Chapter 6

He just want a better life for himself.

“I am waiting.” The man said.

“Okay sir, can I get the information on how to locate your place sir, I have never been to Ibadan before.” He asked the man after a deep thought and the man gave him his business card.

“You can visit anytime.” He said to her and drove off, paid him and even gave him transport fare to visit if he want to and he was left by the roadside deep in thought.

He know without doubt that he will have to go see the man, there is no harm in trying , he had been in Ogbomosho for a while and travelling to Ibadan in search of greener pastures sound a like a great idea, it is one of the reason he left home. Perhaps going there will give him a better life and before making the great decision, he performed his Istikharah after Maghreb while he wait at the Masjid to perform Ishai.

He just want to be guided, he know he had been through so many risks that moment and there is no way he can go back home without accomplishing his desire.

Two days later, he found himself in Ibadan trying to locate the Mechanical workshop.

It was a modernized workshop and for the first time, he appreciate the Mechanical engineering profession on a new level.

The chief Executive office Alhaji Abdul lateef is a graduate of Mechanical engineering and he place his profession on a whole new level.

“You will be employed as one of the technicians here and also, you will have to learn the use of modern equipment, I saw the zeal to learn in you and thus it will make your learning easier and better.” He was told.

“We paid staff wages every week and so you can use that to take care of yourself. Do you have anyone in Ibadan that you can stay with?” The man asked him and he shook his head that he didn’t.

“I will allow you to sleep in the company till you have saved enough to get an apartment for yourself, you are man and I know a man must work to survive.” The man said and he got the job, just like he promised.

Sleeping in the company seems more convenient and secure for him that his life in Ogbomosho where he pass the night anywhere.

He sleep in the store and he had a mat where he rest his head, there is general rest room for him to have his bath before the other arrive at work daily.

There is are four security men who work on shift so he is not always the one around and in no time, they become gist partners, everyone seems to like him being the youngest worker, he was just a young man of twenty.

His boss could not help but admire his devotion to his religion and it amaze him to see a man as young as him being steadfast with Salah. He never missed his Salah.

“If I have the time, I want to memorise the Quran.” He will tell anyone who care to listen.

“I think I need you to my sons? No matter how much I tried, this boys would not perform their Salah at the right time.” The man lamented and told him about his sons’ unruly behaviour, thus he started inviting him into his house for the weekend and he was later given a space to live in his house as the influence he had on his boss sons were so obvious and his wife grew fond of him.

The last child of Alhaji who was a young undergraduate in his early twenties become his best friend and he was the one that made the most impact in his life aside his father.

“I thought you said you want to go to school?” Daud asked him one evening on their way from the masjid.

“Yes bro, I rebel my parents because of the tough decision to have a degree. I can’t go back to the village without a degree.” He said to his friend.

“And that is one of the reason why you need to make haste while the sun shines, You didn’t have SSCE abi?” Daud asked his friend.

“Yes, I told you, I dropped out after JSS3.” He said.

“Do I have to go through the senior secondary school now at my age?” Musadiq asked him.

“No, you can take evening classes and register for GCE, what did you wish to study?” His friend asked him.

“What else? I wish to be a mechanical engineer.” Musadiq said with smiles,

“You have some savings right?” he asked his friend who nodded,

“That is great, I will take you the evening school I attended when preparing for my jamb, they help prepare students for exams and they are very good but you just have to be serious and determined.” He said to his friend and he nodded.

Even though he had not known how to manage his time, he still wish to give it a try. Daud and he visited the school and he met the head instructor.

“Classes are from 4-7pm Mondays to Fridays and 9-2pm on weekends.” The man explained to him and he was confused on what to do, especially for the weekend classes. There is usually so much to do during the weekends at work and he know coming would not be easy.

“Is there no evening lessons for the weekends?” he found himself asking

“I work and coming in the morning during weekends might not be so convenient” he explained to the man, he had not been able to think of how he is going to tell his boss about his new plan even though he remember he told the man that he will surely go to school one day but he know how much most of his co-workers rely on his expertise despite being one of the youngest and sometimes he get some wage raise.

“I can talk to Dad.” Daud said,

“No.” Musadiq said shaking his head.

“The issue is weekend evening class is for our executive students and it a bit expensive than the regular one.” The instructor explained.

“Please now Egbon,…” Daud started.

