YEYEPAYE THE GREAT BELIEVER IN EDUCATION
A LIFE OF BLESSING TO HUMANITY
Yepayeye had great hunger for education, for herself and for her children. Yepayeye believed that education was a great leveler and a bridge out of poverty. She stood out from her peers as one who would pursue education for her children to no limit. She sold and gave up everything – clothing, farmland, pleasure, etc. - to educate her children and often remained hungry that they might eat and go to school. Children who lived under her roof suffered pains of the ‘rod of correction’ if they avoided school for no justifiable reason. For the education of her children, Yepayeye sold anything and every of her possession. And to all her ‘children’, it was wisdom to read hard to excel in examinations in order to avoid her ‘rod’ for coming below expectations in class. Yepayeye, till her last day carried on her campaign to encourage women to sell their prized possessions to give their children education. She could put up a fight with anyone who refused to educate a child under his roof. Oftentimes, Yepayeye would snatch a girl-child hawking on the streets during school hours and lead her to her parents or guardians and demand an explanation why the girl was not in school.
Watch out for episode 12....