The measure of ambition in Adebiyi’s ‘ITAN: A Poor Boy with Big Dreams’

* “If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become It.” —William Arthur Ward

By Osaze Samuel

THE epigraph emphasizes the power of visualization, belief, and ambition in achieving personal goals. It suggests that mental conception (imagining/dreaming) is the first step toward physical reality, encouraging individuals to pursue their aspirations with confidence. This is the story of Enitan (ITAN for short), which begins with him dreaming about his big and glorious future. A child of destiny, Enitan radiates tenacity, courage, rare determination and brilliance. As his name suggests, indeed, his life is replete with soul-stirring stories.

While he navigates the maze of life, this remarkable boy demonstrates rare grit and readiness to overcome the plethora of challenges occasioned by abject destitution. Enitan sprouts beautifully out of life-threatening thorns to become an oasis in the desert. He is a torchbearer, and change-maker, who not only breaks but shatters the manacles of poverty in his entire lineage by the sheer power of iron-cast, irrepressible and indomitable will to succeed even in the most unfavourable conditions.

A self-published 55-page book illustrated by Moses Olorundare, Enitan mother’s name—Abike, is a moving paradox. Meaning– born to be pampered and taken care of. Unfortunately, however, in the wake of unwanted pregnancy, her doting boyfriend deserts her and the unborn child. Enraged by her indiscipline, her family didn’t fare any better either. Consequently, the poor teenager is thrown into the merciless streets, where she has to eke out a living amidst the harsh realities of life. Can a mother’s love be extinguished by poverty? Abike, regardless of the prevailing circumstances, bends over backwards to ensure she and her son do not die of starvation.

Enitan is you. Enitan is me, growing up in the serene village of Ohordua. In the company of mother. On an often lonely and winding roads, we would wearily walk our ways to the farm at Ikoka. The only escape route being education, we held on tenaciously to it like drowning men. Today, we are here! The story of Enitan—The Poor Boy with Big Dreams, as written by Sasonel Adebiyi, is captivating and very well resonates with me. I suppose it does with many of us.

ITAN is a story of triumph over familial neglect, socio-political, leadership and economic misfortunes. The titular character, Enitan, chooses success over liability. Taking his destiny in his hands, he consciously works towards an imminent breakthrough. His chance meeting with Mrs. Hussein underpins the saying that: “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. Even in the face of intimidating scarcity of wants, Enitan prepares himself—reading voraciously, broadening his skills and expanding his knowledge base, because of his conviction that things will definitely get better. On the day of reckoning, as lucidly captured by the author – Sasonel Adebiyi, on a fateful day, Enitan’s persistence and sales skills are put to test and are what endear him to his destiny helper.

The themes explored in this book align with the vision of the author Sasonel Adebiyi, who is a multi-talented artist with a passion for purpose driven narratives. Adebiyi is the founder of Creative Purpose Hub, an initiative dedicated to helping children and young adults discover and actualize their dreams through mentorship.

For your relish, here are some of the quotations I consider to be powerful in conveying the author’s intended messages: ‘You should dress for where you are going to and not where you are coming from.’ ‘Success often comes to those who work hard, so it was no surprise that Enitan did wonderfully well in his big final exams too.’ ‘My name is Enitan, my life is a story of resilience, pain, passion, dedication and faith. I am a product of help, and I have learned to lift others.’

I like to round off this short review with what the British child development expert—Maria Robinson once said. I quote: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

Enitan’s story is our story. Regardless of the milieu in which it’s set, we must deliberately amplify it for the world to hear.

* Osaze, a culture worker and festival organiser, is the author of poetry collection, The Strange Moon of Yenagoa