Seven months ago, the video of Miss Success of Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria went viral on all social media platforms.
Success was spotted in the video leaving the school premises in anger when Miss Stephanie Idolor accosted her to inquire what the problem was. Miss Stephanie Idolor recorded her interaction with Miss Success probably for fun for herself and others who would laugh out loud when the video finally hits the social media. Little did Stephanie knew that the short video clip could change the life of Miss Success and her family forever and attract fortune to her as well as compel rehabilitation of the dilapidated Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele.
In the video, Stephanie’s voice was first heard as she spoke to Miss Success in vernacular “but you never pay now” “ Eeh I never pay, no be say I no go pay o, they go dey pursue person. Instead of them to flog person” “wait, u be dey tell them make them flog you or make them say make you go tell your mummy” “Make them flog me! Make them flog me!!” “Why they go flog you?” “They go flog me, and they go flog, the cane e go tire, they go tire for flogging. They go flog, flog, flog tire. As they say them stubborn I go tell them say I stubborn pass”.
From the interaction, Miss Stephanie Idolor spotted success that was angrily leaving Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele premises. She was chased out from the school for failure to pay a particular fee. She grumbled in anger as she walked away. Stephanie put it to her that she has not paid the fee leveled on the pupils. The little Success defended herself, agreeing to the fact that she had not paid the alleged fee but would pay with boldness and confidence written all over her face. She told Stephanie that she rather preferred to be punished by receiving strokes of cane, to be chased out of the school the way they did.
Her eyes and all body language spoke louder than her voice. No doubt, the video spread like wild fire across the globe. It was so hilarious that it became the talk of the town within Nigeria and beyond.
From being a mere hilarious video as Miss Stephanie earlier thought and purposed, it gradually started taking another shape, as various individuals, corporate bodies, government, looked deeper into the issue.
Success’ story was looked at from different angles. From the angle of an intelligent child who was so passionate about her education but not fortunate to be born in a wealthy home that could pay her fee. A child whose parents could not afford to send to a school that would have been her choice. Her passion for education was revealed in the video. Though there are children of the same age with Success on the street. Some in her school also would have loved to be chased away from school to deliver such message to their parents which would give them time to play. Yet they were lucky that their parents paid the fee. Success was not such a child. A lot and more were discovered from the video that lasted for about 00:28 seconds.
The Success video gradually took a miraculous positive dimension as cash gifts running into thousands and millions smiled at her and her family. Scholarships and all manner of good news about her were heard on daily basis.
A family who could not pay the fee that forced the little Success out of school became buoyant and had enough. Their lives changed automatically.
At a point, Miss Stephanie who recorded the video made another video of herself, pouring out her grievances. She accused the parents of Success of ingratitude; that they neglected her owing to the fact that without her recording and making the video go viral, they won’t be receiving the cash gift that was given to them. Her voice was heard as some individuals compensated her also with cash gifts.
Chiedu Ebie, Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Delta State also moved into action to ascertain:
i. The state of the infrastructure of the school.
ii. The unauthorized levies and fees unilaterally imposed on the pupils by the school vis-a-vis the child being sent away from school with the added threat of being flogged for inability to pay ‘school’ fees.
After proper investigation into the matter, a lot more were discovered about Success and the school in question that actually threw her out while others who had paid the fee were allowed to stay behind to learn.
It was discovered that the school was in a dilapidated state. It will not be a surprise that there are many like Success out there within the country and the world who have not encountered a Stephanie who could make their voices to be heard by governments of their states.
They have passion for education and are intelligent but their parents are not wealthy to take care of their education. Success, voice was heard and her story was changed. Through her, Stephanie was blessed and Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele, Delta State was rehabilitated.
On Thursday, November 7, 2019, at about 11: 44pm, Channels TV, streamed the viral video of Miss Success once more and that of the dilapidated Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele at the period in which the video was made.
After that, the station also streamed the rehabilitated school. All thanks to God and the wonder child, the saviour of Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele; Miss Success for attracting the rehabilitation of a school that once chased her out for failure to pay a fee.
History of Okotie Eboh Primary School, Sapele, Delta State will never go down without the name Miss Success being mentioned. As her name Success implies, she has brought success to herself, her family and her school. Indeed, she is a wonder child.
Chukwudi Sopuruchi writes from Owerri. He Could Be Reached On 08032703003.
“The Success video gradually took a miraculous positive dimension as cash gifts running into thousands and millions smiled at her and her family. Scholarships and all manner of good news about her were heard on daily basis”
