Monday, 12 July 2021
Saturday, 10 July 2021
THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF SUNNY EZURIKE: My Story: THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF EZURIKE SUNNY OGUEBIE LLD Faculdade de Direito, Universidade da Nova de Lisboa, Portugal LLM (Human Rights) The University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom LLB (Hons) University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) BL Nigeria Law School, Bwari, Abuja King’s College, Lagos, Nigeria, Special Education Centre for the Blind, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria The Chief Executive Officer and the Vision Bearer of Redemption International for the Blind is himself visually impaired. Today, he is an international human rights Lawyer with good repute and standing. He was born visually normal, to a polygamous family with very humble background. His late father was a peasant farmer, and his mother of blessed memories, was a petty trader. His father had 4 wives with 28 children and not even one had western education. A time came when there was an outbreak of measles within his locality which affected mainly children within his age bracket. Apparently for lack of medical facilities, all who were affected by the measles outbreak died save him. Although he alone survived, but not without paying the ultimate price of having to loose his sight at age 3. Little did his parents know that he was going to be useful later in life, not only to himself, but also to the society at large. His parents lost hope in him until one good Nigerian brought hope his way, assuring that there could still be some silver lining at the end of the tunnel. His primary education was at Special Education Centre For The Blind, Orlu which was later moved to Umuahia, the present day capital city of Abia State, of Nigeria, (1979/1985). After writing the State Common Entrance, he scored 33 aggregates out of 36 aggregates, thereby emerging the best pupil throughout the old Imo State as it then was. Equally, he did well in the Federal Common Entrance which earned him admission into Nigeria’s premier College, King’s College, Lagos, (1985/1991). From there, he proceeded to Nigeria’s foremost University, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Faculty of Law where he read Law, (1991/1997). Having successfully completed his LLB. Hons. he made it on merit to Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja, (1999/2000), where he was finally called to the Nigeria Bar thereby joining the most noble profession in the World. Having worked for a while for his State Government, he proceeded to the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom for an LLM degree in Human Rights Law, (2008/2009). Currently, I am a Ph.D student in Faculdade de Direito da universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, 2016 to 2020. He is happily married to one wife with six children. He has seven gospel albums to his credit and he was formally ordained an Evangelist in 2006 by the Church Of God InChrist Mission International (COGIC) as recommended by His Lordship, Bishop I.N. Erimujor of Healing the Nations International. He has served as Music Director to so many churches. Professionally, he worked as a State Council rising from there to a Chief State Council in the Ministry of Justice, Owerri, Imo State of Nigeria from 2002 to 2016. For a blind person to excel academically in Nigeria and indeed in most third World Countries, there are a number of facilities that should be provided for him. Unfortunately, most of these facilities are highly capital intensive and therefore hardly affordable, for instance, Braille Embosser used to emboss materials in Braille is over 4,500 Euro which was well beyond his reach. Braille display which works on the internet and is equally able to record lectures is over 3000 Euro, again beyond his reach. The unavailability of these materials and many more practically hampered his education. All through his studies at King’s College and while in the University, he never had any single textbook in Braille, yet he was required to seat for, and write same examinations with his sighted colleagues. Imagine how well he would have performed if he had all relevant study materials in Braille or other accessible formats? Till date, the unavailability of most published books and other study materials in accessible formats to the blind remains a major challenge to blind literacy world wide. Most blind people start and graduate from school with no real access to textbooks. Please help change this narrative. Support our cause! Sunny is equally a singer and a writer. You can find his latest gospel album here: https://sunnyzuriks.fanlink.to/Appleofhiseyes See another of his gospel album available at: https://fanlink.to/sunnyzuriks-breakthrough/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtA5fHFPuBDhBIvxSQGCAw https://facebook.com/SunnyZuriks/ https://twitter.com/EzurikeSunny?s=09 https://instagram.com/sunnyezurike?igshid=18nitsmg8nldr To know more about me, please read, review or buy my book, “Journey of Grace” at Amazon:: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H4785FP/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_api_7SJKBbFAD135K Again, please read, review or buy my second book, Understanding the World of The Blind, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084GTMZ35 Check out his 3rd book “The Shame of a Nation” here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KRLB3GV/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_G4ZXPMR3G64EM3MG90GA To donate to my cause, please use the following link: https://www.givingway.com/donate/redemption-international-for-the-blind
A HEART SO GREATLY TROUBLED: A heart so greatly troubled, As the burden so heavily weighs upon my waist, My steps stuttering down the steep aly, My thoughts wondering as to the rational behind the worry, At the ticking of the clock, Time keeps flying by, Yet no solution on sight, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, With desperation overtaking my expectations, Desirous to achieve, yet surrounded by limitations, Bent on pushing ahead, but chains and fetters wouldn’t let go, The knife with the handle is blunt, While the one that is sharp is devoid of a handle, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, Not lazy by any stretch of the imagination, Yet clamped down by nature, Great dreams abound, But just can’t seem to get out of the pit, Slippery as the situation appears to be, Every step of the way is met by stumbling blocks, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, The tasks ahead are amazingly challenging, Yet not enough strength to muster the muscle, Can it then be true that the living dog is better than a dead lion? Great ideas