A Starless Night
“A generation without a hero is like a starless night. A hero must be born” Kaani had said. Kaani is my late father. He died trying to save some people during a terrorist attack. The soldiers arrived too late. Kaani died a hero, to those women and children, two decades ago, when I was only seven.
“A hero is born in adversity. Playing small doesn’t cut it. Kika Kaani, will you be a hero or will you quit?” Father would ask.
No father, I won’t quit. I’ll fight. I’ll rise up to the challenge. I’ll rather die, but I won’t, than back down. I thrive I don’t survive. I’ll be a hero, maybe not to the world, but to my family, to my friends, to all who look up to me, though it be just one fellow.
“Papa, you’re my hero” Joy leapt within me when Shasha said that to me. Shasha my daughter, she’s four, has her father’s courage and her mother’s ebony beauty and love heart. There’ll be more children, but now she’s here and I do all I can to make her proud of her Papa.
“A hero is born in adversity. Playing small doesn’t cut it. Kika Kaani, will you be a hero or will you quit?” Father would ask.
No father, I won’t quit. I’ll fight. I’ll rise up to the challenge. I’ll rather die, but I won’t, than back down. I thrive I don’t survive. I’ll be a hero, maybe not to the world, but to my family, to my friends, to all who look up to me, though it be just one fellow.
“Papa, you’re my hero” Joy leapt within me when Shasha said that to me. Shasha my daughter, she’s four, has her father’s courage and her mother’s ebony beauty and love heart. There’ll be more children, but now she’s here and I do all I can to make her proud of her Papa.
I’m twenty-seven. I’m Kika Kaani. Age means a lot to me, it did to my Kaani. Start young, stay young, die young. Kaani was 94years young when he died. I’ll be 96 when I leave. Till then, I’ll be conquering mountains, and plundering unfound territories.
I make documentaries of the unknown greatest men in the world, men like my father, men whose shadows are living inspirations and their footsteps a landmark.
A secret deep in kingly chamber of my heart, I’ve sworn, my name will be on the lips of worthy fellows when I’m gone. I’ll live and die a hero. Will you?
I’ll tell you a story. A story about a time I almost lost the lives of some of my crew, those great and mighty fellows - they’ll have a space in history - my life too. You’ll tell me your lesson learnt.
I was twenty-two at the time, young to be leading a crew, you think? I know. Start early.
The crew comprised mostly of young men in their early twenty-something and one beautiful woman, Anika Free. She would later become Anika Free Kika Kaani and have our beautiful Shasha.
It was Project Lassa Fever: The Killer with no cure. Health workers were being infected in Nigeria and dying. We had to capture these heroes. We had to tell the world of their contribution, such names should make a masterpiece.
Heroes aren’t only those who head the pack, sometimes the one who saves the pack travels behind the pack. These ones are heroes.
“Yayi is very feverish” The alarm came on the second week of our stay in Nigeria close to one of the recovery centers. Yayi is our PD, Photography director.
I grit my teeth. A wicked thought nabbing the back of my head. “Yayi is going too close to those beds, Kika” Lighting director, Pilo had said during one of our shoots this week.
“He’s careful” Then we held our breath when Yayi held the hand of the health worker. She had been crying. I guess it was to reassure her. Our eyes met over the space, I saw the passion in his eyes.
I make documentaries of the unknown greatest men in the world, men like my father, men whose shadows are living inspirations and their footsteps a landmark.
A secret deep in kingly chamber of my heart, I’ve sworn, my name will be on the lips of worthy fellows when I’m gone. I’ll live and die a hero. Will you?
I’ll tell you a story. A story about a time I almost lost the lives of some of my crew, those great and mighty fellows - they’ll have a space in history - my life too. You’ll tell me your lesson learnt.
I was twenty-two at the time, young to be leading a crew, you think? I know. Start early.
The crew comprised mostly of young men in their early twenty-something and one beautiful woman, Anika Free. She would later become Anika Free Kika Kaani and have our beautiful Shasha.
It was Project Lassa Fever: The Killer with no cure. Health workers were being infected in Nigeria and dying. We had to capture these heroes. We had to tell the world of their contribution, such names should make a masterpiece.
