Ibeadua Judith Chioma no ever believe for her lifetime say she go get education, marry di love of her life and born children.
Dis na because di 31 year old woman dey physically challenged and also lost her parents wen she be only six years old.
Judith wey just complete di compulsory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) carry BBC Pidgin through di journey from her childhood through wen she decide to go back school.
She say for most physical challenged ladies like herself for di school for special needs, di goal na to see man to marry and if no man come ask dia hand in marriage, dem go just find any man get bele for.
But God get beta plans for her as she marry correct man wey push her to further her education.
‘Dem no born me handicapped’
“Dem no born me handicapped, I be four year old wen I loss my two legs and I discover say I no fit waka. Wetin cause am I know no, na my parents fit tok am but I lose dem wen I be six years old,” na so Judith narrate.
She say wetin she know na say she bin sick well-well wen she dey small but how she take lose her legs and no fit waka again na wetin she no fit remember.
Wen her parents die, her step sister begin take care of her, send her go school from Nursey two to JSS3.
Growing up life no dey easy for me, my mama die wen I dey 6 years old. Na my step sister come carry me, come dey train me, I go dey crawl for ground dey go school, dey go church, I go dey cry dey ask God question say why e do me like dis, keep me for dis condition.” She tok.
Na for JSS1 one reverend father buy wheel chair for her and wen she reach JSS3, her school principal advise make she go school for Special Needs, na for there her life begin beta. She meet pipo wey her condition beta pass dia own, na there her life get purpose and na for there she meet her husband.
‘Upon all di wahala wey e face, my husband no give up on me’
Na afta two years of talking on fone, she meet her husband face to face for di first time.
She say na her husband cousin na im bring dem together, e send her number give am and he begin call her for fone to profess im love and im intention for marriage. Initially, she no believe am and no take am serious.
Her husband family initially kick against di marriage say why e go marry physically challenged pesin. Dia concern na how she go take born, do house work and if she no go be burden to her husband. He even chop beating from im family. But looking back today she dey grateful say her husband stand by her.
‘Di time wen my husband tok say im wan marry me, im mama come call im pipo say make dem come help her beat im son because my husband be her only son, dem come beat and injure am well. But upon all wahala wey e face, e no give up on me’
All di tins dem fear, on if she go fit get bele or how she go take born even if she get bele?, God make am easy for her as she dey born wit no stress and without Caesarean section.
Education, Marriage and challenges
Afta her marriage, her husband encourage her to continue her education. She marry wen she dey ND 2 and she dey pregnant.
She study Computer Education for one polytechnic and afta six years she graduate. Di study delay sake of di coronavirus pandemic.
“I get admission for 2015. I school for six years sake of di covid- 19 palava.”
Although her dream na to study Medicine and become doctor, “but wen I dey school dem dey always tell us say dem no dey accept physically challenged for medicine.” She tok.
Judith recount say e no dey easy for her at all to combine schooling wit taking care of children for her state, as she gatz wake up very early, take care of di home front before she go school.
“E no easy for me to combine school and taking care of di kids. E dey very stressful, e get time wey I wan quit sake of di children but I remember say winners don’t quit.”
Wit all di challenges wey she pass through to get her HND, she say she no regret di decision to go school.
‘I still neva achieve plenty tins’
Although she don break stereotypes and do wetin most physical challenge pipo no dey do, Judith say she still dey far from her aspirations.
Di mama of three children tok say she dey plan to work to take care of her children and also support pipo wey be physically challenged too.
“Even though I don marry, go school and get children, I still neva achieve plenty tins. I wan work, get money to take care of my children, I go still born anoda child.” She add.
She advise oda physically challenged pesins say make dem believe in themselves and in God. She also encourage parents wey get children like her say make dem no lock dem inside house, may dem provide for dem every opportunity and treat dem di same way dem go treat oda children.
