A Nigerian man identified as Endurance Otobi has shocked the world in a motivating and inspiring way. His achievement would not only inspire you but also motivate you to get out there and do what you can to carve your mark on the world.

Otobi is a blind professional cobbler who makes shoes for a living. Amazing right? Otobi did not become who he is today because things were easy, he had to struggle like everyone else.

In an interview the cobbler shared his story, he explained that his ability to see damaged when he was in secondary school but he does not really remember it happening.

He said: “Something happened in my former compound, one woman used ring to slap me on my right eye. So since that time, the other eye now got blind. When I went for a checkup, the doctor said it’s Glaucoma.”

The cobbler expressed that his parents were unable to fund the treatment for his sight. He added that his parents prayed and fasted but he had to stay at home from 2002 to 2009.

Otobi further explained that God intervened and he was able to go to school for the blind in Oshodi area of Lagos state. He said: “Finally, I found myself in School of Blind, Oshodi. I never really know that God really have plans for me there. They taught me how to weave only bags.”

In 2010, he began weaving bags and teaching his skills to others who were interested and in 2016, he was invited to the Equipment Life Foundation where he decided to start making shoes.

He said: “I sat down there, thinking. What can I really do? Look at people that have eyes. This is what they can do. I said I want to shock the world. I want to make something like shoes.

The talented cobbler also narrated how he lives his daily life. Read below:

“I have one friend that’s living with me. So, in the morning, I’ll wake, draw water from the well and take it to the bathroom.

“I have a younger sister that normally cooks for me. (When) I go to work, I’ll board a bike and tell them ‘’this is where I’m going’ to and they’ll drop me there”.

“I love interacting with people because I want to know more about them. Sometimes I’d ask people “how is this thing?”, “what is going on right now?”, “what is that thing that is in vogue?” “I also go for motivational talk. They do invite me to talk to people like teenagers, like youths, so that they’ll not become a liability to themselves.” “Mostly I deal with feelings.

I feel most things which I want to do, and majorly all of my life is all about feelings. In the area of financial assistance and having the money, there’s no NGOs, no churches, so that’s the area I’ve been looking on how NGOs can come and support my work.

The inspiring cobbler also advised young people to keep fighting for what they want no matter what they are going through.

He said: “I’d advise the young people out there, despite what they’re going through in life, their background has nothing to do with their life. They should just have the right thinking. When you think right, you can be at the top.”