Early in the morning on a particular day, Mrs Okechukwu was in the kitchen frying plantain. Her husband was in the living room, reading some news online as he awaited his breakfast. He was dressed up to go to work. He was sipping from his cup of coffee.
"So this is what woke me up this morning", Wisdom stood by the kitchen entrance, his mouth watering at the sight of food. His Mum giggled, knowing it was a compliment.
Wisdom walked up to her. "Good morning Mum", he kissed her at the cheek.
"Good Morning my Son", she responded. She kept the food and the eating utensils on a tray to serve to her husband. Wisdom left the kitchen through the second door, into the parlour, where his Dad was.
"Good morning Dad", he greeted and sat on a chair.
"Good morning Wis...Ifeanyi", his Dad responded, refusing to call him but the first name.
"Breakfast's ready to be served", Mrs Okechukwu walked into the parlour, holding a tray that carried the breakfast and other necessary things.
She prepared him noodles, complemented with fried egg and fried plantain. She kept the tray on the table and gestured for him to come over to the dining table.
Mr Okechukwu began eating his breakfast. "I don't know how you do it but your noodles are always spectacular honestly", he praised his wife.
"Wisdom! Your food's in the kitchen well covered, whenever you want to eat, you can go have your breakfast", she said to her son. Wisdom nodded his head to indicate he'd heard what she said.
"Daddy it's been three years after secondary school, when will I write my UTME?", Wisdom complained.
"The year I feel you'll pass the exam...that's the year you'll write it", his Dad replied vaguely, having his breakfast hungrily.
"These two and their incessant unnecessary arguments", Mrs Okechukwu said to herself. She sat right beside her husband.
"You've forgotten how good my SSCE is", Wisdom snapped back.
Mr Okechukwu wanted standing up out of anger but his wife called him down. He breathed out heavily, feeling cool-headed;"I took you to a miracle centre, you did nothing but to copy down answers from the board and pasted them on your answer sheet. I just didn't want to bear the shame of my Son having to sit for SSCE a second time...me?", he beat his chest, "A Professor? I wouldn't let that happen."
"What do you want to be to earn a living?", Mrs Okechukwu inquired of Wisdom.
"Well...I want to be a secular musician", he glimpsed at his Dad.
Mr Okechukwu bursted out laughter uncontrollably out of the blue. As it prolonged, Wisdom and his wife saw it as alarming.
"Your singing voice is so horrible. Autotune won't even make it nice to listen to", he laughed at Wisdom out of mockery. Wisdom felt hurt but did not want to show it.
"Why are you rude to our Son?", Mum reprimanded Dad.
"You haven't heard him sing, that's why you're against me", he giggled.
"Sing for me darling, don't mind your annoying Papa", she attempted making Wisdom feel better. His mood became brightened up and he began singing.
His singing voice was horrible, Dad was genuinely right about that. Mum tried enduring the bad experience, forcing out a smile for Wisdom not to feel hurt. Mr Okechukwu smirked at her surreptitiously, knowing quite well she was taking the smile and enthusiasm.
She could not take it anymore and sought for an excuse. She looked at the wall clock and an idea popped into her mind. "It's okay Son! Just realized I have to prepare and get going to the shop", she said, interrupting him.
Wisdom glimpsed at the clock and got confused. "But you always go to the shop by 10am and it's not even up to 8am yet", he pointed at the clock.
His Mum found out her mistake but stuttered;"Today's a special day...I...I...I just feel so motivated to start early today." She walked out of the parlour.
"But Mummy, I haven't finished...", Wisdom stretched his arms wide.
"I'll miss you too darling. Have a nice day", she interrupted him quickly and briskly went to her room.
Wisdom became pale, he tried forgetting about what happened though. He sighed, exhaling the pale feeling away. He turned to talk to his Dad;"So Dad, as I was saying..."
He was cut short and fazed when he saw his Dad wearing a headphone, listening to music. "Oh come on!", he kept his hands on the waist, slightly furious.
* * *
Wisdom was sitting in a room. The room only had chairs arranged in rows. He looked at the wall and admired its white painting. "This painting's lovely", he said. He was bored and heaved a sigh when his friend walked in almost immediately.
"Bro how far? It's your turn bro", his friend said to him. They both shook hands.
