Born great

Azu was the first child of his parents who had

four other children, but lacked the capacity to train

any of them to the secondary level of education.

Azu's siblings, two boys and two girls, were very

angry at their father, especially for his inability to

take care of their secondary education, but Azu was

unable to question his father, because he was quite

aged when the man had a problem at his place of

work that almost took his life.

Prior to that experience, Mr. Iwobi was a very

dedicated man whose dream was to see his children

through their education. He had planned for his

retirement and had resolved with his wife to take

only half of his salary, whilst the company kept the

other half until his retirement, so that his children

couldattend any height in their education through

the savings

He was a security officer in a well-established

company, but when his younger brother, Duru,

returned from a wayward journey in Gabon, he

Became problematic to ironing and was very dependent on him which moved iwobi to seek the help of his supervisor to employ duru

That was the beginning of his downfall.

The moment Duru discovered from a colleague

that Iwobi had huge savings with the company; he

began to take loans upon loans, without the

knowledge of his brother. When he had taken

enough that covered Iwobi's savings, he took the

last one and then resigned and disappeared.

Iwobi did not understand the reason behind

Duru's resignation and disappearance, until he was

summoned by their supervisor to reveal how much

his younger brother had taken from the company.

"Obviously, I am not aware", Iwobi said, as he

was invited.

"Well, first of all, you brought him here and

stood for him as a guarantor. Also, he used your

name each time he took loans and we were at peace

knowing that you have a huge sum with us, but the

last one he took obviously outweighs your savings

and we would require you to run around and clear

that before..." the supervisorplaced Iwobi on partial

dismissal till he had completed the loans taken by

Duru. When he arrived home that day, Iwobi almost

collapsed when he explained to his wife what just

happened. His wife also blamed him for having

taken an unreliable brother of his to a place he had

saved his entire life fortune

"So, how much is left to cover up the loans?"

Mrs. Iwobi asked.

"Six hundred thousand... "he barely finished

when his wife jumped from the couch to the ground.

"So, your brother took all your savings and still

incurred another six hundred thousand naira for you

to pay? Ohhhh she wailed.

Duru had never been reliable since his

childhood and on many occasions, he had brought

calamity to their parents, which many suspected as

the reason why their parents died early, under the

same health condition of hypertension.

To avoid being lynched by concerned family

members, he ran away to another country and only

resurfaced to depend on his only brother, who had

planned his life with his wife and seven

children. Everyone blamed Iwobi for being so carelesswith such awaywardbrother, who had

neither sympathyfor others, nor direction for his

own life. However, what was more important was for

Iwobi to pay the balance to his company, which be

had no idea of how to resolve.

The house in which they lived in the city was

owned by the company and they had been informed

to vacate as soon as possible. Iwobi had no house of

his own even in the village. His life savings had been

for his five children to go to any length of education

they wanted.

This decision was taken when he realized how

his own parents wanted to train him in school, but

each time they gathered money, Duru stole it and he

ended up in standard six. So, having had his own

children, he had decided to leave his savings with

the company and hoped that no one would be able

to have access to it, until his children were up to

certain ages, when he could take the money and

distribute in their accounts.

Only Azu, his first son was eleven years old. The

rest were still very young. His last daughter, Nkeiru, was still under three years, when they were forced

to relocate to the village. At the village, Iwobi was completely

diserganized, as he lacked any idea of how to begin.

He was shocked to realize that most of his age mates

had built their own houses, even with menial jobs,

which he had no knowledge of

Hetook his familyand moved into his father's

small house, and the next few days, he was able to

follow one of his mates, Ojo, who was a famouspalm

wine tapper, and went into the bush for some

coaching.

Gradually, he started tapping for himself and

when they were done for the day, they took the

wine to the market and sold to the visitors. After

each sale, Ojo and some of their mates, gathered at

one of the shops owned by a popular woman, who

cooked assorted foods and meats, to spend part of

their money, but Iwobi would run home

immediately to give his wife money for food and

then saved some part for the debt he was to pay.

