Lesson from my life: My parents pushed me into trouble – Toyin Makinde

NEWSMEDIANG.COM

Lesson from my life: How My parents pushed me into trouble

My father noticed my oratory skills in me very early in life, so he insisted that I must be a teacher. My mother also noticed that I love to care for people and show kindness and support, so she insisted that I become a medical doctor. My grandmother with whom I spent my entire toddler to teenage years also noticed my wisdom, love to settle quarrels and advice from people. She started praying that I become a lawyer or work as a civil servant. She so much loved secretariat people. Three strong influences on my life, three prayer warriors with conflicting interests.

It was so because my grandmother lost 7out of her eight children to sickle cell. The only surviving child was my mother who got married and couldn’t have children on time. Yours sincerely came eventually to comfort the whole family, hence the struggle to make the best out of me. I was a full-time science student, in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, geography, economics, literature, Yoruba and English. I was torn between the choices: law, medicine and teaching. My mother will always tell me no one will help me to do juju if I became a lawyer, and my grandmother will say mistresses are always poor though popular. My father would say I will not have time to take care of my family as a medical doctor. Sincerely I was tired.

I did jamb twice with the University of life as my first and only choice to study medicine, sorry a show. Eventually, I dropped the idea, law did not sit well with me even though I always watched my grandmother settle disputes in our area, she was popular for settling marital conflicts. I gained a lot from her native intelligence. Failure to secure admission to study law, medicine and physiotherapy at some points left me with just one choice, teaching.

My father was winning, but I started developing a flare for radio. I love presentations and documentaries. I was writing things in anticipation. Eventually, my father took me to Ógùn State University to study anything! His exact words. Anything that will keep you out of the streets. When the admission officer saw my results, he tried to fix me up for medicine, but the quota has been met, and my father was shouting to give her anything. There was a Prof of English, who came to sort out the admission of his daughter, he immediately insisted that I be given his slot to study English. My result was outstanding.

After my first degree, fate and the declarations of my parents did not allow me to rest, so I started reading more. BA. (Hons), M.C.A, M A, PGDE, MPhil, PhD. I finished all the books thereby satisfying my parents to become a teacher, a doctor and a Justice of peace locally (Government has not endorsed it). My parents wished me well, but if they had agreed on one, I would not have gone through so much stress to earn so many degrees.

As a parent, God has given you power over your children, whatever you declare either good or bad will always come to pass. You might have made some mistakes by saying some negative things about the lives of your children. Please pray to cancel it. Don’t allow your children to get on your nerves, and don’t say negative things when they provoke you. It shall be well with you and you will eat the good fruits of your labour. Love you always. Cheers.