OPINION: You may not realise that your parents are setting you up for destruction!

By Anayo M. Nwosu

Omeifeukwu, called "Omeife" for a short, has done really well in life.

He was the third son of Ichie Ukwuadialo, a renowned trader and one of the richest dealers in articles at the Onitsha Main Market.


Only Omeife out of his 6 brothers took to their father's advice to further their education beyond secondary school before going into business.

Omeife in fact, surpassed his father's expectations by obtaining a masters degree in Business Administration, an act that made the father give him a large seed capital to start his own business.

Ichie Ukwuadialo knew the limitations of lack of sound education posed on his way to achieving greater business success; how he was cheated or was made to sign disadvantageous deals. Therefore, he promised himself to ensure that his children would all be very educated before venturing into any business.


But, greater misfortune visited Ichie Ukwuadialo as none of his sons except Omeife beat anyone in their various classes right from primary to secondary schools.

Not even engaging the services of private tutors helped.

It appeared that the educational fate of his other boys had been sealed. They joined their father's business as further education had been "rigged" against them.

The case was different with Omeife who by all estimation should be said to be  brilliant for passing all his exams in one sitting but no distinctions.

We became friends at first sight even though we lost contact after our post graduates. Zuckerberg's Facebook reunited us sometime last year.

It was as if he had been looking for me to tell me a story of his life. His brothers, like the sons of Jacob, wanted him killed because he was more successful than all of them pulled together.


He told me how his parents were so proud of him and his exploits and would dress down the other sons including the two elder ones in his presence.

That was it! Parental destruction!

Are you more successful than your elderly ones in either your nuclear or extended family?

Do you indulge your parents or enjoy as they praise you to high heavens while deriding your elderly ones, telling them how stupid and prodigal they have been?

Do you think that your elder brothers were not smart or serious or you believe the account of your parents that they are the architects of their own failures?

So you stand and watch making your siblings think that you support your parents that they deserve the dressing down and humiliation?

If you have been led to believe that you are better because you worked harder or took better decisions, perish the those thoughts. Wise up! Your parents are setting you up to be killed for nothing.

If you are in this situation right now, retrace your steps, beg your brothers for forgiveness and build a security architecture made of genuine respect for your elder siblings and continuously finding ways to elevate them.


You must let your parents know that you don't like how they embarrass your elder brothers before you, due to their past or predicament.

Ensure that you instantly walk away whenever your parents relapse or start the unfavorable comparisons.

I thank God who opened my eyes much earlier before success arrived.

Nothing had and shall make me fight or puncture the ego of my elder brother.

I am, so that we all may become!

Snatch the gun from your parents before they unknowingly arm your siblings to kill you.