MISS CAMEROON
I
am Lilian Dibo Eyong , a polio survivor and wheelchair model . I am 28 years old and the youngest child from a polygamous family of 11 children . I am the eleventh and last child of my Dad and the seventh and last child of my Mom .
I was born in Lobe Estate and was a bulky and energetic child . At the age of 2.5 , I was taken to the hospital with a fever . It was there I was infected with polio . This marked the end of my first story and the birth of a new , disabled story .
Frustrated with the fact of no cure , my mom welcomed all suggestions for possible solutions . The last straw came during a visit with a herbalist . He used 3 red hot charcoals to burn the underneath of my right knee , claiming that as the wound healed I would be able to stand and walk again . This never happened . Seeing how I suffered with such a wound at such an age my mom stopped her search , vowing to accept me as I was .
I grew up and attended my early primary school in Camp 9 . My older siblings , friends and neighbors would take weekly turns to carry me on their backs to and from school . Upon my dad ’ s retirement , we relocated to Bekora Barombi ( Ndoro ). There , I completed my primary school , finding myself at the top of my class . With the use of a secondhand tricycle , I was able to gain some mobility independence .
I went to Kumba to pursue my secondary education at Divine High
School ( DHS ) and once again my academic performance was topnotch . Though my eldest brother tried to protect me , I discovered I was pregnant in Form 5 . Hoping the pregnancy would disappear on its own I kept the news secret until my eighth month . That day I saw my eldest brother cry . Upon my return to Bekora to meet my mother I saw disappointment on her face and tears running down her cheeks . Two weeks later I gave birth to my handsome son Nathanael through cesarean delivery ( C-section ). Nathanael ’ s father helped by providing as much financial support as he could .
Three months after I gave birth , I returned to school . After successfully completing my primary studies I headed to the prestigious University of Buea ( UB ) to pursue a degree in Accounting . It was a dream come true .
I was the only wheelchair user during my stay at university and the barriers I faced were enormous . These included issues with infrastructure and communication , the attitude of others , and more . I kept pushing and found success with the help of a friend .
It was in Buea that I first saw life from a different angle . I experienced the worst form of discrimination , marginalization , blackmail and insults . I felt unwelcome and as a result , would stay on campus not wanting to go home after lectures .
During my second year at the University and coinciding with the student ' s strike for presidential grants , the Anglophone Crisis broke out . The military stormed the campus and drove away students with tear gas . Some were brutally beaten while others were bundled into a military van and locked in a cell .
Due to rioting , I left Buea and headed back to Bekora . Even there it wasn ' t easy as the Anglophone Crisis spread all over the Anglophone regions . Due to the exchange of guns and stray bullets , my family and neighbors left Bekora heading for Lipenja and safety . We lived in my elder sister ’ s one-room house for 6 months . I remember the way we used to pile ourselves at night like sardines .
When the shooting became intensified in Lipenja , I carried my son and his cousins to Kumba to live with my elder brother and his family .
For the second time in my life , I began thinking of committing suicide . I was in the midst of making plans when Agbor Matelot , a student psychosocial counselor , realized my problem . He believed the best possible way to help me was through counseling and prayers . Thankfully , this worked powerfully . Two weeks later , I told my elder sister that I wanted to attend a professional counseling institute , Gospel Outreach Counseling Training Institute ( GOCTI ) in Kumba . She sacrificed her first salary and enrolled me . There I obtained a Diploma in Trauma Counseling and I was awarded the Best Outstanding Student . It was in GOCTI that I
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