Not by accident

As I came out from National stadium and wanted to cross the road to board a bike to Bode Thomas,I saw this well dressed young man talking with a woman, the woman had two babies that were crying. As I approached them, I heard the young man said this...

-Go and buy food for them madam.

I saw him brought out his wallet and counted out there one hundred naira bills and handed them to the woman. I almost passed them but I stopped because I knew that the woman was a beggar. I dipped hand into my pocket and gave her additional five hundred naira then went my way but as I crossed the second road, I overheard a voice calling out; Oga!Oga! looking back, I saw the same youngman running towards me so I halted as he approached...

- Excuse me sir,please sorry to bother you but can you please help me with little change?

- What do you me by little change, didn't you just give that woman three hundred naira?

- I did sir, she said that her babies have not eaten for two days and I was touched sir. I am actually going for an interview in Aguda and all I had on me was four hundred naira, I couldn't resist the cry of her babies sir, I had no choice sir.

-So you gave her your transport money and now you are begging me for money; you would have told her that you don't have enough to share with someone so you had choice but chose to be foolish. Mr.man giving her that money was too foolish of you

- Sir I gave her the money because I felt for her babies and also I made up my mind to walk to Aguda if I don't see a lift but I felt to ask you to assist me because of what you did for the woman too. Is it also foolish of you to give her five hundred naira?

-I gave her because I can afford it but you gave her knowing very well that you will subject yourself to pressure. Well, I don't have anything to give you.

-Okay sir, I am sorry for bothering you,take care and it's a pleasure meeting someone like you today.

He walked out on me with a big smile then crossed the road and headed towards Taslim Balogun stadium, I watched him as he tropped down without looking back and his last statement kept repeating inside me...' okay sir, I am sorry for bothering you, take care and it's a pleasure meeting someone like you today. I took a quick accessment of my person. I am a good man so what kind of person does he think I am? I asked myself the question as I waved down a taxi then boarded the taxi.

I told the taxi driver that we will pick someone along the road but there was no sight of the youngman, I accessed the distance quite well knowing where he must have walked to from the moment he left me. I wanted to give him a ride but I think it was too late so as the taxi driver drove towards Adenira Ogunsanya I spotted him tropping at the other side of the road right in front of shoprite.

- Thats him! that's him, horn for him, haba driver your horn no dey work? Oya move front make I call him.

I started calling out with all my voice to catch his attention...

- Hey! Young man! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey

Sometimes it's good for something to happen to us so to remind us how privilege we are to be where we are in life, nothing stops me from giving this guy the little change he begged for but I refused to heed the call and eventually got myself scrambling to catch up with him and I was lucky to have spotted him because I would have lived the rest of my life regretting what I did to him. Thank God that he didn't find help. He saw me waving at him so he crossed the road as the taxi driver pulled over then I asked him to join me...

- You know, I was wrong, my judgement is totally wrong so he will drop me then take you to your destination.

- Okay sir, thanks so much

- By the way what's your name?

- Sir, my name is Kelechi Nebuwa

- I am Dr Nathan Ogbologu, it's a pleasure meeting you my dear and thanks for reminding me how blessed I am. You said that you are going for an interview?

- Yes sir, it's actually a job offer a friend told me about and applicants are required to apply in person and according to him, the company is also conducting interview immediately

- What sort of job if I may ask; hope you don't mind my question?

- No sir, it's okay. It's a managerial job, the company is looking for a manager, actually it is a marketing firm so they want to employ a marketing manager

- With or without experience?

- Sir, that's why they are conducting interview immediately

- Do you have managerial experience?

- Sir, I have not worked in a big firm before but I managed a cyber cafe for four years in Enugu before coming to Lagos to search for green pastures because the pay then was very poor, imagine a graduate receiving ten thousand naira salary. I read Economics and Statistics and topped my class when i graduated, I graduated with first class honors sir

- Well, it's the country we find ourselves in. Hmmm, I will drop right in front of that building, here is my card and take this little money, I am sure that it will help you.

- Thank you sir, thank you so much, may God bless you. Your pocket will never dry, wherever this money came from, baba God will replenish it in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for you have just uplifted my spirit.

The taxi driver pulled over right in front of my residence then I dropped and they continued. Believe me, people pray for me almost on daily basis but Kelechi's prayer drew me very close to God because I felt his presence in that taxi, I felt that there was something or a force right inside the taxi with us because even the taxi driver said Amen. Anyway, that was it for the day. I went inside my house fulfilled and very happy and even told my wife about my Encounter with this young man. "His kind is rare to find". She said.

It takes someone with a heart of gold to do what he did for that woman and her babies, I put myself in this young man's shoes and believe me; I am sure that I wouldn't even pay attention to that woman. This is what humanity is all about but as I discussed this with my wife, I realised one mistake I made, I didn't take his contact although I gave him mine but what if he fail to conatct me again? You see, I felt the need to be in touch with him and I pray that he contact me, I want to know if he was successful and we prayed for him.

While I was dressing up to go and drop off my wife at the salon, my phone beeped and it was a what's app message, the picture loaded with the caption. " Dr, I got here on time but you won't believe the crowd". I screamed and also bursted laughing. My God! All these people for just one vacancy? What the hell is happening in this country? I quickly saved his cell number then replied his message

- Looking at the picture, I am sure that you have the pedigree to be selected for that job but should in case it goes against your favor, do not hesitate to let me know. Good luck

He replied back...

- Thank you sir, I pray that I get this job because I really need it

- Have faith my dear

- From what I heard, they have interviewed about twelve people and I am number fourth three

-Many are called my dear but few are chosen,keep me posted, I have to go now. Good luck once again

- Okay sir, have a nice day, bye.

