ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW INSIDE WASHINGTON DC:
Nigerian Orphan, OMAS AUGUSTA SHAKA is America’s Amazon in United States Military
…holds E-5 Sergeant leadership position, eyes E-7 Sergeant of all Sergeants rank
* Trains American, other countries’ armies in use of M249 machine gun, a powerful tool that can shoot 200 rounds in one minute, narrate why Nigerian army officers cannot contain Boko Haram
*Shocked: ‘Some Nigerian soldiers asked me repeatedly on social media the name of the machine gun in training of new listing in America in my base and that they have not started using it in Nigeria at all. I felt bad for them. Tell me how can they fight Boko Haram with lazy weapons?’
* ‘In United States military training, there’s is no short cut, as in bias , no bribe’
* ‘dedicates life in service to God, establishes Hold GOD Strongtv ministry for humanity’
* ‘Happily married woman reveals how she migrated to America from Nigeria in 2011’
OMAS AUGUSTA SHAKA is beautiful, intelligent, godly, respectful and hardworking being a United States Army leader in one of the training bases of new listing soldiering profession. In spite of her loaded, daily work schedule, this amiable married lady take us through her migration from Nigeria into United States, how she joined the American Army, why Nigerian soldiers cannot contain Boko Haram and other issues in this chat with GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICAN Foreign Bureau:
NAIJA STANDARD: How did I migrate to United States of America?
I applied for a b1/b2 visa
NAIJA STANDARD: What led you into joining United States military?
Life was hard for me when I arrived United States. I had no relatives at all here in America, I was just by myself and God alone. No help from any where. I was working as a medication aide / CNA to feed and pay rent in Houston TX. I was doing two jobs just to make ends meet . Until one day my co-worker, a Yoruba girl called me on phone, told me about the United States military and their benefits. A week later I went and took their test, I passed it. Two weeks later I was shipped out for training with others.
NAIJA STANDARD: Why are you specialized in your present area of career in the United States military?
I am specialized in my field because that is something that, when I am done serving the military here in United States if God allows, I will come back home and invest with all the training I had.
NAIJA STANDARD: Many are often afraid that military training in Africa is tough, how is training in United States military?
I cannot say concerning the military training because I have not gone through Nigeria training. But all I can say is in U.S. military training, there’s is no short cut, as in bias , no bribe. Nothing like saying ‘please don’t let my son or daughter go through training’. Everyone here were treated equally. I passed out during one of our trainings and was taken to hospital discharged that same day and still continue training the next day. I sustained injuries too that does not stop me from training. That training experience is hard mentally, physically and emotionally . If I have relatives or someone who gave me orientation about the training, I would not have joined the military that is to tell you how difficult it was.
NAIJA STANDARD: What made you embrace the establishment of Hold GOD Strongtv and what are the aims of the ministry?
Hold God Strongtv is to prove to people both in Diaspora and back home that OUR GOD IS NOT DEAD. If I can make it in life, with no assistance from father and mother who are dead when I was 18years, I pushed my way through the University level where I finished my NYSC and migrated to America, become a citizen of America with no help from anyone Accept God.
God is very much alive and he is only waiting for those with a big heart. I was promoted to a Sergeant on May 5th 2020, just serving for three years now. I was promoted to the leadership position. This is the major reason I said I needed to step out and create a page to motivate people with my experience after so many sleepless nights of thinking about it. That name HoldGodStrongtv came up so strong in my Spirit and the pattern it will take like speaking Pidgin English for all my communitarian for Nigerians and other neighboring countries so they may understand me well.
My aim is to get the youths to rise up, believe in themselves and never quit. The youths need to abstain from blood shed which brings curse upon many generations. My aim is to make Urhobo, Delta and Nigerians proud. My aim is to assist the youths get a handwork or learn a trade that will add to their certification. By God’s grace HoldGodStrongtv has been giving out help to many youths I can reach out to and many are now going into handwork and learning trade. Lastly, I have foundation that care s for the orphans, widows, elderly ones with the help of God. That is my major reason why God called me.
NAIJA STANDARD: Had there been anytime you ever regretted joining United States military?
I love my job. If I leave military work, it is because I want to be my own boss. I have never regretted joining military United States military, though it has it’s up and down most times, but I never quit until God say so.
NAIJA STANDARD: What was your parent reaction to your joining American Army?
Both parents died long time ago. If I set my heart on something I don’t relate it to people, I take action if I don’t have panic in my heart. If I have peace in heart, nothing will stop me from what I want. So I didn’t tell anyone I just joined.
NAIJA STANDARD: What do you think are the differences in military tactics or trainings between United States military and Nigerian army?
There are a lot of inexperienced soldiers out there in Nigeria and it is not their fault. Nigeria government, don’t spend money on their soldiers, like us here. Sometimes, I wish I can convert the money they spend on us and give the money to train our soldiers back home, because we do not need to be train over and over for a particular thing.
U.S. do take time and invest a lot on their military. Like the other day I gave a class to my soldiers on how to use machine gun. I snapped with it and put on facebook, some Nigeria soldiers were asking me the name of the M249 machine gun and that they have not started using it in Nigeria. I felt bad for them. That gun can shot 200 rounds in one minute. Tell me how can they fight Boko Haram with lazy weapons? Sometimes Indians come to my base for training, I have never seen Nigerian soldiers ever sent to my base for training but other countries do so for their new enlisted soldiers. In tactics America leads!!!
NAIJA STANDARD: Say five years down the lane, what height do you wish to attain in United States military by the special grace of God?
Right now, in less than three years of service, I was made a sergeant. My next target is to become Staff Sergeant before the end of next years 2023. So five years from now will put me in Sergeant 1st Class position. You would not understand it. This level called E-7 is called Sergeant of all Sergeants. Right now, I am in E-5, two steps below E7 . But this is when God allows me to reach that height.
NAIJA STANDARD: Being a successful United States military officer who love God, are you married, if yes, who is the lucky man? If not, what are you looking for in your ideal dream man that you wish to marry?
Yes, I am happily married. I came back home to marry an Edo man, by best friend for life. I can’t marry Americans because divorce rate is too high.
NAIJA STANDARD: Finally, what is your word of hope to millions of Nigerians who look up to you as a huge role model?
You should put God first in all you do, not running to pastors. My mentor in life is King David in the Holy Bible as he always made inquiries from God before embarking on any project. Before I came to America, I asked God, if America will not favor me God let America embassy deny me visa. Before I joined the military, I asked God, please as I am going to take the test let me not pass it, as at then I could not access the voice of God.
My advice is: let everyone go back to their maker because who holds the pamphlet of everyone’s lives in his hands. I can help people but if God hands is not in it, it will fail. I have helped a lot, they still failed at the end. And I asked God, He said you cannot work for Satan and come collect pay check from God. IS TIME WE EMBRACE GOD FULL TIME NOT PART TIME BECAUSE Satan IS WORKING FULL TIME AGAINST US, OUR DESTINY AND HOLD GOD STRONG.
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