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Once upon a time in the community of Ekpe two young men who were desperate to know about what the future holds for them, decided to embark on a long journey to another village to see a seer that is capable of seeing and predicting the future.
As soon as they got to the seer he gave them a warm welcome and asked them the reason for their coming to his place.
Then they both responded that they came to know what the future holds for them.
The old seer summoned the first guy and asked him to stretch forth his hands so that he can read his palms. Then the seer looked at him and said" you are going to become a very great king in the future; but....?? Before the old seer finished his next statement the young man had already left his presence with the excitement that he is going to become a king in the future.
When the second guy saw that the prediction of the future of his friend was a good one, with joy in his heart he knelt down before the seer and asked him about what the future holds for him too?
The seer looked at his palms and said you're going to become a very wretched man in the future; but......? Before the seer concluded the next statement which would have been a condition for the avertion of his ill fate, the young man left the presence of the seer with tears and a very sad countenance. The vision of the old seer discouraged him and made him to feel depressed. Instead of going back to Ekpe to continue his life, he decided to go and pick up all his properties there and left the community for good because it would be a shame to him to be living in wretchedness in the same community where his friend will be ruling as the king. He went straight into a forest and cultivated a large acre of land and planted yams,cassava,lugumes, Cereals, fruits etc. That would sustain him for the remaining days of his life and also avert the prophecy of the seer about his destiny.

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Meanwhile the other guy that was told that he would become a king went ahead enjoying himself with extravagant lifestyle and also announcing himself to people as the next king once the current king passes out. He refused to engage himself in any work that would serve as a source of income to him, but rather was roaming about the whole community and professing himself as "obalola" ( A future King).
Fast forward to 2years later, there was a terrible famine in the whole land of Ekpe and in the struggle to get the famine eradicated the reigning king died. The famine became very severe in such a way that both young and old people were dying uncontrollably. Then the elders of the land came together and issued a decree that whosoever will be able to bring them out of this famine would be crowned the next king of the community.
Obalola tried all he could to improvise for a means in alleviating the famine, but instead of reducing it, the whole thing got worst because he wasn't having any thing substantial enough to help the community.
Other young men who were also eager to be crowned as the next king did all they could too; but all their effort were to no avail.
Then the elders came together again and made arrangement to go to other villages to seek for help. It was on their way to a particular village that they stumbled into a thick forest where a large portion of land was cultivated with different foods that is capable of eradicating famine totally from the community of Ekpe for the next 10years. While they were gazing at the large portion of land and wondering who the possible owner would be; Obalola's friend who was returning from hunting met some group of people in his farm land as he moved closer to see who they are he discoveref that they are the elders in his communuty Ekpe. Before that day Obalola's friend had no idea of the recent trauma his community is experiencing lately. After hearing their story he was moved with compassion and offered to supply food that would be enough to feed his people and also eradicate the siege of famine in Ekpe community.
The elders became very excited, because they eventually found a solution to their problem.
Two days later this young man was brought Back to Ekpe community to be crowned as their next king while his farmland became the main source of food for the entire community.

Recall that at the beginning of this story the seer wasn't allowed to finish his words before the two guys left his presence with first one leaving with joy and the second guy leaving with sadness. Below are the "buts" he had wanted to say:

To Obalola (future king) " but you will become a king if only you work very hard with your hands"

While to Obalola's friend " but You will not become poor in life if only you can work very hard with your hands".

Moral lesson

Your future and destiny lies in your hands; not in what people say or think about you.
In other words you are the main determinant of your destiny.
It is you who can get you where you are meant to be in life and no one else will do it for you.

Diligency is an essential factor to be thoroughly considered when aspiring for success or greatness in life.

Thanks for your time.
To be continued!!