He saw mum in his dream. She was downcast, jaw held in the palm of her hand. He went to her and asked what the matter was. She told him that she felt abandoned by her in-laws since her husband died and she was struggling to bring up the three children. My school fees were due soon. He promised to help her and woke up from his dream. The next morning, Pa Sotonye who was probably in his early 70s, went to my mother and told her about his dream. He promised to help pay my school fees. I had just gained admission to one of the Unity Schools in Nigeria. The year was 1975. Pa Sotonye was my first angel.
I like this description of an angel – the word suggests goodness, and is often used to refer to someone who offers comfort and aid to others in times of trouble.
Reginald Tonye Furo (RTF) was dad’s childhood friend who agreed to take me under his wings in 1980. I taught myself how to type and was soon doing okay on the manual typewriter, preparing my guardian’s speeches as Special Adviser on Information and Public Relations to then civilian Governor Melford Okilo of Rivers State.
Christians call the Messiah many names, one of which is Emmanuel – God with us (in the likeness of man). If If I ever had a guardian angel in human form, then that person is no other than the Late Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs who I have written about several times.
In 1989/90, Drs Bello Dikko, Fatima Zara Mairami, Odoo Abdullahi then student Uche Umeh (who helped me get my first job) were angels during my housemanship in ABU Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria
@Ros Jenkins of Heart Research UK gave me my first UK full-time employment. She not only convinced the Board to set aside the requirement that I had a Full Driving License but also offered to pay for intensive driving lessons. Luckily, I passed the test (at fourth or fifth attempt – I lost count), a day before my probationary period was to end.
Everyone has a story and part of mine was stepping out of my comfort zone above to restart my medical journey through the qualifying examinations. Along the line, I did odd jobs like everyone else to survive. One of these was a week-long temp role as Medical Secetary for Dr Richard Lewis, Consultant Cardiologist, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals at Pontefract General Infirmary. At the end of the week, when he got to know I was a medical doctor, he asked me to keep in touch and offered to help in a way possible. Hustler-mode was activated! A few weeks later, he allowed me to become a Clinical Attachee at the end of which he pestered Melanie who was in charge of locum work in the Trust to find even a day’s locum for me. She finally got me a week’s House Officer locum. That got me General Medical Council registration and my UK medical journey began.
I have had my fair share of winters and harmattan seasons. My lowest point in UK was searching the whole house one Saturday morning in 1998 until I found 11p (1p and 2p coins) with which I bought a loaf of Netto bread for my young family. The next day, Aunty Bike who we met for the first time the previous Sunday came to see us after service and she gave us a £50 gift! An angel of God.
Six months later, a friend of mine came to see us in our new rented, shared acccomodation and we entertained him with rice and stew. He asked for table salt. There was none and the salt-free boiled rice (not by choice) was all we had. He was leaving Leeds to start residency in another city the next day. He invited me to help him clear his fridge and freezer. I came back with enough food to last us two weeks! I do not want to embarrass him but fastforward 2011, we embarked on a major home renovation project which ran over budget. On a Sunday night, I was wondering where to raise £20,000 to pay the builder the final instalment the next morning, having exhausted all my funds. ‘Something’ prompted me to call OR. He said I must have been sent by God to ask him because he was about transfering the exact amount to a fixed deposit account. Five minutes later, the money was in my account, terms agreed and my builder was sorted the next day.
The likes of Bros Wole, Herbert and Femi have always gone the extra mile on the angelic boulevard. I could go on and on. Some people like the biblical right hand would not want the left hand to know about their kindness. Please forgive me, my Oga, Dr Chuks Agi (brother from another mother). In 2013, I travelled to Nigeria six times, mostly on charity trips. How many times have I arrived Omagwa with ten pounds in my wallet and you would always be there to see me through.
The paragraphs above are only a snippet of the angels who have held my hand and helped me these many decades. Sometimes, tears well up in my eyes because where I give a pound, my heart desires to give a hundred. As a beneficary of the kindness of humanity all of my life, I desire to pay it forward.
My daughter and I have a desire to raise £15,000 to support 450 Orphans and Vulnerable Children living with HIV this Christmas season. So far, thanks to the generosity of 46 family members, friends and colleagues, we have raised £1980 which guarantees support for 60 out of the 450 children. We will shortly go on a field trip, to work with the staff and volunteers of Support for Mankind Devlopment Initiative (MANKIND). 100% of funds raised will be paid out to the Charity (90% of the which will go directly the children and 10% paid out to volunteers for travel and meals).
To my angels … thanks for putting a smile on my face day after day and your silent prayers for doors to open and our hearts’ desires granted.
- Can you help Abiye Hector-Goma raise £15000 to provide books, clothing, toys and nutritional support for 450 Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) living with HIV in Rivers State, Nigeria.
- Please donate to their JustGiving Crowdfunding Page: https://www.justgiving.com/
crowdfunding/ supportformankind-development- initiative?utm_term=7D3k9EQAq
To donate in Naira, please use this account: Support for Mankind Dev. Initiative 1012649991 Zenith Bank. Kindly use your name and mobile number as payment reference.
