Be The Light??

I remember once while in Secondary School I wrote an article titled ‘Good Health begins with Good Hygiene’ which was organized by one of the most outstanding companies in Nigeria, Dettol.

I had always believed I was a good writer??.

However, I was in the company of my age mates so my ability to write had only been tested and tried amongst people who were on the same academic level as myself.

This time, it was either my bubble was going to burst or I was going to be reassured of that great skill my 11-year old mind believed I had.

A day to the submission deadline, I sat under the semi-blazing light of the candlestick that made known its presence by dropping unwelcome wax stains on my essay??.

Sweating profusely and trying to figure out how to impress Dettol and elevate my writer’s status, the fear of failure crippled me.

Some hours later, my loving  mother came peeping over my work and in her usual fashion made some corrections and encouraged me to submit my essay to my teacher the following day.

8am the following morning, I was pacing around my class and wondering if I should submit my essay  or just trash it, as that would save me the pain of knowing that I failed just in case I did not win.

I took a long hard look at my teacher’s desk and placed my essay on his desk hoping that he would not see it because I sincerely believed that I would not win.

The D-day came for results to be announced and Dettol arrived my school bearing so much goodies??.

Students were assembled just outside the classroom and teachers were mandated to ensure that all students were well-behaved even as we anticipated the champions of the competition.

My teacher in his usual fashion was full of life and smiling even as he patted me on the back and said ‘Oh, Eniola, I saw your essay and I read it, I think it was nice, well-done.

Mr.Eromosele was my favorite teacher and a lot of my classmates felt the same way about him because he was a teacher per excellence.

He was committed to helping his students maximize their potentials and becoming everything that God had ordained them to be.

Today, was no exception as he firmly believed that my essay was good and I could win the prize.

As I stood lost in my thoughts and my friends bickering about boys that they liked.

The third position was called and a thunderous shout rang out through the school as I felt the hands of my classmates pushing me forward.

I, Eniola Adejumo had come Third place in a competition where the 1st and 2nd position came from SSS3 and SSS1 respectively while I was only in JSS2.

The feeling was surreal as Dettol handed me my award and of course a lot of goodies that I was so proud to own.

My teacher beamed with pride, even as I stood on the platform that day to collect my award.

His words, action and faith in me propelled me towards achieving a goal I deemed impossible.

He shone his light so bright and created a pathway for others that were groping in the dark??.

Be the light to someone’s path today!