Posted by ihejirika
Somethng else happend in d course of tht year.D miser Nazareth Local Govt council promisd 2 sponsor d best performg candidate of all schools in d area.Lucky & Polycap knew tht wth God by their side,one of them will clench d scholarship.
Posted by ihejirika
Lucky lived up 2 his name beatg his twin bros by fractions.Polycap was not happy tht he had been beatn but d winner was his brothr.So they celebratd it all 2gether wth breakg of coconuts wch their senior sister brought home frm hospital.
Posted by ihejirika
Nazareth Local council chose 2 pay their scholarshp at Federal Govt Collage,Ijaniki.So Lucky found himself attendg one of d best collages in d land.Polycap was posted 2 Nazareth High school.He had no choice.It was another race 4 survival.
Posted by ihejirika
At Ijaniki,all necessry facilities r at students disposal.Name it;functnal libraries,science lab,technology workshop,rich refectory,church/mosque,sports equipments & well kept game pitchs etc,etc.All studnts stay in hostel &observ siesta.
Posted by ihejirika
Nazareth High school was a sorry sight.Facilities include only d school block & d chalkboards.Every student had 2 make his way 2 skul on daily basis.So both boys went 2 secondary school.Polycap believes tht nothing is impossible wth God.
Posted by ihejirika
Educatn was their family legacy.D brain was ther.In totally differnt environmnts,both boys wer no respectr of any existg records.They cld best b describd as epitome of intellctuals & wer intellectlly unparalleld.Their Dad kept workg hard.
Posted by ihejirika
Polycap had it very though.It was incredible,in spite of d fact tht he was disadvantagd compared 2 othr studnts of his set,he was stil able 2 beat all of them hands down.He never had a textbook of his own.He depended on his class mates.
Posted by ihejirika
Sevral times,Polycap was sent away frm school bcos he didnt pay his school fees n time.In some cases,he stayd at home workg in Daddy's shade 4 as long as a month.His school uniform was also a sorry sight,patchd al ovr but its always neat.
Posted by ihejirika
It was an impossible situation.The 0.0.1 food formula at home was yet 2 b calld off.So Polycap also beggd 4 everythng includg food.At times aftr school,he walkd d streets of Lagos beggng.I gave him #500 whn he passd my street wthout askg.
Posted by ihejirika
One day,he beggd at a street in highbrow area of Lagos.A close friend of mine stay ther.Polycap didnt beg frm ths my guy but my guy calld him & aftr askg why he was beggg,blamd 4 irrespnsiblity,intellectual laziness & not using his brain.
Posted by ihejirika
For d 1st time,Polycap wnt home licking hs tears.It flowd all thr" d nyt.Who was he 2 blame.Defintely not his twin bros,not his hard workg Dad,not Mum who sells pepper at d mkt.Her wares can only keep her off d family scale of preferenc.
Posted by ihejirika
He also found out tht he cldnt blame hs bricklayr senior bros who is currntly grapplg wth his new family,his own childrn r now in d kindergartn.His sister deserv 2 b praisd.She had been d only steady help.But her help wasnt comg regulrly.
Posted by ihejirika
Customaryly,Nigerian extndd famly wld help in ths kind of situatn but his case was unique.Wealthy family membrs who helpd his Dad brng up senior bros r now ful of complains.Of wht use is educatn whn one can't find job wth 1st clas degree.
Posted by ihejirika
If not 4 hs Dad's restlesnes,ther wld b no twins.He kept makg babies whn he cant cater 4 thm.He is irresponsibl. Polycap cldnt accus d govt.His twin bros was being sponsord by thm.Thr" out thos years they kept grumblg of insufficnt funds.
Posted by ihejirika
"Wher did I go wrong?"he askd himself.Wht ws it he didnt do right?He even went as low as beggg.It was byond his comprehensn. Why was it tht this man who live comfortably at VI found it logical to blame him of all d negativ thngs on earth.
Posted by ihejirika
Polycap thot of suicide.He knw tht God "ld not forgiv him 4 it.But he didnt ask 2 b born.Then he rememberd tht he was not born.He was removd frm his Mums womb.Was it his fault?He also rememberd his twin bros.Everythng ws going fine 4 him.
Posted by ihejirika
His mind reard 2 beggers he usually met in d street.He ws bettr thn most of them.They wer not beggng 4 school fees but 4 one square meal a day.He felt compassion 4 thm.He remembr seeg more smiles on their faces than he saw on d VI man.
