HOW I OVERCAME: Sumonu: From Scavenging To Polytechnic Campus

Sheun Sumonu is a fatherless teenager with an inspiring journey of resilience and hope. He recounts how a chance encounter with a kind-hearted stranger helped him return to school after dropping out.

Sumonu revealed that after completing his primary education, he was unable to proceed to secondary school due to financial hardship. His mother, who became solely responsible for his upbringing following the death of his father, could not afford the cost of his education even at that level.

To survive, he resorted to picking empty cans of beverages around drinking joints in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital

In a chat with LEADERSHIP, he said, “After my primary education, I could not continue to secondary school because my mother could not afford the fees. My turning point came I met a man who would later change my story.

“One day, while picking cans around the museum in Lokoja, I met a man at a restaurant within the premises. I later learned that he was the then chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lokoja, Alhaji Adeiza Momohjimoh.

“He asked me to call my mother and explained the importance of returning to school. My mother told him she would love me to go back to school, but she had no money. He offered to take full responsibility for my education. That was one of the happiest days of my life,” he said.

According to Sumonu, Momohjimoh fulfilled his promise by enrolling him at Crowther Memorial College, Lokoja, and sponsoring his education from SS1 to SS3.

Despite returning to school, Sumonu continued picking cans after classes to support his mother and younger siblings.

“I knew I had to work hard so as not to disappoint my destiny helper,” he added.

Today, Sumonu is a student of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, a milestone he attributes to the generosity and support he received.

“I thank God for where I am today. I am deeply grateful to him for his assistance,” he said.

Speaking on the encounter, Momohjimoh said he was moved by the boy’s situation when he saw him scavenging during school hours.

“I was having breakfast with my friend, Mr Kola Adeyemi, at a restaurant within the museum premises when I noticed the boy picking cans.

I became curious because he should have been in school.

“On enquiry, he explained that his father was dead and his mother could not afford to send him to secondary school. I invited his mother, and she confirmed the story. I volunteered to sponsor his education,” he said.

Momohjimoh expressed satisfaction that Sumonu completed his secondary education and is now pursuing higher studies.

“My experience with him has shown that many of these children can excel if given the needed support,” he said.