Wednesday 23rd of May, 2018 will forever be in memory of David Oni, a pastor living with disability after a life-changing encounter with Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications.
Insideoyo.com gathered that Oni encountered the minister at a retreat held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan.
NAN reports that the encounter did not only get Oni a promise of employment in a Federal Government agency, but also fetched him a substantial sum of money.
Two other participants at the retreat volunteered to sponsor the remaining part of Oni’s academic programme at the University of Ibadan.
Oni, who has HND in Accountancy and a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology from the Redeemed Christian Church of God Bible College, is currently a 200-level student of Social Work.
The cleric, who was at the retreat to market some of his books, attracted Shittu’s attention on arrival at the venue.
Oni, on the request of Shittu, narrated his ordeal from the time he was involved in a ghastly automobile accident which confined him to a wheelchair to the termination of his appointment.
The pastor stated that he had been able to write eight Christian books after he was involved in the accident that affected his spinal cord.
“I wish to express my deep appreciation to the minister of communication. He is simply God-send to me.
“Only God can reward this man. Today is one of the happiest days of my life. I am overwhelmed,” Oni said.
Shittu, who was impressed with Oni’s achievements, had also invited him into the hall to advertise his books. The minister’s gesture gave Oni the opportunity to rake in substantial sums of money, sponsorship and promise of a job with a Federal Government agency.
“I am delighted that Pastor Oni did not allow the unfortunate incident to suppress his God-given talent and I consider it a privilege that I can assist him in my own little way.
“Just as the title of his book, “ Your Destiny is in Your Own Hands’’ suggests, he has taken his destiny into his own hands,’’ Shittu said.
Some of the participants, who spoke to newsmen, commended Oni for his strong will and his resolve to write books to make ends meet without resorting to begging.
Mr Adeniyi Oladele, a participant at the retreat, commended the minister for his kind gesture and implored other highly placed Nigerians to emulate him.
“Highly placed Nigerians and politicians should learn to assist ordinary Nigerians without ethnic or religious bias just as the minister has demonstrated today,’’ Oladele said.
(NAN)
