THE STORY OF A GHETTO BOY

I wanted to be sure I could handle the emotions that comes with making private matters public before publishing this. I wanted to be make sure it won't break me. It took me hours to think about it. And here I am writing about it; the events that led to the writing of my novel, Shattered Dreams, currently on Wattpad.

In 2021, after writing my first ever long fiction during the COVID-19 lockdown, I conceived the idea for my novel, Shattered Dreams.That same year, my parents had a major disagreement that almost led to divorce. 

I have always expected a disagreement, considering the fact that my parents have been in loggerheads for the longest time. However, I didn't expect the outcome.

It was December and school just ended. My mother and siblings said a prayer on my birthday being the tenth. And as usual, I was on top of my class. I was the best among the best and my family couldn't be anything but proud. To add to the excitement was the new novel I planned to write. The novel will focus on the sociopolitical events of Nigeria and Africa as a continent. However, this novel will be set in an imaginary country in West Africa during the 19th century.

In a rich Nigerian home, whenever a child performed so well in his education, the parents will spoil him. His parents will celebrate him by buying the whole world for him. This whole world can come in the form of clothes, toys and school bags. For teenagers, this might include new devices like smartphones and laptops.

Unfortunately, for my poor background, there was nothing my parents could get for me. My mother was struggling to pay off the debt accumulated by my father. All I got were prayers from my mother and siblings and congratulations message from my father. I couldn't ask for more even though I wanted so much. At that moment, I was so contented with what I have that I felt I could compete with the rich kids that got the whole world from their parents. I was even happier because my siblings were so proud of me. What more could I ask for?

In December,2020, my father who is a businessman, diverted the money he received for some goods to another business. The owner of this money kept visiting our house for her money. My father was at his business place in faraway Ikotekpene in Akwaibom State while my mother, siblings and I stayed at Ugwuagba Obosi,a town near the city of Onitsha, Anambra State. My mother tried calming this woman down. She even gave her monthly salary to this woman but her money wasn't complete. The action that followed it left us speechless.

I have always heard stories of how people took the properties of their debtors because they couldn't pay up their debts. I never knew it was real until it happened to me. That day, this woman came with her friend and took our properties; our small television, plastic chairs and my mother's phone. My siblings were begging and crying. At my corner, I was crying and singing one of those old sorrowful Igbo songs in Nollywood movies. And my mother proved to be strong. She just stood and watched these women carry our only television(up till this moment, there is no television in our house). She stood, holding back her tears and defying the eyes of the spectators and street gossips. She waved every pitiful and consoling comment aside knowing too well that they were meant to hear her own side of the story.

After they left, my mother held us together and said nothing. I listened to her heartbeats and noticed that she was holding back her tears. She wanted to be strong for us. No, she was strong for us. That moment with her taught me one thing; don't let that tough situation break you. This too shall pass.

My mother managed to call my father through our neighbour's phone. All he did was ranting.

I never knew we would survive that public disgrace. I never knew I would survive. But we did; I did. We moved on from the year of the global lockdown to 2021. Old things have passed away. Everything has been made new.

However, one would think that things would change in the new year. I mean, that's what every family in Nigeria prays for, that the evils that came with the old year ends with it. Unfortunately, things remained the same and even worse.

Around December 2021, my father diverted the money of the market women in the neighbourhood. This was the real public disgrace. The shame that came with this was on another level. That particular day, my mother was not around. And these women came and dragged us out of our home. I wore nothing except for a boxer that covered nothing. These women dragged me and my younger sister out of our home and kept shouting on our heads. It took the intervention of the men in the neighborhood to rescue us from the snares of these women.

And that was the last straw that broke my mother's back. A few days later,we traveled to our hometown,Awha Imezi, Enugu State. There,a new issue began. Lest I forget, my father also came home.

Tables were set. Judgement began. My mother told her kinsmen how she has been catering for the family and how my father kept abusing verbally at any slightest provocation. It wasn't her fault that he was no longer financially buoyant. She has been catering for the family but he kept using different words on her whenever they speak over the phone. To make matters worse was his constant diversion of women's hard-earned money. 

However, my father argued that he doesn't beat my mother and that is the most important thing. And for catering for the family's needs,he does his best to provide for the family by sending money for their daily feeding. When asked how much he sends,he boldly said two thousand naira for a family of four children! He doesn't know how much school fees is neither does he know how much the house rent costs.

