"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low..."
Dozie rose from the chair as he recited the speech of the late Martin Luther King. He edged to the balcony and stared at the birds chirping on the oak tree. When he was done reciting, a broad smile crept to his face.
He had spent days memorising the speech after listening to it more than a hundred times. There was something about it that he couldn't explain.
The words weren't just ordinary. They were powerful. So powerful that they had awakened a deep desire in him to want more in life and chase after the things he wanted.
Dozie had dreams. Not just dreams. Big dreams.
He wanted to be a great man in life. Just like Martin Luther King.
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the voice of his mom calling out to him from the kitchen.
He rushed to meet her.
"Yes, mom."
"Where have you been?"
He pointed at the balcony. "I've been there," he said.
She stirred the stew on fire. "Okay. I wanted to know if you were around," she told him.
"Oh!' He whispered.
He left his mom for his room.
His room glistened with lights as he walked in. There were numerous pictures of aircraft on the wall. A Duvan bed was in the middle and a table dresser was close to it.
He sat on the only chair in his room and gazed at all the pictures on the wall. From the first aircraft ever constructed to the latest one, all of these kept his dreams alive.
He fell in love with aeroplanes the first time he visited the airport at age nine and told his mom he would love to become a pilot when he grew up.
But when he grew, he changed his mind to study aeronautical engineering. That's the true passion he had.
His friends at school had laughed at him when he talked about his dream. He sounded stupid to them.
"Dozie, you amazed me. Do you think you can become an aeronautical engineer in Nigeria?" Tobe burst out in laughter.
"Why not?" he shrugged.
"See," Lyon placed a hand on his shoulder, "my friend choose another course of study. Don't go to the university to waste your time."
"Let's say it's even possible but you have to study abroad to be a better one," Tobe said.
"I disagree." Dozie shook his head. "It's possible even if I study in Nigeria."
"You are daydreaming." They roared into a loud laughter and left him alone.
He gawped at them with an expression of sad confusion on his face.
Why were they acting indifferent?
Was his dream foolish? he wondered.
His cheeks dimpled at the thought of the words of his friends. They meant nothing to him. They were wrong and he was right.
His dreams would come true someday. He believed deeply.
Dozie broke his Bic biro when he stepped out of the examination hall. It was his last paper for his senior secondary school exam. He had stayed awake all night to revise before dawn.
It had been four hectic weeks of reading and studying. He hoped to come out with flying colours. So, he could proceed to the university to study his dream course.
He stopped by the canteen to buy snacks and a drink when he bumped into his friends.
"Dozie! Dozie!" They hailed him.
He looked at them amused.
"The machinery!" Tobe called him.
"The man with the fastest fingers, I greet thee." Lyon bowed.
"You guys should stop these." He chuckled. "You are embarrassing me."
"Not really but you surprised us." Tobe buried his hands in his pockets.
"How?" he munched.
"You finished an exam which was supposed to last for an hour and twenty minutes within 45 minutes."
Lyon whistled. "Guy, you are bad. How did you do it?"
"Well, I studied. That's all."
"Men! I want to be like you oo," Tobe shook his hand.
"Stop teasing me, jare."
"Who knows, you might end up being the best student of the year," Tobe said.
"Hmmm… you are right." Lyon nodded.
He shot them a smile. "I don't know but if it happens, I will be glad."
"Anyway, thank God the exam has ended. I can now play my games." Lyon stretched his hands.
They broke into laughter and walked to their class.
The examination results came out two months later and Dozie came out the best.
He raced to school to break the news to his mom.
"Mommy!" He screamed from the stairs.
"I passed! I made it!"
His mom sprinted from the kitchen. "What is it?" her eyes were filled with fear.
"Mommy, come and see. A's parallel."
Her eyes bulged out in shock. "It's a lie. You passed." She pulled him close to her bosom. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you, Mommy."
She looked into his eyes. "Well done, son. Well done."
"I can finally go to the university to study my dream course," he told her.
"Yes, my son. I was going to prepare beans but I changed my mind. I'm going to prepare jollof rice and chicken." She held his hands.
"That sounds delicious. I will be waiting," he said.
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