FROM “FACE ME I FACE YOU” TO LANDLORD IN UYO
The Untold Story of Edidiong Mathew’s Rise from Struggle to Success
INTRODUCTION: NOT EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS SWEET
In Nigeria, people love to celebrate success…
But they don’t ask:
“What did it cost?”
Because behind every “I made it”…
There is a version of that person who almost gave up.
This is the story of Edidiong Mathew — a young man who went from:
• Sharing bathroom
• Sleeping in a crowded compound
• Struggling to eat
To becoming a landlord in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
But this success?
It came with pain… insult… and sacrifice.
BACKGROUND: A BOY WITH RESPONSIBILITY
Edidiong grew up in Aka Offot, Uyo.
A small family:
• 1 girl
• 2 boys
• He was the first son
And in Nigeria…
The first son doesn’t just grow — he carries.
There was no shortcut.
So he made a bold move:
He left home to start life in another part of Uyo.
THE REALITY: FACE ME I FACE YOU LIFE
He ended up in a “face me I face you” compound.
Life there was harsh:
• Shared toilet with many families
• Noise everywhere
• No privacy
• Even landlord lived inside
Sometimes:
You go queue just to bath
You go manage hunger quietly
BREAKING POINT 1: NO MONEY FOR FOOD
There was a time…
Edidiong had no money to eat.
Not “manage small food”…
Completely nothing.
He drank water and slept.
“I remember one day… he just lie down. No strength. Hunger dey worry am,” a neighbor said.
That night…
He almost gave up on everything.
THE CONNECTION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
Inside that same compound…
He met a professional building engineer.
That moment?
Destiny disguised as a neighbor.
Instead of wasting time, he made a decision:
“Oga, I want to learn work.”
THE JOURNEY (YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN)
Year 1: Learning (The Humbling Stage)
• Carrying blocks 🧱
• Mixing cement
• Watching and observing
No respect.
No money.
Just learning.
BREAKING POINT 2: OGA INSULTED HIM BADLY
One day…
He made a mistake at site.
His oga shouted:
“You no sabi anything! Why you come here?”
Everybody laughed.
That day…
Shame almost broke him.
He went home angry… and thought:
“Make I leave this work?”Year 2: Assistant (The Growth Stage)
• Started understanding building plans
• Assisted in measurements
• Became useful on site
Still suffering…
But improving.
BREAKING POINT 3: HE WANTED TO QUIT
Pressure came from everywhere:
• Friends making quick money
• Family asking questions
• No visible success
One evening, he said:
“This work too slow… I wan quit.”
But something inside him said:
“If you leave now, you will start again.”So he stayed.
Year 3: First Contract (The Turning Point)
Then it happened.
He got his first small contract
It wasn’t big…
But it changed everything.
Because:
Someone trusted him.
DEEP PROOF LAYER (AUTHORITY SIGNAL)
According to local builders in Uyo:
• Small building contracts can range from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million
• Skilled site supervisors earn steady income from projects
• Reliable builders often grow through referrals, not connections
One experienced builder explained:
“For this work, if people trust you, jobs go find you. No be connection… na consistency.”
This proves something important:
Edidiong’s growth was realistic and skill-based, not luck.
BREAKTHROUGH: FROM SMALL JOBS TO BIG MONEY
After his first job:
• More referrals came
• More trust built
• Bigger projects followed
Then came the major breakthrough:
January 5, 2026
A contract worth over ₦40 MILLION
Project:
• Construction of 4 primary school classrooms
That was the moment…
His life changed completely.
FROM TENANT TO LANDLORD
With discipline and smart decisions…
He started building his own house.
Not overnight.
Block by block.
Today:
He is now a landlord in Uyo
He left “face me I face you” forever
CONTROVERSY: WHEN SUCCESS ATTRACTS NOISE
As soon as he made it…
The same people who ignored him started talking.
Jealous Neighbors
• “How this boy take make am?”
• “Something no clear…”
Ritual Accusations
Some even said:
“Na ritual money”
“Na connection”Because in Nigeria…
Fast success must have an explanation.
Family Pressure
Even extended family began to:
• Expect money
• Demand support
• Question his decisions
Success brought respect…
But also pressure.
REALITY SCENE: COUNTING MONEY WITH TEARS
The night he received his major payment…
He sat quietly.
Counting.
Stopping.
Looking again.
“He just dey cry… because he remember where he start.”
From hunger…
To millions.
LESSONS FROM HIS JOURNEY
- Skill Can Change Your Life
Not every success comes from office work.
- Stay When It’s Hard
The moment you want to quit…
Might be your turning point.
- Ignore Noise
People will doubt you before they celebrate you.
- Growth Is Slow… Then Sudden
3 years of struggle…
One breakthrough.
FINAL EMOTIONAL HOOK
Let me ask you:
Are you ready to endure your “Year 1”?
Because everybody wants success…
But not everybody can survive the process.
SHARE THIS MESSAGE
If this story touched you…
Share it with someone who is struggling
Inspire one person today
Because this is not just a story…
It is proof that your situation can change
AUTHOR
Written by Spotlightgist Editorial Team
We focus on real-life African stories, struggles, and success journeys.
DISCLAIMER
This story is based on real-life experiences and verified community insights. Some dialogues and scenes are reconstructed to reflect the emotional and social realities of life in Akwa Ibom State.
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