"Thanks Chuks", Wisdom appreciated him.
"For what really?", Chuks asked him.
"It's you that brought me here. Your connections are always legit boss", he replied with ardent happiness.
Chuks laughed over it. "Is that why you're thanking me?", he smirked at Wisdom, "Come on! I'm your friend, it's no big deal. You even called me boss", he laughed gently.
"I'm going to be my real self and I bet I'll be selected for the competition", Wisdom said with pride. He then immediately began walking away but Chuks dragged him back.
"No! No! No! My advice for you is you shouldn't be yourself but please...be mature and comport yourself to calmness", Chuks begged seriously.
Hell shocked after hearing what he said, Wisdom stared at him with confusion. "Okay boss", he muttered. He walked out of the room and paused, having a little thought. "Is everyone seeing me as foolish?", he asked himself. He shook his head in disappointment and walked away, heaving a sigh.
* * *
Wisdom opened the door and walked into an office. He immediately saw a middle-aged man sitting on his chair. He cleared his throat, trying to be composed. "Good afternoon Sir", he greeted, like a cat on hot bricks.
"Have your seat young man", the man smiled cheerfully at him. He crept towards the seat for him and sat down.
"Why do you want to venture into music as a career?", the man questioned.
"Because I want to be a musician", Wisdom replied boldly now.
The man got startled by his answer. "I meant asking why you want to use music as a source of livelihood", he reformed the question.
"Uhmmm...Sir! What's the meaning of livelihood please?", he asked shyly.
Fed up with the prolonged conversation, he sighed of boredom. "Just forget about it okay?", he responded.
"Okay Sir", Wisdom nodded his head.
"If you end up as the winner of this upcoming competition, what would you do?", the man inquired of him.
"I'll continue singing Sir", replied Wisdom.
Confused by the reply, he reformed the question;"If you eventually win this competition, like you being the next music King of Lagos, what would you do with such a post?"
"That's what I'm trying to say Sir. I'll continue singing Sir to show them I deserve to be King", he replied reverentially.
"What's your name young man?", the man asked with a straight face, slightly annoyed.
"My name's Wisdom Sir", he replied with pride.
"Now I know why your name's Wisdom...I can clearly see it in you as you speak", he said ironically.
Wisdom sensed so and asked;"Why do I feel that statement was of irony?"
"It's not an irony, you're genuinely wise. I can feel it fervently", he replied, forcing out a smile.
"Thank you very much Sir! At least someone that knows I'm wise unlike my parents", he responded, thanking him for the compliment.
"Standing ovation to your parents because I'd have sold you out a long time ago", the man said to himself. "Can you please sing something so that I can assess you?", he requested.
"Okay Sir! You'll surely love my voice", Wisdom replied confidently.
* * *
Two security men bolted into the office. "What made that sound?", one questioned Wisdom, who was standing close to the door, shivering in fear.
"I don't know what came over him but he shouted as though he saw something that got him scared and now, he's under his table", he stammered.
The security men went to the table and assisted the man in coming out from beneath the table and in getting up. The man sat on his chair and had a gulp of water to become relaxed.
"Please leave my office, your voice is horrifying. Don't you ever sing again in your life...it will save souls in the future", he said to Wisdom calmly, while panting as he recovered from the shock of his life.
"But Sir...", Wisdom tried saying something but he interrupted.
"Please go! I still have a family to cater for...I beg of you...go!", he pleaded. He gestured for the security guards to lead Wisdom out of his office.
"You heard him clearly so, let's go", the first guard pointed at the door. Wisdom got up reluctantly and walked sadly, out of the office. The two security men went out with him and one of them closed the door behind them.
Mrs Okechukwu opened the door and saw her son standing at the door step. "Welcome Son", she greeted.
"Thanks Mum", Wisdom responded in a pale manner. He walked into the house.
"What happened Wisdom?", his Mum asked with concern as she closed the door.
He crashed on a seat. "They got scared of my voice and sent me off", he replied sadly.
"So you thought there'd be someone who'd love that voice of yours?", she asked with surprise.
Wisdom got shocked and sat up, his Mum sat beside him as he watched her. "Weren't you the one who said my voice was awesome?", he was completely baffled.
