I just came back from apprenticeship in Uli, Anambra state, Nigeria; where I went to learn shoe making and I was told that Ozoemena has committed suicide.
I was writing my SSCE five years ago when he went abroad on scholarship to study after his NYSC in Enugu.
They said he graduated with a first class honours degree and therefore bagged a meritorious scholarship. I was shocked to my bones at first because the Ozo I know can't even construct a nice sentence in english or express himself well in public without inputting broken english(pidgin).
In other not to judge amiss, I convinced myself that he may have improved before his final year; besides,I don't know the workings of the university system.
The news about his death spread like kerosene poured on water, with rainbow colors. Different persons bearing different information convincing you to believe theirs is the best with information slides like "you know his grandmother's aunty is my uncle's wife's sister" and some other things of that nature.
I didn't know which to believe so I just believed the fact that he is dead and earnestly waited for the true reason behind his committing suicide.
Not too long, the truth came calling. Ikemefuna, Ozo's roommate back in Princeton and a neighbouring villager who came back to see his family, visited Ozo's family and told them that Ozo couldn't stand the shame of being jailed and repatriated for forgery.
While abroad on scholarship, his school sent for the transcripts of his results from his alma mater only to find out he graduated with a third class degree.
He apparently sorted his way up and left the stone unturned. His accomplices were first sacked and jailed while he lost his scholarship and was jailed for sometime before he was repatriated for fraud. The thoughts of coming back home empty handed and not living up to his expectations as someone that has touched dollars and had had handshakes with "ndi ocha" (the whites) led him to commit suicide.
Everybody in the village boasted of a relative abroad, they respected women that have children abroad and worshipped at their feet. Mothers with no children abroad became gullible and served the "Nne oyibo" (mother of the white) as they are fondly called - in order to receive chocolates and peanut butter (which they used to eat Kolanut and garden egg) - each time their children came back.
I didn't take it so serious untill I lost my Fiancée to a suitor that came from Cotonu, not even Ghana or Libya but cotonu. It took me months to recover from the shock, after which I started planning my travel to this "obodo oyibo"(abroad).
Akachukwu came back from Brazil and was looking very good. He was my childhood friend and my mother took care of his ill mother when he travelled out till she was better. Few days after his arrival, we discussed about me joining him to Brazil and he asked if I was ready to face anything and I affirmed with all optimism.
He told me it wasn't going to be easy but I insisted. I gathered all my savings from my shoe making business, sold the lands I inherited from my dad which was on the best site and gathered money for the journey. Fortunately, two years visa was given to me and we headed to Sao Paulo Brazil.
I have gone in search of my greener pastures and I was very determined to make it. On getting there, I was welcomed by Akachukwu's friends in the hustling game which were all married. Most of them to Brazilian women and one of them to a very affluent gay. This is apparently for the paper, the citizenship.
I got even more surprised seeing other Nnewi guys, Nsukka men and women doing jobs that were abominable back at home. Some are sex workers, working for a well known man in their village who lured them over, seized their passports and forced them to do such dubious jobs while he gave them pennies after each return and settled their family at home so they won't suspect him.
Some others have no homes. Some are morticians and many more feed from hand to mouth, buying cars with their hard earned and long saved money when they come back, answering names like "Ebube dike na Sao Paulo" (the great man in Sao Paulo), "ite ego na Peru" (pot of money in Peru), "sonwa na Dubai" (Only known person), "oyigiyigi na China" (a slang for one and all in China) and other self acclaimed titles just to impress the local villagers.
After 20months, they heat from them to work my papers intensified. The process is for me to marry a lady in her late 60's who happens to have arthritis also. According to my arrangers, she needs an african man who would satisfy her sexual pleasures and baby sit her.
I refused the offer and Kanayochukwu, a guy that just arrived few months back took the offer. I was already in love with a very beautiful Brazilian lady, we planned getting married soon but she learned what guys like us do and rejected me in tears for the fear of getting divorced later.
After my 2years Visa elapsed, I was arrested a month later on my way to the house from the grocery store and sent back to Nigeria with nothing, also banned from coming back.
I came back with nothing and disappointed a lot people. Some of which were expecting a big car, maybe a title like "anyanwu na Brazil"(sunshine in Brazil) and some other Brazilian swag.
I started my life afresh with poverty and stigma kissing me daily. Everybody despised me including my mum. I dusted off my shoe making tools and started over again. This time with more creativity, got a business card, and started selling to boutiques in Lagos, Ph and Abuja.
Years went by as my seriousness and passion in business got hold of me, I got my own show room in Dubai and China. I had employees in the big cities in the country and employed even the "oyibo" in my establishments abroad. Life got better for me to the amazement of everyone including Akachukwu and others.
I was listening to music on my Range Rover Sport of latest model one beautiful evening when Adekunle Gold's Ire song struck me and left me sobbing. The tears of joy as you may have it called. The lyrics of the song was my story. It sings:
"the grass is greener on the other side
that's what I thought before I took the ride
I burned my bridges so I'd never look back
but if I had known, the life I was searching for
Was looking me right in the eye... It was already by..."
I took a chieftaincy title from my town and I am known as "Naira be anyi na Korea" (our Naira in Korea).
It all happened when passion and commitment kissed creativity in consistency and now I've come to realize that no matter what happens, Que Sera Sera(what will be, will be) if you let it be.
......................
Every grass is green, just a little water and sun from you to make it as greener as you want.
© Achi Gp Nuel.
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