Doubt, Fantasy and Truth with Jesudetan Onasanya
#21stcenturyBiblestories Issue 004–2020
At the commencement of the Lagos lockdown, Jaydee said he wanted to improve his writing. I am glad he is flexing his writing muscles. He is closer to reaching his goal. Please read:
“I was walking back to his office, heart racing, palms sweaty and my head spinning from thinking about million-plus-one alternate ways this conversation could end. I had previously read about him being the vice-chancellor at another University. A couple of times he had asked lecturers to stand at the door for coming late to a project defence. This is definitely not the guy to mess with, his influence would be far-reaching, I thought. The more I got closer to his office, the less I could feel my limbs. This could end really badly.
Just last week, while he went to take a pee, the best student at the department had innocently (the meeting was optional) strolled into the hall past the commencement time of 9 am. When he got back, he easily spotted the stray boy and had barked, “You will not graduate from this school! You stupid boy!” Eyes dilating, jaws dropping and horror was written on the faces of both students and lecturers attending. The silence was loud! After just five minutes, he stood up in frustration and cancelled the meeting. An envoy of the choicest students and lecturers buzzed around the king bee all in an attempt to pacify him as he stormed angrily towards his office. Men who had spent years studying quantum theories and abstract physics were soon seen taking angles and becoming horizontal on the floor as they prostrated and asked for divine forgiveness for their star student.
Across the road, my name must have been called at least five times before I was conscious enough to hear it. It was a friend, but I quickly brushed over my response in an attempt not to have a conversation and keep my mind focused on my destination or maybe I just didn’t want to start crying, you know?
The professor after many hours of lecturers and students prostrating had dispersed the plea with a murmur that sounded like “I would think about it.” “This man must be the devil,” I thought. Who sent me to choose this man as my supervisor? or wait, I didn’t even choose him, he was assigned to me. What were they thinking? Maybe I should have asked for another person.
Our first meeting wasn’t bad, honestly. He had said he just wanted me to improve on a particular thesis and when I came back with my first chapter, he commended my amazing work. “I should probably skip masters for a Ph.D,” I thought, since he assigned me an MSc. topic and I was killing it already at first try!
The week after, when I retrieved my notes from his office, there were loads of red pen corrections, circles, and question marks on my notepad even on the flawless chapter one he had given me an oscar in. The red pen ended with “See me in my office!” Needless to say, the tuckshop lady didn’t see me that afternoon.
“This thesis was done by Akin, and he graduated with a 6.9 GPA. He called me last month about the great work he is doing at the research institute in America,” he bellowed. “I don’t know why I gave you this thesis, it is beyond you,” he said.
After what seemed like a back and forth that spanned months. The deadline was the next day and I thought if this man didn’t approve the project that day, I could as well just agree I didn’t have an education.
“GOD LIVES BIG IN ME, His Influence on my inside is felt everywhere I go”. I must have repeated that a thousand times during my walk. I had caught that from Reverend Toks Adejuwon’s message at a conference I attended a week prior.
He raised his head to see me coming through the door. “Wait there!” he yelled, as he jested with his friend. After waiting through the suspense, he called me in and asked: “So let me see what you have done?” I hurriedly and shakily handed him my notebook and he skimmed through the pages. “Hmmm…this is good, this is good,” he said nodding. I didn’t know when I popped out an “Ehn”. “This is good, go and print and submit. Well done,” he said.
This experience can be likened to Queen Esther’s experience with King Xerxes. She had gone through multiple hurdles to become the queen but now she found herself in a position where she had no assurance of a positive outcome with the King. She said in Esther 4:16, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” But to our amazement in vs 2 of Esther 5, when he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand offering her even to half of the Kingdom.
I really don’t know how to tell you how I felt after my own experience. All I knew from then on is when it comes to moving mountains, that is God’s favourite hobby. And I have learnt to also put the heavy burdens on his shoulders and get some rest.”
Writing and defending academic projects can be daunting sometimes, but did you notice how Jaydee went through this moment? He kept affirming his position in Christ. He was boosting his God-fidence because self-confidence is limiting. Prayer is an important element for breakthrough.
Are you in a position where you think the mountain will cave in on you? Please drew from Jaydee’s testimony and speak the word of God in faith and confront your fears like Jaydee and Esther, then watch God level the mountain. Of course, don’t forget to share the testimony with us.
This article is a sequel to the article Doubt, Fantasy and Truth where I spoke about the disbelief of some people in the authenticity of Biblical accounts. The #21stcenturyBiblestories movement was enacted not only to establish that the Bible tells no lies but also communicate that individuals in the 21st-century experience similar accounts as presented in the Bible.
Please kindly maintain the hashtag trail (#21stcenturyBiblestories) when sharing on various media platforms. Thank you for staying put until the very last word. I hope this article has sparked something revolutionary in you.
#21stcenturyBiblestories entries are still being received via mail — journeytoextra@gmail.com. Get that experience unto black and white, let the whole world BELIEVE!
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See you soon.
