergraduate students and I called him and encouraged him to enroll. He sounded so despondent and told me he had no money to pay for the admission form not to talk of the fees that will be required. But I won’t let him be. I gave him the initial money to seek the admission and urged him not to be afraid of who will pay the fees.

He was eventually admitted and the next hurdle was registration. He gathered some money and I supported him with what I had. He kept his job as a security guard in Carlcon hotel. I cannot lie that I paid his school fees, but I can say boldly that I supported him from time to time, to pay his fees through the four year course.

Atabuchi eventually graduated from UNICAL. A new owner bought over the hotel. The old manager resigned and the new owner asked Atabuchi who was then the longest serving worker in the hotel, if he had a higher certificate, and he said he is a graduate of the prestigious University of Calabar. The new owner appointed Atabuchi as the new manager of the hotel and he has been in that new position for close to two years now.

Last week, he came to meet me where I stayed in Calabar with a bottle of wine and was on the ground in tears. He said he never thought he could ever be elevated in this life but he got courage from me to start school and he did and today, he is a manager.

From mai guard to Manager.

Yes, the story is a true life story.

School No Be Scam!

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.