Mrs Okechukwu shook her head with a pitiful smile. "There's a difference between what a mother loves and what a stranger loves. I'm surprised you didn't get that", she placed her hands across his shoulders.
"What do you mean by that?", Wisdom questioned, expressing more confusion.
"Anything done with a positive mindset and effort will always be endured by a mother even if it turns out bad. But for an outsider?...", she made a prolonged sound with her mouth to express negativity, shaking her head.
Ifeanyi got annoyed. "Thanks for making me feel better", he spoke ironically and got up, to leave the parlor.
"Wait Son! Don't take it personal...it's mother's love for you", she got up, feeling sorry for what she said earlier.
He stopped and turned back to her, looking very gloomy. "I just wish I could prove my Dad wrong and become useful. He doesn't want me to further my education and I've tried helping myself but I'm always being rejected", he lamented, sitting on a nearby stool.
Mrs Okechukwu walked up to him to try comfort him. She wrapped her hands around him and brought him closer to herself, kissing him at the cheek. "Who said you can't be useful?", she asked rhetorically, "Your Dad and I will talk about this. We'll find you a job while you begin reading, and once we feel you're ready, we both will make sure you continue your education.
"Thanks Mum! Won't let you guys down this time. I'll be myself from now on", Wisdom spoke with a lot of determination.
"Relax Son, it's being yourself that's been the problem", she corrected.
"Oh! My Bad! I'll make sure Wisdom isn't just my name, I'll earn it", he replied.
"That's my boy", she hugged him closer.
* * *
Later that day, at night, Mr Okechukwu was in his bedroom, reading newspaper on the bed. His wife came in and felt it was the right time to bring up the topic.
"This is the right time to talk about this", she thought.
He looked up and saw his wife standing by the door and wondered why she was there. Honey! Is there any problem?", he asked with concern.
She heaved a sigh and walked to the bed. She went up the bed and sat beside him. "There's something I want us to discuss and I want you to pay attention", she began, clearing her throat.
Mr Okechukwu kept the newspaper on the bed, showing the centre spread. "Why won't I pay attention to my gorgeous wife?", he smiled at her, trying to make her feel flattered.
"Thanks for the compliment, I really do appreciate", she replied vaguely, "But let's talk about our Son", she said.
Mr Okechukwu immediately changed the topic to something way too unnecessary. He picked up the newspaper. "Take a look at this centre fold. Why should this woman be dressed half naked and being used as a centre fold?", he feigned disgust as he looked at the picture intently.
His wife forcefully took the newspaper from him and threw it away. "This is about our son, so pay full attention", she frowned at him.
He sighed and took off his glasses, keeping it on top of his small cabinet beside his bed. "I've told you this before...this isn't the first time you're bringing this thing up. Our Son's condition doesn't have a solution. I've given up on him making me proud", he said to her, feeling sad.
"Don't you see your Son has been making some efforts these days?", she questioned.
"Has he read any book after his secondary school days? Only lyrics of songs that will take him nowhere he learns. He doesn't have a good voice in the second place", he said dramatically, squeezing his face.
His wife knew he made a point and paused for a while, not wanting to accept defeat. "Let's find him a good job while he reads for UTME. I spoke to him today and he promised he won't fail us this time. I saw the determination in him today", she argued further, trying to convince him.
He thought for a while and then questioned;"What sort of job can I find him?"
"Don't know...just do something that will make him feel useful to both himself and the society", she spoke nicely this time, nestling her head on his chest. Her magic trick!
"Okay then! I'll see what I'll be able to do", he promised. "So what's going to be my reward?", he joked.
His wife, knowing where he was heading to, played along. "Your reward would be you having a great Son."
"I want a reward from you also...", he kissed her on the forehead.
"Your reward is in the kitchen...garri and Egusi soup", she quickly got up and went for the door.
"That's not what I'm looking for...come back", he laughed.
"The food's on fire. Let me hurry up and bring you your reward", she giggled and left the room. Mr Okechukwu laughed as she left.
____________________________________
So there it goes...Wisdom should be getting a job anytime soon.
Question for the chapter: What would you suggest for Wisdom as a job?
You want to find out what job Mr Okechukwu found for his Son? Find out in the next chapter...