That routine continued and no one was able to

mention the education of the children any longer.

Most times, people gossiped about Iwobi and called

him unprintable names, for abandoning his

children's education, yet he did not lavish money

like his other colleagues.

At that point, Azu, who was very good at

playing football got himself into a small team in the

village and after few outings, he became very

popular and well sought after. He was equally the

captain of his team and his coach valued him

greatly because of his dribbling skills.

One day, as Azu finished his training with his

team, one man who introduced himself as

Toti, approached him and invited himto come

foranother trainingin few days' time, where the

under seventeen team who would represent

Nigeria would be selected. Excitedly, Azu went for

the training and dazzled everyone who watched

them play.

Toti was so proud of him and quickly

introduced him to the main coach of the under

seventeen team, who was equally happy with Azu's

performance. However, there was a fee of two

hundred thousand to be paid to feature in the team

for the upcoming tournament, which the team had

qualified for.

"Listen," Toti said, "with this, you're made

already. Just talk to your father and let him arrange

the two hundred thousand for you and before you

know it, you're taken to represent the countryand

that's how it all begins. All those big guys in football

Didier Drogba, they all paid this kind of money, but

you hear of the likes of Mikel Obi, Samson Siasia,

look at them today. I think I have done my part, it's

now your turn."

"You will not understand, Sir." Azu managed to

say.

At home, Azu told his mother that he was

listed among the team to represent Nigeria in an

upcoming tournament, and excitedly, the woman

dragged him to his father, who was busy cleaning

his tapping materials.There, Azu broke the news of

the expected two hundred thousand and his

mother withdrew her hands in shock.

"You can't be serious. Where are you going to

get that kind of money? Obviously not from your

father, you already know what he's going through.

As every day passes, the company gets more

furious over their six hundred thousand, and we are

all sitting on a time bomb. You better look for

something else." His mother admonished.

Iwobi did not even utter a word. He knew how

much Azu loved to play football and to hear that he

had to pay such a huge sum as bribe, only broke his

heart. He managed to take his material and left forhis evening tapping, but it was not long after that

they heard some troubling news from the

bush Iwobi had fallen from the palm tree and

broken his rib.

Ojo and some of the youth brought him back

to the house and laid him on the floor, as he cried

bitterly

"I have told him to always wait for me, but he

refused. He forgot that he has not yet mastered the

craft."Ojo said.

They invited the woman who specialized in

bone-fixing. Her name was Ogbodia, and as she

arrived, she charged them the sum ofthirty five

thousand for the job, and Iwobi could not help but

cryout even louder as he heard the amount.

"How much have I gathered so far for the debt

and now I have to pay such amount to fix my bone?"

he wailed, but his wife tapped him to keep calm.

From then on, life became harder and more

unbearable for Iwobi and his family to a point that

they hardly could feed. Angela, Iwobi's wife had

gone around to see if there was anything she could

do to support her husband, but there was none.

Most people would not even allow her towork with them, because of her disability which

occurred during an accident she had with her

parents few weeks to her wedding to Iwobi. In fact,

both of her parents did not make it, but she survived

with the injury on her right hand, which she had

lived with all along.

They continued to feed on the little savings

after paying Ogbodia her own fee, and within few

days, they were left with nothing

One morning as they gathered to pray, they

heard a heavy bang on the door and quickly, Azu

rushed to open and it was two hefty men in suits.

Their looks alone could reflect nothing but trouble,

as they barely even responded to Azu's greeting

before asking for his father

"My father is inside." Azureplied

"Go and call him." One of them said in a bass

"He cannot come out, he had an accident." Azu

said.

Having waited for a while, Angela came out to

know who visited and immediately she saw them,

she recognized that they were from her husband's

former company. They were the ones used for debt

recovery.

Please gentlemen, my husband is in a very

bad shape at the moment. He fell from the tree a

few days ago and had been on local treatment.

May I ask that you give us some more time to

gather your money?" she pleaded.

They turned back without a word and left.

