Nigerian comedian and United States professor Dr. Helen Paul tells her life story, revealed how her family refused to give her a name because she was born out of rape.
In a mind boggling story, Helen Paul revealed how she evolved from being called a bastard by neighbors and family members to being a respected personality in the society.
At a recent conference in Daystar Church Lagos, Helen Paul revealed that she grew up with her great grandmother. She didn't have a name to herself and everyone called her bastard. Sometimes, her aunts would come visiting and whenever they gave her great grandmother money for her upkeep, she'd hear them say to her great grandmother not to take care of her because she's a bastard.
She revealed that she wasn't given a name at birth due to the stigma. She said one day her mother took her to a white garment church where she was later named Helen by the instructions of the respected prophet Oshofa.
She said, "There was a church in Makoko where they share food and fruits for free. It was a Cele church, open 24 hours. She'd go there just to collect fruits so she could press the banana and put it in my mouth. She said one day she was in the church when a big pastor according to them that I discovered later, Baba Oshofa, was passing.
Baba Oshofa came and said, 'who is this? We don't know you in this church.' She answered and said she just came to sit. He then asked her what was the child's name she was carrying. She said, 'I haven't given her a name.' She asked for her age and she mentioned it.
Then he asked her, 'who is the first person that ever helped you before?' She said it was one aunt named Helen. He then asked her to give me that name. He told her I can bear another name but that particular name is very important.
Helen Paul revealed that after she got her name, she didn't have a surname. Her great grandmother took her to Onayade Community Primary School, Fadeyi, Lagos to enroll her. She got to the school and she was asked to do the hand-to-ear stretch to know whether she was fit to be in school because she had a small stature.
She couldn't reach her ears and they couldn't provide a birth certificate to prove her age because of how she was born but they later allowed her in. It was time to register and she didn't have a surname. Helen Paul said her great grandmother called a family meeting but her aunties said she cannot bear their surname. Surprisingly, a man from nowhere stood up and told her great grandmother to give her his name. That was how she got her name Helen Paul.
"Don't underestimate me. I'm a comedian in Nigeria, a professor in the United States." she added.
In a mind boggling story, Helen Paul revealed how she evolved from being called a bastard by neighbors and family members to being a respected personality in the society.
At a recent conference in Daystar Church Lagos, Helen Paul revealed that she grew up with her great grandmother. She didn't have a name to herself and everyone called her bastard. Sometimes, her aunts would come visiting and whenever they gave her great grandmother money for her upkeep, she'd hear them say to her great grandmother not to take care of her because she's a bastard.
She revealed that she wasn't given a name at birth due to the stigma. She said one day her mother took her to a white garment church where she was later named Helen by the instructions of the respected prophet Oshofa.
She said, "There was a church in Makoko where they share food and fruits for free. It was a Cele church, open 24 hours. She'd go there just to collect fruits so she could press the banana and put it in my mouth. She said one day she was in the church when a big pastor according to them that I discovered later, Baba Oshofa, was passing.
Baba Oshofa came and said, 'who is this? We don't know you in this church.' She answered and said she just came to sit. He then asked her what was the child's name she was carrying. She said, 'I haven't given her a name.' She asked for her age and she mentioned it.
Then he asked her, 'who is the first person that ever helped you before?' She said it was one aunt named Helen. He then asked her to give me that name. He told her I can bear another name but that particular name is very important.
Helen Paul revealed that after she got her name, she didn't have a surname. Her great grandmother took her to Onayade Community Primary School, Fadeyi, Lagos to enroll her. She got to the school and she was asked to do the hand-to-ear stretch to know whether she was fit to be in school because she had a small stature.
She couldn't reach her ears and they couldn't provide a birth certificate to prove her age because of how she was born but they later allowed her in. It was time to register and she didn't have a surname. Helen Paul said her great grandmother called a family meeting but her aunties said she cannot bear their surname. Surprisingly, a man from nowhere stood up and told her great grandmother to give her his name. That was how she got her name Helen Paul.
"Don't underestimate me. I'm a comedian in Nigeria, a professor in the United States." she added.