Learning shoemaking at 45 reminded me that pride can be more limiting than age. I told my teacher I was ready to learn and even run errands. We laughed, then the lessons began.

I served in 1998. While my fellow corpers were collecting ₦200 monthly as government alawee, I was earning ₦12,000 a month! But before you celebrate my good fortune, let me tell you something. I was once the hungry corper other people had to feed. Here is my story. ❤️🙏🏿 After NYSC camp, I was rejected at my place of primary assignment. I eventually found an office where the MD told me plainly: “I don't have money to pay a corper.” Something within me said, “Work for her anyway.” So I stayed. One day, I accompanied her to a marketing event at Oba during the Pope's visit to Nigeria in March, 1998. There, I met Mr Charles Iloegbunam of Cowbell and introduced myself as an artist. Meanwhile, a senior corper named Lanre had given me somewhere to stay opposite Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS), Onitsha. Every evening, we gathered at the school to gist. One evening, a senior corper began teaching us the secrets of surviving on ₦200. “Don't eat fish. Don't eat meat. If you need protein, buy crayfish!” Everyone listened attentively. Then I interrupted. “My own corper will eat fish, eat meat, buy a colour television, buy a video player and live in a flat!” The whole place erupted in laughter! 😂😂 “See this one! You don't even have a place of primary assignment, and you're dreaming of television!” But I stood my ground. Then something extraordinary happened. One day, my madam sent me to a motherless babies' home in Onitsha. As the children gathered around me, I felt a strong prompting within: “Give them all the money on you. Before the end of today, I will make you the richest corper.” I checked my pocket. ₦130! That was practically everything I had. Me? The same hungry corper people were feeding? Nevertheless, I gave the money. At about 4 p.m. that same day, Mr Charles Iloegbunam walked into our office. “Where is Nduka? You're going to Lagos tomorrow. There's a job for you at Cowbell. See me in the morning for your transport fare.” He gave me ₦3,000! By May 1998, I resumed at Wonderfoods, now Promasidor, earning a full salary of ₦12,000 monthly. From a hungry, homeless corper to earning 60 TIMES the government alawee! Interestingly, I never collected a dime of my federal allowance. The NYSC State Director even challenged me: “Even if you are Abacha's son, why wouldn't you collect your alawee?” But the most beautiful part of this story is not the ₦12,000. It is what happened afterwards. Two wonderful men, Nathaniel Iwomi and Tom Amidu, had given me food and shelter when I was hungry and homeless. I never forgot their kindness. When my situation changed, I decided that other corpers would not go hungry around me. At the DMGS corpers' lodge, I began providing about 80% of the food we cooked and all the milk we drank, so other corpers could come and eat. The corper who once depended on others for food had become the one feeding others. ❤️ That experience taught me something I have carried throughout my life: Never allow your present hunger to put a ceiling on your future. Your present condition is not your final destination. And when God changes your story, don't forget those who stood by you when you had nothing. Success is beautiful. But success that lifts others is even more beautiful. That was my NYSC experience in 1998. What year did you serve, and how much was your alawee? ❤️🙏🏿