Taiwo Oluwafemi Oloko

Back in university, I was going through hell, like usual. One day I walked into the cafeteria hoping someone might invite me to eat. I wasn’t begging. You know how sometimes a friend sees you and says, “Come, join us.” Unfortunately, no one did. So I turned around and started walking back to the hostel. Just as I got close to the school gate, my phone buzzed. I had received ₦7,000. I froze. At the time, I never received that kind of money unless I had been running errands for other students. But this transfer came from someone who had already graduated. I flashed him, and he called me back. He said, “NYSC just paid me ₦30,000, and I thought of you.” My body became weak. I slowly sat down beside the security men at the gate and cried quietly. Then I got up, walked back to the cafeteria, and finally ate. These are the memories that keep pushing me to build openChow. I spent more time in university worrying about where my next meal would come from than actually studying. No student should have to carry that burden. That’s why I’ll do everything in my power and beyond to make sure openChow succeeds. And through it all, I’ll never stop believing in the kindness of good friends.