₦airaland Forum

Divepen1:
First thing first, very interesting piece
Quote every dialogue

tnx bro

Dedicated: To all lovers of literature.
Special thanks goes to: Almighty Jah, the cosmic host and pantocrator for the inspiration.

From Scratch To Cash.

The room was so cold like a dead man's body, there was enough ventilation and the cool breeze entering the room from the window graced the room with more comfort. There was a standing fan around the corner of the room and a bed comfortably placed opposite the standing fan. There was a TV set and VCD at one corner of the room, and some wallpapers making the room more appealing to eyes.
I want to be rich, I want to become a person everybody looks up to. I would like to inspire many lives and also live a godly life was what Adekunle, slim swag as fondly called by friends was thinking when he heard a knock at the door.
who be that? he asked with displeasure. It's me, Emeka. he stood up from the bed and went straight to the door to open it. Emeka is a guy in his mid 20s who lives opposite street of Kunle's, he is not as briliant as Kunle but he had a sense of humour.
He had high taste for fair complexioned ladies, anytime I see a fair complexion lady it feels like I'm already in paradise was what he used to say.
Kunle, what is wrong with you since I came in you have not been talking, is everything alright? he asked. I'm fine. I'm just thinking about how to make it in life, answered Kunle. Emeka smiled and that smile instilled something Kunle could not decipher. why are you smiling? is it funny? Kunle asked. No, is not. Then why did you smile as if I was cracking a joke? Kunle asked with annoyance. Don't be so tensed, Emeka replied him. I smiled because that was briliant of you, we are not kids anymore, we should be thinking of how to make our lives better.
Kunle, see, I have heard different stories of successful men out there, many of them going from nothing to something, grass to grace. We have to start doing great things, things that will make us great, we have to do more than just the ordinary. I do not mean doing bad things or engaging ourselves in evil practices, we must plan for the future, he added. Yes, Emeka, that's true. So what do you suggest we start doing since we are still undergraduate and we are not financially stable? he asked.
Kunle was a law student of a prestigious university in Nigeria while Emeka was a business administration student in another school. Give me time to think and I will tell you later, I want you too to think about it, he added.
So, how is your bae? Emeka asked. She is in her parents' crib enjoying her life. life sha no get
duplicate. what about that your skinny girlfriend? Kunle asked. Na she dey my head so, Emeka replied jokingly. Then he stood up and went straight to his girlfriend's house as if Kunle reminded him of her.
Immediately Emeka letf he felt like a burden has been lifted off his heart. Yes! time to see my baby, too. He dashed into the bathroom and came out in the next five minutes, wet from head to toe. He changed into one of his best wears and in the next 15 minutes he was there. Kunle mi!(my Kunle) Joyce rejoiced as she saw him, she hugged him and gave him a short kiss. How are you? Kunle asked. I'm fine all thanks to God and your love. A lady in her 20s cleared her throat from behind.Oh! Kunle, meet my new friend Roseline. How are you miss Roseline? I'm fine and good. She was an architecture student while Joyce was studying Economics in the same school.
After a long conversation bewteen them Kunle declare his intention of leaving. Haha! Joyce exclaimed. You just walked in the last five minutes you can't go now. But the conversation lasted not less than three hours,said Kunle. That is how being in love is, said Rose. Make sure you enjoy it.
After a kiss of few minutes Joyce and her friend saw him off.
It was already past 8:00 pm when he got home. I can't cook again he murmured as if he was talking to somebody, he sat on the bed and he was lying down the next minutes then he began to think about the kiss, the smiles of Joyce and her lovely, beautiful face kept flashing through his mind and he capped his thinking with what Emeka and him discussed in the day. he could hardly say the lord's prayer before he fell asleep. Emeka in his house started thinking about how to become successful, the reply he would give Kunle because he had told him he would think about it. He was racking his brain and that gave him sleepless night as if he was suffering from insomnia. Yes! yes! yes! he screamed as if he won a million naira lotto. I know what to do. He said his short prayer and slept, unlike Kunle he did not think about his bae at all, but he had already sent her a message earlier that night reassuring her of his undying love.
