![247537C1-65E3-403F-8FCE-44D6A2635764.jpeg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmNXskvUvwpPgxCRqLc9R31FUXHrKXnNTHzJ9EUnHdSjv2/247537C1-65E3-403F-8FCE-44D6A2635764.jpeg)

I can still remember how shaky Emeka hands were as he browsed through the school’s portal to see if his name were among those given admission to go study at the university. I also remember how happy we both had been when we saw his name.

We had both ran home that day to tell everyone the good news. I will never forget the smile on my face as I watched mama Emeka dance with so much joy and happiness.

“So my son is now an engineer.” She had joked as we all laughed.

The day Emeka left home for the university had been an emotional one too, I had watched my friend board the bus as me and his family bade him goodbye.

“My son, go and make us proud. Don’t follow bad boys ooo.”

“I’ve heard you mama, I’m not longer a kid na.” Emeka said as I laughed at him.

“Whether you like it or not, you’re still my kid.” His mom had jokingly replied before he got on the bus. If only we had known, we never would have allowed him get on that bus.

The first few months had been as expected. School was tough and Emeka was experiencing it firsthand. We spoke on different occasions but as time went on, we heard less and less from him until the day Emeka’s mom received a call from one of Emeka’s school friends.

I had accompanied her to the school clinic where Emeka had been admitted. Just two years in school and the person I saw lying on that hospital bed grinning foolishly was anything but my friend.

The doctor had said he was suffering from mental disorder due to the excess use of cannabis. Psychosis, the doctor had called it.

Apparently Emeka had mingled with the wrong set of people and had ended up getting addicted to cannabis which later ended up giving him mental disorder. I tried to console his mother as the doctor asked if we would like to leave him there for some time or take him to another hospital of our choice. But I knew that irrespective of whatever decision we took, one thing was for sure, my friend would never remain the same.
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