THE ROAD TO BECOMING A SUPERTAR

Upon the sound of the siren, Hamza reluctantly opened his eyes, exhaustion evident in his weary expression. Sleep had eluded him the previous night, with not a single familiar tune lingering in his mind. The reality of heading to Lagos, the city that never sleeps, where the heartbeat of Nigeria's entertainment industry thrummed, weighed on me. This was a city where dreams were either made or shattered, and he was standing on the precipice of an uncertain future.

With a sigh, Hamza rose from my bed and prepared to face the day. Breakfast with his sister revealed that she wore the same eager smile as Hamza if not a brighter one. Her excitement was palpable, and even with her mouth full of food, she managed to nod enthusiastically in response to his observation. he couldn't help but be amused by her infectious enthusiasm.

They were summoned to Major Abdullahi's office. his sister swiftly abandoned her breakfast and went to find him, while he couldn't help but smile at the thought of the man who had played such a pivotal role in changing his life.

In Major Abdullahi's office, Hamza greeted him with respect, "Good morning, sir."

Major Abdullahi returned Hamza's greeting with a warm smile, observing his evident happiness. "You seem happy, and that's good to see," he remarked with a chuckle. He continued, "Your flight is scheduled for 9 a.m., so I'll have some soldiers escort you to the airport. This will be goodbye for now. Just remember the advice I've given you."

Hamza and Zara were taken aback by the mention of a flight but thanked him sincerely, promising to make the most of this opportunity and to do him proud.

He nodded in approval and then summoned Nurudeen to accompany the duo to the airport. Nurudeen entered the room, saluted, and acknowledged Hamza with a nod. They exited Major Abdullahi's office, and as they made our way to the awaiting vehicle, Hamza couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Nurudeen.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you recently," Hamza inquired.

Nurudeen replied, "I've been well, thank you for asking. It seems you're on your way to pursuing your dreams."

Hamza nodded with determination.

As they approached the vehicle, a familiar figure caught Hamza's eye – it was Shamshudeen. he waved him over, and they both embraced tightly, the unspoken words of friendship and brotherhood shared in that moment. He spoke with a hint of nostalgia, "I will miss you, brother. Please take care, and don't forget me," he said with a laugh.

Hamza looked deep into his eyes and assured him, "I won't forget you, my friend. We'll meet again in the future."

Shamshudeen turned to Hamza's sister, Zara, and bid her farewell, "Take care, Zara. We'll reunite soon."

Tears welled up in Zara's eyes as she responded, "Of course, brother Shamshudeen. I'll see you soon." She remembered all that he had done for her and her brother, how he had become the family they had lost.

With that, she walked alongside me to the military vehicle, waving goodbye to Shamshudeen as we began our journey to the airport, setting our sights on the uncertain yet promising future that awaited us in Lagos.