Seyi Oluyole, a mother, improved a small girl’s life by ensuring she stopped selling at the market and began attending school.
She met Ruth in 2019, and during a discussion, she stated that her dream is to be a Yahoo Girl when she grows up.
Oluyole was moved to tears by her statement, so she resolved to take up her case and ensure that she received an education.
She then went to see Ruth’s mother, a hawker, who disclosed that her daughter had to drop out of school owing to financial difficulties.
On July 5th, Oluyole published the story on Twitter along with images to commemorate Ruth’s 10th birthday.
She penned;
“GUYS, RUTH IS TEN TODAY!
WHEN WE FIRST MET IN 2019, SHE SAID, ‘I WANT TO BE A YAHOO GIRL WHEN I GROW UP.’
HER WORDS BROKE MY HEART. SHE WANTED TO BE MORE – AND MORE MEANT ‘FRAUD’ IN HER ENVIRONMENT.
I KNEW RIGHT THEN AND THERE THAT I HAD A KEY ROLE IN HER LIFE.
I ASKED HER TO TAKE ME TO HER MUM AS THE FIRST STEP. SHE TOOK ME TO A PETITE WOMAN ON THE ROADSIDE WHO SOLD UGWU.
THEIR SIMILARITY WAS OUTSTANDING.
RUTH’S MOTHER TOLD ME HOW SHE HAD TO STOP SCHOOL DUE TO THEIR FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
I TOLD THE MOTHER WE’D RE-ENROLL HER IN SCHOOL…
SHE PICKED UP REALLY FAST IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL, BUT HER GOOD SCORES STARTED TO DROP GRADUALLY. SHE WAS CRYING HARD.
WE LEARNED AFTER MUCH PROBING THAT SHE WAS WITNESSING A LOT OF DOMESTIC ABUSE BETWEEN HER PARENTS, WHICH MADE HER SAD.
AND THE TEAM MET WITH HER MUM, WHO AGREED THERE WERE FIGHTS IN THE HOUSE.
RUTH’S MOTHER ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE HER IN SO SHE COULD GROW UP SAFE AND HEALTHY.
WE AGREED, AND BY THE END OF THAT SCHOOL YEAR, RUTH’S GRADE HAD IMPROVED.
RUTH’S MUM HAD BEEN VISITING HER ONCE A MONTH SINCE 2019 – AND SHE NEVER MISSED A DATE UNTIL THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY.
HER NUMBER DIDN’T PASS UNTIL MARCH.
THIS TIME, A MAN ANSWERED THE CALL, INFORMING US THAT RUTH’S MOTHER HAD FALLEN SICK, WAS TAKEN TO THE VILLAGE, AND DIED.
IT WAS A DARK DAY, AND I REMEMBER HER SO WELL EVEN AS I TWEET THIS.
EVERY TIME SHE VISITED, THE WILL WAS IN HER EYES. WHY WOULD SHE BE ANGRY WITH RUTH IF THERE WERE ANY NEGATIVE REPORTS? AND THEN HUG HER IMMEDIATELY AFTER SCOLDING HER.
HOW WERE WE TO TELL THIS FACE THE NEWS?
Regardless, there will be no sad stories today. WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR SUNSHINE BALL, WHICH HAS A GIFT FOR EVERYONE.
CRIES AT TIMES FOR NO REASON, BUT LOVES US ALL.
MAKE ME THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PAPER THINGS.
RUTH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. CHEERS TO MANY MORE YEARS!
“WE’VE ALL GOT YOU, BABY.”