That was all my mother's relatives needed. They decided that my father must tender an apology to my mother who they said was very skinny unlike when she was a spinster. However, my father refused. They decided that my father will take his children while my mother stays in her father's house. Besides, she is still young. If my father fails to comply before the holidays end, my mother's relatives will take her to Lagos, where she will get a new teaching job and probably get married if she wants to.

At that moment, I hated both of my parents. Yes, my father wronged my mother. My father wronged us. But before we traveled, my mother promised us that she will stay with us. Look at what is happening now. Even though I still spoke to my mother, I couldn't forgive her. Now, I have forgiven her but I it is hard to shake off this memory.

Then came that suggestion that wanted to kill my dream. My mother's relatives suggested that I should go for igba boyi. Igba boyi is an apprenticeship system, created by the Igbo people, which has created more billionaires than all the Nigerian universities. In igba boyi, you stay with your master and learn a trade for several years,as signed in an agreement. At the elapse of the agreed number of years, the servant will be settled with a specific amount of money which will help him establish his own business.

This suggestion seemed to fly because my father's relatives have always raised this to my father. But because my family was well knitted before the disagreement,it didn't take any effect. 

My mother's relatives kept making suggestions on where and who I will serve. They argued that if I do this, my siblings won't have any financial problem whatsoever.

While all these were going on, I was battling in my mind. I have heard stories of how many young boys ended their stay in their master's house with tears and sorrow. They are either not paid the  amount of money agreed or they are sent away because of one accusation or the other.

And yes, I wanted a better life for my siblings. I wanted my siblings to enjoy life to the fullest. But I can't just give up this ambition of mine. I have always dreamt of becoming an "internationally acclaimed" novelist and journalist. I have always wanted to be on the international stage representing Africa in the media, literature and fashion. I have always wanted to write, speak and make a statement. And I'm sorry that I'm not sorry. But I can't sacrifice this dream at the altar of family. Infact,if I achieve this dream, my siblings, my mother and my father will live a better life. In the good old days, my father will always boast about how he will address himself as the father of the "internationally acclaimed" novelist and journalist, Chidera Onuoha. His own son, Chinua Achebe in the making. Why ruin it now with this hell of a plan?

Eventually, when my mother's relatives summoned me, I said no. I wouldn't give up this dream of mine for anything in the world. Secondly, I won't be able to stand the shame when I see my master driving his children to school every morning. It just doesn't make sense.

I was surprised that my mother's relatives will respect my decision. Well, I'm not really surprised. Besides, they know that I am the best in my class. So, they were able to understand this dream that wants to drive me crazy.

And my siblings were so happy. They wanted a better life for themselves. But they understood that in the long run,they will need me.

My parents later made up. We are now a happy family just like before. But the scar still remains.

Now, listen.

I didn't write this story because I want to talk about my family.

I want to connect this story to the story of Ekene Chuma, one of the main characters of my novel, Shattered Dreams.

Ekene Chuma,a very intelligent boy, was made to leave school because his parents couldn't pay his school fees. He was sent to learn a trade at different places. But he always returned empty-handed. 

Ekene Chuma pushed a wheelbarrow on the streets of Umuaga just to pay his school fees. He did a lot of menial jobs to pay his school fees. Eventually, Ekene Chuma rose to become the youngest minister in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of Alasamba. It wasn't surprising, therefore, that he spent his days in government advocating for better governance for the people.

At this important,it is also important to note that I am not blaming my father for anything. Technically,he owes me nothing.

My father is a hardworking man. Unfortunately,he lives in a system where things are not working.

During the good old days, when Nigeria was still Nigeria(if you understand what I mean), everything thrived. People had enough to eat. 

Today, the reverse is the case. The economy is crumbling. And we have a government that keeps issuing political statements like American visa.

There are governments like this in Africa and around the world. A government that cares nothing about its people.

Most of these governments claim to be democratic. But underneath their sleeves are the elements of dictatorship.

I rest my case. Make sure you read my novel, Shattered Dreams, on Wattpad.

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My novel, Shattered Dreams, will soon be published and it will break barriers, shatter ceilings and changed narratives.

It will become a global bestseller.

It will break into global bestseller lists, win international awards and make a positive difference.

As for this companion blog,it will become a paid and sponsored platform.

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This is my story. Thank you for reading 💙

Yours sincerely,                                                      Chidera Onuoha.                                                    Nsukka, Nigeria.