Chapter 27: Awọn igbesẹ mi si titobi (My steps to greatness)7

After crying all my heart while hugging him, he sat me down and smiled.

"Kini aṣiṣe ( What is wrong)" His voice cool and true. His deep voice made all the walls I have been building inside me to fall apart; The fears, the distance, the darkness, the shame. I want to share it with him. Though my mom is always there.

He is like my left shoulder while my mom is my right shoulder, which I can always lean on.

"Mo bẹru pupọ. Eru ti jijeki mama mi wale. bẹru ti jije ohunkohun. bẹru ti ... ti .. ( I am so scared. Scared of letting my mom down. scared of being nothing. scared of ...of ..)" Those words choked me. I felt a sting in my chest that made me cough roughly. But with his warm big hands on my back, it made me feel relieved and comfortable....I felt warm with those fatherly gaze of his.

" Farabalẹ, Emi ko yara yara fun ọ. ( Calm down, I am not rushing you.)"

He came to sit beside me with his hands still on back, patting it gently, like how my usually does when I'm like this.

His scent filled the air, chalk and clean soap. It smelled nice and comforting.

My head buried in my palms in fear of him seeing me this way, though he had already.

His voice deep and steady sounded close to my ears but sounded like an echo of inspiration and comfort.... so far away but close.

" Iberu! Ko si nkankan! fifun silẹ! (Fear! Nothing! letting down!)" He let out a small chuckle that made me lift my head to face him.

I thought why did he laugh? Did he just laughed at me? at my predicament? or at something else?

" Ọmọbinrin, jẹ ki n sọ itan kan fun ọ (Girl, let me tell you a story)" He smiled brightly before patting me on the head.

" Itan naa jẹ nipa ọmọdekunrin kekere ti ko ni nkankan yato si bata meji ti baba rẹ fi silẹ. Awọn obi ọmọkunrin naa ku nigbati o kere ju ọdun meji lọ si ẹ. O nigbagbogbo n bẹru ti jijẹ aibanujẹ si awọn obi rẹ ti o ku gẹgẹ bi iwọ, o bẹru pe ko si nkankan ni ọjọ iwaju. Ohun ti o joju julo .. (The story is about a little boy who has nothing apart from two shoes left by his father. The boy's parents died when he was just two years younger than you. He constantly lives in fear of being a disappointment to his dead parents just like you, he fears being nothing in future.

The most funny thing..)" He smiled a little before continuing with that baritone voice of his "Botilẹjẹpe o wa ni ibẹru, ọmọdekunrin naa lọ kiri yika jafara igbesi aye rẹ nitori o ro pe ohun gbogbo dabi ireti. O sun labẹ afara, jẹun lati inu erupẹ eruku, bẹbẹ ni ayika. O tun n ba aye re sofo .... titi di ojo kan, gege bi oni .... Omobinrin, e mo pe Olorun yan awon Angeli kan tabi meji lati ran wa lowo ... gege bi oni, o pade angeli re nigbati o fe mu ni igbesi aye ... ( Though living in fear, the boy went around wasting his life because he thinks everything seems hopeless. He sleeps under the bridge, eat from the dustbin, beg around. He still went on wasting his life....till one day, just like today.... Girl, you know God assigns one or two Angels to assist us... just like today, he met with his angel when he almost took is life...)" He paused a little, he couldn't hide the little drop of tears that fell from his eyes

I usually wondered why he cried then...I couldn't understand it.

