Making up for what is missing
By Kalu Ndukwe
"Where did all the willing mentors go to?" That was the question I used to ask myself in college.
Mine was a story of a fatherless little boy from a very poor background, who had more bullies than friends. (Although most of those bullies were my friends by necessity-- play mates.)
Then in the university, colleagues and lecturers were seeing a young man who was making good grades. Perhaps, that explains why our HOD back then once called me "The Distinction Giant"
In private, I was still that boy who was aware that I needed help, I needed a fatherly support. But everyone, but me, thought otherwise. That's how it felt like.
Was that why when I approached one of my teachers and asked him to be my mentor, he gave me a cold look and that was all? I don't have the answer. But I moved on. Doing what I can, to make up for what was missing.
But I was the least that expected to lead my class in the university. I wasn't the most intelligent. We had really brainy folks in that class. folks who attended fantastic post-basic schools. Folks who graduated from wealthy high schools. I attended a very poor public high school. So it was surprising when I heard that I's the Best Graduating Student of my set in the university.
The surprise was not just because I attended a poor high school. My time in university was always rationed between part-time job, side hustle and books. There was no other way out or I'd have dropped out.
Sure, I had limited choices and made that tough choice of carrying all those tasks, along with me, (at the expense of my social life), because, being a goner wasn't my favourite.
Few years back, I'd contracted pneumonia while working on construction sites everyday to raise money for my high school certificate exam. I did it then because it mattered to me, in spite of the risks. And In the university what I needed to do wasn't hard to chose. Because I knew that carrying on may not be easy but one must fight to win.
Few years down the line, I'm still making up for what is missing. "A luta continua; vitória é certa",--- "The struggle continues; victory is certain"
Make up for what's missing. 
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