The 48 hours that almost destroyed my scholarship dream

Last year during harmattan, I was in my hostel in Enugu when I got the email. Full scholarship to study abroad. I screamed so loud my roommate thought I had finally snapped.

Then the real trouble started. UNN said my transcript wasn't ready. The scholarship office said I had 48 hours to submit it or the offer goes to someone else. My father called and asked if I was chasing shadows again. I wanted to cry but I couldn't even afford the data to cry properly.

I spent the next 24 hours running between the academic office and the VC's lodge. One man asked for 10,000 naira to "expedite" the process. My pocket had 2,500 naira for the whole week. I told him the story of how I got the scholarship, how I am the first person in my family to even attend university. The man just looked at me and said "Naija, my son."

I called my mother. She prayed on the phone for 15 minutes. Then she sent me 5,000 naira through her church member's POS. I went back, paid the man, and got my transcript stamped in 2 hours.

I submitted the documents with 3 hours to spare. The scholarship committee sent me a confirmation. I sat on the floor of the cyber cafe and just breathed.

Looking back, that experience taught me something. The system will try to break you but if you keep pushing, if you call your mother, if you don't give up on yourself, something will give. God will send help through unexpected places. Even if it's just 5,000 naira from a church member's POS.