“I don’t bow before seven altars just for a mere mortal to bring me to my knees,” said Obioku brusque and impatient as he stormed into his bedroom. Ignoring the children's greetings as he briskly walked by. With Ndidiamaka hurrying behind him.

“That’s a little too confident, don’t you think so? Arrogant even!” Ndidiamaka said. “Well Gabriel and Michael are not the only worthy angels but I'm sure their outstanding nature sets them apart from the motley of angels.”

“O si o gini? Then just like Lucifer, I too shall devour!” he gnarled.

“Just let it go. It wouldn’t matter in the long run!” she said.

“But it does now! It does! Think big for once woman, why must you be damned by your name? Eh? Ndidiamaka indeed. You don’t leave everything to chance! That’s not patience, it’s sheer stupidity! Makes you a loser and I’m certainly not one!” he retorted.

“Ugwumba shall feel my wrath!” he added.

“So this is what it really feels like to be a sour loser,” she muttered.

“It’s called votes, someone has to win and another lose. It’s not the end of the universe!” Ndidi yelled.

Expectations

A child is born, air his breath; dipped into the waters for cleansing. Lifted to the sun to bring fire to his bones. Age grade mapped out for him. To earth he is bound, until in death he passes. His success and achievements are expectations of his society. If his mates had done it, no excuse whatsoever is acceptable. Even when nobody really cares how far his destiny could carry him, he begins to read meanings in people’s faces; with each greeting and responses. Suddenly, there's a pity party that is driving him nuts.

“But who are you? What really matters to you? Gini bu ife?”

The fear of tomorrow steals the joy of today. And the future becomes reminiscent of yesterday's journey. It’s easier to align with the consoling “not-so-well” tales of past great men to feel alright. But the responsibility for our actions and inactions are all part of what really matters. It forms the lessons we learn, the corrections we must take, and the let-go, that needs to happen over spilled milk.

“The expectations of the righteous shall never be cut off!” Proverbs 23: 18

What does success mean to you? And how did you fail? Are you only happy when there's an achievement? And to whose standard? Gini bu ife?

Diligence comes with Balance

It takes the wisdom of the gods to forge beauty, and the excellency of skill to wield it's power. Meeting the expectations of the onlookers should not determine the satisfaction from each achievement. It may not be much in the eyes of many, but a well-done from a few blessed with a different view of life is a huge relief.

Gini bu ife? What really determines the worth of a man? Certainly not the race you run with your peers. You are worth more than any accolades received or not!

We must be disciplined enough to do our best with each task but must rest with the balance. “Because he did it once, gave you the hope that you could do it in halftime,” she mused. But then, each expectation must come with a balance. Acknowledge strength and weaknesses differently and in perspective.

Axe, Hammer & Dagger

“If you’re going to hell in your foolish rage, I could help you with the map! Why are you so stiff-necked? Choose your battles wisely. Atimes you retreat to recoup nnam! Bemoaning the disappointment of today and yesterday, only stalls the success of tomorrow,” Ndidi cautioned Obioku.

Yesterday, we were lovers; coy and scheming through promises and romance. Today, we are negotiating; amicably, yet in rage. The wrath we shall both unleash. War with me is fight with eternity. We failed at this but tomorrow we try again.

We all pray for our peace of mind when tomorrow comes, can you really bargain that? That is what really matter.

How deep is this ocean? How come the sand escape between our toes? That’s because the pond has been magnified as an ocean. This is not the bigger picture, it is only a part of it.

If you look too closely, you'd see that the gods walk amongst men. But the calamity of greed, and the pretense of the seemingly faithful are abominable. What is mine, I come for. I wrestle with the stool, not who sits on it in the meantime.

So what really does greatness mean to you?

• Esther Chizaram Ngele is a Lawyer and writer.