Childhood is one of the beautiful times in many humans' lives, and sadly, it's not the same for everyone. Mine was filled with lots of memories worth reflecting on today, and I do not hesitate doing so whenever it comes to mind, just like today.
Regardless of what childhood looks like for us as individuals, one thing we all had the ability to do as kids was dreaming, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was free, and we didn't need any permission whatsoever to dream; it was one perfect way I escaped reality.
My family had financial struggles and some challenges that didn't make me happy back then. I didn't enjoy so many things other kids did, but I was loved, and that was more than enough for me. Being a child, ignoring the things I wasn't enjoying was difficult, and to distract myself, I got busy with other activities like football, recycling, working to earn money, and others.
All of these things didn't make me as happy as I used to be when dreaming about the future. Those fantasies always took me to a new level, and it served as a restoration of hope for me. I believed that my present doesn't determine my future, and if I didn't stop believing in myself, I can achieve a lot.
Among those dreams then was my career; I wanted to be either a footballer or pilot. I played football a lot, but due to the lack of equipment and care, I sustained different injuries, including a broken leg, torn foot sole, and others.
My legs became really bad, and even though, I still struggle with some leg issues that started back then. One particular injury made me quit because a doctor warned me against playing football and I watched that dream fade away.
I had to depend on another dream, which was actually my first; it all started when we lived in Oshodi, close to the Muritala International Airport. Whenever an airplane flew over our house, I always wondered how something as big as that flies in the sky.
I found the whole airplane thing fascinating, and it became an interest to me. I wanted to become a pilot, and my mom would always say that making such a thing happen required reading a lot, which I did. I studied hard to always be at my best, but just reading wasn't enough.
Before completing my high school, I started making research about aviation school and was shocked to see how much they charged; there was no way my mom could afford such. I had to reach out to my dad for support, which he promised, but nothing happened.
At that time, it felt like I couldn't do anything more than just piloting. I lost interest in my other passions, and life became boring, but I didn't stop looking for alternative ways to bring that dream to a reality.
I learned about the Nigerian Air Force, which was going to be a chance to fulfill that dream, and immediately started working on it. I registered for the Nigeria Defense Academy examination and prepared thoroughly for it.
Three years passed, and I kept trying the exam until an uncle in the police force told me that getting into the NDA required a kind of connection I don't have. I reached out to someone who could help me again, but everything was futile.
I had to quit because it was pointless chasing something that didn't look like it was going to work out. It hurts, but quitting was the best option; I knew it was time to move forward since I can't afford the aviation school and didn't have the connection to get into the Air Force.
I chose another career that took me another few years to prepare for because the support was not there. I tried something else, but the passion wasn't there until farming became an option for me. I embraced it and told myself that becoming everything I wanted before might just not be my destiny.
It's all in the past, and I am happy with my present life.
All Image Are Mine.