Goodluck Jerry is a 12-year-old boy from Niger State, but is unlike many boys his age in other parts of the world as this interview will reveal.
The youngster was recently in Lagos for the Adewale Isa Foundation Junior Tennis Championship where he could not go past the second round.
Even though it was his first time at the tournament, the excitement on his face showed that he enjoyed every bit of his visit to the centre of excellence where hundreds of tennis youngsters from different parts of the country gathered.
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He took Nigeria Tennis Live into his world and how he prepared for the tournament despite not having transportation fare to get him to Lagos.
According to the player: “I started tennis in 2021 because I was told that it builds energy and that it can also help with knowledge.
“So, I felt good when I heard about the tournament because I thought it could help me become a champion. They said I would need transport fare and to train harder for the event.
“I didn’t have transport fare to come to Lagos, but there was a neighbour who calls me to work for her, and she called me to work for her during that period and she paid me N5,000.
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“After that, another person paid my N5,000 for another job and I added my feeding allowance for breakfast which I usually saved (N3,000) and begged my sister for N2,000 to complete the N15,000 for transport fare and she gave me.
“What I mostly do for these people is faming and weeding which I do with my cutlass and hoe whenever they invite me”.
But why would a 12-year-old be fending for himself at this stage? He revealed that his parents are also working hard to fend for him and his four siblings.
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The quite timid JSS 2 student explained also how he has to work hard to assist in taking care of the family as that is one of the ways they can survive.
“My dad is a Police Officer and my mum left her painting job and started farming. So, everyday, when I get back from school by 1:30pm, I go to the farm and return to the courts to train by 4pm.
“I actually don’t go to the farm all the time, I only go there three times in a week so that I can also focus on other things, but I also work for other people like I mentioned earlier,” the youngster offered.
One would have thought that thus aspiring tennis star was just all passion to be going through this process just to play tennis, but this is not so. Jerry has big dreams.
He told our correspondent that: “I want to become Nigerian number one player, I and want the country and my family to be proud of me”.
For someone who has limited resources at his disposal, it may seem like a herculean task to achieve the lofty dreams of his, but Jerry seems like a very determined individual.
It may therefore not be too long before we start celebrating the achievements of the Niger-born tennis youngster, especially if he keeps up with the hard work and dedication.
Nigeria Tennis Live will keep monitoring his tennis progress and report all the updates to our teeming audience scattered across the globe.