Erstwhile banana hawker who ended up bagging a PhD and working
as a lecturer, Nonye Onyima, shares her experience in this interview
with SODIQ OYELEKE. Excerpt:
as a lecturer, Nonye Onyima, shares her experience in this interview
with SODIQ OYELEKE. Excerpt:
Looking at you, most people may not believe that you once hawked bananas to make ends meet. How did it happen?
The death of my mother led me into hawking bananas. I was 15 years
old at the time. For a girl of that age, it was a risky and dangerous
way to earn a living. You are at risk of being raped by road-side
mechanics, fellow male hawkers and your costumers. On one occasion, I
saw some ladies coming out of a mechanic workshop weeping, with their
pants and dresses stained with blood. Also, the banana hawker is often
exposed to harsh weather conditions. The most dangerous is the risk of
being crushed to death by speeding vehicles.
old at the time. For a girl of that age, it was a risky and dangerous
way to earn a living. You are at risk of being raped by road-side
mechanics, fellow male hawkers and your costumers. On one occasion, I
saw some ladies coming out of a mechanic workshop weeping, with their
pants and dresses stained with blood. Also, the banana hawker is often
exposed to harsh weather conditions. The most dangerous is the risk of
being crushed to death by speeding vehicles.
I had to stop schooling and started hawking to help my Dad provide
for the family. Even at that, we were not able to meet up with feeding
demands and rent. The first thing I sold was the food called ‘mama-put’.
I hawked cooked rice and stew. Most times, there was nothing to eat,
sometimes, we cooked unripe pawpaw and ate it with palm oil. It was at
this juncture I decided to take the bull by the horn. I sold iced water
(not ‘pure water’) and raised some money with which I later started
selling fried groundnuts. Later, I went to learn how to make polythene
bags and ice-cream.
for the family. Even at that, we were not able to meet up with feeding
demands and rent. The first thing I sold was the food called ‘mama-put’.
I hawked cooked rice and stew. Most times, there was nothing to eat,
sometimes, we cooked unripe pawpaw and ate it with palm oil. It was at
this juncture I decided to take the bull by the horn. I sold iced water
(not ‘pure water’) and raised some money with which I later started
selling fried groundnuts. Later, I went to learn how to make polythene
bags and ice-cream.
At what point did you decide to return to school?
One day, I decided to cross from one lane of a busy road to sell my
bananas. Suddenly I saw myself being kicked into the nearby bush by an
impatient female driver. I heard people shouting ‘motor don kill person’
and a crowd started running towards me. I had bruises on my body and my
arm was broken, twisted anti-clockwise and swollen like a balloon. My
bananas and about N5,000, being the sum of money that I realised from
selling bananas and groundnuts on that day, had vanished. They were
stolen.
bananas. Suddenly I saw myself being kicked into the nearby bush by an
impatient female driver. I heard people shouting ‘motor don kill person’
and a crowd started running towards me. I had bruises on my body and my
arm was broken, twisted anti-clockwise and swollen like a balloon. My
bananas and about N5,000, being the sum of money that I realised from
selling bananas and groundnuts on that day, had vanished. They were
stolen.
The ‘hit and run’ driver had zoomed off, but she was given a hot
chase by some military men. When they eventually caught up with her,
they forced her to take me in her car to a hospital. Unfortunately, they
made the mistake of not asking one of them to accompany me. The lady
drove to a swamp and asked me to come down.
chase by some military men. When they eventually caught up with her,
they forced her to take me in her car to a hospital. Unfortunately, they
made the mistake of not asking one of them to accompany me. The lady
drove to a swamp and asked me to come down.
