Twelve years old Omogbolahan Bello on Friday, took to the street of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians to support his desire to return to school.
Bello was spotted in the early hours of Friday by our correspondent while standing at the central part of the popular Fajuyi Park Road in Ado-Ekiti, soliciting for assistance for the purpose of going back to school.
The minor held a cardboard with an inscription, “Nigerians, please, help me, I need to go back to school. I am tired of sitting at home”.
Fielding questions from our correspondent, the boy who spoke in flawless English claimed that his father hailed from Ibadan in Oyo State but that the family moved to Ekiti from Ondo State due to financial challenges after his parents were duped by some fraudsters.
Explaining reason for being out of school, Bello said, “I left school when I was in JSS 2, presently I am supposed to be in SS 1 but I could not go ahead because of lack of funds.
“Everything used to be fine but suddenly fell down, so there is nothing again. We were duped and we don’t have anything again. We were once living in Akure, Ondo State, and when we don’t have anything anymore, that is why we came here, even we don’t have a house to live in at the moment. Someone gave us a place we are staying presently at a village close to Ido Ekiti”.
The young lad said he transported himself to Ado-Ekiti Friday morning to solicit for funds to return to school from the money given to him by his mother to her buy some stuffs.
Speaking further, “My parents were duped, I don’t know how they were defrauded. Suddenly, I just realised everything just fell apart and there was nothing available for the upkeep of the family. We are a family of five. I have an elder brother and a younger sister who are with our parents at the village close to Ido”.
Explaining the nature of the assistance he required from the people, Bello said, “I want the government and kind hearted Nigerians to help me, because I want to go to school. I really love education, so I want to go back to school.
“They should help my parents also to get accommodation and the money for me to go back to school”.