Pains in the rains1 (The series)

Henry had his hands in his pockets as he trudged slowly in the downpour - the kind that made people scramble for the nearest available shelter. Henry however was oblivious of the cold wind accompanying the torrential rain, or the bewildered looks he got from the stranded pedestrians. His mind was far of on thoughts of his company that had just gone public.

Henry had initially started his company, HSBC, as a joke in his second year in the University. As the associate editior-in-chief of Skylyn Magazine, he had discovered that he had a knack for ferreting out information when necessary. He had personally supervised the research team, and screened the stories to be published.

Within weeks, he had risen to the position of editor-in-chief of Skylyn magazine and had extended his reach to the other Universities. His best friend and freelance writer, Michael, had suggested they open their Newspaper company after their schooling. Henry had thought it a ioke at first, but as the laurels and recognition increased over his work, Henry began to see a news paper venture as a good idea.

Soon after they had graduated from the University, Henry and Michael had started a Newspaper company. Henry had done the administrative duties required of an executive, while Michael had managed the stories that were reported daily.

In Lagos, the competition between News companies was intense, and reporters were like bloodhounds; sniffing out stories while trying to throw others off the scent. Henry had reached out to his old contacts and made new connections from friends. His charm and easygoing personality made him respected in social circles. So, while other reporters bribed, conned and traded favors for stories, Henry relaxed while stories dropped in by the dozens.

Before long, Henry had branched out to TV and Radio coverage. By then he had carved a niche for himself in the journalism world, and was publicly recognized. The latest addition to his company proved to be an even bigger success, as he became listed as one of the Pulitzer prize nominees...

A car whizzed past Henry, pulling him from his train of thoughts and he wrapped the thick coat he wore tighter to his body. He looked around himself and seemed to notice the downpour for the first time. Shaking himself vigorously, he started to iog back to the hotel room he had booked for the weekend. All the while he ran, one thought kept replaying on his mind like a movie on repeat... "Why did i ever go public with my company?"

BY- MICHAEL IGBONEKWU