He let out choked sigh before continuing " Angẹli yẹn tàn imọlẹ diẹ si ẹmi ọmọkunrin dudu. Awọn ibẹru rẹ yipada si ipinnu ati awokose. Igbesẹ akọkọ ti ọmọde ni lati bẹrẹ lati ibẹrẹ .... kọ ẹkọ lati ọdọ awọn miiran ... o ta omi mimọ ni awọn ita lati ni owo diẹ lati ka. O fi ẹgan fun ọpọlọpọ awọn nkan, pẹ to. O gba nitori o gbagbọ pe awọn obi rẹ ran angẹli yẹn si ọdọ rẹ lati ṣe iranlọwọ fun u. O ṣe ọpọlọpọ awọn iṣẹ ajeji ni ọjọ-ori kekere rẹ. Lakoko ti ọjọ-ori rẹ ṣe alabapade nibiti o wa ni ile-iwe ... Ọmọbinrin, o mọ pe o ni orire pupọ lati jẹ ki awọn obi rẹ wa laaye, nini ohun gbogbo ti o nilo, nini lati lọ si ile-iwe ni awo ti goolu kan .... Nitorina fẹran rẹ. Shebi Mo sọ fun ọ pe ọmọdekunrin naa ni bata bata meji ti baba rẹ ti o fi silẹ, iyẹn ni iṣura nikan ti ọmọdekunrin ni, o lọ si ọpọlọpọ iye lati tọju rẹ .... nitori pe o ṣe iyebiye pupọ o tọka si ifarahan ti awọn obi rẹ ti o ku ... Nitorinaa ṣojukokoro ohunkohun ti o ni ṣaaju ki o to gba lọwọ rẹ nigbati o ko ba mọ ... Ọmọkunrin naa lilu ni ọpọlọpọ igba ṣugbọn nigbagbogbo o pinnu lati gba owo lati lọ si ile-iwe ... owo ile-iwe dabi 3000 naira nikan ṣugbọn ọmọkunrin n ṣe aadọta naira fun ọjọ kan ... nitorinaa ṣe iṣiro ọjọ melo ni o ni lati jiya lati gba naira 3000 lati lọ si ile-iwe (That angel shone a little light on the boy's dark soul. His fears turned to determination and inspiration. The boy's first step was to start from the beginning....learn from others...he sold pure water on the streets to earn some money to be educated. He was insulted for so many things, so long. He took it in because he believed that his parents sent that angel to him to assist him. He did many odd jobs at his little age. While his age mates where in school... Girl, you know you are so lucky to have your parents alive, having everything you need, having to go to school in a platter of gold.... So cherish it. Shebi I told you the little boy has two pairs of shoes left by his dead father, that was the only treasure the boy has, he went to many extent to cherish it.... because it was so precious and it signifies the presence of his dead parents... So cherish anything you have before it gets taken from you when you aren't aware... The boy got beaten up several times but constantly he was determined to get the money to go to school... the school fees was like 3000 naira only but the boy makes 50 naira per day... so calculate how many days does he have to suffer to get 3000 naira to go to school?" )

I felt guilty and sad that I started crying again. That boy suffered alot. Am I so lucky? am I?

" ọgọta ọjọ !! O dara ọgọta ọjọ ti irora ati ibanujẹ !! (sixty days!! Good sixty days of pain and sorrow!!)"

I felt it. The pain and the bravery of the boy. He is more brave than I. This little boy became my inspiration and determination. Though I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth and my parents are still alive...I will be determined just like this boy and cherish everything I have.

He told me this to teach me how to turn my fears to my strength and courage. I'll use it well. I made up my mind. I, Morenikeji, the daughter of Florence, I will be determined and be tough... My fears will be my strength and courage...I will make it...if the world likes it or not.

He was about to continue with the story when a voice interrupted....it was that human...he was standing by the door with head bowed.

" Morenikeji, awọn ... (Morenikeji, the ...)"

"Mo n bọ ( I am coming)" I won't let him remind me ... though, I have totally forgotten about it.

I got on my feet and packed up my things.... I turned to look at the most handsome man in the whole world still sitting on the floor, eyes lowered with almost invisible tears falling. I couldn't think, the only thing I did was to run and hug him...I was taller than him in this position.. but he was bigger than me.

I wrapped my arms and heart around him... it looked weird for a student comforting a grown man...a teacher.

I patted his back the same way he did, slow and steady.

He let out a little laugh before gently pushing me away and looked at my face " Ọmọbinrin, o ṣeun fun eyi .... ati kilode ti o fi sọkun? (Girl, thank you for this.... and why are you crying?)"

I didn't know that I was crying...I never knew it.

" Emi kii ṣe ... iwọ ni iwọ n sọkun (I'm not... you are the one crying)"

" Haha, Emi kii ṣe ... agbalagba eniyan ko kigbe (Haha, I'm not...a grown man doesn't cry)"

" Lẹhinna ọmọbinrin kekere ko sọkun (Then a little girl doesn't cry)"

" Iro ohun .... nitorinaa o jẹ ọmọbinrin kekere .... ọmọbinrin kekere maṣe sọkun mọ! Ṣe o ye ọ (Wow.... so you are little girl.... little girl don't cry ever again! Do you understand?)"

"Bẹẹni sir ( Yes sir)"

We both laughed like nothing happened... and gave each other a last big warm hug for the day.

" Ri ola omoge (See you tomorrow girl)"

" Mn... Morenikeji"

" Esugbemi"

He gave me a loud shining smile before I left the class with that annoying human.

I won't ever let my fears to win.... Never!!