Writers 
I was done with secondary school, SS3. I signed out and hurried home, eager to share the news with Mama. She was so happy. She held me, smiled, and celebrated with me as though I had just won the greatest prize in the world. And perhaps, to us, I had. Life continued. For another year or two, I stayed at home, helping Mama with every business I could find. I put my hands into anything that could bring food to our table. We were not looking for luxury. We were simply trying to survive. The one room we rented slowly began to look different. We added a security window, repaired what we could, and painted the room. We turned that small, worn-out space into something beautiful.
Even the landlord was surprised when he saw it. He could hardly believe that the same room he had rented to us could look so good.But while I was happy about the little improvements we had made, I noticed something about Mama.She was worried. One day, I finally asked her.
“Mama, what is going on? Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
She sighed.
“I have always wanted you to continue your education,” she said. “But look at our situation. I am afraid that if we start, I may not be able to continue sponsoring you.”
Her words hurt, but I understood. What we earned was barely enough for food, clothes, and the little things we needed to survive. University fees were far beyond what we could afford.
I went out with my friend, Patience. She loved playing video games and could spend her last naira on them. The funny thing was that she didn't have a smartphone. She only had a small phone that couldn't play the games she loved, so she always went to a café and paid the attendant to use his phone or computer. That day, I accompanied her. While Patience was playing, she suddenly needed to ease herself.
“Please manage the game for me. I'll be back.”
I sat down and continued playing. I had a little experience with video games, so I wasn't completely lost. Then an advertisement suddenly appeared on the screen. Government Scholarship. I read every detail carefully and memorized the information. The advertisement stayed in my mind long after we left.
The next day, I went back to the café and told the attendant what I had seen. He opened the scholarship portal on the computer. It was real. But there was a catch. I had to pass a government examination before I could qualify.
I applied immediately.
I didn't tell Mama.
I didn't want to get her hopes up in case I failed.
Three months later, the result came out. I had passed. I was instructed to go to the local government office, collect my certificate, and complete the necessary documentation.
Still, I told Mama nothing. When I returned home that day, she scolded me for keeping everything from her. But behind her anger was happiness.
We celebrated together.
Then Patience came running into the room.
“Amara! I have another good news!”
She told us the café attendant had seen a notification that I had been given admission into a university.
For a moment, Mama could only stare at me. Then she burst into tears of joy. She looked up and whispered, “I wish your father was here to witness this.”
My heart tightened.
“Daddy just disappeared,” I thought. “No trace. No explanation. Nothing.”
I wanted to ask her.
But Mama smiled.
“Amara. Someone who has disappeared should not be allowed to ruin our joy.”
The celebration continued. Mama gathered everything she could for my journey to university. There wasn't much, but she gave me everything she could. And for the first time in years, we allowed ourselves to believe that perhaps our lives were finally changing. But while Mama celebrated, one question remained alive in my heart.
Where was my father?