I begged her in Igbo not to throw me in the swamp but to keep me by
the road side. When the brother-in-law (who was in the same car with
us) heard me speak Igbo, he asked where I came from and I told him that I
was a native of Imo State. Then he insisted that the woman must take me
to the hospital. When we got to the entrance of the hospital, she
refused to drive in. The brother-in-law ran to the nurses and doctors
and told them she wanted to run away. That was how the nurses ran,
caught up with her and pounced on her. The security personnel drove the
car into the hospital, but she refused to pay a dime until the police
was invited.
the road side. When the brother-in-law (who was in the same car with
us) heard me speak Igbo, he asked where I came from and I told him that I
was a native of Imo State. Then he insisted that the woman must take me
to the hospital. When we got to the entrance of the hospital, she
refused to drive in. The brother-in-law ran to the nurses and doctors
and told them she wanted to run away. That was how the nurses ran,
caught up with her and pounced on her. The security personnel drove the
car into the hospital, but she refused to pay a dime until the police
was invited.
Later, my Dad said he trekked from Oyigbo to Port Harcourt in
search of my corpse. A few days after that incident, one of my uncles
living in the United States came home and heard what happened to me. He
returned to the US and persuaded his siblings to send my siblings and me
to school. My younger brothers and sisters went back to secondary
school at their instance.
search of my corpse. A few days after that incident, one of my uncles
living in the United States came home and heard what happened to me. He
returned to the US and persuaded his siblings to send my siblings and me
to school. My younger brothers and sisters went back to secondary
school at their instance.
To the Glory of God, I got admission at the age of 23 to study
Cultural Anthropology at the University of Ibadan. I had gone for a
three-day ‘dry fasting and prayers’ with other ladies in my church and
so while others were praying for marriage, I was praying for admission.
Cultural Anthropology at the University of Ibadan. I had gone for a
three-day ‘dry fasting and prayers’ with other ladies in my church and
so while others were praying for marriage, I was praying for admission.
So how did the teaching in a tertiary institution come about?
After my university education, courtesy of my beloved uncles in the
United States, I single-handedly sponsored myself through my master
degree programme. I went through a lot of pain to achieve this. In spite
of all the challenges, I remained resolute and undeterred because I
wanted to be a lecturer. After my Master degree programme, I bought the
PhD form immediately. In five years after, I see myself as a
post-doctoral researcher in an international research centre working on
developmental issues bordering on health care for marginalised
populations, analysing the complex problems of government’s inability to
provide quality and affordable health care for all.
United States, I single-handedly sponsored myself through my master
degree programme. I went through a lot of pain to achieve this. In spite
of all the challenges, I remained resolute and undeterred because I
wanted to be a lecturer. After my Master degree programme, I bought the
PhD form immediately. In five years after, I see myself as a
post-doctoral researcher in an international research centre working on
developmental issues bordering on health care for marginalised
populations, analysing the complex problems of government’s inability to
provide quality and affordable health care for all.
Which was your most memorable moment as a student?
The day I got an email informing me that I have $11,000 to complete PhD Dissertation.
What happened afterwards?
I obtained a Master’s degree in Medical Anthropology from the
University of Ibadan and then joined the services of the Imo State Civil
Service Commission, worked as an ethnographer for the Ministry of
Information and Strategy in 2011 until Governor Rochas Okorocha revoked
the recruitment. Anyway, I saved some money and set out again for my PhD
programme, which I recently completed. I defended my PhD on December
21, 2016.
University of Ibadan and then joined the services of the Imo State Civil
Service Commission, worked as an ethnographer for the Ministry of
Information and Strategy in 2011 until Governor Rochas Okorocha revoked
the recruitment. Anyway, I saved some money and set out again for my PhD
programme, which I recently completed. I defended my PhD on December
21, 2016.
What message do you have for Nigerian youths?
They should note that life is in stages. There is always a starting
point, a mid-point and a finishing point. They should ensure that they
finish well because the glory is the finishing. Stand up from where life
has put you and do something that can elevate you from being a
third-class citizen. Develop a positive mindset and always be
optimistic. Finally, do not let your background put your back on the
ground.
point, a mid-point and a finishing point. They should ensure that they
finish well because the glory is the finishing. Stand up from where life
has put you and do something that can elevate you from being a
third-class citizen. Develop a positive mindset and always be
optimistic. Finally, do not let your background put your back on the
ground.
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