“He is my brother, you can just let him join the executive class, he works during the week even on weekends and that is his main source of living.” Daud plead and the instructor was quiet for a while.

“I will fix your car anytime, for free sir.” Musadiq added quickly and reluctantly the man agreed and he was glad. His joy knew bonds that he is having an opportunity to go back to school. The plan was for him to attend the classes for two years and take the GCE and JAMB afterwards.

Telling Alhaji was easy as he has been waiting for it and hope the young man had not forgotten his dreams.

“That is a very wise decision, even though it is going to affect your work here but it is good, I will allow you to work part time with a full time pay, you have been doing a great job from the first day you walked into this workshop and I am proud of you.” The man explained.

“Thank you sir, You took me as yours without even knowing anyone from my family sir and I can only pray to Allah to continue to reward you and bless your family sir,” Musadiq prayed and the man smiled.

He started the classes and he studies for three hours daily after Ishai and even though it was not so easy like he thought, it’s been a while that he had studied but in six months, he was able to get use to his new way of life and adjusted.

Two years later, he attempted the NECO GCE and WAEC GCE, he had six credits in each and he was devastated.

“You tried bro, I didn’t even make it that great during my first attempt despite the fact that I attended the best schools and best tutors.” Daud who was already in his final year said to him and thus he could not use the results, he had pass in English language, the third year, he attempted the exam again and he had nine credits in both exams and even pass his JAMB. As if that was not enough he gained an admission into the University of Ibadan to study his dream course.

He exhausted all his savings for his first year tuition and some other financial responsibilities but he was glad and he was grateful, his still work part time at the workshop and just like Alhaji promised, he is being paid full time, it was as if he fixed his wage for him and this is what he relied on for feeding and some other expenses,

Daud was already in the North serving then but they still remain a good friend, After his return from service, he got a job and still offer moral support to his friend. Musadiq completed his education six years later no thanks to the constant ASSU strike but he made it and he went for service in Abuja, he served with a bigger Mechanical company owned by some foreigners and he had hardly spend a month with them when they recognised his technical skills.

“You seem so good, will you like to stay with us for a while after your NYSC?” The CEO asked

“Of course, stay with them and get enough experience to start up one day.” Alhaji said to him, the plan was for him to return to his workshop and work with him for a while,

“The pay is better also.” The man advised.

“And you are now a complete matured man.” Alhaji said to him, he became thirty the second week of his NYSC.

And so, he stayed and worked with the foreigners for Four years. In three years, he had attended several upgraded mechanical courses both home and abroad and it gained a lot experience.

By his fourth year, he had attained the post of the Managing director, the CEO was quite fund of him.

“How about you acquire this company?” He asked him one day.

“I want to go back home for my retirement and with you, I know this company will be greater than it is.” The man explained.

“Sir, I can’t afford to do that, this company is huge, it is too big for me to take over.” Musadiq explained to his boss and the man laughed,

“With your dedication, I am sure, you will do more than I have done already, you don’t have to pay upfront, I am a man almost in my seventies.” The man explained and after a lot of discussion, it was agreed that Musadiq acquire the company while the man become a silent partner and some amount was decided for the deal to happen.

“When will you go home to see your parents?” Daud asked one day when he paid him a visit and his friend sighed.

“You are doing well now bro.” His friend explained.

“Are you going to wait till they died and you cannot see them anymore?” he asked his friend and he sighed.

“Alihamdulilah, look at how far you have gone all by yourself, they will be proud of you.” He said to him and he signed further.

“Ma sha Allah, you are now a very responsible young man.” Musadiq teased him and his friend smiled.

“I am not married and a new Dad, Alihamdulilah, so I should be.” His friend said to him.

“And you should think of that too.” Daud suggested.

“Let me go home first.” He said to his friend and it was agreed that he visited his village to check on his parents.

He went home two weeks later, with mixed feelings, he has been away from home for more than ten years and he didn’t even get to see or get any message from them and he was scared he might not meet them well.

“What if they are dead!”

Ya Allah, forgive me and let me meet them well. He prayed vividly for days before he left the city in his car and travel all the way home.

There are only a few changes in the village and he recognised his parents’ home easily, part of the house had completely fell; and he wondered how they are surviving, his mind went to his siblings and his heart missed a beat.

He parked slowly infront of the old almost completely abandoned house and stepped out of the car.

