CHAPTER ONE
With a loud applause from the audience, Mr. Chapman, the Chairman of Roofing Group Ltd had this to say to us;
’Dear graduating class for the year 2020, congratulations to you for achieving such milestone in your life and your careers. I am happy to talk to a group of people who are in their morning of their lives and career and with a great future ahead of you. I want to tell you that nothing in this world can motivate you unless you motivate yourself to keep pushing on.
Your teachers have told you this, I guess so many times, they gave you school projects which you have excelled because if you had failed, I don’t think that anyone would be here putting on that gown. You have that gown over your shoulders because you won and excelled and you have achieved something worth celebrating for.
Once you leave these beautiful gates of this school into the world, things are a bit different because outside there, it is struggle for each and everything, therefore be prepared for that. If you happen to get a job right way, then that’s fine but work as if it is last day because once you become just a number, then the company has the right to replace you. Don’t think that with that certificate that you have got today, you are irreplaceable. No, that’s a lie.
If you chose failure, failure will define your future, no good friends, no hopes for a better tomorrow, no good family and basically you may even think that a dead person is better off than you, the living but if you choose success, success will follow you and whatever you do will be a success. The power to change your situation and life in general is within your hands and with those few words, I send you out there to go and make the world a better place. We all have roles to play no matter whatever situation we are in you; either are rich or poor. I thank you all.’
Those were some of the words from the chief guest while officiating on our graduation day ceremony. He hyped the event with encouragement words as we moving on to the next chapter in life. After, he later handed over the stage to our principal;
‘Everyone, put your hands together for Mr. Chapman,’ our principal said
They were cheers and shout out across the hall;
‘Thank you, sir, for those encouraging words to our graduating class. I hope each and everyone one heard for himself and as they walk out here, we want to hear beautiful stories out there only and as a tradition, we thank your sir, for taking some time off from your tight schedule to come and be with us today and we don’t take it for granted. We humbly request that we have a group photo and then after, we invite you to have dinner with us,’ he said
Sitting in one of the corners of the graduating audience, I heard those words very clearly; as irritating as they were to hear, I think the big man has a point here. If anyone wants a better world for himself, then change starts within his backyard. This synchronizes with the famous saying that charity starts from home. On the other hand, it has also become like a ritual that whoever comes over to talk to us says the exact same words. It is like they read from the same script, maybe they are right and I am wrong. I will take it that way.
Mr. Chapman is a seasoned and celebrated entrepreneur around town. He started his company, the roofing group of companies when everyone around him doubted his capacity and capability and now time has proven us wrong that he was indeed right. Most of his products now compete favorably with products imported in from other regions and are liked by many from here and abroad. His Roofing Group of Companies makes a lot of construction and agricultural tools ranging from assembling tractors, iron sheets, roofing nails, and all types of wire mesh, to mention but a few. I don’t dispute what he said as wrong or inaccurate but that’s what everyone says these days and it is not news to many of us here, I guess.
Finally, time came and the principal was calling out names amidst an applause from the audience, completing it with the drill that we had rehearsed a day before, you match forward and pick your certificate, smile a bit and then pose for a photo with the chief guest.
Clad in my grey suit with my gown over my shoulders, I walked over to the podium and received my certificate with cheers from my family in the background. I got a C+ upper grade and that’s the grade of achievers if you ask me. I turned back and walked straight to my chair and handed over my certificate to my father.
‘Thank you, son, for this achievement,’ he said
‘You are welcome Dad,’ I replied
I could look through my father’s eye and gesture and realize that, it is being a tearful moment for him and taking a look at what I have gone through, things have been easy at all. To raise a child into a responsible human being in this era is another hard knack to crack. I applaud my father for that.
‘Dad, we made it,’ I said
‘Yes, son,’ he replied while wiping his face with a handkerchief.
‘Thank you, Son for fighting on,’ he said.
Looking across the audience and I watched how parents and their children reacted to the graduation celebrations. It is really a humbling moment.
