Bearer of Burdens: Chiagozie’s Journey to Manhood

Chiagozie faced adult burdens at just seventeen. After his father’s death, he and his brother ventured into the forest each dawn, gathering cashews to stave off hunger. While his peers chased school and football dreams, he carried his family’s survival on his shoulders. Hope arrived when his aunt sent money for JAMB registration. For a brief moment, he tasted peace and a future he had long forgotten. Old conflicts, however, drove them away and cut off his support. Instead of school, he served under an oga to help his struggling mother. Years passed and every naira he earned went to others. When finances collapsed, respect vanished. Words like “lazy” and “not man enough” stung deeper than hunger. None remembered the sacrifices or the forest where he searched for food. Chiagozie learned that true manhood isn’t in chores or silent suffering. It’s in standing back up after life knocks you down and rebuilding against all odds. His struggle will become a story—one of survival and strength born from burdens no young person should bear.

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