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| Source: Google |
****
In all honesty, I didn’t like Akure...well initially. I had a hard time adjusting to the new environment.
There was nowhere to go, no one to see, and not much do in the small town. To top
it off, job searching was stressful. I soon found out that the job market
answered to relationships with government officials or other “very important
people” and undercover bribes. So after trying and trying, I remembered that I
had a relationship with the king of Akure at that time. My husband and I went
to go and meet him at the palace one day; and he promised to help us both out.
We were elated!
Sadly, he died a few weeks before we were supposed to return
to the palace for a second visit. It was painful because he was a friend of
both of our families; and he was a wonderful man. Well, getting a reference
from him for jobs wasn’t possible any longer. Remember that my husband already
had a job but the salary was terrible. I cringed after converting how much he
made to dollars; it didn’t make sense that a medical doctor would earn so
little. So, I really desired that my husband had a better paying job; and a job
that wouldn’t require him to work on Saturdays.
One of our church members suggested that we contact her
sister; her sister was a government official. So off we went, hoping that this
was it! We got a reference letter from her and I took it to the state’s health
department hoping that it would give me an advantage. After waiting for hours
to see the head of the health department, his reaction said it all; the
reference letter was not going to do me any good. I thought that my Public
Health degree from the U.S. would impress him; while it did, it wasn’t enough.
However, he reluctantly invited me to apply for an open position with the
company. It was a partnership with World Bank, I was excited! Getting the
position would have been a dream come true. Plus the pay seemed like it would
be good!
When I got an invitation for an interview, I was elated!!! I
was sure that the job was mine! The company was looking to fill about 12
positions and I was sure that I would be one of the top choices. On the day of
the interview, I dressed my best and I was prayed up. The interview was done in
a panel format; I was asked various questions by about five men. The head of
the health department was one of the panelists, I was sure that he would put in
a good word for me. I answered each question confidently, and at the end of the interview, I was sure that I made a lasting impression!
Imagine my shock when I was NOT selected, I was crushed and discouraged. I knew that we were primarily in Akure for ministry and that was fine but I wanted to start my public health career. I didn't want to be a housewife (not that there is anything wrong with that). I wanted to do something meanful, I wanted to have impact in the public health. And I worked so hard for my master's degree. I already sacrificed one year to NYSC, I believed that it was time for my reward of a good paying job in my field. With each disappointment, I was starting to feel that my degree was useless and that hurt!
****
Imagine my shock when I was NOT selected, I was crushed and discouraged. I knew that we were primarily in Akure for ministry and that was fine but I wanted to start my public health career. I didn't want to be a housewife (not that there is anything wrong with that). I wanted to do something meanful, I wanted to have impact in the public health. And I worked so hard for my master's degree. I already sacrificed one year to NYSC, I believed that it was time for my reward of a good paying job in my field. With each disappointment, I was starting to feel that my degree was useless and that hurt!
****
Shortly after the interview, my father remembered that his former
coworker relocated to Nigeria a couple of years prior and he worked with the
government. So my father made a call and he promised to rectify the issue;
because he knew the head of the health department personally. My hopes were up
again…but not for long. After my father’s former coworker contacted the head of
the health department, he was told that it was too late; he said that the
positions were already filled prior to the interview. Everyone of the panielist already chose their candidates; the interview was conducted just to fulfill all rightesouness. The head of the organizarion felt terrible because
my father’s former coworker was a wonderful host when he visited him in the U.S. He kept apologizing to me profusely.
So I was back at square one, by this time I was tired and
upset at the system. My father’s former coworker apologized and suggested that
I volunteered with the organization. I was offended, how can he tell me to
volunteer with my qualifications??? I never gave him a definite response. He
kept calling me and asking me to go and see the head of the organization and speak
to him about volunteering. I finally obliged and went ahead to meet him.
Little did I know that God had a plan all along. I just wasn’t
patient enough to ask for his plan. I was too busy going the “world’s way” and
trying to look to ‘people’ to help me; instead of looking up to God, the owner
of the universe for help. He had a prepared a place for me in the company
already, he had gone ahead of me. I was selected as a volunteer, I was able to
choose my own hours (I worked 3 days a week), I was given my own office, I was
given a laptop and after a few weeks, they decided to give me a monthly
transportation allowance that was more than the salary of a good number of the
staff. Look at God!
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Like I said in my previous post, throughout our
stay in Akure we truly learned to work by faith. It was not always easy,
neither was it always convenient but it was always worth it.
Be Blessed!
- Bunmi Adebiyi
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1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!
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Be Blessed!
- Bunmi Adebiyi
Wait before you go:
1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!
2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!
3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.
4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.
5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_
6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi
7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestinyblog
