TALL DREAMS

Desmond emerged from the room with a pot of beans in his hands and placed it on the stove he had litted earlier. He checked his watch as he entered the room again and tapped his corner mate Sony severally to wake him up. This was his daily routine

"Bro! It's 4:25 am so I am off to the stadium.

Please keep an eye on the beans on the stove."

'I know, just let me enjoy my sleep?'

Sony replied as he covered his head again with the sheets.

"No stress, my friend, just make sure you are back in your father's home if it burns or I will eat you when I return."

He checked his watch again and jammed the door behind him as he made his way out of the hostel.

Outside, the cold wind hit him hard on the face as he took a deep breath to fill his lungs. The rain that morning had subsided to a drizzle and with the NUGA games around the corner, he was excited to be back in training. As he walked briskly towards the spot where he normally breaks into his ten kilometer warm up race, Desmond began to pray as it had become of him lately.

A month before the close of the last semester, he had as they say, given his life to Christ in a most unusual way. It happened that one of his roommates had accepted an invitation to the Sunday service of one of the campus fellowships but failed to show up at the venue. That Sunday evening Desmond was at his corner writing his term paper and could hear the brother who had visited from the church discussing a passage of the Bible with Tom, his roommate.

"Could you guys be kind enough to move your discussion to my corner?" He pleaded.

"If it is important to you, you will leave whatever you are doing and come over to us", the brother replied.

Desmond had continued writing for about ten minutes but later left his corner and joined them. The rest as they say is history. Tom, his roommates in question did not become a Christian, not even with the committed effort made by Desmond to make him change his ways. Every now and then, Desmond would hear him refer to fellow students as peasants, a tag used by members of the Million Dollar Club to which he belonged on campus to describe nonmembers.

As days turned to weeks and weeks to months, his roommates, fellow athletics and especially Tom watched with apprehension as Desmond made good his confession that Christ is lord of his life.

One day however, Desmond had risen from a nap and got dressed for his 'Parapo' meeting as it was known on campus, the meeting of students from a particular ethic group, and found his black leather belts missing. Instantly, he knew it was Tom who took it. However to give him the benefit of doubt, Desmond had shouted to all roommates present.

"Na who take my black belt?"

This elicited laughter from all present as one of his roommates replied,

"Is that a question, are you an inmate or a visitor to this room?"

Desmond who was meticulous about his dressing had changed from the black shoe he had polished and wore a brown one to match the brown belt he was now forced to wear.

Upon his return, Desmond tried with a lot of difficulty to control his anger but wasn't quite successful. With Tom's friends joking and laughing over a bottle of whiskey, Desmond lashed out at Tom with such ferocity hardly ever seen of him.

"How many times have I told you not to take any of my stuff without asking?" Desmond began.

"Relax my friend" Tom responded in his usual cocky manner.

"What is so special about your belt anyways?"

Are you not happy that a 'Dollarite' like me would even descend to the level of usings your belt?"

"Look at what this bone lazy parasites is vomiting from his mouth. If you were so rich, why can't you buy your own belts?" Desmond retorted.

"Take it easy Desmond" said another roommate trying to calm Desmond down.

"Don't tell me that Desmond lashed out. You guys sit here and allow this guy treat everybody like a fool.

He will not buy his belt, slippers nor toothpaste, not even his soap, yet he will open his mouth and call people peasants. This is the last time you touch any of my things?

My friend getaway, Tom responded. 'Were you not sleeping when I took it? After you 'll call yourself a Christian, shame on you"

Thank you! Just don't touch my stuff anymore, pretentious hypocrites. Desmond replied.

His work out that evening did not go quite well. As usual, Desmond had arrived the stadium, did his press ups as well as other preparatory exercises and waited for the coach and other athletes to arrive. However, he failed to meet up with all the standard set for every event. All along, his thoughts dwelled on the quarrel he had with Tom

that afternoon and remained a major distraction. He had sinned against his God because of something as mundane as a belt.

Back in those days, the University of Calabar or Malabo as they called it was not a place for people who merely mouthed Christianity or being born again but were not ready to live the life. With seventy percent of the student's population belonging to one confraternity or the other and the many vices and temptations on campus, such were certain to meet their waterloo earlier than expected. The experience of Olawale his fellow athlete and a leader of one of the Christian groups on campus was still fresh in every one's mind.

Olawale had led his group out one night in a crusade that was tagged "Repent or Perish" and they had confronted a group of cultists on one of their parades which they refer to as "Sailing".

With brothers and sisters singing, praying and binding, Olawale had stepped out and challenged the cultist to either repent or they will all perish that night. After several appeals by the cultist to Olawale and his praying band to make way for the cultist to pass had failed, the leader of the group, the Capone as they called him, who knew Olawale very well had stepped up and shot Olawale on the leg. Accusing him of hypocrisy, he personally dragged out Olawale's girlfriend from among the crowd of believers and that effectively ended Olawale's pursuit of a career in athletics and the headship of the fellowship.

That evening, as Desmond entered the room, he called all his roommates together and apologised profusely to Tom.

COUNTING THE COST STILL

Desmond and Hannah had been friends for ten years but the last two years had been the best they could ever imagine. They had been childhood friends and when they met again when Desmond returned to Calabar to resume at the University they had instantly become lovers. But now their romance had reached such fever pitch ecstasy that it became a source of concern to Hannah's parents.

Desmond's first month as a Christian co-incided with the exams period and this became a good excuse for his failure to show up at Hannah's home. Hannah too was involved with her exams as well and so did not really notice the change in her Romeo. However, as school resumed and the weeks began to count, Hannah began to think of

visiting Desmond at school.

For several weeks Desmond had failed to do his Saturday morning preaching on campus. He had promised his home cell leader that he would end his relationship with Hannah having been told it was not just hypercritical but morally wrong to preach against fornication when one was still keeping a relationship.

Though it was obvious that Desmond had stopped visiting Hannah, his brothers in Christ had opened his eyes to the importance of keeping a clear conscience so that his prayers will not be hindered.

"the bible says, not even a hint of sexual immorality should be heard amongst you". One of them said to him.

Desmond got to the gate of Hannah's home and felt the need to just turn around and leave. He was still contemplating when Hannah's mother arrived in the taxi.

"Good afternoon ma," Desmond greeted forcing a smile.

"Good afternoon" Mrs. Okoh replied.

What have you been doing with yourself all this months? It's been quite a while".

"Sorry ma, you know there was the semester exams and we have been training for the University games since the school resumed"

Desmond had pressed the bell and the gate soon swung open and the taxi driver drove in with Desmond following behind.

Inside the house, Hannah jumped at Desmond and clung to him beaming with joy. Amidst laughter and excitement, she told him how she had planned to visit him the previous day but for the practicals that did not end until after dark.

Hannah was not so gifted academically, her median grades could only get her an admission into the school of nursing. None the less, she had made the most of it and was now in her final year. In her early years at the school, her parents where always filled with apprehension knowing their daughters limitations. But all those fears melted away when Desmond came into their lives. Not only would he take it upon himself to source materials to help Hannah in her studies, he would sometimes come over with his own assignments and books and they two will study into the night to the delight of Mr. and Mrs. Okoh. With time, Hannah's grades and confidence improved and so did her relationship with Desmond.

Mrs. Okoh was selecting the clothes she would wear to work the next day when Desmond called out from the living room to tell her he was leaving.

"Why so soon she responded." I hope all is well?

"No problems Ma, Desmond replied, I need to sort out a few things before it gets too late".

'See you soon then,' she had said as Desmond stepped out.

The next morning as Desmond sat on one of the broken hurdles inside the main bowl of the state's sports stadium waiting for his coach and other athletes to arrive, another kind of battle raged in his mind. Some of his roommates had overheard him praying and thanking God for the courage God had given him to break such an ungodly yoke that had prevented him from fully exercising his faith and had confronted him afterwards.

"Well Desmond started. I had to break my relationship with Hannah he told them."

"What! Tom exclaimed. Didn't I tell you guys? Some of this" born agains" can be so devil minded that you can't understand. How can this guy, after using that girl for three years now, enjoying her money and all the good food she used to bring here just dismiss her like that. He even promised to marry her".

Desmond was silent, he had not anticipated for such a wave of attacks. His roommates all knew Hannah, she had been a pillar in his life, supporting him financially and otherwise. At very critical moments, Hannah had showed up in the room with enough food to go round and would buy them drinks to wash down. Every attempt to defend his action was shouted down. Some even called him "Born against."

That morning, his training session was characterized by abysmal performance and as he sat in the bus heading back to the campus, he had to bend his head over the back rest of the seat in front to hide his tears from other passengers.

It seemed like any other Saturday on campus. Most students had risen early and began to do their washing, while others tried to complete whatever was left in the week's academics work.

However, there was this dark cloud hanging over somewhere in everybody's mind. The week before, the VC's office had issued a circular that exams would commence after two weeks. This was to help the school recover from the two months it had lost to the strike by the non-academic staff union of the school to press home their demand for the payment of their outstanding leave allowances.

Though the students through their Union had engaged the school authorities and pleaded for at least one month, the Vice Chancellor had insisted on the two weeks. With the discussions headings for a deadlock, both parties had agreed that the Vice Chancellor and his team would think it over and come up with a mutually acceptable compromise. However, when the circular came out that Wednesday, the Vice Chancellor only gave reasons why the school authorities could not shift grounds.

As students gathered in clusters discussing the contents of the circular and the possible steps they should follow to avert a mass failure, it became clear that many had not only opted to cheat but to do so in an organized manner.

Desmond had emerged from the forays of attack that followed his breakup with Hannah and as it was often said, that which does not kill you will only make you stronger. The denouncements, rejection and derision that followed his revelation that fateful day only reminded him of the persecution that Jesus Christ himself spoke about.

Having lost some of his best friends in the world, he had drawn closer to God and the brethren in church. Desmond preach the word everywhere he went in season and out of season as commanded by the bible, even his fellow athletes felt the heat has Desmond rebuked, corrected and taught with great courage. It was during this time that one of his childhood friends, Justina came to the stadium for a workout and recognising each other, Desmond and Justina had rushed into a face-to-face embrace.

Shocked and taken aback, some of his team-mates had called the coach's attention to see the righteous Desmond locked in an unholy embrace with a 'babe'.

What is wrong with that? The coach asked. Isn't he human?

"No! responded one of the athletes, Desmond is not human again – o, that sex machine we used to know has not slept with a woman for nearly months now, in fact anything you do or say nowadays is a sin according to him".

With this conviction going before him, Desmond had watched with righteous indignation and disgust as many fellowships on campus had prophesied a mass success with fantastic grades for the students who were generally planning to carry out an organised mass cheating.

That Saturday morning, Desmond took his usual spot and as he began to preach the attention of many had shifted to this rave of the moment. Since he arrived the scene, many had come to enjoy his practical messages and often described him with phrases like the firebrand, Prophet Elijah and others.

Desmond had begun by denouncing the hypocrisy, negligence and corruption on the part of the school management in failing to pay the allowances of the non-academic staff and zeroed in on the high handedness the authorities had shown by imposing their insensitive decision to bring the exams forward, liking it to Pharos's decision to have the Israelites make bricks without straw, and drawing cheers and whistling from his hearers. But when he turned the lights on a preachers on campus who were promising good grades and overall success without warning their followers and students in general of the consequence of sinning against God by engaging in such mass or organized cheating, missiles aimed at him began to fly from every direction; rocks, banana peels and sticks where hauled at him in anger and as he dropped the hand he had raised to protect his face from some of the missiles, Desmond saw a crowd rushing towards him. Instantly the image of Stephen in the bible flashed through his mind and he shut his eyes.

For more than 10 seconds, Desmond was screaming and kicking as tears poured from his tightly shut eyes until he heard a familiar voice saying it's okay. He opened his eyes and the crowd was still outside some punching the door while others cursed and yelled. It happened that as the missiles fell, Desmond had been moving and was standing by the door of one of his classmates who pulled him inside and locked the door as he saw the crowd bearing down on him.

"What in the world were you trying to achieve? Umahi ask. So you think you are Steven in the Bible? See this one - o. You will just die like a rat, ewuh!" he added sarcastically, eliciting laughter from some in the room. Desmond rose to a sitting position and whipped his tears still shaking with fear. After what seemed like an eternity, some brothers from the church came into the room and took him away thanking Umahi and his roommates for their brave intervention. Shockingly, two days later, Desmond was back in Umahi's room with his bible telling them how important and urgent it was for them to repent of their sins and turn to Christ.

"Pally! a voice in the room called out. You never tire? No be you then nearly linch for here day before yesterday?

"Well I am still alive Desmond responded, the work must continue.

"Seriously! Umahi interrupted, I still can't believe you are here preaching after what happened the other day. But, I will think about it, the exams are just days away and you should prepare too".

THE QUEST

like most of the students Desmond did not go home after the exams, the university had only given a two weeks break before the return to academic activities and going home would not only have been a huge financial burden to the students but an additional stress for those whose parents lived in other cities and countries far away. In Desmond's room only one person travelled while the remaining seven had devised various ways to keep themselves busy during the break as the hostel bubbled with different fun and academic activities

Desmond had almost totally moved on from the attack he suffered the previous semester. Apart from the occasional taunting by mischievous students, he rarely allowed the events of that day cross his mind. Before him now, there was a new quest, the one that had been his childhood ambition and will also help him quickly re - assert himself here in school.

For every sportsman and woman in the University, the Nigerian University Games otherwise known as NUGA, was the ultimate sports events. It was not only their tickets to the national camp for bigger events like the Commonwealth games and the Olympics, but the only way to justify and maintain the free all year-round accommodation they got from the school and for indigent ones like Desmond, a source of vital revenue to keep body and soul together. Names like Chidi Imo, Olapade Adeniken and Udeme Ekpeyong, a member of the bronze medal winning quartet in the 1992 Olympics who also passed through the University of Calabar held a lot of hope for him. Like them, Desmond nursed and pursued the ambition of winning a medal at the Olympics for the nation and pursuing a master's degree on scholarship while living abroad someday.

The NUGA games was near and Desmond was achieving major milestones in his preparations. Even his coach was delighted with his progress and constantly urged him to stay focused. Desmond prayed, trained and trained even more.

This was going to be his last NUGA games and the National Sports Festival coming up in a few months could afford him another chance to the commonwealth games and later the Olympics as the case may be. However, unlike the NUGA games athletes at the National Sports Festival were not students nor armatures like he would sometimes describe himself. They were largely professionals and had state government's sponsorship, more time to train and some were even employees of the paramilitary services and military like the Army, Police, Customs, Immigrations and Prisons services. Though he had never been afraid of any competition, the odds against him at the sports festival was way too high to guarantee any success. With this in mind, Desmond trained even harder, prayed and even fasted for God to guide him to victory.

The preliminaries of the NUGA games was to hold in Port Harcourt, but the university authorities there had shifted the dates for the events severally, citing various reasons. With proposal for a change in venue emanating from different universities in other capital cities south of the country, concerns were raised as to the possibility of athletes from the region appearing at the NUGA proper.

The preliminaries was the stage where athletes had to qualify to compete at the NUGA proper by competing against themselves to meet the standards required to feature in the events proper and Desmond was ready and eager.

The Kegites Club was by far the most vibrant club on campus those days. It drew allegiance from members and non-members because of the content of their planned activities, sociability of its members and the peaceful manner in which members conducted themselves. Even some of their words and phrases like 'comorado, may you walk and never tantawise' were commonly used by students on campus.

It was 'Market Day' for Iliya Cannan as the branch in the University of Calabar was known and Kegites groups from various universities had arrived for the occasion. Desmond had left his room that morning to one of the classrooms so that he could finish his essay in peace and quiet. He paid no attention at all to the drumming and singing that was going on at the corner of his hostel. However, by the time he returned at about noon, the crowd had swelled and the singing had become too loud for one to ignore. Drawn by this spectacle, Desmond had stopped to watch and listen, after all this was a rare form of recreation from his tedious weekly routine. He had only been there for about fifteen minutes when a fully dressed member of the group gyrated to his side and greeted him the Kegite way.

"Babane,, daysis belong" (May your days be long).

Desmond looked up and took the handshake somewhat skeptically while trying to make out the face. But when the young man introduced himself;

"Kennedy Nwogu, Federal Government College Kwali"

Desmond screamed, hugged and shook Kennedy's hand again and this time shook it vigorously.

"Which of the groups did you come with" Desmond asked.

"UniPort" Kennedy replied.

"Wow! Desmond exclaimed what a coincidence we have been planning to go there for the past three months but your school keeps shifting the date for the NUGA prelims - - "

"Which NUGA prelims? Kennedy interrupted, it started yesterday"

"Are you serious?" Desmond asked.

"Sure thing, Kennedy replied. You guys should better leave now or you will miss everything".

"Thanks bro" Desmond responded shaking his hands before running off to inform the Chief coach.

This was how the track and field athletes were able to secure the only events they will be featuring in at the NUGA games proper.

They had arrived the University of Port Harcourt that evening to find out that all other athletic events had been concluded and being highly prepared had snatched first position in the men's 4 by 400 meters relay, the only event in track and field that was left.

The date had been fixed for departure to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where the events of the 27th NUGA games was scheduled to take place. With two days to departure, kits had been shared and initial allowance paid so that athletes could buy those things they would personally need during the trip and a two-week stay in the city of Zaria.

Desmond had washed his clothes that morning before leaving the hostel to attend classes. From the classroom he had left again to attend the home cell fellowship outside the campus as he was asked to stand in for a brother who had taken ill and was hospitalized. When Desmond arrived the hostel it was dark and the concern for his clothes he had hung outside on the line had grown considerably. As he entered the hall, he lifted his eyes and there they were hanging peacefully. Desmond thanked the Lord and rushed to get them failing to look closely at the slab on the gutter he had to cross before reaching the line. With visibility so poor, owing to the poor lightning of the balcony, with most of the lights bulbs burnt and not replaced, Desmond placed a foot on the slab wet with soapy water poured from the first floor above and slipped exclaiming "Jesus!" as he landed heavily with one leg in the gutter.

The nearest room was within earshot and the students rushed out on hearing the screams, but by the time they got to him, he had managed to rise to a sitting position.

"Pally! How you take fall like that? One of them asked.

Abi your village people they pursue you? Another added sarcastically.

"Sorry" they all began to say to him one after the other as one of them lifted him up while another reached for his bible and writing materials which they handed to him.

"My clothes" Desmond managed to say as they tried to lead him away. One of the young men turned in a hurry and almost fell but for the intervention of one of his friends. He eventually reached the clothes and took them off the line with laughter and other sarcastic comments coming from the rest.

Desmond was still fast asleep when his coach arrived his room at about noon the next day the smell of Nerve and Bone an ointment used for treating sprains and dislocations had filled the already stuffy room originally designed for four students but now housing eight adults. Each of the inmates as they called themselves had taken in a squatter in order to raise money to meet the demand of their academic pursuit or just to make life easier.

Coach Femi tapped Desmond gently on the chest and remained standing flanked by the two athletes who had led him to the room. He smiled as Desmond opened his eyes and then his mouth in surprise.

"Pele!" he greeted in Yoruba as Desmond rose to a sitting position leaving his heavily bandaged leg stretched out on the bed.

"How did this happen?" The coach ask.

"Coach I don't know what to say. I had returned from church and went straight to those lines downstairs where we use to hang our clothes to get my clothes when I slipped and fell".

"Wow! Coach Femi exclaimed this is so unfortunate. All the months of training and sacrifice only for you to miss this events. What a fate! Pele, sorry ehn. Well, the National Sports Festival is still about five months away, I hope you recover soon enough so you can make the most of it.

BACK ON TRACK

Two months had passed since that tragic event and Desmond had made full recovery from the ankle injury, but the trauma was yet to abate. The pain of missing out on the competition and the stress he had to pass through during the exams was an experience one will not forget in a hurry.

With the semester now ended, Desmond realised how far behind he was in his final year project and decided he will spend quality time in the library every day to search for materials and do all the writing that will ensure he meets the different milestones, but how to raise the money to finance his continued stay on campus during the holiday was of major concern. He was in the library on one of such days when he overheard one of the library staff asking another if her brother who had come from the village was still around. When the other asked why, she told her a certain lecturer in the Department of Agriculture needed a gardener to help keep his compound clean while he was away on vacation. Desmond waited for them to finish their discussions then went to the lady and told her he knew someone that might be interested in the job. As the lady wrote the lecturers name and addresses on piece of paper for him, it turned out the location was just four kilometers to the state sports stadium. Desmond smiled, thanked the lady and went on to pursue the task that had brought him to the library that day.

For the one week that he had spent in the hostel since the close of the semester, Desmond had realised how difficult life could be when the school was not in session. The food vendors and others who rendered other services like typing and photocopy were gone. To make matters worse, he was now paying two or three times the price for food and other services and he had to trek sometimes for up to two kilometers to get some of those services. With his finances depleting at such an unprecedented rate, Desmond had become worried about how to kick start his training for the National Sports Festival in addition to the final year project he was writing. For these reasons, this opportunity to have another source of income could not have arrived at a better time. The prospect filled Desmond with such excitement that he could hardly sleep that night. For the three years that he had been in the university Desmond had been largely responsible for his finances. His father, a sergeant in the Army could only provide for thirty percent of his needs at school. Apart from being a sportsman which guaranteed him an accommodation in the hostel and periodically paid him some allowance, he was a fitness trainer and an artist. Sales from his drawings and paintings as well as the proceeds from his fitness training and the squatting bed space he would normally sell at the start of every new academic year were effectively managed to keep him funded all year round.

That morning, Desmond committed his meeting with the lecturer to God in prayers and by 8:30 a.m. he knocked at the door and waited. When Dr. Ben opened the door Desmond's excitement melted into despair and he was transfixed to the spot gapping at the lecturer as if lost in a trance. The events of yester years flashed through his mind and Desmond suddenly felt like bolting away.

"How may I help you Desmond" Dr. Ben asked?

"Jeez! you didn't even forget my name Sir. Desmond responded.

"How can I forget you Desmond, Desmond the predator"

"Lord! Desmond exclaimed again. I am truly sorry Sir, I wish I - - "The words could not form.

"Come inside and stop making a fool of yourself" Dr. Ben said walking away.

Desmond followed him inside and stood at an arm's length as the lecturer took his seat at the dining table.

"What can I do for you?" He asked again.

"I was told you needed a gardener Sir"

Desmond said with little or no confidence.

"Are you a gardener?" Dr. Ben asked.

"No Sir, Desmond replied. I am a final-year student of the university Sir, I need the job to keep body and soul together while I write my project".

"Final year student? That is good news. So how is your father?"

"Fine Sir" Desmond replied.

"Are you still preying on women?" Dr. Ben asked.

"No Sir Desmond replied once again.

Back in those days Doctor Ben's father was a teacher at the Federal Government College where Desmond was known for womanizing and consequently earned the nickname predator.

Dr. Afam Benedict had intercepted one of Desmond's love letters to his daughter and had given him twelve strokes of the cane. By evening that day, Desmond had developed a fever and buy morning the next day, he requested to be sent home shortly after visiting the dispensary because the fever had not abated and he was also vomiting.

That weekend passed quietly in the school compound but on Monday, Desmond had returned to school accompanied by his father and the resultant fracas and threats from his father could not be forgetton in a hurry.

"All right Desmond you can start right away. I need the grasses cleared and the flowers trimmed. There is a bread on the table you can make tea for yourself, I need to get to the campus. When I return we will talk about your payment.

"Thank you Sir" Desmond said not believing his luck.

Not only did he clear the grasses and trimmed the flowers Desmond swept and dusted the living room and after taking his tea, he washed all the dishes and seeing that Dr. Ben was long in coming, Desmond prepared "jollof rice" for lunch using the condiments he saw while sweeping the kitchen.

When Dr. Ben returned with a colleague, Desmond told him what he had done and asked if he could serve them lunch.

"Please do". Dr. Ben replied.

He was amazed at what Desmond could achieve and asked if he would like to move his stuff from the hostel and stay in the house until he returned from the trip. Desmond heart leaped for joy, not only would he earn some money, he now had a comfortable home and food to eat as well. He praised God for this favour, now he could commence his training for the National Sport Festival with no distractions at all.

Desmond finished his prayers while doing his usual brisk walk designed as a prelude to the tune up race before the main work out. This time the distance was shorter just four kilometers, six kilometer shorter than the distance he used to cover from school but he was fine with it, he had just recovered from an ankle injury and did not need to engage in a full workout.

He broke into a song 'Holy water', it was one of the songs he had learnt from his roommate who was a member of the Kegite Club. As the combination of his singing and he's lonely steps thumping against the paved highway provided a perfect working rhythm, Desmond continued to increase his pace until his heavy breathing could no longer support the singing. Nonetheless, the memory of the song in his mind provided the escape he needed to maintain a steady run until he got to the state's sports stadium. Later that morning as the coach arrived, the athletes were led to the gym for weight training, they were all very excited to have Desmond back in training.

DEATH IN THE POOL

That day was as challenging as any, if not more. The three hundred meter race up the hill twelve times with every athlete expected to do each race under forty two seconds was not a stroll in the park.

Desmond picked up his track suit at the top of the hill where Coach Femi stood watching the proceedings with his stopwatch and counting as each athlete made the difficult climb and headed for the main bowl of the stadium. The desire to quench his thirst became almost unbearable as he approached one of the kiosks situated within the sport complex to entertain spectators and athletes alike and ordered for a bottle of Coca-Cola. He downed the content in huge gulps as he took a seat on one of plastics table on which he also dropped his clothes. Moments later, he was joined by some of his teammates and they drank quietly for about twenty minutes.

The race up the hill was a very tasking one and athletes no matter how fit would always need some time to recover. As the number of athletes on the table increased and the men and women got some strength, conversations ensued on different topics at different levels. Soon, some excused themselves and head up to the showers and then off to their homes while others proceeded to the swimming pool.

Desmond decided to join the group that headed to the swimming pool and had only been swimming for about thirty minutes when one of the athletes shouted "where is Nnamani?" Soon the shout of Nnamani was all over the pool area with no response coming from any angle. Desmond looked closer and there they were, his clothes dangling from one of the poles where he had hung them. He quickly dashed out in search of the lifeguards.

The lifeguards at the stadium were not always in good terms with the athletes, they considered the athletes a bunch of nuisance since they were nonpaying guests and would sometimes just plunge into the pool with their unwashed bodies. For these reasons, the lifeguards often wondered away in order to avoid any confrontations, leaving the athletes to their fate.

Desmond considered himself lucky to have found one of them just outside the pool area smoking a cigarette, the young man quickly ran to the pool taking off his T-shirt as he made the run. He plunged into the darker part of the poorly maintained pool which was also the deepest and served as the drop zone for springboard divers and emerged with the lifeless body of Nnamani as all presents watched in silence and horror. The police soon arrived and contrary to all expectations, rounded up everyone present with claims they were needed to help in the investigations.

Later that afternoon with every other person that was arrested gone after paying the three thousand naira demanded as Bail by the policemen, Desmond sat behind the counter singing and praying in whisper interchangeably. He had told the police men outright that he was innocent of any crime and as a Christian would not bribe anyone.

"Charge me to court" he told them quite frankly.

Desmond had dozed off obviously from exhaustion following the whole experience of the day, he did not notice when madam Clara walked into the police station but the gentle tap from the woman inspector madam Clara was conversing with jolted him back to reality.

"What are you doing here?" Madam Clara asked.

"I don't know – o, Desmond started. Somebody drowned in the swimming pool at the stadium and they brought me here for questioning, the next thing they asked me to give them money before they would release me".

"And you are better than others who bailed themselves and are now gone" the woman Inspector interjected.

"You asked this one to give you money? This one, this spiricoco? Madam Clara asked jokingly. "How much are we talking about here?"

She handed them the three thousand naira and Desmond strolled out from behind the counter trying to keep a straight face with the Police men and women.

"Thank you" he said to Madam Clara tying his tracksuit around his waist.

"What happened to my training class"

Madam Clara asked as they stepped out of the Police station.

"I had an injury that sidelined me for two months I am sorry ma". Desmond responded.

"You had an injury and you did not find a way to inform me? You young men of nowadays. Now that you are well, what will happen? As you can see, I have added weight".

"I will make it up to you ma, Desmond replied let's see tomorrow evening unfailingly".

"The earlier the better" said Madam giving him some hard looks.

"I will be at your home tomorrow evening ma, thanks again"

Desmond said as he turned and left the Police station, hoping she would not try again to lure him to bed.

The holiday ended and Dr. Ben returned to his home. That evening Desmond packed his books and other personal stuff into the single bag he had brought. He did not have too much to his name, besides his father had taught him that the lighter you travelled the faster and more effective you would be. He knocked at Dr. Ben's bedroom door and told him he was ready to leave

"Why Desmond? Dr. Ben asked with a worried look on his face. I am not chasing you away am I? You can still leave by morning I suppose".

I have a training session tomorrow morning Sir and I will not like to miss it"

"What training are you talking about?" Dr. Ben asked.

"I am an athlete Sir, sorry I forgot to tell you. But the National Sports Festival is just a few months away and I will want to make the most of it".

"This is great, said Dr. Ben. It is almost unbelievable. You Desmond pursing all the noble things one can think of. This is total change. But you also have your degree exams coming up, I hope you are studying hard too". Because you need to make the most of it like you have just said.

"Yes Sir, I did not lose sight of that, I came here with my books as well and I have been studying".

"Fantastic Desmond! You really do have a plan and a good one for that matter. Who would have thought you would be this responsible. All right, let me give you something for your work".

Dr. Ben went back into his bedroom and when he returned handed Desmond the sum of ten thousand naira.

"Thank you Sir", Desmond said, walking away.

"Don't mention". Dr. Ben replied.

The high way was just two blocked away and as he walked down to catch a taxi back to campus, Desmond could hardly feel the earth beneath him. He sang audibly as he walked alone and burst into prayers of thanksgiving on entering the taxi. Twenty five thousand naira was the entire sum he would normally get from home every semester, and now he had accomplished nearly half of that by a single act of humility, he was certain God was working in his favour as he now had enough money to complete his project and also finance his training for the sports festival.

Desmond arrived the hostel and found only a handful of students had arrived that first night with him being the only person in his room. After sweeping and mopping the floor, he unlocked the padlock on his wardrobe, brought out his mattress and began to arrange his corner. Occasionally some of the newly arrived will peep in and offer the usual greetings

"Pally you don come".

Others simply shouted their greetings as they walked past the room;

 "Are you back, welcome – o. Aluta continua".

Exhausted from the cleanup, Desmond fell asleep on an empty stomach and after a few hours dreamt of himself winning a race and standing on a podium to receive a medal and later of himself eating a sumptuous meal in a palacial dinning room.

Desmond woke from his sleep and checked the time, it was 2 a.m., two hours earlier than his usual wake up time. With the pangs of hunger gnawing at him like a weevil gnawing its way through a bean seed, he looked at his table and there were only two fingers left from the bunch of banana Dr. Ben gave him as the parted. He took them and within a few minutes began to wonder how quickly they had digested into his system. He tried to sleep again but could not and decided to just lay there until it was time to go for his training.

At four O' clock, he rose from the bed, took his bath, put on his shorts, his T shirt and then his tracksuit and a pair of canvas and began his brisk walk before breaking into his usual ten kilometers warm-up race to the state's sports stadium.

TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

Desmond was certain he was on the right track. He had held firmly to his faith and followed its precepts commendably, he had also studied hard and even trained harder. Prayerfully, he had done all to ensure that he excelled in faith, academics and athletics but nothing could practically attest to these facts than the letter he got that afternoon.

Okon, the young man who had preached to him and open his eyes to the truth in the Bible, helping him to become a Christian had come to his department and handed him a letter from the church headquarters in Lagos. Desmond read with joy and trembling, the instructions directing him to assume leadership of the campus fellowship and wondered what credentials he had to perform in such a demanding office.

"Why me he turned and asked Okon. I don't even know anything yet".

"Precisely! Okonn replied, that is why God has chosen you. Because you know nothing, you will apply yourself to the directions of the holy spirit and you will not become proud and concieted as God teaches you. You are the man bro".

With this, Desmond assumed headship of the fellowship and Okon became his assistant

Desmond was familiar with those words: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers - -". they were the words of Psalm one and from childhood his mother made sure they stuck in his head like a tick to a dog. She would emphatically repeat the third verse of that bible passage; "he is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields is fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever he does prospers". As he preached to his fellow students that Saturday morning, Desmond had made desperate effort not to use himself as an example. His ministry was growing, his grades had improved significantly, while is preparation for the National Sports Festival were in top gear as the seconds came tumbling down with every race. Desmond preached, studied and trained even harder as the reality of getting a scholarship to study abroad became clearer.

Nobody could tell, was it an over exertion of the body or the mosquito bites in the hostel? Desmond took ill and was diagnosed with acute malaria. He had woken up that morning at 4 a.m. as usual but his body simply refused to yield to the command of his brains. He just laid on the bed shivering with fever and general body ache until his roommates woke up and rushed him to the medical center.

Two weeks later, Desmond emerged from the hospital feeling lighter than usual and still trying to make sense of what his taste bud had become. Two agonising weeks had passed since he was admitted at the medical center, his breath smelled like tablets and his knees wobbled as he walked. All through the ordeal, he had tried to get his mind focused on getting better as it continually wondered to the sports' stadium and the sport festival he had been preparing for. With Okon beside him, he opted to walk in order to determine his chances of getting back to full fitness before the competition. They soon came by the food court and Desmond said he would love to eat. Though Okon saw this as one bright spot in the events of the past two weeks, his happiness soon turned to concern as tears streamed from Desmond's eyes as he took the first swallow from the fufu and afang soup he had ordered.

"It is well" Okon said as he patted him on the shoulder.

"I have never been so sick" Desmond responded as the tears came pouring.

"It is well" Okon repeated as others in the food court turned to wish him well. Desmond shook of the tears and ate with determined effort. That day, Desmond ate four times and made himself a huge amounts of oral rehydration solution which he drank all through the night. The next morning he took a long walk spanning several hours as tune up exercise to help him return to training without any complications. He however rested on the next day before joining his team-mates on the third day for his regular workouts.

"I have come too far to fail" he told all who cared to ask.

With a month and two weeks to the last time trials to select athletes for the events, Desmond did all the weight training he could, ran up and down the hill and performed all the circuit training he could within and outside stipulated time. He could delegate responsibilities in the church and borrow works from classmates but on this front, he was on his own and would go down fighting.

"It is not over until it is over" he kept telling himself

THE D DAY

Desmond rose from the bed almost smiling to himself as he knelt to pray. It had rained during the night and the gentle breeze blowing that morning seemed an icing on the cake to a beautiful healthy night sleep. The auspicious ambience created by Mother Nature swelled his muscles with confidence as he prayed and his connection to his heavenly father was inexplicable bringing tears to his eyes as praises sprung intermittently from his lips.

Desmond reached the stadium reassured by the effort he had made and confidence in faith that he would surmount the twenty two seconds return time in two hundred meters, the benchmark set by the local organising committee for qualifications for the four hundred meters events of the 26th National Sports Festival. This was so because the tartan tracks at the stadium had worn and athletes had to do the race on the exposed hard surface wearing their canvas shoes as against the spike shoes that was allowed for the sprints. It was common knowledge among coaches and athletes alike that by posting such a time as twenty two seconds on canvas on such hard surface, an athlete could return a better time of twenty to twenty one seconds wearing the required gear and this would put them in the finals of their events and within the reach of a medal.

As one athlete after another ran their individual race, Desmond grew in confidence waiting his turn as he performed his warm-up exercise. When his turn came, Desmond mounted his block with one of his team-mates sitting behind and wedging the block with his legs to ensure it did not shift from the impact of his take off, this could cause him to slip and fall resulting in injuries that could jeopardise his chances of qualification. The gun sounded and Desmond took of putting all his effort and determination in the lone race that could make or mar his entire plans for the feature.

All his dreams flashed before him as his heart

raced faster while his feet thumped rhythmically towards the finish, it was over in a twinkling of an eye. Desmond sat on the ground with his legs spread out staring into the horizon as the results came 23.04 seconds, he did not qualify.

That afternoon as the team drove out in a luxury bus provided by the state government and escorted by the police, Desmond lay on his bed staring at the ceiling trying to figure out what went wrong and slept off.

Desmond stands at the altar before a priest dressed in a black suit and bow tie with a large congregation gathered behind him. As the music begins to play, Hannah enters the cathedral, her wedding dress shining brightly as she takes one cautious step after the other. Towards the middle of the cathedral, two men rise from their seats, one from each side and grab her dragging her along the isle as a vehicle drives to a stop at the entrance. Desmond runs after the men and towards the entrance screaming for help with no one rising to his aid. As he approaches the vehicle, the men in the vehicle seem to be laughing as Hannah shouts for help. Desmond makes it to the entrance and picks up Hannah's vale with the car far beyond his reach he wakes up screaming her name and sweating profusely.

"Bros are you having a day mare?" One of his roommates said to him as he sat up amidst the roar of laughter.

"I told you, you will regret breaking up with that girl" Tom said as the laughter seemed to die down.

By morning the next day, Desmond was at the state sports stadium and met the junior athletes training. He joined them in their warm-up and afterwards got ready and approached the coach.

"Please coach could you time my race?" he pleaded.

"What for the coach replied they have already left".

"I know Coach, Desmond responded, but please just time my race, just this once"

The Coach brought out his stopwatch and headed for the finish line as Desmond walked to the 200-meter starting point. As he raced down the curve into the home straight, the coach leaped from his position into a middle of the track in order to avoid any mistake as he captures the final moments of the race, 22.20 seconds shouted the coach excitedly as Desmond approached him to see for himself.

"I knew I could do it" Desmond said as the junior athletes all rushed to see the time.

"You need to do it again to be sure said the coach but this is fantastic".

"Ok Sir! Desmond replied light heartedly as he walked back to the 200 meters start.

As Desmond raised his hand up for a clear to start race, the coach handed one of the junior athlete a second stopwatch and then raised his white handkerchief as a sign for him to start. Desmond jetted out to the blocks like a bullet and powered through to the finish like a stallion charging into a battle with the momentum taking him at least 20 meters outside the finish line, he simply burst into tears as the coach announced a time of 21.58 seconds. Desmond got to the hostel later that morning, packed some of his clothes and left for his mother's village, it was a Friday.

The journey from Calabar to Ikom was only two hours but Tom considered it as torture whenever he was making the monthly trip. He had told his roommates he made the regular trip to collect money from his parents who were rich farmers in the village but this was not the case. He could not make the trip on Friday as he usually does because one of his lecturers had rescheduled his class for that Friday evening. On the morning after Tom had decided to stay in bed a little longer and before he knew it other things had got in the way of his planned trip. It was about 5 p.m. the next Saturday that the bus driver took off from the motor park after securing enough passengers to make the trip a viable one. Tom could still not lay a finger on the proper reason that caused him to delay his trip for almost a week and very nearly stormed out of the bus in frustration during the long wait. However, has the bus took off, conversations about politics and economy started calming frayed nerves and new friendships began. Desmond sat on the bench in the local palm wine bar deep in thoughts and sipping the local brew in an attempt to drown his sorrows after missing out on the sports festival. He had hoped the change of environments will provide an escape from his pain and had come to his mother's village to hang out with his cousins but on arrival, he had met only the aged and the children. The two young men he had planned to hang out with were said to have left for Calabar the previous day. Later that evening Desmond had wandered around the village and could not exactly explain how he ended up in the Palm wine bar, but he was delighted to be in the mist of some people and talking along excitedly. After a cup, he quickly reconnected with his past and began to call for a refill, he also made a routine of going there every evening.

The boy who helped his mother in the bar, only about ten years old arrived with a jar.

