Akande Debisin is a very good friend of mine who we go to school with.
He is from a nuclear family of four, his parents, him, and his elder brother.
Being a newbie in his university days, Debisin used to lament about his elder brother Mayowa who kept losing opportunity upon opportunity. He withdrew from school not because he was rusticated, dismissed, or advised to withdraw.
Mayowa was the student union president of his time but accountability was his problem. He embezzled millions of naira funds entrusted in his position and ran away from school because of that.
The few times I interacted with Mayowa, I sensed wisdom in him but couldn't comprehend his hamartia.
After he withdrew and never returned to the university. He jumps from one job to the other to balance his equation but it doesn't work.
Maybe it is karma, maybe not.
His Uncle, Mr Foluwe set up a business for him to restart his life but after six months, the business folded. We did not know how it happened but from his peak, he hit rock bottom.
We later heard or saw little of Mayowa and he eloped from home to an unknown location and unreached for calls but if he wished to hear from home he called.
Debisin always felt for his brother whenever he remembered him.
He will say that Mr Foluwe always says boldly that he knows that Mayowa is a waste of talent and resources and he awaits him after he must have failed in whatever he does in life.
I remember telling Debisin that I disagreed with his uncle. After all, he can't predict failure for Mayowa because he has rendered help to him once and held on to that as an offense whereas changing his constant and everyone is entitled to one.
‘Yes, they used to say that painful experience creates self-awareness and loss creates vivid reality as being lust, wild and reckless is not our family thing talk less of going stray, Debisin will comment any time he illustrates the state of Mayowa emphasizing that he is a different breed in their family.
After school, I and Debisin never lost contact and we used to call and hang out in our free time.
Lately, during our Alumni meeting. I was happy to see Akande Debisin again after so many years. He never lost his humor and still holds his composure as before.
“Good to see you again”, Debisin I compliment.
“Looking good friend”, he replied.
After the get-together, the interaction, dancing, taking pictures, and the like, we sat at an acute angle reminiscing on a past day, and the name of his brother Mayowa slipped to my lips.
Haa!!! Debisin said, "Talking of the flying pig.
“Even pigs can fly when the world turns upside down” he stated this quote that sounds strange to my hearing.
What about Mayowa? I asked optimistically.
“The impossible made possible, like challenging skepticism, the embodiment of whimsical rebellion and attainment of hope again all odd”. He noted again the time in a proverb-like statement.
“Debisin, you are now confusing me, you have later embodied Daddy’s ways of illustrating things,” I said sarcastically knowing that Mr Akande is famously known then for talking in parables and tales.
Debisin then answered;
You wouldn't believe it if I told you that Mayowa called six months after we graduated and said that he wanted to have a meeting with the family.
Everyone was seated with Uncle Foluwe who stood there that day to sabotage anything that Mayowa wanted to say.
For the very first time, I don't know but I knew Mayowa was beaten by something bigger than him as we all know that Mayowa is one hard knot to crack.
He took all the responsibility for his actions, asked for forgiveness from everyone for unnecessary hullabaloo, and claimed he had turned for betterment though he came back with nothing so we thought that he was desperate was his reason for the plea.
Mr Foluwe was the only one who said no to his plea even if he changed or not. He said he had waited for that day to come so he could spit out his fire like a dragon.
He belittled and lambasted Mayowa who had no plans to fire back knowing he was at fault but Mr Foluwe kept on pushing him till he ranged fiercely, this was the first time I saw Mayowa in his rage and that was what ended the meeting.
Mr Foluwe keeps to his statement that he shall see what Mayowa will make up with what remains but you will not believe me Debisin said to me raising his glass of wine.
What won't I believe I asked.
Mayowa took up from scratch and picked up his childhood passion for photography and modeling though his father said no to his change and choices of career.
Knowing that their father wants him to be a robotic engineer as authoritarian as Mr. Akande is.
The problem is that a person who has made up his mind is a very dangerous one.
Mayowa is now one of the best photographers who travels all around the country. I also confirmed his modeling brand signed a contract that blossomed and he keeps flourishing.
Father had no choice but to bless the flying pig of the family and for Mr. Foluwe, 'I think that the best thing is looking at each other from afar' as that is what Mayowa believes illustrating from his perspective of peace. Debisin said smiling.
Ohh …. What a flying pig he is, I replied.
Even though I haven't seen Debisin for a long time, the Mayowa story on its own, made my day more knowledgeable to the quote of Debisin which states that even pigs can fly when the world turns upside down.
Maybe or maybe not I reckoned giggling.