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Daniel is my younger brother's close friend who always comes to our house. At first, my parents weren't comfortable with him around the house, but with time, they embraced him as their son.
Now back to my story, Daniel was a 200-level student of architecture. He had three more years to complete his studies and become a full-blown architect. But then, here he was, after the first semester's exams, complaining of the cumbersome stress of his course. I had to ask him at a point,
“Daniel, you chose this course, didn't you? Or did your parents force you to go for it?”
I was even stunned by his reply.
“Yes, I did choose it,” he said, “but I was naive and foolish then. Now I know better, and something else is calling for my attention.”
He said many things in one statement that left me quiet for a few seconds, processing the words. He chose to study architecture. He was naive and foolish. Was Daniel making any sense at all?
Something else caught my attention and I raised my head to cast him a knowing glance.
“You said something is calling for your attention. What could that be?”
“Music!” came his grinning reply. You'd think you've seen a confident chap, wait until Daniel begins to lecture you on how music is the deal for him.
I stayed quiet, even quieter because he is my brother's closest friend, and my brother, who had just written his SSCE, may wake up one day and decide that music is what he also wants to focus on since they were both talented singers.
I thought Daniel was joking about it. I thought he was just overwhelmed with his course of study (after all, it's common for Nigerian students), until three months passed, and he was still at home.
What Daniel did not understand was that he was still living with his parents, and there are certain decisions you can't make when under the roof of your parents, especially when you have a father who'll soon realise that he's been paying huge amounts of money in vain.
Daniel soon began to have issues with his parents. Daily, his father would lash at him, calling him an irresponsible first child. His mother would cry and wail, pleading with him to reconsider his actions, but when he visited us, his answers were the same.
“What my parents don't understand is that I have zero passion for architecture. If only they could support my dream.”
“Which millennial parents will support the dream of music? Daniel, you better wake up!”
Daniel was worried sick and he couldn't help it. I tried talking him into returning to school, chasing that career, and building his music skills alongside it. So that in the next two years, he could abandon the certificate knowing full well that he had built himself musically. But his response was, What use is wasting your parents' money when you will later leave the papers at the mercy of rats and cockroaches?
Daniel concluded that his parents would come to terms with his decisions. He would let them know that he's more interested in fulfilling his purpose than making money. Money would flow when his passion births impact, so he said.
Soon, Daniel adopted the stage name ‘DS’, a shortened form of his full name, Daniel Stan. He began to go from stage to stage, wowing people with his powerful rap music. He'd return home to empty pots, a fuming father, and a crying mother. The journey went that way.
Shortly, Daniel's parents completed their house and relocated, leaving Daniel to continue chasing his ‘so-called’ music career.
“...but not under my roof!” Daniel recalled that while trying to mimic his father, his laugh was so dry and weak.
The real struggle began. No sponsor, no financial help, only him and my brother writing songs and producing them at the local studio at our place.
My parents also relocated to their hometown. Since they are aged, they thought it was wise for them to return to farming. It's been my brother alone at home, trying to make ends meet while pursuing his music career. He's decided that when he raises enough money, he will apply to study music at the University. That way, he'll be a certified and professional musician and producer.
But for now, he's still with his fellow team (DS is part of them), burning late-night candles, writing songs, researching, growing, and training vocals.
I can't say it's been easy on them, but I admire their passion and dedication, and I know that in no time, the sacrifices will pay off.