IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY

Abeke landed in another country on the 27th of March 2003. In a strange country, which was apparently her birth home. Coming back as an adult after been taking away in the first place back to her parent's home town or should we say place of origin. Although it was strange and different, Abeke saw what seems giganti place, the airport with lots of people. Everything looks strange and she was just wandering around and looking at the place. She was stopped by a man, who would have been the immigration officer. He took her into a room. He and his lady colleague asked Abeke where she was coming from and searched her one and only luggage that she had with her, which barely weighs 15kg. After searching and asking ask the questions they wanted to ask, Abeke was released and she moved towards the follow of the people working in a particular direction, just following the crowd, which she believes would lead her to the exit.

Fortunately, for Abeke, she knew a neighbour who came month earlier into the country. The neighbour, a lady in her 40s came with another person, a guy probably in his late 30s (unknown to Abeke) to the airport. The lady took Abeke's luggage and they all headed somewhere. However, on their way out of the airport, the lady asked Abeke what she asked her to bring for her from the country she was coming from, before she left the country. But thank God for His lovely protection on Abeke, who used a friend to stop her from taking the item with her. Fortunately, for Abeke, the friend had advice her not to take the item/stuff with her and that it could be implicative. Especially that she might be checked at the airport and if she can't explain what it is then she would be in big soup. The friend, also made her to understand that why can't the lady take the stuff herself when she was going in the first place. That made Abeke to think twice.

Abeke, would have been in a big mess, had the officer saw something strange, the stuff, when he searched her bag. And moreover, if he had asked questions about the stuff, Abeke would not have have a sensible answer to give.

Since Abeke knew what happened to the stuff, she just told the lady that the immigration officer took it off her, as she was advice to say by her friend if asked.

You could see from the lady's face that she wasn't happy at all. And she could have left Abeke at the airport if it was possible to do so. But as luck was on Abeke's side, the gentleman took her to his place.

It was a long journey to his place. It tool hours, probably 6 hours travelling on the tube, by train and then on the buses before they finally reached their destination.

Abeke entered this small lovely flat, located on the first floor.Another guy came to welcome the guest, Abeke. they prepared food and Abeke finally had something to eat after a long journey from the airport.

Abeke later realised that the lady that came with the guy only offer to help her, to come and take her from the airport to take the stuff she wanted her to bring with her when she was coming.

Anyway, Abeke only came to the country with #20; not enough to live on in a day let alone for years humm...... But she survived her stay in the country. She started searching for jobs, went to a place, called the Job Centre. She was told to get herself an NI (national contribution) and that would help her with the job search.

One day, Abeke used part of the 20 pounds she had for her transport to the town centre in search of jobs. But when the guy where she was staying ask her where she got the money from and she explain to him that it was part of the 20 pounds she had that she had use. The guy was so mad and said " why couldn't you ask me for money for your bus ticket, I understand you still need to get your feet, instead of using the little money you have". He was really a lovely guy, who was willing to help with no string attached.

For few weeks, Abeke lived with these strange people, off course expect her neighbour, the lady who she knew briefly before; eating their food and living in a free accommodation. Until there was a problem between the lady and the guy, after been three for about three weeks or so. the lady told Abeke to look for another place to live, even though the place wasn't her flat. Where in the world would Abeke go to, when she does not know anyone in the strange land, expect two distant cousins she knew and have tried to get in touch with them while she was still in the previous country, where she was coming from. And these guys have been unresponsive and Abeke could not get in touch. She had to call one of them again because that was her only choice. When she called him, he said " he was not able to help". Abeke just had to continue calling him until he succumb to her request and offer to let her come over to his place for a while until she gets herself sorted. Phew, at least my accommodation is sorted, Abeke said to herself and signed a relief.

Although few days before Abeke could find a place to live, after the lady told her to look for another accommodation, the guys kicked the lady out of their flat and sent her packing, asking her to leave their flat. It was really bad, they threw her bag outside. Apparently, she had do something awful to have upset the guys to sent her packing. Abeke was even surprised, because she was like having an affair with one of the guys.

The guys told Abeke, when could stay with them. But Abeke thought to herself that it was through the lady that she got into the house, even if she was bad that does not give her the right to stay in the house as the lady have been ejected from the flat. She had to tell them that there was no way she could stay in the flat anymore since she was in the flat through the lady in the first place.