"Broda bush meat don ready – o" he told Desmond as he filled the cup.

"Oya, go bring am" Desmond replied.

"Wetin you de do for dea Marcus?" The woman called out as Desmond waited for the bush meat.

"I de wash plate" the boy replied.

"I beg bring the plate and come pound pepper for me make I put for this plantain, your father go soon come" the woman ordered.

Desmond was already tipsy halfway into the bush meat when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello – o o! "Tom greeted as he poked his head into the thatch roofed palm wine bar.

"Daddy!" The boy Marcus shouted excitedly as Desmond turned to look closely. This cannot be he thought to himself as Tom entered the hut. Desmond adjusted his position and sat quietly knowing he was not in perfect control of himself. Tom greeted everybody and even shook hands with two or three persons and then froze.

"Desmond!" He called out in near shock.

"How much is my money?" Desmond shouted to no one in particular, not even the palm wine in his system could assuage his embarrassment. He rose abruptly and staggered as the earth under him seemed to swerve in different directions.

"Sit down Desmond" Tom said touching his shoulder reassuringly.

'Do you know him?" The woman asked as she entered with Tom's food.

"Yes dear" Tom replied. He is my roommate.

"Is she your wife? Desmond asked, the courage coming from the palm wine rather than himself. She was at least seven years his senior he thought.

"Yes! Tom replied again but please sit down and finish your drink".

"So what brings you to my village" Tom asked as he began to eat.

"My mum is from here" Desmond replied staring at the cup and the half consumed jar of palm wine before him with mixed emotions. His own food soon arrived and the two ate quietly amidst the traffic of customers and services in the bar.

"Why did you just leave without telling anyone?

Tom asked as they sat under a tree outside the bush bar with the moon shining down on them.

"The pain of not participating at the sports festival was unbearable, Desmond began. I thought I was slipping into depression and a change of scene would do me some good. I have never wanted something so badly. My dreams of winning an Olympic medal, getting a scholarship and studying and living abroad all came crashing down after so much hard work and sacrifice. I felt abandoned by God".

"I understand, Tom responded. I know what it means to want something, slave and sacrifices for it and then not get it. However, I do understand that sometimes we could want something so badly that we put yourselves through so much, but what you are doing right now will only destroy you".

The two men were silent for a while before Tom Began again.

"You asked if that woman was my wife and I answered with great excitement but that wasn't the plan. After my father died, my uncles told me they had sold the only piece of land he had to fund his burial so my going to the university was no longer possible. For several years I moved from one menial job to another to sustain myself while trying to gain admission and getting married was my way out of depression. This bar belongs to her as well as a large farm land not too far away from here. She pays my tuition and that of our son and by the grace of God I will get a degree by the end of this year. But do you know my biggest worry? In nine years' time I will be 40 and she'll be 60 will I be able to love her then?

How will I explain that to my son? I also thought God had abandoned me because I had no other alternative, but now I know better. But yours is different, your father is alive and still sending you money and you have other things you do to raise money. You think because we use to make jest of you or tempt you to join us in our sinful ways, we did not know your way of life was better? There is really no reason for you to sit here and waste your life on palm wine while your degree exam is just a weeks away and your better life ahead of you. Do not do something you will regret in future.

Desmond opened his mouth but could not find the words. He was just twenty five years old and though he had sacrificed his time, money, energy, sweat and blood in trying to become a famous athlete so he could live abroad, non could compare to that which the man he held in so much contempt had sacrificed to get a degree. His anger against God melted in an instant and he rose from the bench and walked into a nearby church where he fell on his knees and wept profusely. The next morning, he was off to Calabar and to school.

OUR FINAL MOMENTS

The degree exams came and went and Desmond prevailed in flying colours. As he mounted the pulpit that morning to speak for the last time, he looked especially radiant and even younger.

Desmond told the congregation how exceptionally happy he was to have his friend in church that morning and bowed as he introduced Tom asking him to rise for special recognition. As the church clapped, Desmond introduced his topic: When God Says No.

"Not very often does one you held in such low esteem, in fact one you had written off as having no hope of redemption saves not only your life but rescues you from your fall from grace, he began. Turn your bible with me to the book of Luke chapter eighteen, verse nine to fourteen. It reads,

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get'. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner'. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted".

With this Desmond told his story of how he had become conceited and developed a feeling of entitlement having done so much for God and the church, expecting God to grant all his wishes regardless of how mundane they were and how he had become angry with God when such did not happen, leaving God's presence and returning to his former ways of life until his friend whom he thought was completely lost and without hope had preached the message he needed to hear. A message of humility, surrender and gratitude. Very often, we fail to see the opportunity we have been given and the privileges we have had and dwell on that which we deserved an have been denied, so to speak".

As Desmond opened up about the things he had done in that one week, weeping in the process, some members of the congregation who looked up to him, some of whom he had helped to convert wept aloud and Tom too. Then and there, Tom called leaders of the church and expressed his desire to become a Christian causing Desmond to weep even more as he thanked and praised God for adding another soul to His kingdom through a worthless sinner like himself.

THE FACT OF SELF DISCOVERY

The journey back to Makurdi where his parents now lived was to take several hours. In between, Desmond slept and rose several times jolted by the bumpy road or some noise from some hawkers along the road. The years of toil in ministry, sports and education had taken its toll on him. However, he was consoled by the fact that he would now face the world armed with knowledge, discipline and of course a degree. Nonetheless, each time he woke up, he was haunted by a feeling of incompleteness.

"What could this be Desmond thought to himself? What have I left on done?"

They soon arrived at Ogoja where passengers were expected to disembark and have their first meal of the day. The junction was a terminal for vehicles coming from the north through Makurdi and those from Calabar.

Passengers coming from either sides who preferred to break their journey and change their vehicles, usually those plying saloon cars would alight here, eat, stretch their legs before boarding another vehicle to continue their journey.

As expected, there were shops and restaurants all around and hawkers of fruits like banana, avocado and oranges, children of school age making quick money.

Desmond alighted from the fourteen seater bus and walked, stretching and kicking occasionally as he made his way towards one of the restaurants with a rough plank across the door reading Calabar kitchen. Inside, he headed for the console and ordered for his favourite Fufu with mixed Afang and Melon soup.

As he began to eat, a familiar face walked into the restaurant and their eyes met as the young man was approaching the console.

'Predatooor!' The young man cheered, changing his course temporarily to take Desmond's outstretched left hand.

Au - stin-o! Desmond responded as the food left his mouth for his stomach.

Nna make I collect food first Austin pleaded, releasing the hand and making his way to the console to get his own food. As they discussed, Desmond realised he was not the only former Federal Government College, Kwali's athlete that had become obsessed with the dream of going abroad through sports. However, unlike him, the young gangling six feet four inches tall, Austin was more than half way there. He was just going home from a basketball competition that held in Calabar to go and inform his parents of his admission before leaving to Abuja where he would jet out to California.

