Hey there! My name is Ayínkẹ́, and let me take you on a journey through my life. Picture this: I grew up in the bustling city of Lagos, attending a public school where dreams seemed distant. But amidst the chaos, I held onto a flickering hope…
Hey there! My name is Ayínkẹ́, and let me take you on a journey through my life.
Picture this: I grew up in the bustling city of Lagos, attending a public school where dreams seemed distant. But amidst the chaos, I held onto a flickering hope, a burning desire for something more.
You see, life wasn't always kind to me. As an orphan, I faced the harsh realities of neglect and mistreatment from my aunt. But I refused to let those circumstances define me. With each setback, I grew stronger, driven by an unwavering determination to change my fate. This is my story of resilience, dreams, and the unyielding pursuit of a better life. Join me as I navigate the twists and turns, triumphs and tribulations, and discover the power that lies within.
"Ayinke, didn't I tell you not to cause any trouble in this house again?" A shout came from my aunt's bedroom. I sprinted towards her room as little droplets of wetness started to form on my skin due to the sudden terror that rushed down my entire body.
When I walked into the bedroom, I could see how enraged she was. Her face was all flaming that day, and her brows furrowed. I never in my entire life imagined my life to take such a drastic change.
"I am sure you are the one who took my grandmother's jewellery! It is a treasured family heirloom."
I was ultimately asked to leave the house.
I, who? And from where do I want my life to start?
My WAEC exam was just completed and I made the decision to scout the area for a place to stay. Finding employment was the next step as I awaited my WAEC results. Fortunately for me, my schoolmate Tunde had indicated that his mother wanted to hire a new housemaid, so I made the decision to visit his home. The entire day, I kept knocking but didn't get a response. I had no idea where to go or what to do, so I decided to wait till I got a response because I didn't want to roam around the streets of Lagos. I stayed outside their gate till dawn, and the horn of a car woke me up. When I noticed that Tunde's family was all in the car, Tunde's father came down to inquire as to my purpose for being at the gate. After the whole thing, I was eventually able to clean Tunde's family's home.
My time with them was not uncomfortable. They didn't need to lie to me or reprimand me; I did my job, therefore there was no reason for them to do so. I wanted to focus on earning money to survive rather than worrying about my education. They wanted to have a say in my schooling, but it wasn't my main worry because I didn't want to burden anyone. I also hoped I could wake my parents up every day to let them know how difficult it has been for me since they were in a vehicle accident. I battled through my days while maintaining hope for at least a future. Since I started working there, Tunde and I have been friends, and at this point, Tunde has already been admitted to my dream school, University of Lagos.
You better keep your eyes peeled for part 2 of Tunde and Ayinke's love story! It's going to be epic!
After a whirlwind of a year, Tunde revealed to me his feelings for me. I thought about it, and a few days later we began dating. Days passed while I assisted with housecleaning and watched over his younger siblings while he was at school. We spent more time together while it was a holiday, before he went back to school. Got to a point, I talked to Tunde's mother about needing to step up my game. She connected me with a job where I could work to make more money and still have the possibility to stay with them because of my loyalty to them. My love for Tunde was still perfect as I started working as a cleaner for an insurance firm. As they say, love is beautiful, and Tunde portrayed this. When he is less busy, Tunde will sometimes come see me after school, and every Sunday night I will cook for him and go see him in school.
Over the course of 5 years, I had gathered enough, and I did all these just so I could go back to school. Tunde was graduating from the department of Computer Science in UNILAG.
I wanted to start my education at age 24 so I could begin life again with what I had. I resigned from the cleaning position and began to do tutorials for JAMB. Tunde was pleased that I was prepared to start the legal career of which I had always dreamed. A few months later, Tunde confided in me about marriage and I had to give it a thought for some days. I finally admitted that I couldn't do it because I wasn't ready. I was starting school life and I didn't want marriage to be an obstacle for my education.
Maybe he could just wait, I told him. And he said he couldn't; the number of years it will take me to finish my education would take him a very long time to begin his marriage life. I was content with the way things were going with Tunde. Ayinke, that is a nobody, yet he found interest in me. Surprisingly, he didn't misbehave as I expected a rich man's son would. He wanted to let go, and so could I not let go of my education too.
I never wavered from my goal during my time in school, and along the way, friends and memories were created. Fighting was all I wanted to do for my future. For me, the journey was not easy. The fact that my friends saw the glitz and healing struck me as the funniest part. Things improved over time as I started selling accessories so I could accomplish some modest things in school. This journey was… I heave a heavy sigh every time I consider it.
I honored my parents by standing in front of their graves, where their souls were resting, after receiving my Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos State at the age of 29. I was sobbing uncontrollably at how my life had turned out when a broad smile spread across my lips. I knew fully well that I had lived up to my name, Ayínkẹ́ Adéọtì.
Enitan is currently a student at the University of Lagos pursuing a psychology degree. She is a seeker and a storyteller. She leverages storytelling as a powerful tool to convey complex ideas and engage with others, drawing upon my cultural background to enrich the discourse.
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