to sell on credit. This was the inception of my mobile phone sales business. I became immensely popular during this time, and most people referred to me as O-244. I sponsored my friends to clubs and parties and received invitations to almost every event in town. Confronting a SecondMajor Setback Despite making some income selling phones, I harbored a strong desire to return to school. The sight of my friends heading off to university left me feeling lonely and bored. So, one day, I confided in my mother about my aspiration to attend a university. However, she remained hopeful about my becoming a Catholic priest and promptly reached out to some priests who sent me seminary application forms to fill. It seemed like I was on the path to joining the seminary, but my father intervened with a strong opposition to my becoming a Catholic priest. In response to this, I submitted application forms to the University of Ghana, hoping to secure admission. Regrettably, when their response arrived, I hadn’t met the required cut-off. Eventually, I received an acceptance offer from the Catholic University, with the late Hajia Hawa Yakubu sponsoring me. Sadly, her passing created financial difficulties, and I couldn’t afford my tuition. My parents did their best, but it wasn’t sufficient. I reached out to my cousin, who was a Member of Parliament at the time, for assistance, but he declined since I wasn’t a member of his political party. Faced with this financial roadblock, I made the difficult decision to defer my studies and head to Accra. I had a friend there named Razak, whose uncle owned a substantial phone and computer shop. I believed I could earn some money working there. In Accra, we assisted Razak’s uncle during the weekdays, receiving food and accommodation in exchange. On weekends, we ventured to Circle to sell phones for various vendors. However, this lifestyle was a challenging hustle. One day, I sat down on our mattress, in a room I shared with 7 other people, and assessed my life. Was this my destined path? Would I spiral downward? 21 The Birthday Journal
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