Heroes aren’t only those who head the pack, sometimes the one who saves the pack travels behind the pack. These ones are heroes.
“Yayi is very feverish” The alarm came on the second week of our stay in Nigeria close to one of the recovery centers. Yayi is our PD, Photography director.
I grit my teeth. A wicked thought nabbing the back of my head. “Yayi is going too close to those beds, Kika” Lighting director, Pilo had said during one of our shoots this week.
“He’s careful” Then we held our breath when Yayi held the hand of the health worker. She had been crying. I guess it was to reassure her. Our eyes met over the space, I saw the passion in his eyes.
“You should be more careful with touching these people, Yayi. The crew is scared you might catch something and pass it” I had joked to him later when we were alone. He smiled his “I know” smile.
“She needed me to promise I’ll make sure her only daughter will get a life”
I snickered.
“How did you two get to talking about her daughter?” He shrugs, and then catches my eyes. His passion stirs something in me.
“Do you think they’ll let me take her?”
I stop walking and grab his shoulder.
“Listen Yayi, a man must do what he must to keep his word”
“Have anyone gone near him?” I ask Anika when she brought the news of Yayi’s fever.
“Yes, Fervor and Gills were with him when I got there.”
“Did you go near him, Ani?” I felt a catch in my throat. I have something for this woman.
“No.” She says looking like she understood the words I wasn’t speaking.
“Good, get someone from the recovery center, I’ll handle things here.”
“Okay” She tucks her hair behind her hair starting to leave my shack.
“Ani”
She turns to look at me
“Don’t catch anything”
She smiles and then nod and leave.
Gills and Fervor are looking just as bad as Yayi. I shudder saying a silent prayer. The others in the crew stand in a distance watching and muttering.
I’m headed towards the trio. Pilo comes to stand beside me.
“You shouldn’t, Kaki. We should probably wait for the recovery center”
“I’m just going to talk to them” I say, a knot forming in the pit of my belly.
“You might catch it too, Kaki, and we don’t need that happening to you.” I grit my teeth, then turn to face Pilo putting a hand on his shoulder.
“If I catch something, lead the crew, and make sure we finish this project. A leader must do what a leader must do. I’ll only talk to them, trust me.”
And talk to them I did.
“She needed me to promise I’ll make sure her only daughter will get a life”
I snickered.
“How did you two get to talking about her daughter?” He shrugs, and then catches my eyes. His passion stirs something in me.
“Do you think they’ll let me take her?”
I stop walking and grab his shoulder.
“Listen Yayi, a man must do what he must to keep his word”
“Have anyone gone near him?” I ask Anika when she brought the news of Yayi’s fever.
“Yes, Fervor and Gills were with him when I got there.”
“Did you go near him, Ani?” I felt a catch in my throat. I have something for this woman.
“No.” She says looking like she understood the words I wasn’t speaking.
“Good, get someone from the recovery center, I’ll handle things here.”
“Okay” She tucks her hair behind her hair starting to leave my shack.
“Ani”
She turns to look at me
“Don’t catch anything”
She smiles and then nod and leave.
Gills and Fervor are looking just as bad as Yayi. I shudder saying a silent prayer. The others in the crew stand in a distance watching and muttering.
I’m headed towards the trio. Pilo comes to stand beside me.
“You shouldn’t, Kaki. We should probably wait for the recovery center”
“I’m just going to talk to them” I say, a knot forming in the pit of my belly.
“You might catch it too, Kaki, and we don’t need that happening to you.” I grit my teeth, then turn to face Pilo putting a hand on his shoulder.
“If I catch something, lead the crew, and make sure we finish this project. A leader must do what a leader must do. I’ll only talk to them, trust me.”
And talk to them I did.
One day of positive thoughts can change your attitude towards life. Worries about financial crisis and other situations become cliché. Night mares that seem to point to the future, but each time she tries to finish up, she gets caught up... "NEW THINGS" Click here to read
“Do you think we’ll die like the health workers, Kaki?” Gills, Location Director asked.
“Heroes don’t fear death, Gills. You’re a hero. Death can’t touch you”
He’s trying to believe me.
“But the health workers-“
Without thinking I grab his hand, my eye catches Yayi’s. He smiles I smile back remembering the health worker, how he had grabbed her hand, just the same way I am holding Gills’.