He called me later that day and notified me that he wasn't successful, I felt the disappointment in his voice and also sensed that he wasn't totally broken. But the truth is that I also had a package mapped out for him because people like him are that kind of people you don't let go if you ever cross part with them. That singular gesture towards that woman and her babies already set him aside and also leving me with a smile when he approached me knowing that I would be of help but I snubbed him actually proved that he was a gentleman and gentlemen go places.

- Okay you know what Kelechi, why don't you come over to my hospital tomorrow by 9am?

- Okay sir, I will

- Alright take care.

You see, I have friends and the system in our country is considered 'man know man', who you know is the determining factor in most cases and looking at Kelechi, my wife and I agreed that we should sow into his life. Just three Sundays back, Pastor Rob preached about human development, he talked about the process of making a nobody somebody and went on to advise us about seeing values in others. Proverbs 27:17- Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. I recollected that verse because he talked so much about investing our time, money and emotions in others and here we are faced with putting that teaching into practice.

I got to the hospital by 7am the next day and was surprised to see Kelechi in the hall...

- Hey! you are already here, I told you 9am

- Sir, I love being punctual

- Well that's okay but you have to wait for a while because I want to introduce you to a friend and he won't be here until past nine

- That's not a problem sir, this hospital is even like a home, there is television here to keep me busy

It takes no special skill to know when someone is real, everything about this young man shows that he is naturally a good guy and also has a good sense of humour. Tony arrived at the hospital around 9:15am. You see, he is my childhood friend and the CEO of a fast growing mobile phone sales outlet, his company represents most of the big mobile phone manufacturers and I know that he is always hiring and firing. He told me about the new branch he wants to set up in Port Harcourt sometime ago. I introduced Kelechi to him and upon my recommendation, he was hired instantly by Tony.

If truly godfatherism is the easiest way out in our society then I just played the role of a godfather.

Kelechi couldn't believe what just happened because he was to leave for Port Harcourt the next day to join the team there, he was hired as the deputy sales manager with five figure salary, house allowance and a car. Anyway to cut a long story short, Kelechi rose to the General Manager of the company under three years, he joined the company with the desire to excel and he did. One very important thing about life is to always remember how you set out your journey but most of us are usually carried away, it once happened to me but thank God that he used this young man to remind me how priviledge I am.

Kelechi is a good example in every form and I believe that he will go places, he kept learning everyday and Tony in the other hand was so pleased with him because with the innovations Kelechi brought to the table, his company was able to strive in a highly competitive market. There was no day we didn't talk over the phone and he was the one that calls, I can't remember ever calling him except once during his birthday then one day he called me and that was actually the most important call he ever made to me. He didn't call to let me know that he sent his immediate younger brother to Canada or that he is getting married not even that he has started foundation of his house in the village rather he called that morning because it's typical Kelechi...

- Good morning doc, I will be coming to Lagos on Sunday and I want to show you someone but it's a surprise

- Kelechi, who is this lucky girl?

- Oh doc, it's not a girl oooo, in fact it is someone you know

- Your mum?

- No sir, it's a surprise, remember you told me that you like surprises

- Wait, don't tell me that you got a girl into the family system and she brought forth a boy

- Oh doc, you won't kill me ooooo; not that Sir

- Okay I will wait till Sunday to see this your surprise

- Okay sir, please say hello to madam

- Sure, I will do that. Take care.

This is not the first time, he had called to tell me about a surprise he has for me, I tried to process what he actually had in stock this time but kept landing on empty clues so I gave it a pulse knowing that nothing is new under the sun.

Kelechi as far as I can tell you is one of the nicest people I ever crossed part with and he kept amazing me. One thing I know and believe as a human is that the good we do comes searching for us sometime in our life and Miriam a good friend of mine who would later turn out to be a sister to me once said that it's good to be good because God always use our goodness to our favour if not now then certainly later because he will surely do it and I believe that because my encounter with Kelechi was planned by God.

Tony's company and one of the leading smart phone makers organised a marketing promotion, the biggest of its kind because some of the big shots in the movie industry were unveiled as the brand ambassadors and big names in the modelling industry modelled during the unveiling of the latest android smart phone. I didn't know the surprise Kelechi had for me that day and honestly was anxious to find out because the last thing he did on my behalf which was actually his collaboration with my wife on my birthday left me lost.

- Kelechi, I hope you are not going to set me up again?

- No sir it's not a set up

- Who is this person you want me to meet Kelechi?

- Sir, let me give you a hint, its someone you know but you've not seen for three years

- Someone I know but have not seen for three years; alright

The event was glamorous and colorful, you see this guy is a master when it comes to event planning and I wonder how many Kelechi that are out there wasting away. Anyway, everything was well organised, those that pre ordered the cell phone and were present were all recognised and among the models that took part that day was Kemi. She was actually the unknown name among the ten models but was the eye of the audience. I was again given a big blow by this guy's generosity. That simple gesture of assisting him with work didn't only put food on his table because he did what no ordinary being would do.

- My God, Kelechi you have proven once again that you are a noble man, I told you years back that gentlemen go places

- Sir, this is all about you, none of this would have been possible without you

- But the truth is that you remembered her, I never thought of a day like this in my life

- There was no way I could have forgotten her sir, she is the corner stone of my life.

You see, Kelechi took that woman with the babies out from the street, infact she and her adorable twins had been under his care from the moment he gained employment and her dream was to become a model, a dream she was pursuing before somehow life took its turn on her and she ended up being raped at a point, was sent out from home with her babies and she ended in the street but fate did it's own and here we are today. Imagine what a small favor could do. Just because of three hundred naira! Just imagine what you can do in your own part.