As Angela got back inside, her countenance

changed and they could hardly even conclude the

prayers, as she began to cry, but ensured that her

husband did not know who actually visited.

TEST QUESTIONS:

1. How many people visited Iwobi's house that

morning?.......

2. How much was Azu asked to pay as bribe to

play in a national team?........

3. Who brought Iwobi back from the bush after

he fell?.....

4. Who is Toti according to the story?.....

Who took Azu to train with under-

seventeen team? ...

On his way from training,Azu saw a carpentry

workshop and decided to enter for some enquiries

He was fascinated to see some young boys who

were being trained in the craft and he could not get

his eyes off them, as he asked the master for the

compulsory items to become an apprentice.

"You have to bring two cartons of beer, two

crates of malt, two crates of soft drink and twenty

thousand..."the man listed.

Azu ran home to tell his mother what he had

decided to do, but rather than embracethe idea,

Angela began to cry, again. It was as if tears had

become her companion.

She looked at her husband in that helpless

state and looked at their children that had been at

home while their mates were in school. She held

Azu by his shoulder and whispered into his ears...

"My dear, you will not become a carpenter."

"But what can I do, mama?" Azu cried out, "/

am only trying to help. I cannot even continue in my

football career, because we don't have the money to

pay for me to feature in a national team. I cannot go

to school either, because there is no money. What

can I do, mum, what?"

As Angela looked at Iwobi where he laid, he

was also soaked in tears and so were the rest of the

children. It was so bad that no one could help to

calm the other.

Finally, Iwobi encouraged his wife to take

Azu to see the carpenter and plead with him to

train him without the compulsory items, whilst

they prepared for them before he could complete

his one year training.

Angela was a woman with great regard for

her husband, and despite the fact that Iwobi was

in that 'sorry' state, he was still the one in charge

and his words were revered by both his wife and

children, Azu especially.

The next morning, Angela took Azu to the

carpenter and pleaded with him to train Azú

while they arranged for the items later, and

seeing how enthusiastic Azu was, the man

accepted. The man's name was Akpako. Azu was

told to resume the next day.

Azu's first day at the carpentry

workshoprevealed to him that most of the boys

he saw while passing, were only part-time

trainees. They went to school in the morning and

then resumed at the workshop after school.

Thismeant that he was the only one available that

morning and had tobear all the responsibility of

apprenticeship until his mates were through with

school.

Akpako asked him why he could not attend

school like his mates and painfully, Azu shared theexperience of his father and why they were chased

down to the village.Rather than express sympathy,

Akpako became disappointed with himself for

having allowed chronic debtors to swindle him. He

got worried about the possibility of Azu's parents

being able to meet their obligations in respect of his

trainingand therefore, he marked Azu for undue

punishments.

As a regular alcoholic consumer, Akpako sent

Azu to buy him some bottles of beer, but Azu

reminded him that his own father did not involve in

such and had never sent him or his siblings on such

errands.

"Are you mad?" Akpako shouted, as he

grabbed his belt and started to flog Azu, mercilessly.

The other people around did not even bat an

eye. They seemed to have known him with such

character and only pitied parents who still brought

their children to him without proper investigations.

Before the other boys returned from school to

join Azu that day, his back was already messed up

with injuries.

One of the boys known as Chidera, was the

one who encouraged Azu and told him to endure

whatever their master may have done to him as a

price he had to pay to learn thecraft.

"Do you people suffer like this?"Azu asked.

on since he left. His father, on the other hand, was

still in bed, suffering from the injury he sustained

while tapping palm wine, which many had

attributed to the fact that he was inexperienced on

the job.

All this ran through Azu's mind each day and if

beating was all it took to learn carpentry, he was

more than ready to face it. Also, he was the one

who brought money for feeding every day from the

little he got from their customers, who loved him

for his cheerfulness, despite the torture they saw

him go through.

Akpako had done everything known to man to

frustrate Azu, as a revenge for the delay in his

payment, but the boy kept being strong and

exhibited awillingness to learn. He had tried to hide

the basic things from him, but little did he know

that Chidera also coached Azu on the vital things

whenever he was not around.