“Heroes don’t die Gills. Heroes transcend. Heroes transcend to a greater life”
Some health workers arrived to take the trio. By evening I was feverish.
“Pilo says you held Gills’ hand” Anika is standing at the door of my shack saying, a frown on her face like she cares about what happens to me, more than her just being a part of the crew, my heart warms at the thought of what might be.
“A leader must do what he must do” I mutter, gritting my teeth.
“I know. The health workers will soon be here”
Pilo finished the project. It was bigger than we anticipated. And as fate would have it, I starred in it, Gills, Fervor and Yayi too.
Yayi’s friend, the health worker, died. He found her nineteen year old daughter. There was no one to stop him from taking her, even the government, a shame, but good for Yayi. They hit it, they are married now.
About the fever, we didn’t catch anything, only the trauma of having made contact with those infected had started a reaction similar to theirs.
The documentary was out a year later. It won some awards, but ultimately, it was an award to great men and women who might never have been recognized. Seventy percent of the monies from the production went to taking care of those left behind by these heroes.
We’re on location now, somewhere in Zimbabwe. Anika is with me and Shasha too. The crew is bigger. The funds are more. The project is coming through. But I haven’t come this far only to come this far. We’re starting a foundation for those left behind by unknown heroes gone by. We need to work harder than ever before. We must stretch more. We must put in more hours.
Many times I’ve felt like quitting, or taking a break. But it’s too late now. You come to a point in life where you become unbreakable even by pain and shame and a lot of failure. There comes a point where it’s no longer about skills and know-how but about stamina and tenacity, staying power. I’ve met all that and success too and now I’m at that point.
A generation without a hero is like a starless night. I’m determined to be the hero of my generation. If there’ll be only a single star in the sky, I’m determined to be that star.
How about you?
“Heroes don’t fear death, Gills. You’re a hero. Death can’t touch you”
He’s trying to believe me.
“But the health workers-“
Without thinking I grab his hand, my eye catches Yayi’s. He smiles I smile back remembering the health worker, how he had grabbed her hand, just the same way I am holding Gills’.
“Heroes don’t die Gills. Heroes transcend. Heroes transcend to a greater life”
Some health workers arrived to take the trio. By evening I was feverish.
“Pilo says you held Gills’ hand” Anika is standing at the door of my shack saying, a frown on her face like she cares about what happens to me, more than her just being a part of the crew, my heart warms at the thought of what might be.
“A leader must do what he must do” I mutter, gritting my teeth.
“I know. The health workers will soon be here”
Pilo finished the project. It was bigger than we anticipated. And as fate would have it, I starred in it, Gills, Fervor and Yayi too.
Yayi’s friend, the health worker, died. He found her nineteen year old daughter. There was no one to stop him from taking her, even the government, a shame, but good for Yayi. They hit it, they are married now.
About the fever, we didn’t catch anything, only the trauma of having made contact with those infected had started a reaction similar to theirs.
The documentary was out a year later. It won some awards, but ultimately, it was an award to great men and women who might never have been recognized. Seventy percent of the monies from the production went to taking care of those left behind by these heroes.
We’re on location now, somewhere in Zimbabwe. Anika is with me and Shasha too. The crew is bigger. The funds are more. The project is coming through. But I haven’t come this far only to come this far. We’re starting a foundation for those left behind by unknown heroes gone by. We need to work harder than ever before. We must stretch more. We must put in more hours.
Many times I’ve felt like quitting, or taking a break. But it’s too late now. You come to a point in life where you become unbreakable even by pain and shame and a lot of failure. There comes a point where it’s no longer about skills and know-how but about stamina and tenacity, staying power. I’ve met all that and success too and now I’m at that point.
A generation without a hero is like a starless night. I’m determined to be the hero of my generation. If there’ll be only a single star in the sky, I’m determined to be that star.
How about you?
No Nne. Not drinking water. I meant water to bath" I furrowed my brow. The shower was working. "But there's water in the shower" I had said. "Oh, is there?" He asked. Things had gone blurry from there. Me going to the bathroom to show him how to use a shower he had been using for over a week, his strong arms wrapping itself around me, his lips descending on mine like water falls....
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