If You Must Be Great

The next morning, Lanre mother woke up very early as it is her usual routine. She woke Lanre as well. Lanre frowned when her mother did. Was she waking her up to join her in cooking as well? Lanre could not help but detest that thought. She was too wasted for that.

“Lanre, wake up! We have to talk”. Lanre’s mother said. Lanre sat up hesitantly. She forced her half closed eyes open to look at her mother. It was just 3 am and she had slept at exactly 12 midnight. So she was still sleepy. She had thought she was going to wake up by 5 am instead of 3 am. But guess not under her mother’s watch.

“Ekaro ma!” She greeted her mother “good morning”. Her voice sounded like dried leaves being crushed. “What time did you sleep?” The mother asked. Lanre told her she slept by 12. She was expecting to hear her mother scolding her as usual but she didn’t get any. The woman didn’t even comment on that. Rather she went straight to discussing why she had woken Lanre up that early.

“Olanrewaju! You said you want to open a beauty parlour, right?” The mother asked. Lanre confirmed her mother’s words as the truth. The mother asked her if she had prayed over it and if she was sure it is what she wants. Lanre knowing that she has not prayed about it went ahead to tell her mother that she had and it was what she’s willing to do. The mother sighed.

“Where do you intend on getting a shop? Where would be best for you to set up your beauty parlour?” The mother asked. Lanre reasoned for a while. She told her mom that Lagos will be a better place for her to start up her shop. The mother asked her to go work under the woman she had learnt from for at least a month. If she’s done with that, then they can discuss further.

“But maami, I don’t want to work under anybody”. Lanre said. “Olanrewaju, if you must stand, you must first serve! Of you must be great, then you must have ate from the hands of the great. You have eaten once, now, go and serve. After your one month experience, if you should continue for another one month or not, time will tell. But when the time is right, we will open yours”. The mother said to her. She warned Lanre not to go against her wish. So Lanre had no option but to oblige. Perhaps, her mother has a reason for saying that.

Her mother told her to rest for that day and that she would have to go see her madam the following day. She was sure she would let her work for her since she was one of her best trainees.

Lanre readily hugged her bed. She welcomed sleep as it covered her like a blanket. Until tomorrow she thought as she went into oblivion of her external surrounding.