The day came for Abeke to live her current accommodation to a new one, which she and her cousin agreed she would go over to her cousin's place. The two lovely guys help Abeke with her luggage into the car and drove her all the way to her cousin's place, with pleasure but sadness that Abeke was leaving. They drove about 40miles to drop her off and went back their way without collecting anything from Abeke.

Abeke's cousin's wife (a fair lady, mixed race), greeted Abeke with open arms. And was ushered into a small house through the back door with garden. Abeke later realise that she would not have had any accommodation, had it been for the wife's intervention. Abeke also met their three lovely children and they welcome her into their three bedroom house. Living with them was both fun and challenging for Abeke. She goes to church with them. Joined the ushering team in the church and became a member of the church. She help the children with their homework. Help the small girl to style her hair.

Abeke's first night to be admitted to the hospital in the strange land. Just after about two months in the country, Abeke on this fateful day, helped with the housework and laundry as usual. Around the early hours of the evening, she went quitely into the room she sleeps because she started feeling some horrible pains down her back, which she normally experience.So, she knew what was coming. An excruciating pain that cannot be described. This is sometimes results from stress or cold and sometimes the pain comes suddenly unexplainable. This time the pain was in Abeke's lower back and she was short of breath and could not talk. She also know that this is one of the worst pain that could results in life threatening case. 

When her sis in law notice that Abeke was  no way to be found, she came into the room and found Abeke laying on the floor breathless and asked her what was the matter but Abeke could hardly talk. Her sis in law sis mo, called her husband, who came up the stairs, as the room was on the first floor of the house. He knew some how what that something was not right. Abeke was groaning and rolling on the floor. Sis mo and her husband ask Abeke if they should call the ambulance, but Abeke shook her head to refuse their offer even though she was in a critical state. As she was thing to herself that she would be costing them money and she do not want to be a burden to them. They both were adamant and had to call the ambulance, who came within minutes of the call. The paramedics asked questions to know what was going on, which Abeke cousin could answer a little as he knew about Abeke's health condition. The paramedics put Abeke on oxygen there and then as they continue to ask question. Abeke was only able to answer with a nod or a shake to her head. They put Abeke on a stretcher and recuhed her to the hospital that night, where she was attended to by the doctors, who took her blood and gave her morphine through her veins and intravenous fluids. And she stayed in the hospital  for about a week before she recovered from the attack. 

Her sis in law, was so frightened that day, since she has never witness such incident in her entire life. to be continued............ 

A Child Is Born

In 1979, a young woman in her early 20's, carrying her little one in her little bump was studying for a Diploma in Catering. She lives with her husband who was studying a PHD in Mathematics and Computing in a foreign country. On this fateful day, the 21st of April of the same year, the woman started experiencing the some pains in her back. ......................................... She gave birth to her lovely beautiful daughter with unusual hair colour, golden brown. She and her husband has a black hair colour, so how come her baby's hair colour is different. Her husband became suspicious of her. And moreover, being in a foreign country, her husband thought she might have been with another person in the foreign land, for her to have had a rather peculiar child for him.

They continue their live as usual but with the question at the back of his mind of where the baby came from. After finishing their studies, both went back to their home land with their new born baby, who was then................ The new baby's father never like the foreign country because it was too cold for him and moreover, in those days his country had many things and prospects to offer him.

The little grew up and was happy with mommy and daddy.

Later in life, she had other siblings with her. Her two younger brothers. Although, it was suppose to be three brothers but one died at a very young age. Growing up she witness fights in the home between mom and dad. Where mom would bite her dad.

The family travels during Christmas break to their parent's home town since they live in the city. To visit and just a time away with the family. On one occasion, as the whole family was travelling to the mother's side parent's home town, which was much farther than the journey make to the father's side parent's home town. A heavy rain started while the family were have way through their journey. As dad was trying to control the car from slipping of the road, the car lost control and the whole family landed in a ditch. Fortunately for the whole family, nobody got hurt. The was amazing to see that the young girl started smiling instead of been afraid and probably crying but was actually doing the opposite, while her parent look for help.