Amidst celebrations, I saw my girl, Eva with her mother and I imagined that could be an opportune moment for me to introduce her to my father and vice versa. Eva is a close friend of mine. I suggested it to my father that we walk there and greet them and he agreed.
I walked over with my father besides me and I tapped on her back. She turned back with a huge smile on her face.
She hugged me as both our parents looked on with all the excitement still lingering over, she quickly introduced me to her mother;
‘He is called Jack and he is my friend,’ she said
‘Oh, that’s Nice. I am happy to meet you,’ Eva’s mother replied
Now it was my turn to introduce her to my father, she had never met him before;
‘And Eva, this is my father, you can call him Jack Senior,’ I said
‘Alright, Nice meeting you Dad,’ she replied
‘Congratulations to you Eva and Mummy,’ My father said
Given that my father has been living a single life for over ten years, I know that that if he gets an opportunity, he may want to stretch this conversation even further. Don’t think that I am jealous or anything else, I am just trying to be protective to Eva and her mother.
‘It was nice meeting you Jack Senior,’ Eva’s mother said
‘You are welcome Mum,’ my father replied
’I didn’t get your name, Mum? he said
‘I am Dorothy,’ she replied
‘Oh, cool name,’ my father replied
Watching from the sidelines, we waited to see how this will end and anyway, I know that when people meet, they would like to know a few things about themselves and that’s what my father and Dorothy are doing.
‘I work at Nitro technologies as a computer scientist and what do you do,’ he said
‘Oh, I am a teacher at a lower kindergarten,’ Dorothy replied
‘Oh, that’s good. which school, I could be knowing it,’ he said
‘Yes, I am sure you know the place. it’s called Queens College Kindergarten, across Rochester street,’ she replied
‘Oh, yeah. I know that place and it’s like an international school,’ he said
‘Yes, it is. we teach both international and local syllabuses,’ she replied
‘Ok, thanks for the good work that you do, you know nurturing our young children and molding them into responsible human beings is not an easy task to do,’ he said
‘Thanks for appreciating sir,’ she replied
Dorothy wants to know more about my Dad and she asked a number of one-two things about his work and hobbies;
‘What do you do exactly at Nitro technologies,’ she said?
‘Oh, we deal in a lot of things including, cybersecurity, tracking systems and many other things,’ he replied
‘That’s impressive,’ she replied
‘Alright thanks’
‘I know today is all about our children and so we appreciate them for making us proud,’ she said
’Yes, you are right. ‘do you have anything else to say to Eva, son,’ my father said
‘No, Dad, I was just saying hello,’ I replied
‘Ok, that’s fine’
I am feeling shy here and I wish I could openly say it maybe in front her that I love her daughter so much but anyway, let me save it for another day.
We said bye to each other and as we turned and walked back to our seats, my father unleashed yet another thing;
‘I have seen her, she is good girl,’ he said
‘Yes Dad’
We took our seats as he added another one;
‘If this is my future daughter in law, then go ahead son and do it. I have got your back,’ he said
This made me to laugh a bit as I figured out my honest response;
‘Me and Eva, we are friends Dad, just friends,’ I replied
‘Yes, and that’s what I am saying that, this is it. people all over marry friends and friendship is the best ingredient in marriage. Just follow your heart,’ he said while tapping on my back.
‘Okay Dad. Maybe, God willing,’ I replied.
I wish I could get these fears off my head. I have known Eva for a while now and to be honest, we are just two people who care about each other and never want to either of us sad. I have never asked her to be a special person to me and maybe she could be having someone already. Also, these days most girls don’t want to get married and I don’t know if it’s the modern way of thinking or total female emancipation thing that has been going on for decades now but deep inside, I love her and wish that one day we could be together. I may be dreaming but that’s the reality.
The graduation ceremony is almost nearing the end, we had a group photo with the guest and having been given our certificates, it was at liberty for each one of us to leave at our opportune moment. Just like they say, leave at your own pleasure.
