CHAPTER ONE A SOLID ADVICE THAT SHATTERS INDOLENT MIND.

In the town of Ijala lived a man, Basuka who had two sons and a daughter. The two sons Bisi and Romadi were naughty and mischievous. Their father one night called them in his sitting room and said "My children I have called you in this hush sphere weather for us to share words as a family regarding our life endeavors. You know well that an elder who has fallen into toilet twice is a vulture and today knows what morrow never suspected. The bag of success is fetched at ease only by perseverance and entrepreneurship mind. One hangs one's bag at one's hand reach and a rat that plays with a lizard on the rain is left boggy while lizard dry and ..."(cut in) Bisi hissed and said "father, we are tired of all these your proverbs. Please, tell us actually what you have called us for" continued Basuka "My son Bisi be not in haste for a hasty person drinks tea with a fork. You know well that what the elder squats down and sees would not be seen by a child on a tree. I called you to share with you worth words of life from my past life encounters". "I was born into the poor family of Ukaba Nwagu during the

days of scarce rainfall and food. I never tasted good water or food. When I got to manhood and had nothing, I once asked my father Ukaba why he was wretched and he answered "Wretchedness is transferable, my father was the cause, he was a notorious thief, you know well that a snake never forgone giving birth to a rope like matter, so I caught up the act in inheritance but was later captured. I was imprisoned for twenty years. When I got extricated, a profuse grey hair began to count my age. I swiftly made frantic effort to exchange myself as nature demands; I got hold of a lady's hand in marriage who gave birth to you "Basuka". It was never my fault I inherited it."

"I was caught up by my father's words" Said Basuka. I began to ponder how difficult it would be for you my children when you are begotten if I would allow this life ordeals and turbulence to continue. I made a lot of effort to give up such nasty life style but all my efforts kissed the dead because I was already having a wife, that is your mother, Adora, though I married at my old age, I never enjoyed my youth because I had nothing to enjoy. Now, I call you my children, expensive treasure of the wretched. You are indeed expensive but your expensiveness lies in your hands" Romadi said "father, what is it that lies in our hands?" I am perplexed over this your equivocal life account. Does it mean that wretchedness awaits us as you inherited your own from your father"? Basuka cleared his throat and said "my children, there is a saying that one who needs an answer to a proverb proves beyond doubt that the bride token of the mother is in vain". "I told you earlier that an elder that has fallen twice into toilet is a vulture. My own father fell into theft toilet and we reaped the consequence of theft. Allowing you now to be poor as I am means that I have not learnt anything from my father's life encounters which would prove an elderly vulture. Pay attention! I never wished any of you wretchedness rather bright future. As you can see, by the virtue of nature, I am swiftly getting to my grave. You are now secondary school leavers and your sister Franka is still in Jss 3, you are to be fully aware that if nature would permit I shall strive and finish my race in her education. But as I said earlier "one hangs one's bag at one's hand reach, I can no longer train you in the higher institution, considering my financial capacity but there is hope at the permission of nature"

"Ha!" Bisi exclaimed "Papa what hope shall we have on you while you are already walking with three legs close to your grave?" When Bisi said that, their father Basuka observed a brief silence and said "my son Bisi, even if I die, my words live, again, a hen that garnishes soup is on no account a chick". "If I had been given this type of advice by my father, I would have made best of life. I am saying all this simply because I want your future to be bright for one who buries one's future with past mistakes is a fool. I have made a mistake of having nothing doing but would not like to burry my future with past errs" "The world is full of adventure to be ventured. You are to choose among many careers in life the one we can afford which you would venture and make a living".

After he had said that, Romadi said "Thank you father for your advice, but I have few questions; you said that you are poor simply because you had nothing doing in your youth, now, if you were us, what would you like venturing into?

Basuka cleared his throat and said "my son Romadi, I am old enough to choose career for you in this modern world with all its aesthetic deals. The aesthetic eyes that fetched me Adora your mother have fade. You can make best choice of life yourself. "Father you said that you married at your old age; why was it at your old age? Does it mean that young ladies were far fetched during your youth? Asked Romadi. "My son, life without adviser is full of frustration, no one either advised or supported me to marry, when I was due, though I had nothing doing", Said Basuka. "Father, you were the one who said that an elder that has fallen twice into toilet is a vulture. Considering that, my brother and I have decided not to in any way smell like vulture by allowing what happened to you happen to us" Said Romadi, Bisi shouted "gbam!" continued Romadi, "We have known clearly that what caused your wretchedness was diverse but it was archly caused by late marriage. Therefore, following your advice, we have chosen marriage as the best adventure to venture, the best choice of our aesthetic eyes; nothing else but marriage"

When Romadi finished saying that, the father Basuka said "My children, the demand of nature is inevitable but it deals with time following the book of Ecclesiastics Chapter 3,"there is time for everything under the sun". Marriage is on no account a life career rather an institution which one gets fortified in one's career before entering into" My children an adage has it that "One accepts unwanted and rejects wanted in desperate (Oju ngwa ngwa juru ihe ogaara ikwere, okwe ngwa ngwa kwere ihe ogaara iju). Be patient enough for beautiful ladies are not yet born; enjoy your youth so that you will enjoy your marriage. When I married your mum Adora, her breasts were at sky point but where are the breasts today? That shows that there is no champion forever. Don't allow your hearts to be failed by sophisticated pretty ladies around you. Be wise, marriage is an inevitable task of nature which everyone must carry out but there is time for it. Be patient enough lest you eat your egg raw." But father, you said that we should enjoy our youth; is there any enjoyment in youth more than girls around a man? Or do you want to encroach in our choice jurisdiction given to us by you? Don't worry yourself, you have done your best by bringing us into the world, we are to eat our food hot lest it goes sour, good night." Said Romadi

They entered into their room and slept. Two days later Romadi and Bisi left home for different cities.