One morning, as Akpako went to have his

usual drink, a customer came and brought his small

chair to be fixed. Since Azu was the only one at the

shop, he was able to fix ittothe customer's

admiration and the man paid him for the job and

also gave him some money for himself.

Excitedly, Azu gave the money to Akpako

when he returned, and joyfully explained to him

how he satisfied a customer and got paid, hoping

that such news would please his master. Akpakoasked him how he managed to know the job up to

that level...

In order not to implicate Chidera, Azu kept

quiet and stylishly moved backward, since he knew

how frequent Akpako loved to beat him.As he

moved, he was shocked to see Akpako take the

hammer on the floor and throw it at him.

Azu fell down and fainted. There was blood all

over the place.

TEST QUESTIONS:

1. Who taught Azu some skills at the carpentry

workshop?...

2. Chidera hated Azu. True or false?.....

3. Why did Akpako beat Azu on his first day at

work? ........

4. Was Azu the one who brought money for

feeding in their house? ........

5. Why was Azu able to endure all the pains

inflicted on him by his master?... People gathered to pick Au up from the floor

The hammer had broken a part of this head, as he bled

It was at the dinic, where he was rushed to that

his mother got to know how often her son had been

beaten by Axparo and he never bothered to tell them

"Oh my goodnessAngela shouted as Chidera

told her how often their master beat up Azu for no

just cause. "Could it be because we were not able to

pay for his training? she wondered.

Akpako was the one who paid for the

treatment, but after four days which azu spent at the

dinic, he was discharged and Angela told him never

to return to the workshop anymore, but Azurefused.

"What do you mean; do you want him to kill

you? Look, I have been informed how often he beats

you even from the first day you started, but you kept

all this from me. Why?"Angela salid in tears.

"Are you asking me why? Who will take care of

you, my siblings and papa? Who..." Azu could not

conclude his statement as tears flowed down his

cheek.

Angella remembered how rosy life used to be

when she got married to Iwobi and how they had

planned to take care of their children, but life had

taken entirely a new turn on them. She

remembered her parentsin that ghastly car

accidentfew weeks to her marriage, which

rendered her incapacitated. She remembered her

only brother who lost his life in prison, over a crime

he did not commit. She remembered her husband's

only brother, Duru, who became nothing but a

thorn in their flesh and who brought the calamity

upon them and disappeared.... Her tears became

uncontrollable.

Born Great

"If only I have anyone I can call on. If only

Dubem-my only brother did not follow his friend to

that party where they were arrested and judged

over a crime he knew nothing about. If only..."she

continued to lament, but was interrupted by Iwobi's

scream, as he fell on the floor.

He had wanted to try walking by all means, but

landed himself on the ground. Ogbodia was

immediately called on to come for immediate

attention on him.

"Common Ogbodia, when will my husband

start to walk? He has been on this chair for far too

long." Angela shouted, out of frustration.

"Madam, na 'small-small." Ogbodia said, as

she took her tools to leave.

Gradually, frustration began to set in for

Angela, as she watched her children walk about

everyday without attending school, when their

mates were almost about to finish. In fact, the worst

issue at the moment was hunger,

She then decided to take them around to beg

for some help. Only Azu refused to join them She

however did not inform Iwobi about it, because

knowing her husband; he was capable of refusing her

from begging, even though there was no other

option available.

Azu went back to Akpako's shop after his wound

was healed, but the man told him to stop, until his

parents had brought his twenty five thousand naira

and other items required for his apprenticeship. It

was then that it dawned on Azu thatall the beatings

and punishments meted on him were just signals to

remind him of his parents' inability to pay for his

training.

Azu became depressed. Different thoughts ran

through his mind at once, as he walked home.

Suddenly, he sawhis mother and siblings at a

distance, as they stood at the junction, begging. He

saw how some people looked at them with

disrespect and disgust. Azu threw himself on the

road and shouted out in pain.