As we walked to the parking lot, we again meet Eva and her mother and chatted along;
‘I hope we get time and have a couple of coffee,’ my father said
‘Yes, I would love that,’ Dorothy replied
‘Okay, it was nice meeting you Madam Dorothy,’ he said
‘Me too,’ she replied
’Okay, reach safely. where are you heading? My father said
‘we are going. she stammers a bit…After Liberty stadium,’ she replied
‘Oh, not far from us actually,’ he said
‘Are you from that side too,’ she replied
‘Yes’
‘Oh, that’s great then. I could see us meeting very soon,’ he said
‘Yeah, that’s right,’ she replied
‘Are you Instagram,’ my father said
‘Yes’
I was like, what the hell is my father doing now. He is taking it far;
‘I will check you out,’ he said
‘Yeah, its fine’
I had opened the car door and as I watched him talk to Dorothy. let me hope he does not blow up everything else. As we drove off from the parking lot, ‘he started bragging around, have you seen son, this is how you do it?’ He said
‘All right,’ I replied
‘She is a beautiful woman, right?’ I said
He didn’t reply me immediately by my suspension was right, he is going full swing into her;
‘Do you plan like to date her,’ I said
’Good intentions, actually, ’he replied
‘Like marry her right,’ I said
He looked at me, thinking like look at this guy, right? I think I should leave issues of big people to big people but he later answered me in a poetic way;
‘When a man gets out to hunt, he may not be sure whether he will catch anything but if happens to catch something, then the family will have something to enjoy to at the end of the day. That’s what our great- great fathers did before it all became as if food comes from the fridge. I am yet to understand her and if at all I realize that the catch is not worth it, then I will be happy to keep such a person a friend and like they say, don’t hunt what you can’t kill because otherwise it may instead kill you. Did you understand me or not?’ he said
‘Yes, I do. You may or may not,’ I replied
‘Exactly’
We reached home and as we settled, the question on my mind is what next after here. I really have this big idea in my head and my prayer is that I get all the right options so as to be ready for execution. The fact is that I want to employ myself. I want to create a business and be rich one day. why not?
The next day after having breakfast, my father invited me to play chess with him and I was hoping that I can win him. He taught me to play chess when I was a little boy and through the years I have gained a lot of experience. let’s see how this goes.
’Ok daddy, just a few minutes, ’I replied
Playing chess to me is fun and entertaining because it is comparable to the struggles that we go through as human beings. it requires deep thinking, planning and problem-solving skills and that’s what makes it a special game for elites.
Sitting right next face to face, my father arranges the pawns and said, ‘let’s do it this, man’.
I like it when someone is energized and ready to play the game. I also arrange my pawns and we are good to go;
He makes the first move and he uses this chance to send a message across. I guess he wanted to tell me something and so, this was an opportune moment for him to pass it along.
‘So, tell me, what next? congratulations for finishing your high school,’ he said
After a few moves, I finally respond;
‘Thank you Dad,’ I replied
‘Have you thought about what you intend to do,’ he said
After short a while, I responded;
‘I want it all Dad. I want to start and own a business that should make me one of the richest people in the world,’ I replied
‘Alright, it’s good to have a child who is ambitious, what kind of business is that, I may have a few ideas to chip in, you know,’ he said
I knew that you would ask me that,’ but plans are underway already,’ I replied
After a few moves, my father asks me again;
‘So, I get it, do you want to be a business owner, a sole proprietor or partnership and if I may ask, what type of business,’ he said
I know that he may want to use this chance to cut my concentration and beat me but I couldn’t allow that, I finally made a killer move;
‘Boom, check me,’ I said
‘Oh, you got me this time. let’s play another game and I like this that you can teach someone who instead becomes your master in the game. That’s a sign of development and growth,’ he said
The new game is set and here we go again. I make the first move as I respond to my father’s earlier question.
