DISCLAIMER:
This story was initially written by Kunle Awosikan and uploaded on Silverbird Television website on 10/12/2016. However, after reading the story, I realized some information were incorrect. A such I have decided to modify the story by correcting all incorrect information in the story and writing it in a more personal perspective. Thank you
We were born the day our mother died. We came as twins, Taiwo and Kehinde Fajenyo but never sucked the colostrum from our mother's breast who gave up the ghost few minutes after she delivered us.
It happened 20 years ago, yet we children lived. Expectedly, the predicament threw Mr. Femi Fajenyo, our father into bewilderment. His wife just died leaving him with baby twins. His thought was divided and while pondering on what to do, SOS Children's Villages Nigeria came calling.
I, Kehinde the second of the twins along with my twin Taiwo were both taken away. This was how we became an SOS child and we were nurtured by a mother who taught us almost all the right values I live with today. During my period at the SOS village, I was visited by my dad, and my aunt, Mrs Olaoye and her husband. Suddenly my dad halted his visits but with God's provision of strength, My aunt and her husband kept the relationship and bond stronger. Thanks to God, I now see them as my mum and dad interestingly.
SOS stands for Societas Socialis; a German expression that means "a socially responsible society where the need of children are adequately taken care of."
It is a family based care and I am always around my mother even though she is not the one who gave birth to me. It never occurred to me that the two mothers, Mrs Margaret Larbi and Mrs Aderonke Lamina, who raised me at SOS Children's Village Nigeria were not my biological mothers until I grew up to understand the concept of SOS.
Shortly after my Primary education, I enrolled at Ijebu Anglican Diocesan College (IADC) where I stayed for four years. During this period, I had to join the school choir following my deep interest in music.
At my third year at IADC, SOS gave me an opportunity to enroll in the Distance Intervention Program (DIP), a program organized by SOS-KDI, where students from around Africa are sponsored to study at the SOS International school in Ghana. I went through the program, and wrote my first entrance exam to the school. Sad for me, I did not make it that year. But SOS still realizing my great potential decided to enroll me for the following year entrance exam. I could not just let it pass by. I wrote the exam and this time I made it. This was how the violin journey all began.
Following my admission, I left Nigeria to commence school at SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College (SOS-HGIC), Ghana in 2013. This was where I began to see life from a different angle and perspective. Surrounded by people from different countries in Africa, with different cultures and beliefs, I tried to mingle with people and make as many life-long friends I could make. With different Creative Action Service (CAS) groups, and clubs in the school, I decided to continue with my music. I joined the school choir for 3 years. Amongst all other CAS groups in the school, I joined the music CAS and this was where I stumbled upon the violin instrument. I have seen the violin instrument on TV's and even real life but I had never had the chance to feel one, not until that blessed day during my Thursday CAS at school.
Interesting enough for me during my second year at HGIC, being an examination candidate, I was one Saturday watching some Orchestra music on You tube. They were all from professional orchestra musicians. Suddenly, I was attracted by the title of one of the videos, "Orchestra Kids." I saw in this video kids playing like professional. Of all the instruments being played, I was captivated by the sound generated by the group of violins. I wondered how the kids were able to learn to play such difficult instrument. This was where my whole inspiration came from. From kids playing the instrument. Then I decided that I must learn to play the instrument. I began learning with a teacher at my school then, but shortly after he started the teachings, he stopped coming, then another teacher in the name of Ms Natalia, came in to fill the gap. Though I was being taught by some teachers, majority of the learning was done by me. I started performing during events at the school such as, the annual Christmas concert, band concert and the school speech and price giving day. From there on, I became the self-taught violin maestro of my school.
I moved on from IGCSE to International Baccalaureate(IB) in 2015, this was when things became tough for me, lots of work, Extended essays(EE's), Internal Investigations(II's), CAS, deadlines to meet, I barely had time for practice, though I tried to chip in few hours a week for practice. Eventually, all the hustle and bustle were all over and I graduated from the school in June, 2016.
I found my way back to Nigeria and did not hesitate to tell my National Director, Mr Eghosa Erhumwunse my plan to study at Musical Organization of Nigeria (MUSON) Center. For the three month program, I had to pay N90,000, which was bankrolled by SOS. In three months, I mastered the art of violin, corrected my mistakes and I am grateful to God and SOS, without which I would have not achieves my dream.
On a faithful Friday, I was called upon to make a violin presentation at the SOS Donor Appreciation Day in Ikeja. My presentation surprising for me threw the audience into delight as I dexterously played that day. The crowd cried for more to hear the resonant tone from the violin. It has always been a great experience, getting love of life from SOS.
The Organization has made moves to reunite my sister and I with our father but he has been evasive perhaps because he has remarried. With this aside my aunt and her husband have now claimed responsibility of our wellbeing. Settled in England, they come to visit us more often, and embrace use as their children. God richly bless them.
I would like to let everyone know that there are lots of opportunities coming our way, SOS for me is one of them. Aside SOS there are many more. We've got talents and interest, embrace it and do it with all your heart not forgetting your academics. Never hesitate to ask when there is need to and to my SOS brothers and sisters, SOS is not for life, it is up to you to take whatever little opportunity you can take from SOS before it is too late. Let this be a stepping stone to whatever you want to achieve in the future. Most of all always give thanks the the maker of all things, God.
To SOS, I would greatly appreciate it if similar thing done for me is replicated to others. I don't want to be the only one. We have lots of children with tremendous talents and skills in football, music and lots more, let us help them grow and not let their talents got to waste. God bless SOS.
My appreciations to God who grants all our heart desires, to SOS who God has used to make the dreams of people like me come through, to my SOS mothers, Mrs Margaret Larbi and Mrs Aderonke Lamina who have shaped me into who I am today, to my aunt and her husband, Mr and Mrs Olaoye and Mr and Mrs Awujoola for embracing me and my sister as their children, and finally to SOS-HGIC for opening and widening my horizon to make me see life in different ways and from a different perspective.
