Lagos is a city of dreams, a bustling metropolis where opportunities and challenges collide. For Tunde Olatunji, Lagos is his playground, a place where he can forge his destiny. At twenty-eight, Tunde is already making waves as a financial analyst at one of the top investment firms in the city. He has always believed in the power of hard work and intelligence to shape his future. His confidence is as high as the skyscrapers that dot the cityscape, and his path seems clear and certain.
Every morning, Tunde wakes up at 5:00 AM in his well-furnished apartment in Victoria Island, a testament to his rising success. He follows a rigorous routine: a quick workout, a nutritious breakfast, and a drive through the busy streets to his office. His mind is a constant whirl of numbers, projections, and strategies. Nothing can shake his belief that he is in complete control of his destiny.
Tunde's personal life is equally promising. He is engaged to Adaeze Okafor, his childhood sweetheart. Adaeze, a talented fashion designer, is the yin to his yang. Where Tunde is analytical and structured, Adaeze is creative and spontaneous. Their relationship has weathered many storms, and they are now planning their wedding, set to be a grand affair.
One Friday evening, as Tunde is leaving the office, he encounters a street preacher, Mama Ibeji. She is a familiar figure in the neighborhood, known for her cryptic messages and piercing gaze. As Tunde passes by, she calls out to him, her voice filled with an unsettling certainty. "Young man, not all that glitters is gold, and not all you think is truth. Beware the illusions you hold dear."
Tunde stops, momentarily taken aback by her words. He quickly dismisses them as superstitions, the ramblings of an old woman. Yet, as he drives home, Mama Ibeji's words echo in his mind. That night, he shares the encounter with Adaeze over dinner. She laughs it off, but Tunde can't shake the feeling that something more profound is at play.
The next morning, Tunde's father, Chief Olatunji, visits him. Chief Olatunji is a retired military officer, a man of wisdom and experience. Over a cup of tea, he shares stories of his own life, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the world. "Tunde, life is not always as it seems. Sometimes, what we believe to be true is nothing more than an illusion."
Tunde nods, but his mind is elsewhere, already focused on the next big deal at work. As his father leaves, he feels a pang of guilt for not paying more attention. Yet, he convinces himself that his father's concerns are unfounded. He has everything under control.