CHAPTER 35

Adekunle stood there, staring at Hamza with a mix of surprise and pride. He remembered when his brother had first mentioned Hamza's desire to pursue a music career. Back then, he had wondered if this was a path filled with uncertainty and potential pitfalls. Despite his reservations, he had prepared for Hamza's musical journey by providing him with musical instruments.

As Hamza began to play his guitar and sing, Adekunle's skepticism faded away. He might not be a music expert, but he could recognize good music when he heard it, and what Hamza was producing was indeed captivating. Adekunle reached for his phone, which he had set down to capture the performance, and confirmed that the video had recorded Hamza's singing beautifully. Turning back to Hamza, he couldn't contain his excitement. "Wow, you've truly surprised me! That was amazing, and I feel incredibly proud right now," Adekunle exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Hamza beamed back at his uncle. "Thank you, Uncle. Your support means a lot to me, and I'm thrilled that you liked it."

Hafsat, who was not particularly a fan of Nigerian music, couldn't help but be amazed by Hamza's performance. The song he sang was so lovely that it left her wondering if it was an original creation. She decided to inquire further, "Hamza, that song was delightful. Is it an original composition?"

Hamza, scratching his head and pondering the question, finally replied, "Well, yes, it's one of my original songs."

Hafsat was taken aback by the revelation and enthusiastically responded, "That's wonderful to hear! I can't wait for you to sing another one of your songs for me."

Zara, Hamza's sister, was equally surprised by her brother's hidden talent. "Brother Hamza, I find it strange that I never knew you could write songs," she admitted, her eyes reflecting her astonishment. She had always known her brother was talented, but this revelation took his abilities to a whole new level.

Hamza approached Zara and explained with a laugh, "Well, you didn't know because I never mentioned it or showed it to anyone." He ruffled her hair playfully, and Zara continued to stare at him in amazement.

Adekunle then suggested, "Why don't we watch the video again?" He took a seat on Hamza's bed, and the rest of the family gathered around, ready to rewatch the performance. As the video played, Hamza was also astonished by the quality of his performance Though he couldn't replicate Bruno Mars perfectly, he had done a commendable job.

Hafsat chimed in, "Why don't we post it? What do you think, Hamza?" She was eager to share his talent with the world.

"Of course," Hamza replied enthusiastically. However, he suddenly remembered something and added, "Could you tag someone for me when posting it?"

Adekunle, looking at Hamza with interest, asked, "Sure, who do you want to tag?"

Meanwhile, John, a blogger, was scrolling through the internet in search of news that could boost the popularity of his blog. His searches had been unfruitful until he remembered a recent video he had posted on his blog. That video had garnered an exceptional amount of attention, more than any of his previous posts. About to put his phone down for the night, he suddenly heard the familiar notification sound. Someone had tagged him in a video. At first, he considered ignoring it, but then he changed his mind, took a seat, and opened the app. As soon as he saw the first few seconds of the video, he couldn't contain his excitement and shouted, "Yes!"

From one of the rooms, a voice called out, "Wetin happening, John? Why you dey shout?"

John turned to his friend, eyes filled with excitement, and explained, "Do you remember that boy I recently posted on my blog, the one singing an original song?"

His friend nodded, recalling the talented boy. "Yes, I remember him. He's really good. So, what's up?"

John's enthusiasm was evident as he shared the news. "Well, someone just posted a video of the same boy singing and tagged me in it!"

His friend cautioned, "Let's not get too excited just yet. First, let's watch the video."

John quickly played the video of Hamza singing, and both he and his friend watched in silence, their eyes glued to the screen throughout the three-minute performance. When the video came to an end, John turned to his friend and asked, "What do you think, bro? To me, this is next-level stuff. Record labels will be queuing up to sign this young man."

His friend agreed, "You're right. This is on another level. The lyrics and the sound, although not your typical Nigerian song, its remarkable. He could be the next Johnny Drille or even better."

With renewed excitement, John began to edit the video immediately, preparing it for posting on his blog. He turned to his friend and said, "Bro, I can't wait to see the reaction from people.

His friend asked, "I hope you tagged Johnny Drille ?"

John replied, "Of course, I did. Now we just have to wait and witness the magic unfold."

This seemingly insignificant action, tagging John in a video, would soon set in motion an unimaginable series of events that would send shockwaves through the music industry, not only in Nigeria but around the world. It was a pivotal moment that would significantly shape Hamza's career and the events surrounding him.

A/N: Many of you may not be familiar with Johnny Drille, he is a Nigerian artist who sings slow songs, which is somewhat unusual as Nigerians typically prefer fast beats.