Mercy Noviyon, in an interview with AllSchool revealed how happy she was, as she apparently broken a generational curse in her family by becoming the first graduate in the family.
Mercy studied Yoruba Language and Communication Arts from Lagos State University with a second class upper.
According to her, it wasn’t an easy journey for her, there were a lot challenges along the way. One of which was that her father did not believe in education and so didn’t bother to sponsor her financially.
She had to school and work at the same time. She got a job as a teacher where she earned 7,000 naira on a monthly basis and still had to pay 5,000 naira to the person who helped with her admission process.
She stated that there was a time in her second year when she almost dropped out but she kicked against the thought.
Fast forward to this present day, Mercy is a graduate and is currently waiting to be mobilised for NYSC.
In her words;
“I never knew that something good can come out of my Nazareth. I am the first person to go to school in my family, i can’t even say my family may be i should use the word generation or lineage, even the villages that surrounded my village, as an indegene.
“I have never heard it in history that anyone have been to a college or polytechnic or any higher institution before let alone University, it has been giving me concern when ever people say to me that “you people don’t go to school” and i always pray that this curse should break during my time,” Mercy told ALLSCHOOL.
“It was never easy for me because my dad have too did not value education, he never wanted help. I have to start teaching after my secondary school, I was collecting 7k as salary and returning 5k to the person who borrowed me money to run my admission every month.
“Sometimes I will lock myself up and cry till i slept off, everything has be so tough to the extent that I wanted to withdraw during my second year.”
“Thank God for my people who stood by me and have been supportive with the little they have. I had 3.53 as my CGPA and I am waiting for my NYSC mobilization soon,” Mercy revealed.