The Friend Of My Youth And The Irony Of Our Dreams, Short Story by Adetayo Omotoyosi

It had been three years since I left the University, I kept asking myself the question where is Adamu ?
You might want to ask who is Adam ?
Adamu was my childhood friend, we grew up together in the slums of Ajegunle, the dirty side of Lagos.
Adamu was a very jovial, caring and loving friend one could ever asked for. We were both from a poor background, he lost his father when he was only four, and his mother automatically became the breadwinner of the family.
During our Waec examinations, I asked him Adamu “what do you want to study in the University ?
He replied, “I want to study Law, so I can fight for the oppressed people in Ajegunle and Nigeria at large.” 
He continued, “Emmanuel, didn’t you notice police brutality against our people in Ajegunle ?”
I raised my head from the deep thought I was in, and answered: “Yes, Our people get arrested and molested by the Police for doing nothing wrong, it is only in places like Ajegunle the police can beat and harass us, they will never go to Lekki phase one.”
Adamu asked me which course I would like to study in school, I replied him ; “I will study Medicine so I can treat the less privileged in Ajegunle.” 
Our dreams seems connected, maybe because we were both from the same area and experienced the same poverty.
But how can you grow up in the slums and not care about the people you left there ?
Two years After our JAMB exams, Adamu and I both gained admission to the Ebonyi State University. It was a dream come through for us, as we were leaving Lagos for the first time, since we were born. 
The day we left Lagos was on a Saturday, the journey to Ebonyi took eight hours, we arrived at the Ebonyi State University safely.
In a lowered tone, I called Adamu, “did you see the school’s building ? He answered me, ” Yes, Emmanuel, it looks beautiful. “He muttered “
We started our journey to break poverty and to emancipate the Ajegunle community from oppression from the rich folks and the Police.
We started our 100-Level on a good note, we left our imprints on the first and second semester.
We followed that same model till our 300-level before things started falling apart, the centre we both held dear was falling and sinking right in front of us, with no effort to rescue it.
Meanwhile, Adamu had made some friends who had questionable character towards the end of 200- level second semester. When I saw this, I called Adamu to order, he said : “Emmanuel, see this life na once o, you better enjoy yourself” his statement go me thinking, What had happened to this guy ?
Has he suddenly forgotten our dreams ?
Has he forgotten all the plans we had for the Ajegunle community ?
I murmured in silence.


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One day, I went to his hostel to see him, there he was smoking Indian hemp and all sort of hard drinks, “Codeine, Refnol’ and so on.
When I attempted to caution him, he called on his fellow smokers to beat me up.
That particular incident marked the end of our friendship, because he told me straight to my face that he does not want to have anything to do with me again.
But I was still concerned that my only friend had gone astray, in our final year, Adamu had stopped attending classes, all he does is drugs, later on, he started misbehaving, talking to himself. 
His coursemate Peter, came to my hostel, he said Adamu is now mad !
I rebuffed him !
How can my friend go mad ?
Adamu is not mad, he is just taking drugs, that is what I know.
I was shocked when I confirmed it myself.
“Adamu !
Adamu”
I shouted !
It was now clear to me that Adamu was mad.
I reached out to his mother, she was still battling the depression that occurred after the loss of Adamu’s elder brother. 
I really felt for the poor and helpless woman, she had been overwhelmed by life’s problems.
Final year examination came, I wrote my mine in a sober mood, because my friend was not there to sit for his exam. All his dreams of setting up his own legal chambers, fighting for the poor people of Ajegunle were all gone just because he engaged in the use of drugs.
I graduated successfully, completed my services year and now I am a practicing medical doctor.
It has been two years since I started practicing fulfilling my dreams of treating the less privileged of Ajegunle community free health care. I was shocked when on a Monday morning, Adamu was brought to my hospital to be treated. Adamu couldn’t fulfil all his ambition because of his penchant for drugs.
I wept profusely when I saw him in that condition, Looking at his mother eyes, she is a true definition of a mother.
How could I go on with this situation ? I told myself.
His dream was to fight for the oppressed, now he can’t even fight for himself



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