By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Arts Editor

After Vanguard exclusively published Precious Olabanjo’s story, Otunba Runsewe fished her out of the teeming crowd of participants at the Eko NAFEST 2022 and invited her to the Governor’s Lodge, Marina, Lagos alongside other selected children, to be hosted by Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, last Friday, November 11, 2022.

During the reception, deliberately arranged to take place at the historical quarters where Lord Lugard, Nigeria’s former Governor-General, lived (according the First Lady), Otunba Runsewe publicly called out Precious Olabanjo, Osa Mbonu-Amadi and Vanguard Newspaper and re-told her story to the First Lady and other important dignitaries that gathered there.

Precious was given the microphone to speak. Hesitantly, she said: “Mummy, I must thank you for this honour done to me today and other children here. Mummy, you restored my hope and I also wish to thank our Daddy, Otunba Segun Runsewe and all those who made it possible for me and others to be here. Thank you Mummy. I love you!”

It was electrifying. Everyone was excited – both the high, the mighty and the ordinary people who gathered there. And it was not over yet.

From the Lord Lugard section of the Governor’s Lodge, the First Lady invited and steered the ‘train’ down to the main Governor’s residence. Everyone thought it was a mere sightseeing until Governor Sanwo-Olu himself, tall, elegant and standing ramrod straight, appeared at the open court that looked like a golf course to receive the train. Still, the Precious Olabanjo story was yet to climax.

At the main Governor’s residence, Otunba Runsewe announced Precious again to the Governor, asking her and another girl from Rivers State to join in the photograph with the Governor!

It was thrilling!

The computer tablets and other gifts the children got were good. But those items will never be equal to the experiences. Those moments of exultations which have been permanently etched in their consciousness are bound to inspire them to greater achievements in life.