Marriage life

For almost 3 years, Abeke has being married to her long time friend, who she met at the Polytechnic in Africa. They started dating when Abeke came back to UK to relocate.

Abeke has been trying to get her husband over to live together as a couple since the time they got married but it has been really challenging for her and her husband. Why? Because of the stupid, inconsistent, unfair, contradictory British law that favour some people over others.

The so called law states that "you can only bring your partner to live with you in Britain if you can poof you can provide for yourself and partner OUTSIDE EUROPE, as a British citizen". This implies that a person that is non-European is not human.

In Abeke's case, she is a British Citizen, British born and got her British passport. She has been looking for job even before she finished her first degree in 2007 in hope to secure a professional job by the time she finish. She's very proactive. However, she never got the job so had to go on Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA) to support herself financially for the main time she gets her job. Coupled with this, she has a long time health condition that is potentially life treating and often means been hospitalised.

She started a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering hoping to increase her opportunity of getting  and securing her dream job after few months on JSA.

Four months into her master study, she got married to her fiance and applied for his visa to join her in UK. This would ease the massive burden on her especially whenever she's sick in order to have someone there to support her. However, the visa application was refused, on the grounds that she was on JSA, which she wasn't at the time of applying. They only saw the JSA arrears on the bank statement.

Anyway, she appealed and was still refused. She continues to look for job and ways to be financially free and get off benefit even after finishing her Master degrees in 2009. But was really difficult for her due to  discrimination most of the time and combined with her health condition.

The question she now have in her mind is this "Shouldn't I have got married because I do not have a job?, but what about those that are British citizen that are not working also, would they be stopped from getting married because they are not working? No, off course not.

If someone is doing everything to get a job and is not showing up, do you give up on other accept of your life, for example in this case marrying someone you love and live together to support each other? What Abeke realised is this, if she is a British Citizen, she have every right like any other person to claim JSA as long as she's not working until she's given the opportunity to. But the British law is making her life a living hell and infringing on her human rights. Britain is in modern day slavery, where you're not allow to do something because you're married to a non-European person. Basically, no freedom of life.

The other law states that "your human rights within UK includes

-the freedom of life - but in the case of Abeke, she does not have a life,
-freedom from torture and degrading treatment  - in Abeke's case, she is indirectly tortured by been prevented from having her husband with her.
- freedom from slavery and forced labour - Abeke is bond and in slavery by the UK embassy, preventing her from enjoying her marriage life and also force her to look for job, which is forced labour, whether she look for it with her blood and life. She just have to get the job despite her health condition.
-the right of liberty - Abeke is not free to do what she wants to do, to live with her husband in her own country as a citizen.
- the right to fair trial - her husband was refuse visa because she was on JSA even though it's her right to be on it and the British law does not care about her health condition (Someone said you're only given a chance to have your partner with you if you're terminally ill  e.g cancer, so the question is, what is left for the couple to enjoy?). But if someone from UK got married to someone in let say Spain, he/she can bring their partner in without question even if they're not working. The rules that applies to one does not apply to another.................
- the right not to be punished for something that wasn't a crime when you did it - Abeke is been punished unfairly because she got married to a non-European person and she wasn't working when she got married even though it wasn't any of her fault.
- the right to respect private and family life - Abeke's private and family life is not respected by the British government, in another law, she has no right to bring her husband in to live with her because she's not working. Isn't it contradictory?...........
- right to marry and start a family - Abeke has no right to marry because she's not working and cannot even start a family because her husband can't join her until she gets a job and can support him.
- the right not to be discriminated against in respect of these rights and freedom - She has no freedom and she been discriminated against by British government. They've infringed and are still infringing on her human rights.

MP, help me

First Friday of every month, the MP of one of the county goes to the library to see people in the community to help them with their concerns or/and issues, so they said. Abeke decided that she was going to go and see the MP and see if he could help or what he as to say about the current situation regarding her husband.

A day before the day she was going to see the MP, she turn over her whole room, looking for all the papers in regards to her husband's visa, the refusal letter, appeal, ............... you name it. She made sure she got everything ready, so that she can response and show evidence of everything to the MP if and when he ask for anything relating to her husband's visa. Although, before then she was advised to get in touch with her local MP by a friend regarding her husband joining her in UK. She wrote to the MP via e-mail to inform him of her plight. The MP sent a message that says "...........we need to first establish your status and your husband's status and that his secretary will get in touch to obtain the information......."

