Episode 3: The Road to the Tournament

The morning sun cast long shadows as Tunde balanced the plastic bowl of pure water sachets on his head, walking through the busy streets. His heart was still heavy, but he had no time to cry. He had a goal now—to join the football tournament.

He shouted through the streets, trying to sell as much as possible.

Tunde: "Cold pure water! Buy your cold pure water!"

One by one, customers came.

Customer 1 (bus driver): "Give me four, my boy." (Hands him ₦200.)

Customer 2 (market woman): "Small boy, give me one." (Hands him ₦50.)

Customer 3 (mechanic): "Oya, two sachets." (Hands him ₦100.)

By the afternoon, his bowl was empty, and his pocket was full of crumpled naira notes. He rushed home and gave the money to his father, Baba Tunde, who counted it with a tired smile.

Baba Tunde: "Tunde, you dey try. Your mama go dey proud."

Tunde nodded, but he had something else on his mind.

Tunde: "Baba, I wan go that football tournament wey dem put for poster."

His father looked up, surprised.

Baba Tunde: "Football?"

Tunde (nodding quickly): "Yes, Baba. If I fit win, I go fit enter football academy. I fit change our life."

Baba Tunde sighed and rubbed his head. He knew how much his son loved football, but life was not easy.

Baba Tunde: "But Tunde, we need money. We no fit waste time on dream wey no sure."

Tunde clenched his fists.

Tunde: "Baba, this no be waste. If I win, I go help all of us. Please."

Kemi and Ada watched quietly from the corner, hoping Baba would agree.

After a long silence, Baba sighed again.

Baba Tunde: "If na wetin you want, then try. But no forget say we still need you here."

Tunde’s heart soared.

Tunde (smiling): "Thank you, Baba! I go make you proud."

That evening, instead of playing with his friends, he trained alone. He ran up and down the street, practicing his dribbles and shooting at a broken wooden fence. Sweat dripped down his face, but he didn’t stop.

He only had three days before the tryouts. He was ready to give it everything.

Episode 4: The Tryout Begins

Tunde counted the ₦3,500 he had saved from selling pure water. It wasn’t much, but it had to be enough. Early the next morning, he walked to the local market, where sports items were sold.

After searching different stalls, he finally found a second-hand pair of Adidas Predator football boots for ₦3,000. They were worn out, the laces were frayed, and the color had faded, but they fit him perfectly. He smiled.

Tunde (whispering to himself): "This na my key to my future."

With the remaining ₦500, he bought water for himself and took a small taxi to the football field for registration.

The Tryouts Begin

The field was buzzing with excitement. Over 40 boys had come for the tournament tryouts. Some wore brand-new jerseys and flashy boots. Others, like Tunde, had mismatched kits, but their hearts burned with determination.

Tunde joined the long queue and finally reached the registration table.

Coach Michael: "Name?"

Tunde: "Tunde... Tunde Ibrahim."

The coach marked his name and handed him a yellow training bib.

Coach Michael: "Alright, Tunde. You are in Team B. Warm up, we start soon."

Tunde jogged to the side, where he met some new faces.

Chinedu – A tall defender from Enugu, with strong tackles.

Daniel – A short but fast winger from Lagos.

Sule – A quiet midfielder with sharp passing skills.

The Match: Team A vs. Team B

The coach divided the players into two teams, and the whistle blew.

The first 10 minutes were chaotic—players running wildly, trying to impress. But soon, the game settled.

Team A had a dangerous striker named Bolaji, who dribbled past two defenders and took a powerful shot.

Goal! Team A led 1-0.

Tunde and his team fought back. Daniel sprinted down the wing, sending a perfect cross. Tunde saw the ball coming and took a deep breath.

With one touch, he controlled it. With the second, he fired a shot.

Goal! The score was now 1-1.

The match became more intense. Chinedu made a big tackle to stop Bolaji from scoring again. Sule passed the ball smoothly, keeping Team B in control.

With three minutes left, Tunde saw an opening. He dribbled past one player, then another. The crowd gasped. He faked a shot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, and calmly placed the ball into the net.