‘Torture by Reverend Sister, my saddest moment’

By Romanus Ugwu

 There is always temptation to conclude at first contact with Ngerem Chituru Miracle-Destiny, a double amputee from birth and graduate of Imo State University, that nature has not only dealt a devastating blow on her, but has also been very cruel.

However, a mere interaction with her presents a contrary picture. Chituru may be physically challenged, having been born without both arms, but she is one person who has weathered the storms of life, toiled strenuously through nursery, primary, secondary and university education to build herself into an asset.

As a confirmation to her ability in disability, she wrote all her examinations, washes her cloths, does other chores and many other things that might scare the able-bodied. In every ramification, she is a typical example of a lady who has conquered nature and her environment, weathering the hostile vicissitudes life imposed on her.

Her name, Chituru, which literarily translates to “the moulding of God,” seems to have also provided the answer to the secret of her progress and exploits in life, In reality, God moulded her to conquer the hostilities of life and excel where others dread to venture.

Her story

Although she declined comments in a chat with Daily Sun at the NYSC orientation camp in Abuja during the passing out ceremony on how nature dealt a blow on her on the grounds that she was tired of such explanations, she said that, having dealt extensively with it in her book, “Challenges, a Pathway to Honour,” she can only refer anyone cares to know to the chapter of book dealing with her story.

“I don’t like sharing the experience in public because it is a long story. But I saw myself like this at a tender age. The good thing is that I did not allow it to weigh me down while going to school. I passed through pre-nursery, nursery, primary, secondary to the university, where I read Philosophy at the Imo State University.”

In a chapter titled “My Story” in her book, Chituru explained that she was a child of circumstance: “Before my mother got pregnant with me, my parents had decided not to give birth again. But God, who decides the destiny of men, made the best choice.

“During one of her visits to the doctor, my pregnant mother was told that her womb was too weak to carry a child. The doctor administered some medications on her to protect the baby, but the medicine had adverse effects such that I was delivered without fingers.

“It was so traumatic that doctors and nurses concluded that the baby would not survive, but God made sure I survived. It was a surprise to many, including my parents, when I was born on February 29, 1992. I was showered with love from everybody around me and, among all the children born into my large family, I eventually became the best.

“I was a source of inspiration to my contemporaries because of my excellent results. Despite my disposition, even as a little child, I taught many children and was loved by everybody who came across me.

“Most people usually ask me, can you sweep, who writes your examinations for you, can you eat with spoon, do you cook by yourself? My answer to all these questions is yes. I have been made perfect in weakness.

“There is ability in every disability. I grew up believing that there is a way out of every circumstance. I was taught how to do many things unaided until I became perfect. Even as a child, I didn’t like anybody feeding me. I learnt how to write with chalk on the board before graduating from writing with pencil to pen. As a child, whatever I held in my hands never fell out.

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“I sat for my first school leaving certificate examination at the age of six. At the age of 17, I took my secondary school final examination. The most difficult time I had in secondary school was the period a Reverend Sister taught me. She neither looked nor listened to anybody. My saddest experience was when she beat me resulting in waist pains that lasted for days. It made me realise that the world is full of pains and suffering.”

Asked how she felt being among the corps members ending the mandatory one-year service to fatherland, she replied: “I am overwhelmed, elated and excited. I give all thanks to God and my parents. And where I will go from here, I would say that I am ready to enter the favour market and I strongly believe I can do something there.”

But what was it like battling the challenges of the service year in Abuja, Chituru, said: “Challenges did not start for me here during my service year in Abuja. Since life is full of challenges, I have always faced it squarely because you cannot get anything if you give up.

“The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. Surprisingly, the biggest challenge I faced was collecting my discharge certificate. Since we live in a society full of survival of the fittest more or less, it was difficult battling among hundreds of others equally struggling to get theirs too.”

In line with the lot of most physically-challenged people, did she face rejection while growing up and even as an adult? She has this to say: “Let me tell you something that will motivate other physically-challenged persons. Nobody will talk down on you when you have something that society needs.

“I see myself as somebody God has equipped with great natural endowments, great physical and spiritual wisdom. He built me to conquer the hostilities of life.

“Nobody can look or talk down on me, because I have what people need and would want to get. Let me also use this opportunity to advice other persons in this similar situation to look up to God. They should keep encouraging themselves that something good will certainly come of them.

“They should understand that God created everybody for a particular purpose. They should know that their generation needs them to fulfil their purpose and stop looking down on themselves regardless of the situation. Your physical disposition does not determine your destination and destiny in life.”

On how much support she got from her parents and relatives while growing up, Chituru said: “I got all the support I needed right from the time it happened. They have been there for me and very supportive at that. They don’t allow me to cry for anything. My father and mother have been wonderful to my siblings and I.”

Is there anything she considered as her unfulfilled dream, she replied: “The answer to that is a resounding no. In fact, before I started the service, I told myself that I wanted to make global impact. I am particularly fulfilled that I touched the lives of people.

“I have fulfilled all my dreams before and after my youth service. I am good in lecturing and if such opportunity comes my way, I will gladly seize it. I am also a leadership consultant because I love leadership too. My main target is to focus on leadership.”  

On whether she is planning on settling down with a man soon, a question which seems an attempt to squeeze water from stone, she said: “Ordinarily, I don’t answer such questions, but I want to say that heaven has already signed that I will settle down in no distant time.”

While other ladies were busy hobnobbing from one fun centre and eatery to the other, she busied herself implementing one project or the other. Enumerating the Community Development Services she undertook during her NYSC, she said: “I wrote a book during my service year, titled ‘Challenges, Pathway to Honour.’

“I constructed a toilet at Gidan Mango as a community development service, I organised a peace and conflict resolution lecture and project to highlight that engaging in war does not foster project and development.”