The following morning Emeka was the first soul to wake up. He brushed his teeth and washed his face and started walking down to Kunle's house. He was still deep asleep and was snoring like a soul who has been deprived of a night sleep for days. Emeka knocked the door but he could not hear because he has journeyed so far into the dream land. He increased the knocking like he would break the door until he heard Kunle's footsteps. Wetin happen this early morning? Kunle asked in between yawnings. Nothing much, Emeka answered. I have gave what we talked about yesterday a thought and I have come up with a suggestion. Kunle's eyes widely opened, what is it? what is your suggestion? Kunle asked.
My suggestion is we should open a restaurant or a boutique shop. What a sui generis idea!
You are the bomb! Kunle expressed satisfaction with the suggestions. Emeka did not know what sui generis means but he managed to smile.
But I would prefer the later to the former, Kunle suggested. So, how do we go about it since we do not have enough capital? Emeka asked. I have an idea. What is your idea, Kunle?
We should draft a letter and send it to people for help, people that are financially stable, persons that will help. This reminded Emeka of a friend to one of his friends, a son of a former minister. Do you think he would help? I can't really predict him, we should try our luck first, replied Emeka. So, since we have plans for getting money now, what will the name of the boutique be called? Kunle asked. We shall take initials of our names, there you have E & A Collections!
Then they gisted about the best football club in England. Kunle said Manchester United was the best team, Emeka maintained that it was Chelsea, that he could die for Chelsea. SMH!
What an irony! Ready to die for another man's property, I would not call that foolishness, but lack of vision. After hours of argument, they bade eachother farewell and Emeka leff for his house.
As soon as Emeka left, Kunle started drafting the letters.
The following day Kunle and Emeka did not see, Emeka had gone to spend the night with Patrick.
Patrick was a muscular guy in his late 20s, and was the friend to the minister's son. He was studying Graphic Designs in the same school Emeka was going. He gave Emeka the minister's son address; when he got home that day it was late so he could not see Kunle again that day.
The following day was sunday. Emeka did not wake up early but when he eventually woke up he brushed his teeth and washed his face as usual. As he stepped out of his room about to go to Kunle's place, a girl of 10 years Titilope by name saw him and asked, "boda Emeka e lo church ni?" (bro Emeka are you not going to church?) he managed to reply her in yoruba, "beni, mi o lo" (yes, I,m not going) but the reply would not take a normal yoruba person a second to decipher that Emeka was original igbo man because of his thick igbo accent.
When he got to Kunle's place, he told him he already sent out some letters to people he deemed capable of assisting then in their project.
So, how was it? Kunle asked. I have the address, he replied. The journey was scheduled to that afternoon.
Kunle was first to get ready. Let me go to Emeka's place, I should not wait for him here, he said to himself.
As he stepped out of his room he saw him coming. Na your place I dey vex come, he, Kunle said jokingly.
In the next 58 u they were in his house, they were about introducing themselves when he said, Pat has told me about you. My name is Danjuma, you can call me DanJay.
He listened to them and he said, " no froblem" in his thick hausa accent just to amuse them, they could not laugh but it really did help them relax their bones.
At the end of the meeting he agreed to give them a sum of 50, 000 naira; 50,000 of that time is like 500,000 naira of now.
Few months later, they started the business. It was one of a kind, the first to happen in that environment. At first they did not record much profit, but few months later, the dividends of perseverance, good management and punctuality started paying off.
They were in their finals that year. A year after they already became a strong name in that environment, stocking their shop with latests. After their NYSC, they decided to learn designs, how to make designs and wears.
This took them a year, not that they were dull to learn but they actually waited that long so that they could know enough.
Four years later, E & A Collections was now a company, employing people and teaching them. Top government officials, rich men and anybody who could afford their price came their to pick his or her choice.
After some years, E & A Collections was recognised nationally for their quality products, empowering youths, creating employment for people. During that year's independence celebration, the president wears was a special product from that company.
The kindness of DanJay was never forgotten by them.
As the time progressed, they became known internationally. E & A Collections' name crossed many seas and bothers, and they became source of inspirations for young people and every living soul.
THE END.
This is my first short story ever written... Your corrections, criticisms and contributions are sure welcomed.