Having finished their meals, Desmond congratulated his friend and they both joined their different buses headed for Makurdi.

Only three days had passed since Desmond returned, but Franca had noticed the change in her son. Desmond had become withdrawn and unhappy.

"What could be wrong with our son" she asked her husband.

"I thought I was alone in my observation, but now that you have mentioned it, maybe we should ask him".

When after two more days, Franca did not notice any improvement, but rather her son was getting worse, she called her husband's attention again and they both decided to confront him.

"What is the matter Desmond?" The now warrant officer demanded with military alacrity.

"Have we offended you in any way?" His mother added.

"It is almost as if you were forced to come back home".

"It's not you father, it's neither of you. I want to travel abroad".

"I had hoped I would get a scholarship through sports but I failed to qualify for the events" he explained.

"I am sorry Mum, but I just cannot hide my frustration anymore".

"Is there any other way out?" his father asked.

"Yes Papa, Desmond replied, but "it is expensive".

"And there is no other competition left through which you could qualify?" The warrant officer asked again.

"There is father, but it is equally expensive and the time for preparation is quite short".

"You will go there and give it your best" said Warrant Officer Oguche emphatically.

"No matter how much it will cost, we will apply and you will pursue it through the ­sport channel as well. Whichever way available, we will pursue it".

Desmond looked up at his father with tear filled. He had often wondered from which of his parents he got his determination and tenacity but now he knew with utmost certainty.

On the Monday after that auspicious weekend, it was Warrant Officer Oguche who dropped his son at the entrance of the Aper Aku stadium Makurdi as he rode his motorcycle to work. At the office, the now very excited father made several enquiries to know how to get his son off to the United States of America or the United Kingdom for his master degree. In the previous week he had been plagued by all sorts of fears. While his son was slipping into depression, warrant officer Oguche had thought amongst many other things that his son had put somebody in the family way which was not out of place considering Desmond's past in the secondary school. But that his son was only depressed because he could not go abroad to study?

"I will pursue this dream even if I have to sell my last plot of land in the village" the Warrant Officer whispered to himself.

Desmond stepped on the blocks as the call came, it was his first trial since returning a time of 21 seconds after failing to qualify for the sports festival. He jetted out of the blocks at the shout of 'go' and ran with all his strength, returning an impressive time of 22.08 seconds.

'Fantastic!' exclaimed the coach, and you said you had not ran for about two months?'

"Yes coach" Desmond replied, I have only been lifting weights and doing some road races to stay fit".

"There is hope my friend, welcome to the team" said the coach happily.

That evening, by the time Warrant officer Oguche closed from work, he had received at least three names of companies helping people to travel overseas for studies. He reported this to his very excited son and wife and consultations began.

With two months to go, Desmond trained thrice a day to make sure he qualified to be in the national camp for the Olympics. This time, he did not need to worry about food, studies or medication. He was not even allowed to participate in any chores at home, his parents were solidly behind him and he vowed not to let them down pushing himself to the limits.

LIGHTENING IN THE SKIES

The day of commencement for the three day events finally arrived and Desmond made good on his promise to give it his best. During the hits, he made sure he came in among the first three and qualified for the finals of the 200 and 400 meters events.

On his parts, Warrant Officer Oguche had kept the tab on the three firms he had contacted to help his son gain admission into a university in the United Kingdom or the United States of America and had not relented in putting on the pressure.

Franca had equally made some efforts spiritually to ensure her son's success. She had gathered friends and from the commencement of the competition, they had been praying and fasting for Desmond to succeed, it was a family committed to a single cause.

On the morning of that Saturday set for the finals of the events, Desmond emerged from his bedroom already dressed but met the biggest surprise of his life. There his parents were standing by the door with a new silk track suit and a pair of running shoes all in the national green colors.

"Je - sus!" Desmond screamed in utter joy.

"Remember who you are my son, W.O. Oguche, remember the promise you made to yourself, the sacrifice that we have all put in and do not let yourself down. Go my son and make us proud".

Desmond took the kits, went into the room and appeared later dressed in the track suit his parents had bought, clutching the running shoes in his right hand.

"I am ready Papa, I will not let you down" Desmond assured with tears in his eyes as he made his way out followed by his mother.

PERSISTENCE, FAITH AND

DETERMINATION

The events were more than half way gone when WO. Oguche got to the stadium from his duty. He strained to look for his son but could not find him. There were no mobile phones in those days so trying to reach his wife who had accompanied their son to the stadium was not an option.

Meanwhile, Desmond sat on the pitch still sulking from having lost in the two hundred meters race where he placed fourth. As he checked his watch, he realized he just had twenty minutes before the four hundred meters final and sprang to his feet.

Warrant Officer Oguche spotted his son instantly and began to descend from the highest slab of the stands to a position where he could speak to him. Franca also noticed her husband in his uniform and began to make her way to join them. However, Desmond had started jogging again and gradually moving away from Oguche's direction.

Running on the 8th lane was the most difficult and Desmond knew his task was clearly cut out before him. As the announcer mentioned the names, it became clear for the second time that he was the only son of the soil in the race. He had lost the two hundred meters race and so this time, the cheers from the crowd was not so loud. However as he turned to wave at the crowd, his eyes met with his fathers who raised his hand to encourage his son and Desmond responded in like manner.

"I need to win this race o Lord, help me father".

Desmond said as he went down on one knee to start the race, and un like other times, there was rage in his eyes.

From the blast of the gun, Desmond ran as though he was driven by a demon, he just kept running causing a panic among his team of coaches who thought he would not finish the race. However, as they approached the last 100 meters, almost a quarter of the stadium rose to their feet as Desmond had moved from 8th to 3rd position.

The shout of Desmond filled the air as the athletes pushed for the final 50 meters with Desmond holding firmly onto his position. But at the last twenty meters, the Warrant Officer was firmly holding on to his chest as his son obviously struggled for the second position.

Desmond strained, fought and eventually collapsed at the finish, falling over the line at second position. Amidst plenty of shouting and celebrations, the paramedics rushed forwars with their stretcher, but Desmond rose and pulled himself to a sitting position to the delight of the crowd and the band hired for the occasion commenced a popular tune to salute the winners.

The quest of a life time had been achieved and the jinks of failure broken.

Desmond rose with tears in his eyes and raised his fist to his Father who responded in like manner.

Franca and her husband were still in joyous mood when a man in military sports gear approached them.

"Warrant Officer" the man called out authoritatively we would be glad to have your son representing the army".

"That is very kind of you Sir" replied the Warrant Officer "but he is going abroad to pursue his master's degree Sir".

"Oh that is nice, very nice, congratulations, I wish him well".

"Thank you Sir" Warrant Officer Oguche replied with a military salute.

THE END