Kwaku's name was now in the mouth of every person in his village and beyond, even the hill tribes speak of him, women in market places, among men drink palm wine from cow horns, among chattering ladies talking about the handsome and ugly men, young men trying to grow their wealth or businesses and also kids who persuade their parents with drops of tears to buy wooden toys made in Kwaku's store, now a company having moved his office to Accra two weeks after winning a government contract to supply furnitures for the new modern secondary school built by the state government.
As all success emanates from small beginnings that of Kwaku started in the small village of Matumbe on the outskirts of the metropolitan city of Accra, Kwaku's elder brother Emande, the only person their father could afford to send to the university just died from a train wreck while visiting for summer, he was a medical student, their father Pa Nuaka was a fisherman and was hardly at home as he was always busy with his fishing, and tried to always return with a catch to feed the many mouths waiting his arrival. The death of Emande made Pa Nuaka weak to the bones, he seldom go out on fishing trips and the family now eats from the proceeds of the sales of farm produce which Kwaku's mother Maa Kwame sold at the village market.
Kwaku was the second child and had five siblings Emande who was the first, Naamua , Nenie, Doole and Lenu. Naamua and Nenie were the only girls, with Emande gone the burden of the family now rested on Kwaku, he took this burden to the market and to the vocation school his mother managed to send him to, he took the learning seriously and started working right after completing his vocational training. Kwaku worked for Mr Sorle who was the village chief and owned a carpentry shop in the village market, Kwaku was working for 9 hours in the shop he started with polishing logs and smoothening them for Mr Sorle, who always complained of how ungrateful the villagers were and that his work was similar to those in the city.
Soon Kwaku was allowed to do the important work like build a table or a back rest chair, and arm chairs for the rich in the village, more people patronized the shop as a result of Kwaku's fine work, Kwaku himself never relented he was determined to fill in the void left by Emande's death which took a tow on their family, he now pays the school fees of his siblings as they were still in secondary school the youngest being in primary five. Bolu, Mr Sorle's nephew was now in charge of the shop as Mr Sorle was always busy with politics in the city, they were four young boys in the shop, Bolu was the eldest amongst them, he often snick notes of money out after a days job and without Mr Sorle's knowledge, soon the other boys in the shop started doing the same, Kwaku being a loyal lad kept to himself.
"It is a fever Kwaku get me a towel and water quickly" Kwaku's mother screamed, Kwaku who had woken up by the shivering and sleep talking of his brother Lenu, had alerted their mother who came running into their hut, Kwaku and Lenu shared a hut. Lenu's sickness got worse and Kwaku had to go ask for a raise from Mr Sorle, " I am not making any profits from that business you know" Mr Sorle told Kwaku , he then proceeded to scratch his head all the while looking intensely at Kwaku and said " But I'll give you some money" , he knew Kwaku was a good lad and was better than the phoney Bolu he placed in charge of the shop. When Kwaku asked Bolu for some money he retorted that they were both feeding from the same source and that Kwaku should open his eyes, Kwaku was almost tempted to join the lads in taking some money for himself, one afternoon after finishing a stool, the lady paid and Kwaku thought of keeping 20cedis for himself he slowly slid the money into the drawer where they kept proceeds for the sales, soon Bolu came with two of his friends, he went straight for the drawer and yank the notes and walked out still talking loudly with his friends.
Kwaku was determined to start his own shop as customers now ask for him and would not allow another lad to take on their jobs. Mr Sorle's shop soon went under and he closed, so Kwaku started making furnitures from home, he's popularity grew fast and soon every one came to him for their furnitures and cooking utensils. Kwaku was still poor as a result of the many billshe had to pay, soon a man from the city visited him, it was a sunny saturday morning and Kwaku just finished polishing a wood, and was look at it as if grading it's lifespan, when Nenie came to the back yard which Kwaku turned into his workshop, "Someone is looking for you" Nenie said amidst looking around for spare wood pieces for firewood, "who is looking for me" Kwaku answered bending down to pick his hammer, " I don't know him, but he dressed like an important person" she said and turned to leave with the few pieces of wood she had taken, "drop that one" Kwaku said pointing at a rather large piece of wood Nenie was holding, she simply hissed and threw it back. Kwaku went out to meet his unknown guest. "Good morning you must be Kwaku" Mr Ledum said "Yes I am" Kwaku replied still with an empty face, " My name is Mr Ledum and I work for the state commission for works and we have a job for you" Mr Ledum said a small smile beaming from the side of his face "you came highly recommended, and since we are looking for indigenous individuals we thought you a right choice". Kwaku was overwhelmed with joy, he had heard of the sort of things with market women but now it came to his doorsteps.