The first time I truly felt independent and felt older than my age was a lot of years back, but seems like yesterday.
When I was in secondary school, I've always wanted to be alone and explore on my own, I felt I needed that freedom because of certain predicaments at home, but my parents were so overprotective and always dictated for me.
I didn't grow up with a silver spoon, things were so hard, but my parents believed in solid education for their kids as a way out of deep financial challenges.
I am the third child of a family of six, my Dad, my Mum and I have three siblings. We hardly step out of the four walls of our apartment then. We were each other's best friend, because we hardly relate with neighbors in the compound or community.
All the orientations we had were the teachings of my Dad and Mum, but my Dad in particular. He is an education enthusiast. He made us believe the only way to success is through a very solid education, and he went far beyond his capabilities to achieve that.
During my high school days, my mind has grown, but my physical look was still so immature, I'd see and emulate what my elder siblings would do and what my parents would do. Then i started developing a big psychological health. I already knew what was right from wrong, but no one would allow me to act on my own.
My Dad always dictated whatever he wanted, even when it contradicts my own beliefs and perceptions, and I dare not say no. He wanted me to be a medical doctor at all cost and that's because my Mum was a nurse, and he wanted at least one of us to be in the medical line.
I begged him that I didn't want it, but he persuaded me. Still so young physically and in mind, and out of respect, I obliged.
We used to have three terms in a session back the in secondary school, I struggled to have good grades as science student in my first year in the senior secondary school. I went back to my Dad that I needed to change my department that I wasn't comfortable with sciences and I have troubles understanding chemistry, but he insisted I stayed, I wouldn't want to defy his order, you know Nigerian parents.
I managed to stay loyal to his decisions until I completed my secondary level of education. Wrote my O' Level exams and I passed, but that success came with pain. I had to keep studying day and night and no time for pleasures because I couldn't have endured the trauma if I had failed.
I had a very fast education and left secondary school at the age of 15. Then I knew what I wanted and my Dad wouldn't allow me to do what i wanted because he believes I'm not old enough to make decisions on my own. He enrolled me for an exam to qualify me for admission into the university, where he still forced me to choose Medicine and Surgery as my first and second choice, and I told him that I wasn't sure I would cope, I told him I'm not good in chemistry at all and it would affect me, he kept persuading me that he's sure I'll cope and graduate with wonderful grades, I had no choice and I did. He's my father after all.
I wrote the exam and while I was waiting for the result to be out. I started sleeping voluntarily at home doing nothing and that very good day, I came across a Financial Accounting textbook, Frankwood. I decided to see what was inside and went through it.
Source
I read the first topic, I enjoyed it and at the end of the chapter, i saw working exercises, I solved it all, confirmed the answers at the back pages of the text book and I got everything correctly. I did the same for the second topic, it was understandable and the exercises were very easy, and I finished the whole text book within two months.
The day I completed the text book from cover to cover and found it very interesting and easy, I said to myself that I threaded a wrong path which wasn't my decision but someone else's, I decided to say no to my Dad for the first time, not minding what the outcome would be.
For the first time, I felt ike a man within myself and ready to face my fears and accept the consequences of the decision I was about to make.
I went to my Dad and told him I wanted to study accounting, he yelled at me, but I insisted, and that was after I passed my qualifying exam into a university, he asked if I wanted to forgo and waste the score I had in exams, and i told him yes. He threatened not to fund my education if I don't listen him and I told him I'll look for a way out myself.
I made him understand I am young, but I know what is right for me. And I was ready to face the consequences of my decisions if it goes wrong.
My mother wasn't happy about our disagreement, tried to calm him down, he eventually listened to her and allowed me to have way.
Sincerely, I went to the university to study accounting and I graduated with ease and today, I am happy with what I have become.
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