exist, Yet no capacity to express, I can see the urge for one more step, Yet the steps are steep down the narrow aly, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, Would I not have been better created a tree? For with my fertility and strong roots, The birds of the air can find rest upon my branches, Humanity can find shelter under me, The oxygen that emanates from me can sustain great many, Pastures would be greener, and environment cleaner, Even when I am hewned, Yet I remain greatly useful. A heart so greatly troubled, I am alive yet dead, Strong, yet so weak, I can explore, yet now explored, I can do exploits, yet now exploited, I can think, yet I am the concern of others, Can provide, yet now provided for, I can laugh, yet now a laughing stock, Rather than fight for others, people are now fighting for me, Rather than fight at the warfront, I wait to be rescued, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, I am employable, yet unemployed, I can very well cause things to happen, Yet I tell the stories of others leading the way, Full of potentials untapped, With more than enough wings to soar, Yet all tightly glued to my body, When others go to the fields for exploits, I sit indoors waiting for a measly handout, To what can this be attributed? A heart so greatly troubled, No wonder the cemetery is the riches place on earth, Full of great minds who died largely untapped, Great ideas capable of transforming the society, All now lie dormant in grave yards, Who can be responsible for my woes? Who can I hold for reparations? Who can compensate me for the losses? Should I not have been better created a tree? A heart so greatly troubled, I feel robbed of justice, equity and fair play, But if I were to go to court, who should I sue for justice? Should it be nature or society? Who has done me this great injustice? Putting me in a situation so crippling and incapacitating? Where I am clearly capable of contributing, Yet incapable of so doing. A heart so greatly troubled, Some times I imagine I never really existed, Just sitting somewhere out there in the space, Practically unknown to anyone, With no responsibility, duty or obligation, With no ties to this unfair world, Where inequalities are greatly admired, Where the society cares less, and simply can’t be bothered, Where a sure end awaits you save you fend for yourself. I am a Heart so greatly troubled, In flesh and blood I exist, Yet the pillars of cloud surround me day in, night out, The real me knows I truly live, Yet fully embaded by darkness, Can’t seem to place the difference between day and night, Yet I live! To what can this be attributed? I am indeed a Heart so greatly troubled, I have bottled up these thoughts for years unending, Now appears the right time to let go, The feeling of loanliness and depression can be so traumatizing, The end thereof not so tantalizing, Suicide never to be comtemplated, The joy of living better appreciated. A heart so greatly troubled, Could it possibly be that I am simply here to watch others lead? Could it be that I am here simply to live for the fun of living? Sorjourning this whole wide world without an impact? Living a life without a meaningful trace? Simply staying afloat without a purpose? I must respond in the negative! A heart so greatly troubled, But life can be so mesmerizing, Some times accommodating, and some times scary, With visicitudes so unpredictable, Where it tosses, you stay, But never say it’s over until it is finally over, For a man may fall 7 times, yet rises 7 times, Learn to dance in the rain even when the storm is not over, Just a simple Heart of Bravery is all you need to remain afloat! There could yet be some light, At the end of the tunnel.
Wednesday, 7 July 2021
Tuesday, 6 July 2021
2ND EASTER RETREAT SPEECH 2021 The chairman, Our Guest speaker, Special dignitaries, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to our 2nd Easter retreat, here in University of Jos, Plateau State for our blind students. We are deeply excited that we are once more able to meet after a very difficult year. First, we must thank all those that made this year’s Easter retreat a reality, especially our trustees without whom this retreat wouldn’t be happening. As we gather here to meditate over the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us take some time out to reflect and ponder over our lives. We must not fail to recognize the times we are in; dangerous and perilous times! So, let us make amend where the need arises; and let’s reconcile ourselves back to God, for God never fails! there may be thorns and thistles along the way, but He’s more than capable of seeing us through this rough road! We are here to celebrate this Easter with you, for you are the beauty of our society. We recognize your uncommon place within our human society; and we want to let you know that you are very special to us. Be rest assured that without you, humanity is incomplete. You contribute in a very exceptional way to the human diversity. Indeed, we love you. Your dignity is what we have sworn to protect; and our charity shall, at all times, stand by you, come rain, come shine! Your progress and general well-being is important to us. Hence, this retreat! Please feel free to eat, drink, sing and dance with us here today! Let’s make merry for the grave could not hold Him captive! Your education is equally important to us as a charity, hence, the reason for these 10 typewriters available here with us today, all of which shall be given out to 10 lucky students who could not afford to buy one. Hopefully, as the economy improves for our trustees, we hope to include computers and other special facilities as we use to do before. Believe you me when we say we love you. We are very proud of you, for in-spite-of all the challenges of life, in-spite-of all the rejections, and humiliations you face everyday as you strive to live, you still can walk shoulders high! Great many would have caved in, but for your resilience,. We salute your courage. Though humanity is now terribly broken, so many of us no longer know what it means to show love to the less privileged, we shall continue to stand by you. Please join us at Crest Hotels, Jos, on the 15th day of May, as we fundraise for the establishment of an automated Braille Press and an online digital library for the blind here in Jos, Plateau State. Together, we can make it happen! To our special guests, thank you for coming despite your tight schedule! We appreciate your highly esteemed presence. We will appreciate your kind intervention in whichever way possible. We count on your support please! Once again, on behalf of our founder, and our kind-hearted trustees, thanks to everyone for coming! Enjoy your day!
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