The sound of drums filled the morning air before the sun had fully risen. Their rhythm carried across the bustling streets of Lagos, colliding with laughter, footsteps, and the chatter of vendors who shouted prices of roasted corn and suya. By the time I arrived at the campus gates of Lagos State Polytechnic, it felt as though the entire city had woken up just to celebrate us. Convocation was not just a ceremony, it was a festival, a carnival of dreams, and I was walking straight into its heart.
From a distance, the convocation ground shimmered like a sea of black gowns and golden smiles. Mortarboards bobbed and tilted in the sun, some scribbled with bold white paint, announcing messages like "Finally!" and "Engineer Loading." Mothers sparkled in their aso-ebi, gele tied high like crowns, while fathers in wide agbadas commanded the breeze like sails. The air was thick with roasted meat, perfume, dust, and the electric energy of hundreds of lives reaching their turning point all at once.
Inside the hall, the sight was overwhelming. Rows of graduates sat shoulder to shoulder, gowns rustling as though they shared one heartbeat. Photographers circled like hawks, cameras flashing in rapid bursts, capturing joy that could never be repeated. Lecturers in their flowing academic robes sat like judges on a throne, their eyes scanning the crowd as if to remind us that this moment had been earned, not gifted.
I tried to keep calm, but my heart raced wildly. My palms were damp, and I could feel the sweat gathering at the back of my neck. This was the day I had dreamed of, the day my years of hard work, sleepless nights, and countless struggles had been pointing toward. Yet the weight of it all pressed so heavily on me that I feared my legs might betray me when my name was finally called.
And then it came.
"Samuel Olateru Adekunle, Department of Chemical Engineering!"
The words thundered through the microphone, louder than the drums outside, louder than my heartbeat. For a split second, I froze, unable to believe I was the one being summoned. Then my body moved, slow at first, then stronger with each step, carrying me toward the stage.
The applause rose like a storm. My course mates cheered, some shouting "Mr. Chemical!" while others whistled and screamed "Most Handsome! Our champion!" Their voices embarrassed me, but at the same time they filled me with warmth. I tried to smile, though my lips trembled. The smile deepened, showing off the dimple carved into my cheek, and the crowd roared even louder.
The sun seemed brighter as I climbed the stage. Every eye in the hall was on me, and the air was thick with expectation. I glanced briefly at the crowd and saw her , my elder sister. She was waving frantically, her face glowing with pride, and in her eyes I saw joy so deep it steadied me. She had walked this road years earlier, graduating as a Quantity Surveyor, and today she had returned as my anchor. She was the only family member present, yet her presence alone was enough to carry me through.
The Rector extended the award toward me. The plaque gleamed under the light, polished so well that it caught every ray and reflected my face back at me. Words like "best student," "excellence," and "dedication" floated from the speakers, but they felt far away. All I could hear was the drumbeat of my heart.
Was this really me? The boy who had once sat quietly at the back of class, too shy to raise his hand? The boy who doubted his place in the world of equations and chemical formulas? The boy who sacrificed social life for textbooks, who stumbled through failures and carried scars of rejection?
Yet here I was, standing tall before hundreds, holding an award that told a different story.
Beyond the gown and certificate, there was Samuel himself. My body bore the lean strength of someone who had balanced study with sport, my frame athletic and firm. My skin, light and smooth, seemed to glow under the sun, though it often betrayed me with nervous blushes. My long, curly hair had been braided neatly, brushing the tips of my ears where small silver earrings glinted faintly. My eyes, often called "charming," searched the crowd, and when I smiled, the dimple and white teeth created what friends jokingly called "a killing smile." It was that same smile that had once earned me the title of "Most Handsome" in my department, alongside "Mr. Chemical." Titles that amused me but never defined me. Inside, I remained the quiet, thoughtful young man who preferred hard work over attention.
The ceremony rolled on with speeches and presentations, yet my mind drifted. Every word from the microphone reminded me of the long nights bent over formulas, the lab experiments that ended in failure, the laughter of friends who sometimes carried me when I faltered, and the sting of rejection letters from companies I had hoped to intern with. My success was written in sweat and quiet resilience, not luck.
When the final speech ended, the convocation ground erupted into a festival of joy. Mortarboards flew into the sky, spinning like a flock of dark birds. Parents danced and sprayed crisp naira notes. Drums thundered louder, feet stamped the dusty ground, and the entire place shook with celebration.
Friends surrounded me, pulling me into pictures, chanting my nicknames, patting my back until I thought I would fall over. My sister hugged me tightly and whispered, "You made us proud, Samuel. You've given us a name to hold high." Her words sank into me like honey, sweet and unforgettable.
For a moment, I believed I had touched the peak of my life. The air was alive, the sun warm, and everything felt within my grasp. The future stretched wide, endless, and full of promise.
But even in the middle of the celebration, a strange feeling brushed over me. It was faint, like a shadow across the sun, or a whisper too low to hear. I shook it off, unwilling to let it spoil the joy of the day. Yet deep down, something told me the applause would not last forever.
This was not the end. This was only the beginning.
And beyond that beginning waited a story that would test not only my brilliance, but the very core of who I was....