Abeke wrote to the MP in August, but never heard anything back from him after the first e-mail he send. So, Abeke decided to see him face to face this time.

The deal day came, the 5th of Nov 2010, she got up, prayed, read her bible and mediate a little and got ready to go to the library. She warmed a cup of soy milk in the microwave and watch Jeremy Kyle while she was eating corn flake with honey to sweeten. Planned to use the Internet in the library for few hours, refill her car petrol tank and then go and see the MP.

On her way to the library, here she goes, parked her car 7 minutes walk away from the library. She got to the library, spent four hours plus and left to go and fill her petrol tank but was already starving. Went home and got something to eat before going out again. She had Eba with egusi and spinach while she watch an afternoon movie on the TV, channel five. At 5pm, she went out to buy the petrol before going to the library to see the MP. On her way though, there were traffic on one of the roads she used, so she turned back and told another route to where she was going to get the petrol. On her way back it was raining and had to rush back to met the MP. The time was already 5:34pm, she was late, "gush" she said. The MP meeting starts at 5:30pm.

Anyway, she got to the library, look for somewhere to park her car. Tried to park between two cars on her right side but couldn't because she was trying to go in first with the front of her car coupled with her panicking since she was late. She moved out of the spot and looked for another place to park.

When she got into the library, fortunately for her, the MP have not even started seeing people yet. She got herself a number (8) and went with others up stairs. While she was waiting to be seen by the MP, she chatted with a White lady and an Asia lady. The MP assistant called the numbers in order until number 6. The MP now, came outside to ask for number 7 and ask this Africa family what they were there for in front of other people. The lady said "it was private". Don't the MP know that before asking? He would have called the lady aside and ask what she was there for, not in front of the people. He later ask for number 8 and ask me the same question, which she answered the same answer the other lady gave.

Abeke noticed that the MP was discriminating, he said "if it was immigration, he does not know anything about it, that his assistant will take care of it" They called other people in and told us that are there regarding immigration to wait to see his assistant because she knows more than him, the MP. Anyway, she waited for the MP assistant to call her to explain her situation.

What surprised Abeke was that the MP barged into their conversation and started asking questions, when his already said he does not deal with immigration. The dialogue goes like this

MP: so, what do you want us to do for you?

Abeke: I just want my husband with me

MP:  the immigration's attitude is that you've got to show you can support your husband

Abeke: I have been looking for work since 2006 before I even finished my first degree and I am still looking and coupled with that I am always falling ill due to my health condition. Is not my fault, that I am not getting a job.

MP assistant: is not the job of the MP to get you a job

Abeke: I am not saying nor asking the MP to get me a job, all I am asking is for him to help me, so my husband can join me.

MP: there is nothing I can do, even if I write a lot of letters to them at the embassy, they will still insist that you need to prove that you can take care of your husband.

Abeke: but this is infringing on my human right. I am a British Citizen, I have the right like any other person.

MP: so, what have you be doing

Abeke: I have been studying

MP: What?

Abeke: Mechanical Engineering

MP: So, what do you do before that (what does that got to do with Abeke having her husband with her?)

Abeke: I was looking for job,although I worked for a while and I was sick most of the time...........

MP: see there is nothing we can do for you, am not going to liar to you
Abeke: OK, thank you bye.

Abeke took all her papers and left the place fuming. her head was just pounding and thought to herself, this is what make people to do what they do not want to do. You try to reason with someone but the person refuse to listen to you or consider you. "I now know why people do fraudulent things" Abeke thought to herself.

They UK law is a JEZEBEL law, a DRACONIAN law, UNFAIR law, and above all it DISCRIMINATE against minorities.They destroy marriages and separate married couples.

Because of money, British government is violating human right.
Abeke thought to herself  "I know what to do".

To be continued..............

Studying in UK

Abeke's future ambition was to become a Chartered Engineer. She has always pride herself as someone who can achieve anything in life irrespective of her medical condition and other life challenges she face. She is a very beautiful young lady, has in slim figure, smooth light brown skin, dark brown eyes, has lovely cheek bone, and has a distinctive blond/amburn hair colour for an Africa person.

