In a far
away land located in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, there lived lots of people of
different tribes. In this city there was a hidden treasure that dwelled among
them.
One
day, there was a poor boy who lived with his only poor mother. The boy’s name
was Chukwudi meaning “there is a big God” and his mother's name Vivian. Chukwudi
and his mother suffered after the death of his father, Ikenna. As at when he
lost his father, Chukwudi was so young and was unable to take responsibilities
as the only male child of the family.
And has tradition demands that at least the male child of the
father must be eighteen years of age before he can take possession of his
father’s inheritance.
And since Chukwudi was not even up to nine years, his father’s
properties was handed over to his uncle, Mr. Obinna to manage to take care of
his late brother’s wife and kid. Out of greed, Mr. Obinna, Chukwudi’s uncle
tried every means to marry his late brother’s wife, Vivian because she was
still so young in age after the death of her husband before he can support them.
But since his late brother’s wife frustrated all his effort, he was furious in
heart.
And as a
result of this, he took their rightful inheritance including their only house
and frustrated and sent them away. Vivian and her son slept at the only small
hurt built by her husband in the farm at the neighboring village which she
refused to let the uncle and other members of the family know about the
farmland as part of her husband’s properties, since she discovered that all
have been taken away from her.
They both lived there and were feeding on the little crops left on
the farm. They were so thin as a result of lack of proper feeding. The little
crops she would gather, she would sell it and the remaining one, would be what
she and her son would survive on.
When Chukwudi was fifteen years of age, her mother narrated the
whole story to him. Chukwudi was a hard working child and he loved his mother
so much that he would help his mother with almost everything. He didn’t allow
his mother to suffer anymore.
During planting season, Vivian invested almost all she had in
planting crops that will sustained her and her son, Chukwudi in the
next coming season with a hope of reaping the fruits of her labour.
So one day, after the planting season has come and gone, they came
a heavy rain fall which as a result of the rain fall, washed their only farmland and their crops
away. They lost all their money, resources, and crops they ever suffered for and they
could no longer feed themselves. She was depressed and she lost her hope.
She cried, weeping earnestly. Her son, Chukwudi consoled her to
take heart. He further suggested an idea of going back to the city to take back
what is rightfully belongs to them. Vivian said to her son though you are tall
and smart just as your father, but you are not yet of age as the tradition
demands.
She further objected him saying: “that he knows his uncle better than anyone. That his uncle will never agree to let go of his father’s properties. That he was so jealous of what his father had and that was the reason why he tried to get marry to her after the death of her husband.
But Chukwudi kept insisting, pleading with his mother to make a
try. That there is a high mountain to climb, how can they climb it, if they
make no attempt of taking one step at a time.
His mother seeing how courageous, persuasive and smart he was; she
decided to make a try and moreover she had nothing left to take care of her son
talk more of herself.
The little money they had left, they went to the city. When they
got to the city, they went directly to the uncle’s house with a hope that they
will be happy seeing her. But the uncle seeing them coming inside the compound,
didn’t even allow them to greet him. He ordered his gate man to send them out of
his compound.
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