Taye and Kehinde are identical twin born to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Oluwasegun, of the Waju community of Lagos State.

As kids, they grew up without their dad who they lost while performing his duties as a sergeant for the Nigerian Police. Their mum a corporal of the Nigerian police, struggled to see them through primary and secondary school then left them at age 18 to start fending for themselves since her salary and allowances will not be enough to take them to the university.

Growing up, Taye got carried away with the flares of youthful exuberance exhibited by the youths of the Waju community, and their gang life. His brother Kehinde on his part, was thrilled by the people around the community whom despite the life around them stayed upright sticking to an honest profession through which they meet their everyday needs. This drew him to Mr. Bolu a cobbler who taught him how to make and amend shoes.

While Kehinde was making and amending shoes for the people of Waju community, Taye was becoming a name in the community as himself and some of his friends contributed and constructed roads for the community, rehabilitated the community hall, provided transformers to support electricity in the community, and build houses for their parents.

This made Kehinde less favorable to their mum who always advise him. To follow his brother to the city and learn from him what he is doing alongside his friends that pays them hugely.Kehinde sometimes consider his mums advice, but the wisdom of Mr. Bolu, his mentor who always advise him that ‘a little gotten with much sweat, matters more than much gotten without sweat”  always came to his aid.

One day while Kehinde was working at the shoe workshop with Mr. Bolu, one of their regular customer Mr. Bayo came to the shop and introduced a man to them. The man explained himself as a representative of a German based shoe Production Company in Nigeria and that he was fascinated by the quality of the shoe Mr. Bayo has on.

After going through the samples of shoes they have in the shop, the man initiated a deal with them that involved a relocation to Germany for more professional training in shoe production, and also an executive position for them in their Nigerian branch, on their return from the training.

While in Germany, Kehinde got news that his twin brother Taye is dead. He was killed in a shootout between the police led by his mum, and a notorious armed robbery gang known for terrorizing banks in the city, which he is a part of.

What a world! What a life! Two brothers born on the same day, to same parents, would have died in the hands of their mum had they not taken Different Paths.MORAL – “A little gotten from much sweat, matters more than much gotten without sweat“.

Written by Tanrose Anomuogharan