A Failed Self

“I have turned my life upside down, even after so much advice from my friend. I wish there were ways of averting this life I'm living right now", Onana blamed himself deeply and from his heart.

Nicola Barts

He was excellent when it came to his educational background, but he took his brightness into the pit. Onana went to a university after he was done with secondary school. Although he came from a reputable home, his family was the richest in that vicinity. He has been promised a job after university, with or without results. He only tried to bribe his way out of his lecturers.

Vincent has this habit of reading and making sure he passes his exams at all costs. He is the only friend of Onana who is entitled to advise him. They had known each other right from secondary school and still took their friendship to the university.

In year one, Vincent, who knew what he was doing at the university, always read his books to pass and to have better grades, while Onana found his way to bribe lecturers with considerable sums just to acquire the best in his department. He was poor in mathematics but was supposed to find a way to learn through constant reading with his friend; instead, he would insult Vincent for reading and solving mathematical problems too much.

“You will fall sick one of these days," Onana told Vincent.

“Old boy! I know what I'm doing", Vincent replied.

“You don't know. Instead of you using some money to help yourself out, you are here dulling yourself,” Onana said.

“Why can't you try to stop this bribery of a thing and focus on your future? You may have difficulties later if you continue like this", Vincent added.

“Forget it. It's my business, but not yours. I have the money to do what I'm doing. So, let me be, OK?” Onana said as he bragged about the money his family had. This money kept turning his skull into something different from his normal being.

He succeeded in his schooling, and immediately after he graduated, his uncle placed him in his company just to become his manager. He was working so hard but also had the habit of skipping work, making his way out of being the manager. After a year, his uncle started hearing some side talk about Onana skipping work. His uncle has to test his ability just to verify Onana’s bravery and ability to handle a job since he has got too many complaints about him.

His uncle has to send three delegates from a reputable company to check up on Onana's abilities.

“I'm Mr. Charles from the federal government investigation team. We conduct interviews just to check up on the quality of competency in any company. My colleagues are Mr. Jackson and Mr. Marcus", Mr. Charles said.

“How can I help you, Mr. Charles?” Onana said.

“We are here to conduct some impromptu interviews," Mr. Charles said.

Deep in the eyes of Onana, he began to shiver. He was not himself, and he was fidgeting while answering them. He was behaving just like a premature being.

“Should I call out all the staff?” Onana asked, as his mind was shaking seriously. It was showing all over his voice.

“No need. We are here for you, and you alone. You have to get prepared," Mr. Charles said as he gazed at Onana, just to be sure of his immediate behavior.

“Alright, I'm prepared, but you just need to give me some minutes," Onana said as he went to the restroom just to call his uncle.

“Please, uncle, some people are here from the government to interview me and also to give me some tests," Onana said silently.

“It's their usual behavior. They do come to check up with our company and to roll out tests just to test our agility and ability towards the business you are into", his uncle responded.

“Alright, uncle,” he replied as he proceeded to meet with them. He was given the test, which was in written form. He gazed at the paper and was sweating profusely. Likewise, he was so worried, and seeing him would send a sign of incompetence.

Not only that, but he stayed for more than an hour without submitting. After two hours, Mr. Jackson went to yell at Onana, “Why are you wasting our time?”

“Give me some minutes; I will be through,” Onana said.

After ten minutes, he called Mr. Marcus and Mr. Charles in private, “Please, can I have a word with you?” Onana called out.

“Okay," Mr. Marcus answered.

“Please, take this parcel.” Onana stretched his hands out to handle the parcels for Marcus.

“Hold on, what's in it?” Mr. Jackson asked.

“Just open it," Onana replied.

After going through it, they discovered that Onana was trying to bribe them with money. Immediately, they called his uncle and related the issue to him. Without delay, his uncle ordered his immediate removal. He was stripped of all the entitlement, and his family, after hearing about it, froze his account, and he became nobody.

This was when he remembered the gravity of what he had done when he was still in school. “I wish I knew; I would have listened to my friend and read my books instead of making my way out," he said.