Simeon Djagbo hails from Ughelli South Local
Government Area in Delta State. His story is
amazing, a perfect reason that no young
person has any excuse for failing in life. He
was born without fingers and palms.
Rather
than allow the physical limitation of this con
genital deformity to seize his destiny, he
reached deep into himself and understood the
true meaning of the biblical passage that says,
‘I’m fearfully and wonderfully made.
From a very young age set about overcoming
the seeming obstacle posed by his not having
fingers, in the process, Djagbo developed
ability to do many things that would even
make people with complete set of fingers
green with envy.
His ability to play musical instruments is
simply incredible and leaves you giving
thanks to God. He swims, cooks and writes
with his feet. Now wait for this: he has
bagged a degree in Library and Information
Science and is currently running a Master’s
degree programme.
With determination and great courage, Djagbo
has risen above his deformity and is
enriching his life, buoyed by a strong belief
that God has a reason for letting him be born
without palms and fingers. By the time
Simeon was almost five years old, his musical
talent had become noticeable. As he now says,
his musical talent is “a gift to showcase God’s
wonders and be a blessing to others who feel
hopeless.”
His guitar artistry has endeared him to the
hearts of countless number of people.
One of
Simeon’s fans says he is one of the wonders of
the world. Though he started out as a
drummer, it was one incident in his life that
led to his playing the guitar. He recalls it this
way: “My church brought a man to teach the
guitar to others. I was in the drum section
just watching as he was teaching a lady to
play a progression on a particular song. I
watched the way the lady’s fingers were
moving on the strings and I was capturing it
in my head. When she dropped it, I picked
the guitar up and played it exactly the way
she was taught and everybody was shocked,
because I was not taught how to play it.
Although, I was always sneaking to play the
guitar because some concerned people felt I
would injure myself. I kept at it and became
better. I feel God divinely directed me to the
guitar.”
When Simeon was asked whether life has
treated him fairly considering the congenital
‘amputation’ of his palms and fingers, he
wasted no time to say there is a reason God
created him the way he is. Rather, from the
parents, siblings, and relatives who loved and
supported him to the schoolteachers,
classmates, and peers that inspired him, his
gratitude is like the melodic tune from his
guitar.
“My parents never gave up on me and treated
me like a king; they supported me financially
and prayerfully. I wanted to enroll in a
primary school, but the school administrators
rejected me because they felt I could not
write. They also felt that my physical defect
would scare off children from the school. My
parents got information about a school owned
by a white woman, St. Lukes Nursery and
Primary School in Warri, Delta State.
From
there I moved to Sure Success College, Warri
for my secondary education. I later gained
admission into Delta State University, Abraka
where I read Library and Information Science.
For the mandatory National Youths Service
Corps (NYSC) scheme, I served in Okrika Local
Government Area, Rivers State and I am
presently running my Masters programme in
the same University,”
After the national service, he remained in
Port Harcourt to seek employment, a quest
that led him to apply to INTELS, a major IT
service provider to oil and gas companies. But
it was an unsuccessful effort. The company
didn’t employ him because of his physical
condition.
“I submitted my CV to INTELS in Port
Harcourt through a friend who believed in
my ability despite my challenges, but the
Human Resources Manager who had initially
promised to help later said he doubted my
competence because I had no fingers,” Djagbo
says, recalling the pain of that rejection. But
being a person with an unstoppable spirit, he
simply dusted off the disappointment and
continued as if nothing happened.
For anybody tempted to curl into a corner and
sulk because of a disappointment, Djagbo has
this advice: “I want to say the greatest
challenge that a man can have is a
handicapped mind and not physical
challenges. I believe that God who created me
like this has a reason and a bigger and better
plan that will take me to an expected end.
Any challenge I face is a process to fire me up
to become a better person in this world. No
one is physically disabled except your mindset
is. And I believe that it does not limit you
from being who you are destined to be in life.
Everyone is born with at least a talent. It is
your duty to discover and make use of it. Like
the Bible says in Proverbs 18:16 ‘A man’s gift
maketh room for him and bringeth him before
great men.’ Trust me, no one has any excuse.”
He counsels that faith is critical in the
journey of life, saying, “The fact that Jesus
lives means I can face tomorrow. I wake up
praising Him because He owns my future,
and I know I am a great child of destiny. I am
inspired knowing that I am a friend of God
and that even the angels are envious of me.
God is alive and I see that the future is so
bright for me.
Apart from the fact that many have confessed
that Simeon’s talent has given them a sense of
hope and possibility, he is determined to
pursue his aspirations and get to the next
level. “I hope to become one of the most
sought after gospel bass guitarists both in
Nigeria and abroad. I also want to be a
blessing to people and put smiles on their
faces,” he says with so much aplomb.
His dexterity in playing the guitar has taken
him to places he never dreamt of and met
different people, including famous artistes. “I
believe the money will come too,” he says
with infectious confidence.
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