Nothing Good Comes Easy (Dr. Nosa's Success Story)

This is an inspiring Success Story by Dr. Ewere Thompson Nosa, a Medical Doctor and graduate of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)

Dr. Ewere Thompson Nosa

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After rounding up my Secondary School education, and losing my Dad to the cold hands of death in 2009; I decided to fend for myself, and complement the support I was getting from my wonderful siblings. I had to do this because I don't like depending on anyone wholly, plus the fact that finance was limited and things were not all rossy.

So I started off as a phone technician at Third junction in Benin. It wasn't easy for me as I was a bit too young and innocent to hussle in such kind of environment. I faced a lot of reproach, rejections and oppressions. I can remember a day I was beaten up at my work place, by some cultists for not fixing their phones to their specification. I also faced a lot of disappointments even among my loved ones.

Well, that's all history. I endured all and passed through all the stress with joy. I remember those days I used to cry in my room thinking of committing suicide, (hmmm, good old days..). Well, that same year, I registered for JAMB and post-UTME, and studied very hard especially after work hours. As God will have it, I was admitted to study Medicine and Surgery in the prestigious University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria. I had a total score of 60.01, of which the cut off mark was 60 (hmmm, I was lucky).

January/February 2010, I started my first year in medical school. I got to UNIPORT, without having a place to lay my head, and I wasn't having enough money to rent an apartment off campus (hostel space allocation was yet to be done). So I had to partner with my dear friend, Edafe, and as a team, we got into one of the hostels, broke into one of the yet allocated rooms and started staying there. A week later, some guys who resided there before, returned back from the holidays, and threw out our belongings and sent us to the streets. I parted with my friend, Edafe, for a while to look for another place to stay, at least to keep my belongings. I pleaded with several persons, but non obliged initially not until a day or two days later, when a Good Samaritan colleague of mine accepted to help. He accepted to help keep my belongings while I find somewhere else to sleep. I was happy anyways. I decided to put up in class rooms. Then, I kept my toothpaste, toothbrush, powder, small towel, sponge and soap in my school bag. To freshen up, I'll go to any nearby hostel to do that, and then go to my friend's hostel to put up a new dress. I did this for about two weeks until I was asked to pack out as my bag, which was large in size, was occupying a considerable part of his small cubicle. I then moved out in search of a new place to keep my belongings. I met another colleague of mine, a Senior colleague in this case. He saw me and was surprised that I had emaciated within weeks of school resumption as he had seen me on the first day I resumed (when I broke into one of the hostel rooms). He decided to help keep my belongings and even offered to allow me sleep in his cubicle. I was delighted at this. Unfortunately, his younger brother who stays in same cubicle (small room in the hostel room like a quarter of a normal hostel room) with him was not happy to receive me in. I never blamed him as the space was really small to occupy three persons. I pleaded that my belongings be kept there, while I slept in any of the Choba campus classrooms, which they obliged to.

Two weeks later, UNIPORT formally released the list of students that obtained the hostel accommodation. My name was unfortunately not on the list as my post-UME score was relatively low comparative to my colleague that was offered hostel accommodation, and the fact that I was not an indigene of the state. I felt bad. But I had to fight on. I decided to buy a cubicle space in Abuja campus from a Man O' War dude who was offered hostel space, along with Engr. Edafe and Dr. Donald who became my room mates.

I got a space in Abuja campus thinking I'll now have a place to lay my head. But it was unfortunate to learn that the Man O' War dude sold same space to another person, collecting double pay for the same space. I and Edafe confronted him but he stood up against us with his team, asked us to kneel down, hit us badly and threatened to throw us out. Who were we to fight Man O' War? We were nobody. The other guy whom the same space was sold to, was another tyrant. I had to avoid having issues with him, and this made me decide to sleep and live in the Abuja campus class rooms, while I had my belongings in the cubicle I rented. It wasn't easy as I spent the whole of my first year in class rooms; sleeping, brushing, and eating there.

My first three years as a medical student wasn't easy as I had to battle with financial difficulties and accommodation issues. Do you know I never ate meat all through these three years? Then, I used to cook without adding meat, because I couldn't afford to buy. My stew then, was a combination of locally made palm oil, sachet tomatoes, pepper and maggi (Lol). I don't prepare soup then, I bought from mama put (mama Abuja). I do buy N200 worth of soup, and request that the meat in the soup be exchanged for more soup. I then managed the soup so I'll be able to use it for two or three days (Lol).

Life was hard, but it didn't stop me from working very hard. I read my books as if it was the only thing I had to do with my life. As at my 400 level, I was a bit stable financially and I was able to settle my accommodation issues. I started working as a private tutor to some well to do students, who pay me to put them through basic medical courses. I also involved myself in hostel politics. I involved myself in many kinds of business and opportunities. My financial state changed. I was able to complement the cash I normally received from home, and was much more stable till I finished my medical school.
I couldn't stop sleeping in class rooms, however, because I was already used to it (even when I was able to afford good accommodation). I spent Seven years and Six months as a medical student in the University, of which I basically spent Seven years of my days sleeping on the hard woods of Abuja campus class rooms. This earned me my nick name (working Master, working Lord, working Skeleton, etcetera).

I finally graduated from UNIPORT, and got inducted as a Medical Doctor, being one of the Best Student the medical school had ever inducted with a result that fancies the eyes of a lot of persons.

Why am I telling this story?

I want to tell you that "IT IS POSSIBLE!" Nothing is impossible in life. Don't get discouraged. Give life your best hit even in the hardest of times. If Nosa, the phone technician can turn Dr. Nosa, a Medical Doctor, so can You be anything You want to be in life.

Remember, NOTHING GOOD COMES EASY.

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