Charles Awuzie, a South African-based tech expert, apologizes to Anyim Veronica, a NOUN graduate, for the embarrassment she had, and offers her a sponsorship and cash token.
The NOUN law graduate was embarrassed at Dunamis church when she testified that she had a BSc degree in Law.
Charles Awuzie, who responded to this, mentioned that he had a speech problem growing up.
He compared his condition to that of Anyim Veronica. According to him, while he was in primary school, he couldn’t form a complete sentence in English, and his teachers assumed that he wouldn’t amount to anything.
The tech expert suggested that Veronica forgive the pastor and use the stone hurled at her as a stepping stone.
He offered to sponsor her on any public speaking course that she decides, and would offer her a book which comes along with a cash offer.
He wrote:
“Official Apology And An Offer To Vera Anyim by Charles Awuzie:
Dear Vera,
I am writing this letter weighed down by a profound sense of responsibility and a heartfelt desire to extend a personal apology to you on behalf of myself and many Nigerians who share my sentiment.
The recent event at Dunamis International Gospel Centre, involving the public questioning of your academic credentials by Pastor Paul Enenche, has not only caught widespread attention but has also ignited a wave of emotional responses. It is clear that the situation could have been approached with greater sensitivity and respect towards your achievements and personal dignity.
Understanding that you pursued your academic goals with determination and rigor, as confirmed by numerous checks from reputable sources, it is deeply regrettable that your moment of celebration was overshadowed by doubt and public humiliation. This is caused by the human bias which we seek to solve with Artificial Intelligence. Humans, whether religious leaders or club owners are prone to bias. We judge you by your accent… We judge people by their eloquence… Some even judge others by their tribe, race or religion. At a time like this, we are reminded that profiling people can break them deeper than we can imagine.
I grew up with a speech impairment and my Primary 1 teacher concluded that I can never become anything in life. She was wrong. The name #CharlesAwuzie has penetrated every country of the world – yet I was wrongly judged by my inability to make a full sentence in my formative years.
Dear Vera, you deserved to be uplifted for your perseverance and dedication, especially considering the complexities and personal sacrifices you faced while navigating your educational journey at the National Open University of Nigeria while serving as a senior Police officer in our nation’s Police Force. On behalf of millions of unbiased Nigerians and religiously neutral citizens of the world, I say “WE ARE SORRY.” FORGIVE AND CONVERT THIS STONE THROWN AT YOU TO A STEPPING STONE.
I forgave my Primary 1 teacher who mocked my speech impairment and I hope you also forgive Dr. Paul Enenche. I shared the story of how I forgave everyone who looked down on me, bullied me or caused me pain in my book called EVOLVE IN 30 DAYS. I am also offering you One autographed copy of the book with a cash offering (amount will be disclosed to you privately) which will be presented to you with the book at your convenience. I have asked my team in Abuja to reach you and bring this token to you with the hope that it will trigger the society to reach out to you and support you with whatever they can. I am also offering a direct mentorship on public speaking to you and willing to sponsor you in a public speaking program.
As someone who stands as a voice of love and humanity in Africa, I feel compelled to express my apologies for the distress and embarrassment you experienced from the church – a community that should bring healing and not cause more pain.
It is never easy to stand in the spotlight under such circumstances, and it is even harder when one’s integrity is unjustly challenged in a public forum.
Please accept this apology not just as a gesture of solidarity but as my commitment to advocating for respect, understanding, and support for individuals like yourself who strive to better their lives through education and hard work despite their poor background or limitations.
Your journey is inspiring, and your resilience is commendable.
May this apology bring some comfort to you, knowing that many stand with you and recognize your hard work and rightful achievements. We hope for healing from this incident and for more supportive and encouraging dialogues in the future.
With deepest respect and sincerity,
Charles Awuzie”