Never consider the possibility of failure; as long as you persist, you will be successful.
-Brian Tracy
This was the case of Chief Danta on the occasion of celerating his 70th birthday and still looking like a young man in his 40's. This is one of such event that will last long in the memories of all as it was the talk of the town. Personalities from all walks of life graced the occasion. I see how people grovel around him to either extend their hearty wishes, give presents or even ask for some kind of help. As I sat at one corner with a good view of the whole ground and as you may have known me, I started to watch and learn from the activities going on and exhibited by different people as well as enjoying the party.
At a point, I thought within myself that most people here would not have known the celebrant if things had not worked well for him some decades ago. You know, he was not born with a metallic spoon – let alone a silver one. He once shared his story with me about 20 years ago when I met with him to pitch a business idea to him.
Chief Danta was born in the 50’s when the idea of independence was looming and slowly becoming a reality. He once told me he went to watch a march past as little kid on Independence Day. He was the first child and son of a polygamous family so he was technically the father-to-be when his dad passed on - such a responsibility he had no choice to accept or otherwise. Well, let’s leave that for now.
Primary education was becoming a norm alreasdy then so his parents being illiterates gave no objection to it. But any school further than that is met with the fiery eyes of the father. Why? The reason being that he claimed there was no money. The young boy Danta in conjunction with his mum and some elders prevailed on his father to at least give him a chance to start and that the universe will some how give the necessary provision since he was not a lazy man. And his mum likewise.
Danta got into a secondary school then which uses the “Form” tag for their classes. So the first class was Form 1. Things seemed weird at first because it all looked different from how the primary school were handled. Here, there were no unnecessary breaks, you get scolded for your uniform being soiled etc. But he got familiar with it and together with some older colleagues he was able to blend in academically and did his very best.
Fast forward to the end of secondary school and Danta’s father told his son and mother that when Danta was done with his secondary education, it was enough ad he should come and join him on the farm. Danta was devastated, he loved farming but for school he had more passion. Being almost an adult, he refused and told his father that he’d love to further his education at the university. The father, with his broad chest, vehemently refused and seeing that Danta was not heeding to a change of heart, he said he would definitely have no hand in his university education. This was another blow for young Danta!
His mother being one who wanted the best and can do anything to make her son’s future bright, told Danta that he would have to take charge of schooling and the finances himself. And she would be supporting with the little proceeds from her pal oil business. She reminded Danta how he used to hawk gooods for her, so that is tantamount to the fact that he has some business sense in him already. With some money from the mother, Danta got the forms for the exams he needed to write and pass to get a place in the tertiary institution. He studied hard, even though he still went to the farm almost every day but he passed all in flying colours. He got admission into the prestigious University of Ibadan – the Premier University!
However, surviving a whole new world in the university and far from home was a different ball game. There were no phones then – only letter – to communicate and it’d take at least a week for it to get delivered and that is if it got delivered. Alongside school activities, he took on different jobs at different points all to sustain himself.
When Chief Danta told me that he had worked in the Nigerian Breweries, I was surprised. The same company that he now sells supplies to and could even say it owes its existence to him!!
Jobs such as sales personnel, marketing, even as far as writing assignments for his fellow students - all he did to just make some money as legal as possible. There were times he had been told to get into some get-rich-quick things but he always remembered the things his parents had taught him especially that thise who indulge in those things don't last or live long.
"And my dear, I want to live long o", said Chief Danta smiling.
Handling all the multiple jobs started to affect his reading a little such that he even contemplating on transferring to another department which seems lower to the one he was in. But as the universe would have it, his Head of Department (HOD) told him blatantly that he was not going to allow him because he was the second best student in the department! He knew this and knew peace! 😆
He kept pushing and his mother did her part in encouraging him to forge ahead. Once saying "You cannot afford to come back without a certificate" in her dialect. Even relationship-wise he steered clear so that he could have all his resources for himself and no divided attention.
Danta, in his final year, was now stuck with getting the finances for his project. This amount was way more than all the ones he had been battling with per year. At this point, the little jobs he had been doing could not provide enough. So he had to leave school,.not dropout, for a while to get better ones which had more money in it. On the long run, he came across a poster on the notice board about a scholarship specially for final year students. He quickly registered for it and waited for what seemed like eternity but no reply came through. He hoped still and went about his job.
It dawned on him that that scholarship was not forth-coming and became a little tired - tired of everything. When the deadline for the project was fast approaching, he felt he had to do more than jobs - but fundrasing. He courageously drafted a letter, made copies and sent them to all his friends, family members, some of his lecturers, even the companies he had worked yelling them he needed assistance as it seemed that he may have an extra year if things don't go as planned. With prayers and supplications, some including his father replied the letters with cash, cheques etc.
Fortunately, that became a turning point to how he got the project done, even had more to last him till the end of school. The rest, they say, is history. You know then, jobs were readily waiting for graduates. So that was the beginning of the up-rising of the man you see as Chief Danta today. He went on from being employee after about 15 years to building his own company which is even valuated as worth more than the Nigerian Breweries now! And then both parents enjoyed the benefits of their wealthy son before the joined their ancestors irrespective of the role they played. Infact, he more or less single-handed raised the other kids of the family in and through school!
Oh! What a history!
I immediately heard someone called my name loudly and the voice was very near. Oh, it is Chief Danta - smiling. "I have been tapping you for some hours now, come with me", he said. In my mind, I was like "Oh, do you know I just replayed your whole history in my brain?".