Posted by ihejirika
Polycap cleand his tears.All hope is not lost.Someday,he "ll finish his educatn & get a fine job.Early d followg morng,he left 4 school.It ws a Thursday morng.Lucky,his twin bros was relaxg in his AC school refectory enjoyg his breakfast.
Posted by ihejirika
It ws their SS2.D school msger walkd 2 d refectry gangway wth letters in hs hand.He motiond 4 silence & calld d names on thos letters.Mr Lucky Carpenter ws ther.It ws his senior bros invitg him home 2 come & see hs only sistr leav Naija.
Posted by ihejirika
A smart Nigerian flew home frm Las Vegas in search of hs missg rib.He found it in Miss Carpentr.He rushd d marriage proceedgs & in 5 days ws on his way back 2 d US wth his trophy.Lucky ws lucky 2 get an exit card ovr such a flimsy reason.
Posted by ihejirika
It ws a famly reunion.Lucky ws glad 2 s" his sister air liftd n a Virgin Airways plane at Murtala Mohamed airport.Polycap ws also happy 4 hs sistr but had a 2nd thot.Ths was d only person tht helpd in thos days of Daddy's "bad" business.
Posted by ihejirika
"May God bles her in greenr pasture"Polycap prayd.Life returnd 2 normal.SS3-d ultimate year came.Nazareth council informd d famly in good time tht their scholarship didnt extend 2 JAMB matters.They hav othr Secondry school studnts 2 s" thr"
Posted by ihejirika
Having bought SSCE form 4 Polycap,Mr Carpenter cldnt afford 2 JAMB UME forms so he convincd d twins 2 wait 4 POLYJAMB.Aftr all,he ws also loosg faith in Univrsity degrees. Experienc is d best teacher.Thts not all.Another problem ws brewg.
Posted by ihejirika
Fate ws playg a strnge game wth Carpntr famly.God answerd Polycap.His sistr wnt frm a hospital in Lagos 2 Las Vegas Gen Hospital.She ws packd wth irresistable quality.Her dough startd comg home but most of 2 their Mums deterioratg health.
Posted by ihejirika
Mr Carpentr knw tht it "ll b difficult 2 sponsor both twins thr" polytechnc at d same time.He ws hopg tht perhaps God "ld bring anothr scholarshp.Apart frm tht,he didnt wnt 2 dscourage d boys at ths stage.So both boys sat SSCE & POLYJAMB.
Posted by ihejirika
As usual,both boys came out in flyg colours.They rejoiced over d result.4 Polycap,his 6 yrs of toil was not wasted after all.4 Lucky,his intelligence was at its best again.It was different 4 their Dad.It formed a major source of nytmare.
Posted by ihejirika
Were it not 4 his wife's ill health,d dough frm Las Vegas wld have been enough 2 see both boys thr" school.Comg frm a nurse,d dough came wth specific instruction,"see tht Mum recover quick".Mr Carpnter was at a loss on wht 2 do.
Posted by ihejirika
Mr Carpntr knw tht his wife's recovry "ll b protractd bcos she had cancer of d breast.He calld both boys & sat them down.He told them his temporary solutn 2 d problm.Polycap had 2 wait while Lucky goes school.Whn thngs improv,he "ll join.
Posted by ihejirika
To Polycap,it ws a blow.He had bn beaten again.In spite of his shock,he understood why he ws stayg home.Lucky felt sorry 4 his brother & grumbled about economic situation in ths country.He saw no reason why his bros shld waste at home.
Posted by ihejirika
So Lucky found himself in Yabatech,d school of his 1st choice.His 1st semester fees depleted d family finance.4 d 1st time Mr Carpntr was owing his landlord who had been furious over d past few yrs.He seized d opportunty 2 drive him out.
Posted by ihejirika
Carpntry shade,d only steady source of famly financ has been blown off.Old & frail,Mr Carpntr didnt hav d zeal 2 go in2 anothr job.Besides,he had 2 look aftr hs wife.They had 2 depnd on irregulr dough frm Las Vegas.Polycap consoled hs Dad
Posted by ihejirika
After breakfast on a cold harmattan morning,Polycap jumpd unto a danfo bus & became a bus conductor.He kept d spirit alive.Wth d little money he made,he supported d family.He still hoped tht someday,thngs "ld b better & he 'ld go 2 school.
