The Road to Utelu- Owo

The Road to Utelu Owo Nigeria 

I love supporting women. But, there is little effort that a poor individual can do to better the lot of a hundred poor women. This is why I decided to found an organisation which focuses on supporting women and their children. Thereby able to access friends and family who key into my dreams.

It's been 13 good years now, and whenever I look back, I alway have reasons to smile, look up and say, thank you God.

I have fallen several times.

I have regretted my actions on many occasions.

I have failed my family and friends many times.

I have disappointed God on many occasions.

And I always go back to God in hot tears and I have often felt his warm embrace and reassuring smiles.

But, in all of these situations, I have never looked back or give up.

I decided to work in Owo last year and built my gifted house. Wherein I live. While we bought land in Utelu, my Ancestral land.

The road to Utelu was a death trap.

In short, it was non existing.

I used to travel daily on motorbike while I held my breath and praying to arrive safely. Oh gehhhh, the road was driving the bike riders, not the other way round, because the bike men had to dance to the tune of the road, whereever the erosion drives the motorbiker, there shall he go....

My Annonymous Sister gifted us vehicles. I was so relieved. I knew that my death will no longer come from the hand of any Utelu bike rider.

I felt so safe, we are able to drive everyone to and fro everyday. What a joy!

But, my joy was not lasting because everyday, when we drive past people on bike, who held on to the bike riders for their dear life, I always shake my beautiful head. How many time will I shake my head until it falls off from my neck!

I began to think of a relief measure.

How do I tackle this road matter o?

The community leadership has done their best. No change.

When kidnappers came to kidnap me, the community came to find a way of escape for me, they are bike riders. Two bikers, they placed me on one, Ese Ajuyah jumped behind me on the bike because she was afraid that the bikerd might be part of the kidnappers.

While we were running for our lives, oh God Almighty, I was seating on an iron plate...the pain was not here o....

We almost fell off the bike at some point.

I prayed to God that if I died on April 27th, I would love to make heaven. It was my ultimate goal. I closed my eyes and waited for death.

At the King's Palace, very close to the village market, another bike was waiting for me, there was a 'transloading'. I was transferred to another bike just to confuse the Kidnappers.

We didn't know that the Kidnappers had gone through the forest to a village .....

When I alighted from the bike, I decided that if I ever returned to Utelu, my first project will be grading the road.

I wrote my to do list. In no order, Pasted it as usual while praying to God Almighty to help me.

The following day, my sister Lanke Afo phoned me to ask about my life. I told her that I'm fine but the road must be fixed.

She invited me to her office and she took me to a local leader. The man was happy to see us and he put a call to the assistant commissioner of police and the majority leader.

The majority leader invited me to his office and I went with my older brother . The majority leader took us to the local government chairman who happened to be my cousin......maternal. He was equally happy and he promised to help me...

It goes with some amount which was for fuel, feeding the graders and stipend to thank them.

Within 48 hours, I was able to achieve my number one goal!

The community leaders were surprised because they had tried, spent money and begged but they could not succeed.

God is wonderful.

People are very supportive and kind to me and the community is the better for it now.

This is just the beginning. I believe that many of my friends will continue to support my efforts towards community transformation.

I am grateful to everyone who facilitated the process. I am equally grateful to those who donated to me....also for my security too. I am most grateful 🙏.