I don’t know if you’ve ever had that moment when you think of that person who made your high school life so much fun. Well, for me, that person was Onyinye Ugonabo.
The first time I met Onyinye was at the beginning of my senior high school year. What attracted my admiration to her was her unending cheerfulness and sense of humour. Trust me, those qualities rub off on people around her. Even though we weren’t best buds at the time, I had always seen her as a light to behold. The first day I talked with her was the day after I found out we actually lived super close to each other. That was how I found an avenue to talk to her and after that it was a “hey- hi” relationship till the beginning of our final year in the school. I can’t tell how we became very close but it just happened and the next thing, we were going home from and coming to school every day. She really made ending of high school fun. But all that isn’t the reason she’s being awarded today. I’m coming to that.
When I discovered my talent for fashion illustration and design, Onyinye was among the first few people I told. She enjoyed looking at my album of sketches and would always blow my brains with compliments. It didn’t end there. One time, I think she called me or I just decided to go to her house with my album; when I came, she called me to her back yard where she and one of her neighbors were. It happened that Onyinye had told her (her neighbor) how good I was and I was there to confirm it by displaying my sketches. When her sister was about getting married, Onyinye told her to ask me to design her bridal train’s gown for the white wedding. Even during our Valedictory Ceremony and Prom night, I was the one who designed her dress to the events making her the first to wear my design.
Even after taking up graphic design full time, Onyinye would send me links to freelance jobs she’d seen. I can’t talk about my story from the onset without mentioning her.
She’s a health practitioner, writer, aspiring actor and a literary icon
Beautiful, jovial, fun-filled, easy going, classy, ever graceful; all these and more are qualities better attributed to her.
It’s an honour to me that I’m presenting her as a Dav-Oz Motivational Icon Awardee.
Keep in touch as we continue to reveal this year’s awardees.
