Our first child had spent a year after WAEC trying to get admission
into a higher institution. We prayed fervently that the next child would enter
on merit to the university; no staying at home again. She chose a course in
engineering in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Individual and corporate prayers kept
going up for this. As few as 27% who take JAMB are assured of a place in the
nation’s universities!
Now the first sign of a problem was the exam itself. In 2014 the
computer based test was used compulsorily across the nation; and it came with
some challenges. At her centre there were problems with the server resulting in
an eventual loss of 30 minutes from her allotted time. Protests pleas and
explanations changed nothing. Her score was 213. We had prayed for 300. She
wept and wept. “Only a bright student as
you could get this much within that time frame.” I told her to comfort her.
It was high enough for her to do the post UTME. But she was ill on that day,
and there were again challenges with the computer right inside Nnamdi Azikiwe
University. What was scheduled for an hour eventually took the whole working
period. But she did the test! The score was 35: an outright failure. Again she
wept. However the matter went again and again to God in prayer. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is
anything too hard for me?
Jer 32:27(ESV)
The admission list came out. Her name was not on it. I was asked by a
brother lecturing there if she is offered a place in a different department of
engineering if she would do it. The answer was yes. As we went on praying I
came to have an assurance deep in my heart that God had heard. It seemed to me
God was saying “Do what you would do if
you had seen the answer”. And so in our family devotions I would give
thanks for the admission and in introducing her would refer to her as an
undergraduate of UNIZIK to do Engineering. Again and again she would ask me “Have you seen the admission?”I would
tell her “I know you have it. I have seen
it inside.” I got her to open an account with UBA for easy transfer of
funds to her. When her sister asked what we were up to I told her she needs it
as an undergraduate. News of
supplementary admissions came without any positive outcome, and the date for
the matriculation (which had been postponed) drew nearer. Every new student is
supposed to matriculate, yet each visit to the website showed no change of her
status. By the matriculation day we had cumulatively visited the website so
many times. No admission. Confused, I wept with her.
“I can’t explain this,” I told her. “Let’s look in the face of He who loved us enough to die for us.”
God picked her up, she became organised, registered for JAMB again and began
JAMB lessons, registered with a remedial institution; and became even more
committed in church. A few weeks later on the urging of that same brother she
was asked to check the website again. “What
for?” she asked. “Just do it”.
She did and as she studied the page gasped “I’ve
been admitted!” God is never late, and everyone who asks will receive, and anyone who seeks
will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock Mat 7:8(GNB).
God has no superheroes (Acts3:12). He will do more for
you