The next time he woke up, he was in the

hospital. He looked around and saw nurses walking

around on duty, and closely beside him, was a man

that looked familiar, and as he turned his face to

recognize him, the man shouted out of joy....

"He's awake, he's awake..."

The nurses came for him and began to

administer medications on him. He then recognized

the man as one of his admirers when he played

football.

""What happened to me, sir?Azu asked the

"My dear, you almost got yourself killed. Why

did you cross the road like that?"the man, who

introduced himself as Ozo, said.

man.

Realizing that he was at the hospital, Azu

became afraid of how he was going to settle the bills,

especially as Ozo had told him that the driver, who

hit him with his vehicle, ran off with the thought that

he was dead.

Angela only heard of the incident later on and

rushed in amid tears, but Ozo told her not to worry

about the bills.

"He has told me what you people are going

through." Ozo told Angela. "Well, for this one, just

leave the bill to me. My joy is that he was not badly

injured in a way that could have affected him in his

career."

Angela was happy to hear of the relief, but she

also wondered what career Ozo meant. To her, Azu's

chances for football had been defeated by their

inability to pay the bribe required, and he had long

abandoned the dream of becoming a footballer.

However, as soon as Azu was discharged, Ozo

took him to his house and began another level of

coaching on him. He told him to consider himself the

breadwinner of the family, despite the

circumstancesaround him at the moment.

"Look my friend, I have watched you play

football, and I will tell you this; among the people

chosen to represent the country for that under

seventeen tournament, none could play like you. You

are highly gifted in football and I want you to reorder

your priorities and begin afresh. You're still young."

Immediately, Azu's love for football was

rekindled.

TEST QUESTIONS:

1. Who paid Azu's hospital bills?....

2. Why did Azujump on the road?......

3. Who took her children to beg?

4. Who is Ogbodia according to this story?

5. Why did Akpako refuse Azu from coming to his

shop? ....... Azu walked out of Ozo's house a different

person, with higher hope to become a better

footballer. As soon as his body got back to shape, he

started intensive training and his admirers were

happy to see him back on track.

In order to raise money enough to bribe his

way to the team in the next tournament. Azu

started a carpentry shop in their house. Despite the

fact that he did not complete his apprenticeship

under Akpako, he was determined to succeed and

whenever he had tough jobs, he invited Chidera,

who was more than willing to support him, and

whoalready had concluded his own training, but

waited for his parents to set up a shop for him.

Azu's major challenge was the money to buy

tools, and Ozo was able to lend him some money

with which he got the most needed ones and each

time Chidera visited, he brought along some

important tools also, to help out.

When Akpako discovered that Chidera often

visited Azu for help, he banned him from entering

his shop and immediately, Chidera's parents

supported them with money for tools and they

became a force in that area.

Gradually, Azu began to provide the basic

27needs for his family and Angela could not thank

him enough to have come to their aid. She also

stopped begging under the instruction of Azu,

Through the partnership, Azu and Chidera

became closer than before and encouraged each

other always. Chidera, who had completed his

secondary education, opted to proceed to the

university and Azu supported him. His parents

were so happy to know he had a friend like Azu. He

only came to shop when he was through with his

daily lectures, as he chose a university that was

very close to them.

In return, Chidera also advised Azu to go back

to school, but Azu refused and instead, sent his

younger ones, so that he could save more money

for his ultimate dream of playing football. He had

been training seriously and had gathered more

fans for himself than ever before.

One day, as Azu visited the pharmacy to get

drugs for his father, he ran into a man that

recognized him so well, but Azu could not figure

out where exactly he knew the man.

"Do you mean you don't recognize me at all?

Think, think very well", the strange man said.

Azu looked at him for a while and shouted,

"Oh my goodness."

They both hugged each other and the man

28country, and he was just fifteen years old at the time.

to travel with his team. He told Chidera to always

Azu returned home very happy as he prepared

ensure that his parents and siblings lacked nothing

in his absence, especially food.

