FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS, GOD, YOU FAILED ME

From Trauma to Triumph: One Woman’s Journey of Resilience and Hope

LAGOS, Nigeria — Life’s most transformative moments often arise from its darkest hours. For one woman, her path through trauma and despair became a testament to resilience, a rediscovery of faith, and the quiet, healing power of a simple object—the rosary.

Her journey began in Port Harcourt, where her teenage years were marred by an unthinkable act of violence. At 14, while returning home from church, she was assaulted and abandoned in the wilderness. Alone and drenched by the rain, she spent the night shivering, physically and emotionally broken.

Her family’s support was her lifeline. Though they struggled to find the words, they never let her walk alone. They cocooned her in love, even as she wrestled with anger, bitterness, and feelings of betrayal—by life, by the world, and by God.

Years passed, and her struggles compounded. A close friend’s tragic death pushed her to flee Port Harcourt, seeking a new beginning in Lagos. But life in the city wasn’t easier; it was survival. Sleeping on office desks at night, navigating the city’s chaos by day, she pushed herself relentlessly, determined to forge a new identity.

For 17 years, she turned away from faith. The prayers she’d once whispered felt hollow. But her moment of reckoning came in 2018. A terrifying kidnapping left her grappling with life’s fragility and a yearning to make sense of her survival. “Why was I spared?” she wondered.

In her darkest moment, she found herself holding a rosary—a gift from her late grandmother that she had long forgotten. Its small, unassuming beads became an anchor. She began to pray, tentatively at first, unsure if the words would bring any comfort. Slowly, the ritual soothed her restless spirit.

Through the rosary, she found a rhythm to her healing. Each bead, a whispered prayer, became a step away from bitterness and toward forgiveness. The act of praying connected her to her past, to the faith she had thought lost, and to a profound sense of peace.

Her rosary became more than an object; it became a symbol of her rebirth. She started to see her story as a tapestry, woven with pain and purpose. She channeled her experiences into writing, comedy, and advocacy, helping others find hope in their own struggles.

Today, she speaks openly about her journey. Her courage has inspired countless others, reminding them that healing is possible—even from life’s deepest wounds. Through the rosary, she learned not only to forgive but to believe again in love, in faith, and in herself.

As she concludes her story, she holds up the rosary, its simple beads shining under the Lagos sun. “This saved me,” she says. “Not because it erased the past, but because it gave me the strength to carry it.”

Her story is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit—and the extraordinary healing found in faith, community, and the small, unassuming things we hold close.