Comic actor, movie producer and director, Charles Inojie, has gone down memory lane to reveal the hardship he went through as a little boy back in his village.

Born at Urowa village near Emu in Edo State, the 41-year-old Dramatic Arts graduate from the University of Port Harcourt says he grew up with his grandmother, and hardly recollects his mother because at a young age he was sent to another geographical location for the purpose of keeping his aging grandmother company.

The father of two says in the village, he was “Suffering and Smiling” as he would regularly trek a long distance to work in the farm, gather firewood or fetch water from the river even as a little boy.

According to the former President of Screenwriters Association of Nigeria, it has been his secret prayer over the years for God to help him change the narrative for today's children growing up in that community who still have to go through the same stress as his generation did several years ago.

He is happy that his prayer has been answered with the recent establishment of Charles Inojie Foundation (CIF).

The full narrative of the popular actor is contained in what he calls “Chronicles of a Village Boy” as reproduced below:

“As a little boy, growing up in Eguare-Ohordua community was tough. Getting just about anything at all from education, farm produce to water for bathing, cooking and drinking required “travelling” a couple of kilometres.

“I cannot forget how my ears got accustomed to the sound of the first crow at 4 am; when myself and other kids my age must wake up to embark on a 3 kilometre journey to the Utor River situated at the border end of a neighbouring community.

“For many of us living with our aged grand parents who cannot themselves make the journey, we had to make this trip twice every morning before going to school and must not be late for the morning assembly. That experience aptly captures what the late Afrobeat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti once referred to as SUFFERING AND SMILING.

“Over the years, it has been my secret prayers for God to help me change the narrative for today’s children growing up in that community who still have to go through the same stress as my generation did several years ago to get water home to their parents for domestic use. This prayer essentially gave birth to the CHARLES INOJIE FOUNDATION (CIF).

“I am indeed grateful to God for answering that prayers through the benevolence of the LATTER-DAY SAINTS CHARITIES with whom we partnered to wrought this feat. Needless to say that this project is for the entire community. I pray they own it, protect it and guard it jealously so that the intended benefits can be fully derived. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.”

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