LOOK WHO JUST SIGNED UP ON BLURT!

My name is Ishongo Polycarp Peilu. As a child growing up from a remote village, where access to electricity was just but an illusion, and the roads were nothing but ‘death traps’; and one could not travel 10km/hr. I always desired to travel out of my village and “comfort zone”. I knew life meant more than staying in the village with little and epileptic education, with daily farm routine; what it was I had no idea. But I knew life meant more than that! I had heard stories of the nature of township areas from people who had visited and I was determined to have an experience of such myself. I only imagined it was going to be an awesome experience!
Where I come from; a remote village known as “Mbakyor” (Don’t border about the pronunciation) which is one of the rural areas in Benue State Nigeria, vehicles could only access the place when the rains had stopped, because the mud would clutch on the wheels making it difficult for a vehicle to move and of course, it had to be a truck or no vehicle at all; sounds funny right? People only moved their farm produce to the nearest market and township known as “Ikpayongo” either on motor bikes or wait. Amidst all of these, I wanted to travel; that was the desire strongly burning in me with no flames because I was actually incapacitated.
As the second child in the family of five, I felt I could travel without any hindrance because after all I was not the first child, so I had no “inheritance” to protect and was not bound by any traditional or customary obligation and that was a deep relief. I knew someday I might live the village however I didn’t know when so I kept my desires and resigned to fate. And then, something happened!
My Aunt (My Dad’s youngest Sister) who was married to a Man in the Northern part of the country precisely they resided at “Akwanga” a town in Nasarawa State Nigeria visited and guess what! Here was I all happy and insisting to follow her to “Akwanga”. She loved me but it was so sudden and I noticed some resistance so I cried all day and night and refused even to eat. My Dad who had also visited because he was working as a civil servant with the Local government was also skeptical about my leaving. His reasons were obvious; my Aunt was married to a Muslim and was obviously dressed as a Muslim so leaving the village to stay with her was an implication that I was going to be following her to the mosque because my immediate family was a Christian family. Again, another reason for him was that I was too young to leave the village because at this time I was barely seven years old. Those reasons were not enough to stop me from crying: all I wanted was to leave the village.
Eventually I arrived “Akwanga” where I started my elementary school. Lets make this story short! Don’t forget at this time I was already a Muslim just like the rest of my cousins. My Aunt’s husband who was working at “Ibadan” and would come home most weekends and at holidays especially summer, we often visited and returned upon school reopening, left home and never returned. The popular means of communication then was letters because only few privileged people could afford a phone. He didn’t sent money neither did anyone hear a word from him. To make it worst, my Aunt who was still nursing, left to check on him and also never returned. Life became very difficult for us because we were left to carter for ourselves as children. So I hired myself to a woman selling bean cake where I helped serve food and wash plates and at the end of the day I was paid twenty Naira.
My Dad got the news of our suffering and in 2004, he went and brought us (myself and my cousins) back to the same village I left. I felt bad and happy at the same time. Was my dream of living in the city brought to and end? Or I just escaped death from starvation and suffering? Few months later, my Dad enrolled me into school in the nearest town. A twist of fate indeed, from a Muslim now entering a missionary school to complete my elementary school. At St. Gregory’s Nursery and Primary school Ikpayongo, I was turned into a Christian again and I stared attending Church again. After about two academic sessions, I applied for college at St. James Junior Seminary Yandev-Gboko still within Benue State. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE WORD SEMINARY MEANT BUT I KNEW I WANTED TO ATTEND A COLLEGE AND A BOARDEN SCHOOL.
I was offered admission and after six years of secondary education, I also gained admission into St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Makurdi Benue State where I obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy from the Pontifical Urbanian University Rome, Italy.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THE WORD SEMINARY MEANT BUT I KNEW I WANTED TO ATTEND A COLLEGE AND A BOARDEN SCHOOL.
The above heading is an extract emerging from the foregoing story. After I was offered admission into the “St James’ Junior Seminary’ a lot of people including my parents felt it was a deliberate decision and choice to study for the Catholic priesthood. This made some people call me names such as “Small Father” “Father” because Catholic Priest are often referred to as “Father” Was it? The answer to this question is; “NO”. It wasn’t my decision, or it is better to say a decision that was made of out of ignorance.
I still later knew that no one was going to force me into the Major seminary if I didn’t want to continue and of course no one forced me, however the implication of that was that, I would have to contend with several questions from my kins men, friends and relatives and even forced into believing that I started and didn’t finish, it was a stigma I couldn’t bear at that moment; the stigma of “failure”.
Moreso, to African parents and Nigeria in particular, the Priesthood so admirable not just because of the dignity of the Catholic Priest, but also a financial relief for some families since the Priest in Africa is exposed to a lot of charity which is most of the times for personal and family purposes. My parents could not stand the pressure of their friends who tagged their favorite Son as “one who started a noble course and abandoned half way”.
The fear of uncertainty and how much I was going to miss my friends was also another factor that influenced my decision to proceed to the major seminary to be trained for the Catholic Priesthood.
During my training, I must say I enjoyed certain aspects of the training and I am sincerely grateful to the Catholic Church and Makurdi Diocese for the opportunity they offered me to be a better person in the society. They formed me both in academics and character. The doubts of whether or not I was going to make to the end was constant in my heart and I kept asking myself; Is this what I want for my entire life? Am I going to continue living on people’s charity? Am I going to be fulfilled? After about seven years in the seminary, I was totally convinced I wanted something else. I knew I could stand the pressure from the society about my inability to finish the race I started. These doubts made me make mistakes and many people began having issues with me in system just the way I had challenges with myself. My family kept insisting I should stay until I was asked to leave. I was determined to leave so whatever anyone said to me made little or no impact about my decision.
You can also be sure that till today some people including your family members look at you with an ill eye because for them, you are a failure just because you feel that’s actually what you don’t want for your life.
Upon interaction with my friends and having stayed in the seminary for at least seven years, I can boldly say that there are a lot of people who are trapped in the seminary and cannot help themselves out of it because of fear
Finally I tendered a letter of “LEAVE OF ABSENCE”
WHY I JOINED BLURT!
My friend BestKizito has shared his story about Blurt. In fact without joining Blurt, I have benefited immensely from Blurt. Coming to Blurt is not just a dream coming to life but also I am optimistic that it will also be a life changing opportunity for me. It will be a dream come true because from childhood I have always wanted to travel, and here am I travelling not just within my country but the whole world because of Blurt. I am indeed grateful to Kizito and most especially founders of Blurt and its Co-founders.
Also the joy of having people around you who don’t just judge you or stereotype you with “failure” is priceless and reviving. People who see you with a lot of potentials and really want you to live your life to its full is top notch. People who are open and receptive to ideas without bias or personal affiliation of friendship or prejudices.
Most importantly, I know there is dignity in labour. I want to work and earn a living. I know that charity is inevitable I would gladly do charity where ever I have the opportunity to do so and I can also receive charity too lolz……..
I WANT TO WORK!
I am open to receiving jobs, I can work for content creation and any job that dignifies humanity and labour even if it takes greater part of my time. I just want to work. Even if the job isn’t paying as much as it can sustain but so far as it contributes to growth and productivity and dignifies labour; I WANT TO WORK. PLEASE HIRE ME!
I want to contribute my little for the growth of Blurt and its spread.
Lets work it!
Lets Blurt it!
Lets love it!!
Above all Blurt!