The Mentor’s Lapse [Episode II]

Esther and Tunde met at a Conference in Brazil during the under-30 young initiatives forum two years ago. They had both been selected as representatives by the companies they worked for. While she was the Human Resource manager for an oil and gas company, Tunde  was the CNSO- Chief Network Security Officer for a Telco company. It was during one of those workshops where they had to split into groups to tackle a challenge facing a community and come up with best solutions to solve it that got Tunde and Esther talking.

“I believe funding the projects in the Zure community is the best option,” said Esther persuasively.

“No! Empowerment of the youths in that community is best option right now,” replied Tunde emphatically.

“Mr Man, what do you know about handling projects? I’ve worked on several projects and I’m telling you funding the community projects  will aid growth and development in that rural area.”

“Contrary to what you think, Miss Woman. I’ve worked on several projects as well and I can tell you for a fact that giving funds for building projects without empowering the youths is as good as useless. Will the youths eat the building? You think money is everything? Please come down from your high horse, miss Woman. “

What initially started as a discussion now turned in an argument and although Tunde’s suggestion and presentation earned him an award for the best participant at the conference, he wasn’t too happy that he and Esther had such an encounter on their first meeting.

“Hey Esther, there you are! I’ve been searching around for you in the past 24 hours but it seemed like you disappeared into thin air, ” said Tunde.
“Hi! On the contrary, I was just trying to get down from my high horse. The distance from the horse to the ground is quite wide,” replied Esther sarcastically.

“I’m sorry I said that about you. I should have been more courteous. Can we begin again? I’m Tunde Bakare and you are?”

“…Esther Asare. Excuse me please, I have a flight to catch in two hours time and I need to be at the airport before then” replied Esther hurriedly.

“Too bad! I was just about suggesting coffee with you at the Sofá Café. I guess that will have to wait. Once again, I apologize for my rather uncouth response to you the other day”.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry. Hopefully, we’ll see some other time.”

They would later meet at a camp meeting held at the Solid Foundation Church held in Kumasi. Tunde was invited by his friend, Kwame which he reluctantly obliged to and during the praise and worship session, he spotted Esther leading. After the meeting that day, he approached her and history will later give birth to the beautiful relationship they both share when he proposed to her.

It was barely three months to their wedding and preparations had kicked off. With Esther’s tight intinery, Sandra volunteered to help her with the checkups of the wedding vendors- that is, both payment and readjustments as she had become acquainted with them. All thanks to  Sandra who always tagged along.

On several occasions, Tunde had picked Sandra up from her school to make her rounds less stressful. It was the least he could do for his mentee who helped his fiancee while she was away on her regular office trips.Their frequent outings gave them more time to catch up on old times. Sandra loved that her Mentor was always at her beck and call each time she needed someone to talk to. On days when they weren’t running rounds for Esther, they would talk over late lunch or early dinner after her lecture hours at the eatery close to his office. Her friends began noticing Tunde’s frequent visit to her at school and teased her. 

“Girl, you are smart! You’ve spent barely a year here but you have caught yourself a big fish.”

Show us the way, Fisher of big guys….”

“You guys should chill. He’s just my mentor. Besides, he’s getting married soon,” replied Sandra opposingly.

 
Would Esther resign from her job? Would she and Tunde still get married? Would Sandra become a bone of contention in their relationship? Find out in the next episode! 
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