THE AWAKENING!!!

THE AWAKENING!!!

He woke up with a rushing feeling of fear and despair. He sat at the edge of his bed and held his head in his hands as he thought about his life so far.

Onyedika was the only son born to his family. His sister who was born before him by then was already serving in the Youth Corps. Over the years, Onyedika has silently watched the trials his parents have to face just to be able to pay his fees and take care of the family. He knew how many times his dad trekked from their home to his office, he had trekked so much over the years that using the bus to his office was a ceremonious event. Nevertheless, his dad, popularly known as Edu Brazil was never fazed.

Edu Brazil was a total description of a man carrying his cross and weathering this evil storm called life with his head held high and a smile always on his face. He would never let you intimidate him and he had this pull that always brought people around him. He commanded respect among his peers as easily as a beautiful lady attracts admirers and he was gentle as he was firm. He was proud yet humble, the kind of man you don’t come around easily. He had his way of making everyone laugh even in such situations the family found themselves in.

As Onyedika thought about his father, he also remembered his mum, who has worked hard as a government official for over 15 years.

He knows how his mum had given up on making her hair just so she could save more money, she would hassle at the market then take a bus to the bus stop and trek the remaining distance home always. When she gets home, she was always shouting at Onyedika and his sister; she always had something to be angry about, either you opened the door late or you didn’t answer on the first call. Onyedika was never fazed, he understood at a young age the factors that made his beloved mother behave and he never blamed her.

Life indeed can mess with our heads.

His mom was a teacher and a no-nonsense lady who was known around for being a staunch Catholic and a lover of neat and intelligent people. She made them do their homework and extra work during the holidays. No holiday lessons but every day during the holidays, you had to read from 8 am till 12 noon no exceptions.

Onyedika thought about all this as he sat in his room that morning, he was already at his 300 level in the university and he has already started to ask the million-dollar question,

“After school, what next?”

He has seen all his parents are going through and has also watched the lifestyles of most of his lecturers in school. None led the kind of life he had envisioned for himself growing up, many of them wore old and normal clothes, many drove old cars, and even took the bus and school shuttle just like him and his course-mates. He hissed as his phone rang and jolted him back to reality, he looked at his phone screen and saw that it was his best friend, Danny, calling probably to know if he was in school or why he wasn’t in school yet.

As he sat down staring at the phone he made a life-changing decision to never go to school again except during quizzes and exams. He had only realized One Huge Truth.

“Most times in life, what you learned in school will not save you, it would be a total waste in practical life. Be wise”