"My son,

I have not been able to give you the life I had wanted,

because of what my brother put me into, but I know

that God will not forget the pain in my heart, even as

I lay in this chair. As you go, may you find favour

before God and men..." Azu echoed "Amen" to all his

prayers and thereafter, left in tears, as he bade his

family 'goodbye'.

"said Iwobi in his wheel chair, "I know I

The tournament lasted for one month and was

televised throughout the world and indeed, Azu was

the man of the entire season. Aside from the fact

that his team won the first position, Azu also

secured a deal to play for another popular team

outside the country and his sign-off fee ran into

billions.

There was a great jubilation when Azu

returned to his home country, and even the

President was very glad to meet him. All of a sudden,

Azu became a celebrity that moved around with

escort.

The first thing he did was to settle his father's

debt of six hundred thousand naira, incurred by his

uncle, ansurgeries and both of them returned healthy. Iwobi

could then walk and Angela's hand was also made

well.He sent his younger ones to better schools and

opened a bigger showroom for his friend, Chidera,

because of his love for the craft.

"My son, I also want you to go to school. That is

a price you must pay to make me happy and ensure

that my dream for my children come to pass", Iwobi

pleaded with Azu.

"Do not worry about that, Papa." Azu replied, "I

have already enrolled into a good school in my host

country."

TEST QUESTIONS:

1. Who gave Azu his phone number?

2. Azu had a partner before leaving for abroad.

What was his name?

3. Did Chidera disappoint his friend?

4. Azu later opened a big showroom. For who?

5. Why did Azu take his parents abroad?.....

31d then took his parents abroad for

30For years, Azu's name was heard in every

football. His reign became very unprecedented a

national discourse, especially when it concerned

one in his country had gone to that extent in the

history of football. He had built several magnificent

houses and even gave some to the poor. He bought a

very good car for Ozo and also placed him on monthly

salary.

One day, Azu visited his home country to see his

family, and decided to join his old team mates at their

training ground. When he was done, he drove

towards his village and suddenly ran into a beautiful

lady who introduced herself as Amara.

Azu's attention towards Amara was quite swift

because of her disposition. Amara was a die-hard

fighter, who believed in the power of spoken words.

Little wonder she was a counselor. Azu fell in love with

her.

"What do you do for a living?"Azu asked.

"Well, I go about sensitizing people like me on

the need to own their own minds and live their lives to

the full despite unavoidable stigmatization meted on

us. I use my experience to help them." Amara replied.

am quite at a loss," Azu admitted, "What

happened to people like you?"

"Well, if you must know, I am 'SS'." Amara

answered.

"Excuse me,"Azu got even more confused.

"It means I have sickle cell anemia... O' Yes!

And I have paid unbeatable prices for this. I have lost

multiple relationships, jobs and even friends.

However, it got to a stage in my life whenGod

opened my eyes to see a seed of greatness that

needs to be nurtured. I now believe that each of us

was 'born great' and all we need is to recognize it,

grab it and then live it..." Amara preached, and Azu

was completely lost in her oratory, accompanied

byher undeniable beauty.

"Wow! I must say you have made my day." Azu

admitted, "My own name is..."

"You don't have to mention it," Amara cut in

with a smile, "everyone knows you. I am sure your

name rings bell even in Jupiter." She teased Azu.

Azu then took her out and narrated his life

experience to her and Amara was awed to hear of

such experience from a man whom the whole worldhad known as spotless.

Azu later proposed to Amara and she

accepted.

After their wedding, Azu took her abroad to his

base, and there she underwent a bone-marrow

transplant, which permanentlyended her sickle cell

condition, and together, they lived happily after...

One Sunday morning, Iwobi and his wife and

children came out of their magnificent house, in one

of the exotic cars Azu left for them, and behold,

there stood Duru, looking so tattered and

frustrated.

"I am so sorry, my brother," Duru begged Iwobi

and his wife, as they came down from the car to

catch a better glimpse of him, "I did not mean to do

that, it was the work of the devil..."

Iwobi and Angela looked at each other in direction

the end