"You will never amount to anything!!!"
The words kept ringing within me. Every single step i took, the words were like a reminder.
My name is Ono Obi. I was born into a family of six. All my siblings graduated from school with a first class, actually only my younger sister graduated with a second class upper.
I dropped out after SS2. I clearly told my parents that school for everybody. That broke their heart because clearly i could see the plans they all had for us.
Two doctors, two lawyers and two engineers.
Amazing plan until i decided to Obi the situation.
Yeah that was the new way my parents used my name, whenever they wanted to talk about disappointment.
I was heart broken because they didn't hide the fact that they didnt believe in me. I tried my best in everyother thing but it seemed like it was almost impossible to make them proud.
So, i learnt a skill and while my siblings were excelling in their Academics, i was learning how to trade in the market.
A man named Okonta picked an interest in my huzzling spirit and decided to mentor me. I couldn't share the good news with any member of my family because they wouldn't still rejoice with me.
It was a big deal because Okonta was the fifth richest trader in our community. He rose to be the fifth richest man just after two years of starting his importation business.
The optics was good for him.
Working close with him made me realise that it was a matter of time before he would be the richest in the whole state.
My siblings didn't pay attention to me because with the way our parents treated me, they also wanted to be in thier good books.
The training sessions with Mr. Okonta wasnt time based. He would ask me to meet him at any time of the day depending on how the business of the day was scheduled.
One particular evening, i ws heading out of the house and that was the same time my mum was coming back from the market.
It was like my face reminded her that she had a failure for a son.
"Good evening mum" I greeted, walking close to her to help her carry the bag.
She nudged me off and screamed for my younger sister to come help her out.
"School dropout?" She looked at me with so much disdain. "You will never amount to anything." She added.
Tears escaped my eyes. For the first time since i made the decision, i cried.
As i walked to Mr. Okonta's house, each step was like a reminder.
I cleaned my tears and moved on. But those words rang heavy. For a young guy, the weight of my decisions were far too light than the weight of those words.
For three months, i wasn't ever happy. I never smiled. At some point i stayed out for two days and when i returned my parents weren't concerned of my whereabouts.
It was almost they wanted me dead. At some point i wanted to lash out on them and tell them that they were the worst parents in the history of worst parents.
As usual, friday evenings i stay with Mr. Okonta till 10pm.
He had observed my countenance for a few months but kept quiet because he didnt want to intrude.
But this faithful day, he sat beside me and didnt say a word. We were like seated like that for over thirty minutes.
I knew his presence insinuated that he was ready to listen, if i would be willing to talk.
But i couldnt talk, i just cried.
The only adult who was on my side.
"She said i wouldn't amount to anything, because i dropped out from school."
He hugged me and softly said; "i don't know who said that, but she lied to you."
"How do you know Sir?" I asked cleaning the tears off my face.
"Because I'm also a school dropout." He said watching the expression on my face. "I only finished JSS3 and stopped because my parents couldnt afford to continue paying my tuition."
He smiled, "so, she lied."
That was the day i vowed that i was going to be loyal to Mr. Okonta till i die.
I left home, leaving a letter for my parents. I moved in with Mr. Okonta.
I served him for seven years, the same year my youngest sister graduated with a second class upper from the university.
By that time, Mr. Okonta was already the second richest man in the entire community.
One particular evening, he called me to the sitting room amd after a long talk, he settled me with a huge sum of money and told me to go implement all he had taught me.
He gave me the contacts of seven of his clients and told me, "these are your first client's, make them happy, they will bring more."
Two years after the settlement, i was already rumored to be the seventh richest man in our community.
The words, "you wouldn't amount to anything." Meant nothing to me. The words i remebered was, "she lied."
