My husband's arrival at St. Anthony Grammar school of the Roman Catholic Mission in Nigeria, began the worst time of his twelve-year-old life-or that's what he thought at the time. But now Ben appreciates his memories of the death of his father at nine years of age, his boyhood days, the birth of America dream, and the fulfillment of the dream.
At the time, it seemed like the end of the world when Ben lost his father at nine years of age. His father lived by and practiced the Golden Rule. Looking back, Ben is glad he had that experience. He learned from that, than anything else. His education began at an early age under his father, who put the touches to his study of the Alphabets. Upon the completion of his elementary education, Ben passed the high school entrance examination and he was granted an interview by St. Anthony Grammar school's principal and the selection committee. After seeing and asking him a number of simple questions to test his knowledge of English and his intelligence as well as his athleticism, he was admitted as a student of the school.
Ben spent part of his boyhood days at St. Anthony Grammar school. The most important lesson learned at this secondary school was the embodiment of its motto: 'Not for us alone but for other'. This implied that education was meant to train human beings to serve their kind in a spirit of selfless service and love. He was thought that he was privileged to receive the benefit of secondary education, therefore, he was thought to use his knowledge in the service of his fellow men and elevate mankind from a lower to a higher estate in life. Furthermore, he participated in various extracurricular activities and different sports, mainly tracts, football and tennis. Ben had dream t dreams of secondary school education. Now he was confronted with the problem of paying for his second year tuition, books, room and board. His mother was raising six siblings and she faced financial hurdles which made it difficult for her to pay his school tuition. Consequently, the School's principal expelled him for non payment of tuition. On arrival at home Ben attended the Sunday Mass that weekend. Then Reverend Fr. Sheehan, an Irish priest who officiated the mass asked him why he was home from the boarding school. Instantly, Reverend Fr. Sheehan, told him that the Society of African mission will be responsible for his secondary education henceforth. He drove him back to the boarding school that faithful day and it gave Ben the opportunity of completing his secondary school education as well as broadening his horizon. Thus an ordinary expulsion from school for non payment of tuition, room and board paved the way for the realization of his life's dream.
Upon the completion of his high school education, Ben was among those who passed the final examination; so he obtained a gap year employment at Niger Match Industry. His monthly salary was thirty dollars. In view of his good fortune, he assured his mother that,...
