How I Overcame The Challenge of Reading and Writing As A Teenager

True Story of How I Trained Myself To Read and Write When It Was Difficult As A Child

Many stories of success we all heard or read about today were motivated by shame or failure, and my experience is not so different.

We all had different experiences from childhood to adulthood, both good and bad. While you can easily forget some, others may remain in your memory for a longer time or lifetime because of their significant effects. So is the story you’re reading.

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I might never have known how to write or speak the English language. Why? I grew up in a remote village where the sole medium of communication was the mother tongue. The only language I could speak very well was Yoruba — my tribe language.

The Migration

When I clocked 11, my brother took me to live with him in a more civilised town. At that time, I could neither read nor write in my local or English language.

So each time some young stars around my locality were reading, writing, or speaking English, I would stylishly excuse myself to avoid embarrassment.

But one day, I could not help it; I fell into the pit gallantly!

How it happened?

I was on a football field close to our house with some boys far younger than me. One of us mistakenly kicked the ball on a man who was a relative of one of the boys. We all prostrated to apologise to him. He then called us together and began communicating with us in English. As usual, I cleverly pushed other boys forward and waited for an opportunity to leave.

But suddenly, the man turned to me and asked, “did you go to school today.” I didn’t know what he was asking, I looked at the face of my friends for help, but they were also looking at me for a response.

Then I knew I’d better say something to bail myself out. But how would I say something when I didn’t understand? However, I quickly came up with an idea. Since I heard the word school from what the man said, I reasoned that he was asking for the name of my school.

Then I quickly said, “the name of my school is Local Government School 1.”

They all stared at me in bewilderment, then looked at one another and back to me again. After a few seconds, the man asked me another question, but this time in my local tongue.

“O dabi enipe o o gbo English.” Meaning — it seems you don’t understand English.”

I couldn’t say yes or no. But I knew I was done for; I had committed a blunder, and my little secret was revealed. Having noticed that I was embarrassed, the man turned to my friends, talked to them for a while, and left.

My little friends laughed at me to scorn after the man left, and I was very ashamed of myself. But I determined that day to give it all it takes to learn how to speak and write the English language.

Permit me to distract you by saying this again:

Don’t be surprised that behind most success stories of today are humiliation and failure, and my story is no exception.

Dr. Ben Carson said, “I struggled academically throughout elementary school yet became the best neurosurgeon in the world in 1987.”

Bill Gates said, “I didn’t even complete my university education but became the world’s richest man.”

Christiano Ronaldo said, “I told my father that we would be very rich but he couldn’t believe me. I made it a reality.”

Tony Blair said & I quote, “My teachers used to call me a failure, but I became a Prime Minister.”

Nelson Mandela said, “I was in prison for 27 years & still became president.”

And many more….

When you are determined to achieve something good and put your heart and mind to it, even God in all His Almightiness will not stop you (except your move is against His Kingdom). “Because if your faith says yes, He will not say no,”- says the Late Bishop Benson Idahosa.

After the incident on the football field, I no longer felt ashamed of myself; after all, they’ve all known my secret, so there was nothing to hide.

Attitude — The Game Changer

But I did something exceptional; I got closer to my friends. I never mind if they will mock me; I ask them questions and mimic them jocularly when they speak. Likewise, I would ask questions like a fool from my friends at school. I wasn’t so bold to ask my class teacher except occasionally.

About six months later, the story was different. I was able to read but had issues forming sentences. However, I kept learning.

Four years later, I could read, write and speak meaningfully.

That wasn’t the end

Despite all I’ve learned, I had challenges passing my senior high school exam, which we called SSCE then (Senior Secondary School Examination). Nevertheless, that also gave me a reason to study more. But I’ll save the story for another time.

Today, I’m a writer, an English teacher, a counsellor, and a preacher. I also have a blog called mercy speaking, where I post my blog apart from Medium.

I could have fought with those boys on the football field back then. But I reasoned that the best way to retaliate was to master the thing for which they ridiculed me. Hence, I became more intimate with them to learn what they’ve learned and even more.

You waste precious time and energy fighting your critics or mockers. Instead, learn from their criticism and work on yourself. Then throw off unnecessary grudges and accusations. They’ll weaken and waste your precious strength.

After deciding to master the English language, I had many challenges that could have discouraged me from learning further, but I kept moving, and I’m still learning today.

Your problems or challenges are not meant to destroy you but to produce a better version of you. Of course, they can break you, and you will most likely fail severally. Believe me; those failures are successes in disguise because you are learning. And if you’re determined, you’ll be remoulded and become a better person.

Do you feel like giving up because of challenges? No! Don’t give in to discouragement. Fire on; people are waiting to hear your story, and I am one of them.

Peace.

Thanks for reading.

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