This drama is my life! Early childhood as I remembered it. Is it colorful? I guess it depends on what you look for. If a story of humble beginnings strikes you as a nightmare, then you should not read this. If you cannot stand a little boy fail and fail again, save your time for another book. On the other hand, if you are drawn to struggles and delights of small things of life and strange bonds of people, then I recommend a warm drink in hand and a weekend on your calendar. In one short sentence it reads, "He is a village boy!", but unwraps a series of funny child's acts and thoughts. The flavor of multiple characters who separately on their own as relations or people in the community, chose to identify with me. They influenced my understanding of humanity, nature, and things. I was not born special or with exceptional talents, but I was made to feel special by people around me. I can look back and appreciate what each contributed into shaping my person. In context, my parents formed part of emerging middle-class post-independence Nigeria. Which, barely out of the clutches of the invading colonists, plunged into the chaos of a civil war. Yet, in those years, my parents gave us three characters: integrity, respect, and hard work in this new wild, wild, west. In confession, I struggled with each of these three pillars they erected. Subconsciously, it was so for my first twelve years, which is what I shared with you here. Call it denial, but I was not totally to blame for my acts. I do not refute acting out some of my wild imaginations but being a middle child didn't help my failings sometimes. When people looked you over, they saw you as part of belonging, but you did not actually belong. The top positions were claimed, and best awards won. All were taken before you launched. In the frustration, either you become a best second ranked or total failure. Trust me, you do not want the latter. You inexhaustively strain to prove your sagacity. Several times, the easier option crossed my mind, to bag the bad boy image and just rest my weary young bones! Where I ended up depended on 3 things: parenting given, opportunities placed before me and innate desire to beat even my own will. Outside the box, I managed to find a fourth, luck, when I did not try hard enough! In those years, I gravitated towards my village and nature. For both did not judge me. They didn't compare me to others before or after me. Simply, they took me in and gave me love, kindness and hope!
