GODWIN AJALA: An American Family
Dream
Godwin
Ajala was proud of being a lawyer in Nigeria. But because
of hard times there, he immigrated to the United States
in 1995, hoping to earn far more to support his family.
At first he bounced between jobs, but ultimately he
landed a steady position as a security guard at the World
Trade Center. Still, he was frustrated, and he began
pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer in America,
setting his sights on passing the New York State Bar
Exam.
His roommate, Christopher Onuoha, said Mr. Ajala
worked from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., went home for a nap and
then studied for the bar for six to eight hours, often
late into the night. Co-workers said he was last seen
helping people escape from the trade center.
"When he was living here, he was suffering in terms of
always working and studying," said a close friend,
Christopher Iwuanyanwa.
Every September, Mr. Ajala visited Nigeria, and he was
planning to travel there again this past September to
visit his wife, Victoria, and their three children,
Onyinyechi, 7, Uchechukwu, 5, and Ugochi, 1. His friends
said he was planning to apply for visas to bring them to
the United States.
"His dream was that he would take the law exam, pass
it, and with that bring his family here and invite them
to the swearing in," Mr. Iwuanyanwa said. "He would have
been much happier if his wife and kids were around."
.