She planned to go to the university, even before she got to UK. After a year plus Abeke got an admission from one of the universities she applied to with an unconditional offer. She was so happy and over the moon, even though she does not have the money to pay for her tuition fee let alone her living expenses. She was able to work for about two months and save up the money for her room rent at the university while she was living with one of her cousins. It was very tough for her because partly she was always hospitalised almost every month, she had to work and save up for her tuition fee which was £6,000 plus then as she was classified as an international student even though she was British citizen. They reason is, if anyone that wants to study in UK most have been and live in the country for more than three years priory to starting a university course before they are classified as an home student. And it was really difficult for her to even get a job, since she ad to know and blend into the system again before she can find her feet.

Her friends at the church she went to advise her to wait for another three years before she starts studying to enable her to save up enough money and be eligible for student loan.

Pastor Sam first ask "how are you going to survive?"
Abeke replied "I know is going to be challenging but I will survive".
"Are you going to be working as you study?" ask Pastor Sam,
"Yes" Abeke said (knowing at the back of her mind what the Pastor's concern was, regarding her medical condition).

Abeke prayed and believed that her father in heaven (which is God) is more than willing to give her more than she desires and ask for. She always pray that even if the tuition fee was £10,000 per year, God would provide for it.

The day Abeke has been waiting for came, to go and start the university education she's always wanted to do.

Going to the University
Bridget came to Abeke's cousin house to pick Abeke and take her to Newport, Shropshire from Luton, which was 118.94 miles, about 2 hours 22 mins to travel by car . Bridget was a friend of Abeke's cousin's wife called Maureen. Bridget was a very lovely lady who offer to take Abeke to Shropshire to start her study.

On their way, you could see disperse houses as Abeke and Bridget drove pass the Newport town centre whilst going to Abeke's new university. Tree and bushes started showing up and the road began to narrow as they move away from the Town centre until they got to they university. Bridget helped Abeke pack  her things to her new room after collecting the room's key from the student services officer as agreed.

The room is a very beautiful, pretty large and spacious. It has one double wardrobe with another one single wardrobe attached with a bookshelf, a single metal bed frame with a single mattress covered with a check like blue cover cloth and a reading table was place by the right corner of the room close to the main window. It has it's own little toilet and shower room. It was an en suite bedroom.

Abeke was very pleased with it.

She went to one of the university in UK,  to study Agricultural Engineering, which was within the country side, Shropshire. Her experience while studying was really challenging and hard because her classmates were not friendly at all and they were mostly boys. The boys were mainly country boys with short-sightedness, that has never probably seen a foreigner before. Who maybe thought other human beings of different colour never exist or if that person was different from them, he or she is an alien.

Saying that, the university only had 2% of foreigners, I mean non -UK students especially from non-European countries. So, you can imagine what it could have be like for this your lady, trying to blend and mix with people that are not even willing to see her let alone talk to her. However, she had wonderful lecturers that were accommodating and made that experience a little bit bearable.

Some of the guys started warming up to her after few weeks of learning under the same roof. Partly, because they have to work together in group as part of their coursework. Tobi was one of her team member who said one time while they were working together within the group "how is it like to come all the way from Africa and study in UK?". Which is reply to say "you got to do what you got to do in life, to get to where you want to get to in life"

Even mixing with other ladies in other department was also difficult, since most students has the same mentality. And the most annoying part of it, is that they always think that they are superior to other people or far better than them. She found this so irritating, not-wise and depressing sometimes. But she made up her mind, that she would do whatever it takes to accomplished what she was there for, stay focus and not allow other people's action affect her decision(s).

The students were always binge drinking. Most in their first year weren't serious at all, all they wanted to do was to party. To be continued.....................

Goals to Achieve while on this Earth

• Honor God in everything I do
• Get a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering
• Get a Masters Degree
• Become A Chartered Engineer.
• Get Married to a wise and lovely husband
• Build a multi-million pounds internet based business
• Bless others with my wealth including community work, give out at least a million pound away
• Write and Publish my auto-biography to encourage others
• Write and Pulish other motivational books.
• Help a child to get education from primary school through to University
• Help someone to become a millionnaire

So, help me God, Amen

Note: subject to change with time.