Dayo almost fell down as he ran to meet his Mother in the kitchen, to break the goodnews.

"We are going to the village for Christmas,yeh!.. he said and left immediately without waiting for a response.

The mother just hissed and concentrated on the 'Ewedu meal'.

Dayo is the only child of the family,they have been married for 9years now,she's obviously carrying another baby,"it's a baby girl", the doctor had said.

Initially Mommy Wã was against them travelling to the village for the Christmas Holiday,

"Pele ókómi, seriously my spirit do not want to journey down to the village"..she had complained.

They missed Last year's,and it was because of Mommy wá, she was so sick.

         "C'mon Mommy Wã,we won't stay there forever okay, let's just go, Mama misses Dayo and you too... Daddy Dayo persuaded but notices she wasn't not ready to give in.

  "Iyawo mi!

  "Ifemi!...he teased her so hard that she reluctantly agreed.

Dayo has been to the village just once,that was when he was just 8,he looks forward to the memories he had.

    Granny loves Dayo so much, as the first male grandchild,he was so pampered and loved by the old Granny.

On the day of departure,all was set,the village is very far,so they started off early before sunrise.

"Daddy! Daddy!...Dayo called out as they sojourn.

     "Yes,my boy"..

"Hope there won't be masquerades these year"...he asked naively.

  Mommy Wã and Daddy burst out laughing. 

__________

They arrived at the Village at sunset,it was late afternoon, Grandpa was the first to see them as they drove in to the compound,he raised alarm and wanted to run off but fell down...🤣

Daddy Dayo rushed out of the Car to help the old Man,the Old man on realising it was just his Son burst out laughing; Grandma had came outside after hearing the alarm and was immediately embraced by Dayo.

There was jubilation as neighbours gathered around to welcome them.

Dayo sighted his old time Friend,Peter,just like Dayo,Peter had also came down to the Village for Christmas.

They hugged each other and left the 'oldies' to do their thing.

Dayo and Peter were age mates,Peter was just a month older.

The first time Dayo ever visited the village,he was just 8 years old,same age as Peter, their Parents were Family friends,And their house was just a stone throw away from each other's.

The memories shared was still fresh in their young minds.

"Hey Dee!... Peter fondly call.

  Dayo just smiled.

"You still remember?

    "Huh, what?

"The masquerade chase!... Peter recounted trying not smile.

"Hahahaha". Dayo laughed out so loud.

"Show me the mark please" Dayo pleaded trying to raise his shirt up,Peter resisted and ran off while Dayo chases him round the whole compound like cat and rat.

Dayo had his own mark too,but he didn't open up,it was during the masquerade festival,as custom demands, different masquerade from different clans all come together to dance and Grace the day while people sit in the open square to clap and chant masquerade hymns.

Masquerade were believed to be "spirit guards",it chases away evil, punishes the bad and most times disciplines children who do not obey their parents.

So on that day,just like other children,Dayo and Peter also came out to witness the festival,they had fun but under the supervision of their various parents, they were still so young, just while the festival was going on,Dayo and Peter sneaked out of the village square and raced all the way down to the village stream..

 

People aren't paid for their potentials or talents, they're paid for their products- what they've produced and what they're producing, not what they wish to produce or what they intend producing. 

 

Intention, to me, is the same as indecision and indecision is not doing. You either do or you don't. You aren't different from the lazy loafer who intend doing something, because every lazy person has an intention to start something.

 

Now, I don't know, but I'm yet to see a producer or record manager that signed an artiste by just hearing his voice and not requesting for a track, or a publisher that signed a deal with a writer that hadn't written any article of reasonable amount or worth.

 

You could be a better runner than Usain Bolt but it doesn't change the fact that he's worth over $100 million through what he was able to produce and you're still running to the market at top speed to haggle over the head of ice fish that you'd use to soak garri in the comfort of the uninhabitable hut you call your crib.

 

You could be better, better, way better than those you see out there in your field. The sour truth is that most people really don't care. What raises their interest or what would is the track you've released, the painting you've done, the blog you've created, the book you've written, the jobs you've created, the seminars you've organised, the creative workshop you've opened and an unleash of the product of your potential.

 

And perhaps, you've produced results and no one still is interested, it's time to either change tactics and do more. And perhaps, you've produced results that've started garnering interest, you'd be doing yourself a great disservice by smiling at your 'achievements' and relaxing.

 

Produce and keep Producing!...✨✍🏾

 

#Andy©️

Inspired by Hamz✨.

 Drop your opinions, views and argument about my point.🙏