Fate dealt a cruel blow on Prosphen Okiemute Dumi in Senior Secondary School 1 when she suddenly became deaf.
Dumi, who is still yet to understand what actually led to her deafness, tried all she could, spiritually and medically, to reject the unsolicited offer of deafness, but all her efforts did not yield result.
Narrating her story, she said, “I don’t know up till now. The deafness just came suddenly. I don’t know why I’m deaf”.
Just like any other human who cannot control what fate has to offer, she accepted her cross and forged ahead.
But due to her condition, she had to withdraw from the conventional school she was attending to join the Christian Mission School for the Deaf located at Plot 78, Commercial Reservation, Onireke, Ibadan where she had to learn how to adjust to her new life.
Being a very brilliant girl, it was not difficult for her to learn sign language which is a core course for deaf students. When she showed excellent performance, the school management allowed her to be in SS3 and she distinguished herself later when she sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
As an indigent student, fate, this time, was lenient with her. She applied for a scholarship which she got.
Dumi applied for admission into the University of Ibadan (UI) which she got without much difficulty.
Again, she displayed uncommon brilliance in the Faculty of Law of UI as she graduated with Second Class Upper Division. Then, another hurdle threatened her dream as the Law School in Lagos did not have provision for interpreter who would determine her success there.
Luckily, she got another scholarship which provided an interpreter.
At the Christian Mission School for the Deaf, her alma mater, she was celebrated being the first alumnus to achieve the feat of becoming a lawyer in the school.
She used the opportunity to encourage other students in the school not to lose faith and focus in their life ambitions.