‘Of course, Dad, every promising business starts as either singular or owned by a couple of people who later sell it to the public through initial public offer to raise capital among other things. I hope to get in touch with like-minded people and for the type of business that I want to do, I will let it remain a surprise for now,’ I replied.
‘Okay, I get it but me personally, I don’t like surprises because do you know why?’ He said
‘No’
‘Don’t end up being surprised instead, but I wish you the best Son and it is a dream of every parent to have a successful child. That’s a blessing to anyone out there,’ he said
I make another killer move and boom;
‘Check me,’ I said
‘Oh no, its two down now. I admit that you are good one now and I need to get another partner to play with now. You are a league ahead of me,’ he replied
‘I have a suggestion for you,’ he said
‘Yes Dad,’ I replied
‘I am proposing that you go to college and pursue a foundation program like a Diploma in computer application and let me tell you why? everything now is computer linked and whatever business that you do these days, you must have some computer applicability somewhere and so you having that foundation in computer knowledge is not wastage of time but an addition to your managerial abilities in future,’ he said
‘Ok Daddy. I agree with you and thanks for the advice,’ I replied
‘You are welcome,’
I get up and walk to my room full of energy and besides I have won my Daddy too.
Laying on my bed and reminiscing over the conversations that I heard with my Dad, I totally agree with him that much as I admire and want to employ myself, I think getting a diploma in computer applications will boost my understanding and help me in future on how to fully operate my business. we have all heard stories of rich guys who never went to college and made it, some even abandoned college programs and built successful businesses and it is where I am tapping that energy from but for the sake of my father, let me enroll for the computer program.
Few hours later, Dad called me up from my bedroom and hands me a copy of the book.
‘Here is one the finest writers that this world has ever seen, go and read it and be inspired as you develop your inner self,’ he said
‘Thanks, you Dad,’ I replied
Looking at the cover of the book, it is,’’ Think and Grow Rich’’ by Napoleon Hill
’Think and Grow rich by Napoleon Hill, ’I said
‘Yes, that guy was one of the greatest writers in the 20th century who examined the principles of success. Just read it and you will tell me, it’s not a wastage of time,’ he replied
‘Ok, Dad. Thanks’
‘I walk back to my room but I admit that I am not a good reader. With all the technological advancements where almost is got online, I don’t know whether it is a disease of this new generation. Everyone hates reading. My mind tells me to scan the book through the internet and get to know the details without taking the trouble to read all that shit’.
I place the book on the top of my bed and reach for my laptop, open it and start it. I use my phone as a hot spot and browse through the internet and found the book. I look for the executive summary of the book and scan through it also.
Reading through the executive summary, I realize that the book talks about the habits and the sixteen laws that are needed to achieve success. it’s basically good literature I must admit and I love motivation statements included in there, it may have some sense anyway.
While in my bedroom, my phone buzzling and looks like someone is calling and on opening it, its Eva. that’s my girl calling;
‘Hello beautiful,’ I said
‘Hello dear,’ she replied
‘How are you doing’
‘I actually called you to ask you that same question. how are you doing, any plans for the evening,’ she said
‘No, just at home bored,’ I replied
‘Me too,’ she replied
‘Oh, can we make it in town for the cup of coffee,’ I said
‘Yeah’
‘We can meet there in about thirty minutes from now,’ I said
‘Where exactly,’ she replied
‘I was thinking about, the Grand Cafe Joint,’ I said
‘I don’t know the place,’ she replied
I send her directions and she remembers the place.
‘e can meet there,’ I said
‘Ok, dear,’ she replied
Getting a call like that one unexpectedly is a rare chance that any man would utilize to the maximum. she is calling me dear. I am thinking about using this chance to actually ask her to be my girlfriend and another part of me is telling me to just enjoy the moment and wait for what happens next. I don’t know what to say because my mind is now full of wild ideas but I hope that I control myself and don’t blow out this chance.
