Kemi was brought up in a small compound in Surulere in Lagos where no one was left without something to say about her life. Since the day she won the first position in Primary Two, Mama Kemi, her mother said to the whole world that “Ah! My daughter is a genius, she will become a doctor, just wait and see!”
And that is what had become her general name from everybody in the compound, "Doctor Kemi" even though the girl herself was only seven years old, and was still confused on what she would love to become.
The expectations became more and more as she grew older. Aunties demanded her to be respectful, teachers anticipated that she should always be first, neighbours required her to be available to teach their children whenever they need it since she is the most intelligent one. The members of the church had their expectations as well, Kemi ought to be in choir, Kemi ought to know how to play keyboard, Kemi ought to marry, Kemi ought not to marry too soon.
Her life was a tune of expectation but Kemi was secretly desirous. Although everyone thought that she wanted to become a doctor, Kemi actually wanted to be a writer. Her nights were spent in inventing plots using things she perceived as mundane like Mama Funmi chasing thieves out of her shop, Uncle Kunle fighting with NEPA officials, little children playing suwe on the dust road. Everything had an intrigue in her mind.
Unfortunately, her mother would stare at her each time she talked of writing as though she had just told her that she has joined a cult.
"Writer? Writer ke? Will writing feed you? Abeg, turn to your textbook on biology". So Kemi grew up to relegate her dreams into the background and bear the weight of the expectations of others.
The actual turning point was reached when she received an offer letter to the University of Ibadan. Everyone rejoiced, her mother even performed a dance as though she had won a lottery, jollof rice was being cooked by neighbours even their pastor prayed to her future patients.
However, the admission letter was to English and Literary Studies not Medicine.
The smile on Mama Kemi's was frozen
"What nonsense is this" she said,
"Mummy… I applied for English” Kemi replied,
“English?!!!”
"I want to be a Writer, that is what I want Mummy" said Kemi.
Her mother looked long and long, and shook her head “Expectation has killed me.”
For weeks, the house was cold. Mama Kemi barely spoke to her, neighbours whispered, others even consoled her mother that there is nothing to worry about, she will change her mind that it is simple youthful confusion but Kemi did not change her mind.
Sadly, Kemi took her bag and went to school.
University life was not easy, Kemi was criticized on all levels, her decision was regretted by people they even return her to return home crying but she did not.
Instead, she stayed in school and continued writing poems, short stories, essays. She had become part of a writers’ club consisting of bizarre and genius individuals who believed in dreams, ideas and creativity. She felt she had arrived home with them.
She made friends with Chuka the most intelligent boy in the group, a tall boy, who had pencils in his pocket and too many dreams in his head. They used to talk about life, goals, and most importantly expectations.
"You see, there is a thing with Nigerians?" Chuka would say waving his hands around, "It is dramatic, they all want you to be great, no one cares if you are happy with who you are"
The first time Kemi heard it, she laughed but afterwards she understood that he was correct, aspiration and expectations tends to choke happiness sometimes.
One of those days, their writing club held a contest called "The Rising Voices Literary Contest" where short stories are written by the students throughout the country and the prize is a publishing opportunity and one hundred thousand naira.
Kemi authored an article titled "The Weight of Many Eyes", it was about a girl who was trying to overcome the expectations of her society. She invested all her heart in the story with anticipation.
"Perhaps this would be my opportunity" she said to herself.
The results were published a few weeks later and the winner was Kemi Adebayo.
She couldn't believe her eyes.
“Kemi! You did it!” Chuka screamed running to her, and took her up in his hands like a bag of pure happiness.
She wept, not because of the money but because somebody had already noticed her and not as Doctor Kemi, not as Responsible Kemi, but as herself.
At the end of the semester, she gave the award certificate to her mother when she went home. Another minute passed with no one saying anything. Then slowly Mama Kemi sat down.
They have been saying to me that I ought to inoculate you into medicine, she said cautiously. “But maybe… just maybe… I ought to leave you to your course".
Tears filled Kemi’s eyes.
"It is not that I do not wish to make you proud, Mummy I just want to breathe.”
Her mother deepened the sighthe sort of sigh that goes over ten years of thick expectations.
“Then breathe, my daughter. Write but promise me one thing, promise me that you will be successful at it".
"Yes mummy" Kemi cried and hugged her mother.
Kemi tirelessly publish books, receive awards and travel to writing festivals in Africa several years later.
However, she never forgets the lesson she learnt that:
Expectation is powerful, it can build or destroy. However, life is beautiful when we are taught how to keep only those expectations that we can follow and drop the others.
Thank you for staying with me this far, I hope you had a good read, see you next time.
Noted: All pictures are generated on Meta AI