Posted by ihejirika
At Yabatech,a new thng was takg place inside Lucky.He discoverd his voice.He discoverd tht ppl like listeng 2 him.He knows how best 2 put faults into words.Fellow students love listeng while he talk about unfavorable conditns on campus.
Posted by ihejirika
Lucky also maintaind his academic record.Time runs fast.Soon it was graduatn year.At d eve of graduatn day,d Rector of Yabatech receivd a note frm Hinterland Bank of Nigeria Plc requestg d particulars of 3 first class brains in Economics.
Posted by ihejirika
One afternoon after his Youth corp,Lucky was taking his now habitual siesta when a postman arrived wth a registerd letter.On it was written Mr Lucky Carpenter. D letter was frm Hinterland Bank Plc.He wondered how they came about his name.
Posted by ihejirika
D intervw didnt last more thn 3 mins & he bcame a Managng Director of a Hintrland Bank branch wth an official car & driver.His driver drove him straight 2 Lekki wher he was directd 2 his official 3 bedroom apartmnt at Hinterland estate.
Posted by ihejirika
D very soul of entire Carpenter family was revitalized by Lucky's success.Mr Carpenter saw it as an avenue wch "ll replace Las Vegas dough wch now comes only whn a phonecall 2 Las Vegas says tht,"Mama is hospitalized"...
Posted by ihejirika
Polycap was more happy than even Lucky.This was d time their Dad spoke about when he sat him down in presence of Lucky & said,"When thngs r better,u "ll join Lucky in school".He cld remember d tears in his Dads eyes as he said so..
Posted by ihejirika
Polycap knew tht;he was stil young & at most n 5yrs time he "ll also gratuate.Its time 2 leave his bus conductor job.Their senior bros ws also happy.He now hav a "connectn" wch might get him a bettr job someday.Bricklayg is not hs destiny.
Posted by ihejirika
Unknown 2 them Lucky had a different view.He settld down 2 work.D bank did not regret havng him.Applicatn of hs ideas multiplied everythng.His eloquence attractd interest & he bcame an influenc.Hs sphere of influenc increased more & more.
Posted by ihejirika
To cut d long story short,Lucky bcame a famous social commentator.He appeared on NTA & other private TV stations on daily basis.His views about how 2 improve Nigeria's economy get him applause in many homes.Ppl began 2 come 2 him 4 advice.
Posted by ihejirika
After some time,his economic solutions turnd 2 blame.He felt tht govt ws not actg on his suggestns.He startd lambastng govt at all levels.He backd everythng he spoke wth strong evidence.He was brought up in Nazareth gheto.So he had proof.
Posted by ihejirika
Rememberg his imediate famly,he spoke of low standrds of livng &unemploymnt,2 hm educatn shld b qualitativ & free at all levels.He spoke about how ppl shld b made 2 go back 2 farm.Roads shld b rehabilitatd 2 facilitate economic activities.
Posted by ihejirika
Evry weeknd,he organizd a get 2gethr at Ocean View Restaurnt(one of d best happeng places in Lagos)just 2 keep cool & manage stress.Withn few weeks at work,he got hmself a tintd glass Toyota jeep worth N8m.His circle of friends expnd daily
Posted by OluYom
@ihejirika: The way you are going on, this thread is fast becoming "Proudly Ihejirika forum" and may get locked soon. Have you considered writing novelettes or short stories? Give it a go. Something good may still come out of this
BTW, where is everybody else in Naija?
Posted by ihejirika
Chief among his friends & personal adviser on non economic matters ws my friend,d VI man.Soon,JAMB releasd UME forms.Polycap cld not afford it so he waited 4 POLYJAMB forms.He ws full of hope.Few months later,POLYJAMB form ws released.
Posted by ihejirika
@Aya,I didnt know tht it "ll b this long.Anyway,I hope we get 2 a mutual conclusion.To lock this forum?? I think it will take an act of Esato parliament where many wolfs will b voting.
Posted by ihejirika
JAMB did anothr of their numerous somersaults tht very year & increasd price of POLYJAMB forms.Polycap needd a"chickn change"2 complet hs money so he decidd 2 visit Hintrland estate.His twin bros had not paid a visit 2 their famly 4 long.
Posted by ihejirika
It ws a Satday morng.Polycap took public transport 2 Hintrland estate gate wer he ws stoppd.After much delay & several phonecalls,he was allowd in.Once inside,he felt d atmospher change.It seem tht d air inside & d one outside r different.
Posted by whizkidd
Hey folks! Whats goin on? :-D