A man who used to be my neighbour reached out to me last week, his was voice heavy with hope.
His son had scored 153 in JAMB and was desperate to get into LASU. He said someone told him I was doing my Master’s programme there, so he believed that I could help.
In that moment, I felt stuck. I had no connections, no influence, nothing to offer… but I also didn’t have the heart to crush his hope outright.
So I told him I’d be in school the following weekend and would speak to my course coordinator to see what could be done.
When I got to school, I walked up to my coordinator’s office, ready to ask. But just before I stepped in, I overheard him on a call, calmly explaining to someone else that the cut-off mark was 200—and there was absolutely nothing he could do for a child who didn’t meet it.
My heart sank. I didn’t even bother going in anymore. I just turned around and left, already knowing the answer I didn’t want to deliver.
Two days ago, the man called me again. You could hear the expectation in his voice, like he was holding onto a thread of hope. And I told him… that the lecturer said it wasn’t possible because of his son’s low score.
Since then, I’ve been restless. It feels like I lied to him. I didn’t actually speak to the lecturer—I only repeated what I overheard. Even though the outcome wouldn’t have changed, I still can’t shake off the guilt.
I keep wondering… did I do the right thing, or did I fail him in a moment he trusted me the most?