A lot of eyes were on him and his heart was beating faster like never before.

Without glances at anyone, he went into the house and his heart sank at the state of the house, the inner house was no different from the outside, his parents were sitting on the corridor talking and they stopped immediately they saw him.

They recognised him,

“Musadiq… ?” his mother asked to clarify rather than to ask question and he find himself nodding as tears fell down on his eyes, it was something he didn’t plan for but it just happened.

“Mami… Bami,” he said and watched his mother ran towards him and hugged him affectionately and broke into tears while his father keep calling him just to be sure he was their long son.

“Can you ever forgive me?” he asked them tearfully.

“Iwo omo yi (you this boy) la ti odun yi (since all these years)” his mother said still hugging him tightly.

“Are you the only ones at home?” he asked after a while and he was told that all his brothers are now scattered across towns and neighbouring villages in search of greener pastures and his sisters are all married and are still in the village. They do come to the house daily to check on them and his brother visit once a year during Eid.

“Alihamdulilah. I was so worried.” His mother said and he was surprised that they were so happy to see him and didn’t rebuke him at all. The tears on their face was the tears of joy.

“Is that your car?” his mother asked pointing at the car parked outside the house and he nodded.

“I hope you later go to school?” his mother asked and he nodded and his father embraced him warmly. He was glad his son fulfilled his dreams and after the hug, he went down to observe his Sujud As shukr.

“Alihamdulilah. I am sorry we could not do that for you.” He said to his son and he smiled lovingly at his parents.

“You aren’t angry at me?” He asked.

“No, not at the least.” They replied and he looked around the corridor and the poor state of the house and his heart fell.

“We are proud of you.” His mother said.

Some days, the house was repaired to an extent and his sisters were so happy to see him and he even called some of his brothers through the contacts he collected from his sisters, two of his brothers who were close visited and were glad to see their youngest brother alive. Pa Ade died some years before the workshop had folded up, he visited his family and even gave them some money after which he promised to take care of the responsibility of the last child Adunni who had just gotten an admission to the university but might not go because there seems to be no assistance from any one.

He exchanged contact with Adunni and urged her to open an account so that he can place her on a monthly allowance to care for her education.

How could he forget all the help her father had done for him.

A week after his arrival to the village, his eldest sister called him aside and informed him of their mother’s ill health.

“The village Doctor said is Diabetics… and that sickness is too expensive to manage.” His sister explained and he nodded without hesistation, he understand.

After much deliberation, his siblings agreed that he takes their parents out of the village to Abuja, so that they could get more care from him and to relieve his siblings who had been taking full care of their parents with their meagre earning since their father stopped farming.

He took them back to the City and they stayed with him in his two bedroom flat that was handed over to him by his white boss and partner before he left the country.

Five years later, he built his own personal house and he met his wife Aziza when he went for a seminar in Ibadan and he stayed with Daud, Aziza’s sister is Daud Eldest sister.

Daud will not stop talking about this amazing sister in law of his that seems to be a perfect wife material for him.

Their meeting was not a love at first sight but he admired a lot of things about her. Her calmness is one and how respectful she is , they talk a while during his stay at the house and when he left back to Abuja, he would not stop thinking about her. She is a picture of a perfect wife and he loves her personality than her looks, he seen more beautiful women but the fact that she was a Hafidh made her a plus and her level of understanding of the Deen gave her more edge over the women that he had met.

He wants all his children to have more knowledge than he is, he remember how his parents tried their best and he want his want his own children to be better what other way to make this happen than to have a woman who share the same views and he know no one could be better than Aziza.

The day she accept his proposal was the best day of his life because he was scared she might not agree, her level of Deen was better than his and he thought she might not accept but she did and they didn’t really have much interaction until after their Nikkah.

She want all the shariah rulings to be followed and he know he made no mistake to have thought of marry her.

She was exactly am ideal mother and a wife, he remember even though he wanted more after their Nikkah, she was a very lady and he understand why…

And slowly, she learn how he wanted her to relate with him. One special thing he also love about her was for the fact that he made her increase his act of worship especially waking up for the Qiyam al layl.

It was a blessing and then he met Sadiqah…

His heart missed a beat at the thought and his eyes went to the time on the digital car clock on display and he realised that time has far been gone.

It was a some minutes before Maghreb.

He need to go to the Masjid.