There is nothing new under the sun. No, not one. Therefore, it was another mad rush to the train station, a race against time. Poor Tobi! She had to share the adrenaline surge as the car zipped through York Road, Inner Ring Road. A quick good bye and I wheeled my suitcases; backpack firmly strapped and arrived at my platform just in time.
First class seat on the packed Trans Pennine Express Train to Manchester Airport. There was a half-hearted offer for tea or coffee. I skipped it. Thank you very much. I was gasping for breath by the time I walked up to Terminal 3 from the Station after pulling my suitcases for twenty minutes. When will there be an upgrade to this part of the journey?
A rainy day at Manchester Airport. Surprise! Short delay but the full flight was eventless. The British Airways overnight flight from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Abuja is one I will not forget in a hurry. I had an economy ticket but paid extra for an Exit seat for much needed legroom. Another short straw. Why should I eat a vegetarian meal against my will, after paying £1,215.91 for an economy ticket? Is it rocket science to know that there are more omnivorous people than there are vegetarians on flights to Nigeria? It has always been ‘take it or leave it’. (With Lufthansa, it is usually only Pasta left). For some strange reason, the cabin crew served drinks only with the meal at this tail end of the aircraft. Since I rejected a vegetarian meal, I spent 6.10hrs hungry and thirsty but thankfully with stretched legs in the naughty corner of the craft.
After a smooth touchdown, I got my bags on a trolley provided by a helpful gentleman and walked beside him to the local wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to join the Aero Contractors flight to Port Harcourt.
Early the next morning, I called a Bolt taxi and we drove to Abuloma Jetty where I hopped on a boat for Okrika and paid the fare for five pending seats to ensure I got to my destination on time. I did not know the boat’s final stop was Kalio Ama and I had to get off and use a motorbike. I felt short-changed and told the boat rider my feelings. I was alighting from the boat, missed my step and landed flat on my face with grazed left knee, my hand luggage and phones flying off in different directions. Thankfully, I did not fall into the sea! I picked up my battered ego and limped away.
A few minutes later, I hailed a motorcycle and it was a fifteen-minute bumpy ride to Ogoloma… my hometown, my roots and my family house only five minutes’ walk from the water front. That is why I call myself Waterside Boy, a constant reminder of my humble beginning.
I am keen to organise a year long count down from December 2024 highlighting one charity, community organisation or other significant part of my development from childhood to date as a meaningful way to celebrate my milestone birthday! These significant parts of my life allow for personal reflection and a deeper understanding of my journey, fostering a sense of gratitude and fulfilment.
I hope that my stories will bring positive community impact, helping those in need and raise awareness for various causes. I hope to engage and inspire friends, family, and the broader community to engage in philanthropy and service. This initiative can strengthen relationships with organisations I support, potentially leading to further collaborations and community-building opportunities. Finally, by stepping up one’s tradition of giving back, we can create a lasting legacy that influences others to consider similar philanthropic endeavours at the grassroots. I am quite pleased our eldest daughter has caught the bug.
As I embark on my twelve-month journey of reflection and giving back, I think about a cause that has been close to me for many years (since 2008): the Ogoloma Women’s Cooperative Microfinance Scheme. I will have to save this for another day.
Today, after travelling by car, rail, air, boat, motorbike and on foot, I arrived in Ogoloma Town Hall to participate in the David Okumgba Omuaru Medical Mission. The last time I practised Medicine in Nigeria was September 1997. I had to renew my registration to be hands-on here. A long process that required paying registration fees for all the years I practised abroad! Anyway, there were some waivers (thanks to the new Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Prof. Fatima Kyari) and I got my license by WhatsApp a few hours before I travelled.
The Medical Mission attended to 1,029 patients and gave free prescription glasses to 205 persons and free mosquito nets to 100 people and palliatives to 200 others! This family initiative was in partnership with Kirikese Medical Doctors Association (KMDA), which I am proud to be a member of, and Shiloh the Tabernacle of Praise in Houston, Texas! The medical team of Salvation Ministries Home of Success participated. There were volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacists and optometrists. 2025 (incidentally my landmark year) promises to be bigger, fingers crossed – Medical and Surgical Mission.
Words cannot describe my gratitude for the opportunity to give back to my community. In 1970, I was a little boy carrying a slate on my head, holding my mum’s hand (a primary school teacher) and walking half an hour to school every weekday. Here I was, treating my people – old and young, some with frightening blood pressure and blood glucose readings, many of them unaware of their diagnoses. I could see abject poverty on many faces but seeing me brought smiles, laughter, and memories of the good old days. There were hugs and more hugs, from old friends and elders.
These words give a fantastic description of my feelings:
As I kick off this countdown to my 60th birthday, I am filled with hope and gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to causes that uplift others while honouring my past. Nothing gives me greater joy than being a blessing to someone. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change that not only transforms lives but also fosters a sense of community and solidarity. Thank you, Ogoloma Town for being the ‘entire village’ that brought up this Waterside Boy since the 1970s.
Abiye Hector-Goma is a GP based in Leeds, UK with multiple interests – family, community, wellbeing and innovative entrepreneurship.
