Amadi sat in his room. The cockerel had crowed for about 4 times yet he had not arisen from his bed. He thought about where his life was going. At 19 he didn’t even have a 1st School Leaving Certificate, which was the lowest proof education. He felt sad but he never liked to show his emotions. Sometimes whenever he felt like crying he would hit himself over the head to avoid the tears, it was as if he was afraid of emotions. His younger brother Chidi had always called him Okonkwo whenever they joked. This was because Okonkwo, a man from ‘Things Fall Apart’ never showed emotions. Amadi had a lot of similarities with Okonkwo. He did things briskly and was obsessed with looking out for his family.
He came out of his hut, Chidi was waiting for him. “Ah Amadi I have been waiting for you to wake up. I want you to follow me to Brother John’s house to beg him to take me to Onitsha.” Amadi looked at his brother for a second as if to say “Do you really need me to come to John’s house with you?” “Eh okay just wait let me go and put on my shirt and then we will go there eh” Amadi went into his hut and put on his best shirt and a pair of trousers. “Oya lets go”. They brothers talked about their futures as they walked. Amadi admired the way his brother was enthusiastic about leaving the village. At least his brother was not one of the ‘efulefus’ (useless people) in the village. Amadi too planned to leave the village and go to Abuja. He would tell Chidi when the finished from John’s house.
John was outside his house peeling yams when he saw Amadi and Chidi. “Ah my brothers you people have remembered me today hey!”The all hugged and John brought out a bench for them from his house. When they had all sat down, Amadi spoke. “John, you know my brother Chidi very well so I guess I will not need to explain a lot about him. There is no need to beat around the bush so I will tell you our mission here. Chidi is finishing school in a matter of 2 weeks and you know my family eh” Amadi paused and chuckled, they all laughed “As I was saying eh you know my family is big and my father will not be able to send Chidi to university. I want to ask you if you can please take him with you to Onitsha when you are going eh and please assist him with university. In return he will work for you in you shop eh and you know my brother is a very hardworking boy. He will work well and he is also very honest so your money is safe eh?” They all laughed again as if it was an organised laugh but Johns laugh was the loudest. John then cleared his throat “Amadi I have heard you. Chidi is like a younger brother to me and I am willing to help him any possible way I can. I will take him to Onitsha with me and if it is about university you are worried about don’t worry. My girlfriend’s brother is a Professor in Nnamdi Azikiwe University so I will speak to him. But my business is important to me. Chidi it is in front of your brother I am begging you oh please I do not tolerate stealing or anybody trying to 419 me in my business eh. I trust you anyway so it will be easy for us. So don’t worry eh” Chidi went on his knees and thanked John. Amadi was happy, he felt that he had helped his brother in a big way and wore a big smile on his face. “So John when are you leaving?” John coughed loudly “Well I will be leaving the village next week Sunday. If it is his results he wants to collect then he will come back to they village to collect them or will it take 5 years to collect?” John said laughing “Eh he will come back for them”
Amadi rose from his chair “Well John thank you so much for today. We have to be going now so I can tell my father the good news. May God continue to bless you everyday as you rise and every night as you lay in your bed” “Amen!” John and Chidi responded to Amadi’s prayer. The two brothers then left John’s house and journeyed back home. Amadi was very happy for his brother; Chidi took his steps really fast almost as if he was running. “My brother I am so happy for you oh. Before I forget I want to tell you that I am going to be leaving the village this Tuesday for Abuja. You know when I was living with Mr Theophilus, our neighbour’s houseboy Musa and I were quite close. I bumped into him the other day when I was in Onitsha and he gave me his address and suggested I come and stay with him in Abuja. There is nothing for me in this village to wait for so I think I will go to Abuja and at least start a small business. I wanted to tell you this morning but I thought we should sort you out with John so that you and me can explain all to Papa tonight. So what do you think?” Amadi said and looked at his brother with an eye that begged to agree. “This is great news brother at least now I wont feel so bad about leaving you behind alone in this village. Just don’t go to Abuja to start eating their Tuwo Geda, I heard it makes you fart a lot. The brothers laughed in uniform. Amadi had a warm feeling in his heart. “I hope papa will not say we are running away from him oh, anyway I am sure he will be happy for us.”
When they got back to their compound, the kids were chasing Koki the goat. Sometimes Amadi wondered how the goat felt about being chased every day. Wasn’t she stressed, by the size of her belly Amadi wondered how the goat had the energy to run every time. Maybe she was running for the fear of being slaughtered for a get together. Their father was sitting outside his room when the brothers went to him. “Papa how are you? Looks like you are trying to relax I hope we are not disturbing you?” Amadi asked. “Ah my boy you are not. You and Chidi look very well today as if you have just found a pot of Gold. Do you want to share your joy with me?” Mazi Nduka then gestured his sons to come into his room. He sat on his bed while Amadi and his brother sat on a mat. Amadi then cleared his throat and spoke “Papa I just wanted to inform you that I will be leaving the village on Tuesday. You know things have not been working well for me here and my friend Musa has invited me to come and stay with him in Abuja and start a business. I don’t want you to think that I am leaving you all alone in the village but I want you to realise that this is for the best in the family. Also Chidi and me went to see John earlier today and he has agreed to take Chidi to Onitsha with him next week Sunday. He has also agreed to sponsor Chidi through University and in return Chidi will assist him in his shop. We came to ask for your blessing and also your opinion but I think I speak for us both when I say we are very happy about the situation.” Amadi thought that his father would immediately stand up and start shouting that his sons were leaving him but when he looked into his father’s eyes he noticed something. His father’s eyes were welling up but he was smiling. Mazi Nduka cleared his throat. “My children you don’t know how happy I feel right now. I spent the last few days worrying about your future but I am so proud that I have sons who are ready to get up and sort themselves out. May God continue to bless you forever and ever oh. Chidi I know you will make me proud. Obey John. Never do anything that will annoy him and most of all be honest with him. Amadi my son you have always made me proud in whatever you do. When you get to Abuja never forget why you are there. Grab every opportunity that comes your way and always remember your family is proud of you. The brothers then knelt down while their father placed his hands each on their heads and said a prayer for them. Amadi noticed how his father’s voice broke in between then will take a deep breath and keep praying. Amadi’s nose felt hot. He wanted to cry, and he could even feel his eyes welling up. “No I won’t cry now. It won’t make a difference whether I cry or not. Be strong Amadi, be strong,” he thought in his head. When the prayer was over both brothers left their father’s room.
“Amadi I am just going to rush to see Amara. I need to discuss this movement with her” Chidi said. “Why! Is it her business? This boy you need to spend less time with that girl oh. Anyway I’m going to go to the square this evening. You coming?” Amadi asked his brother. “No I will be busy I’ll see later or tomorrow eh. Ngwa bye bye oh!” Chidi ran off. Literally. Amadi shrugged his shoulders and headed off to Obinna’s house. On his way he wondered, “What does that boy see in Amara eh? My brother is too good for an Osu girl. I think she is doing something to him if not why would such a well-educated fine young man keep going to see an outcast every day. Well whatever she has given him will not work. Tufia! It will not work. Chidi! Chidi open your eyes oh before it’s too late.”
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