EPISODE FOUR
The fourth day began differently.
In a small village far from the capital, a boy named Mensah walked several kilometres to school.
His shoes were torn.
His uniform was faded.
But he carried his books proudly.
His teacher asked the class:
“What do you want to become when you grow up?”
One child said, “Doctor.”
Another said, “Engineer.”
Mensah raised his hand.
“I want to become president.”
The class laughed.
The teacher smiled.
“Why?”
Mensah answered:
“Because when I become president, I will not sell my country.”
The classroom became silent.
The teacher looked at him for a long moment.
Outside, a government convoy passed along the newly constructed road.
Inside the classroom, the children studied beneath a leaking roof.
The contradiction was painful.
Millions were being spent on conferences, official vehicles and ceremonies.
Yet some schools had no desks.
Hospitals had no essential equipment.
Young people searched desperately for opportunities.
Farmers struggled to survive.
And families watched their brightest children leave in search of a better future.
The people were tired.
But they were not dead.
Something was changing.
Young people were beginning to ask questions.
They were reading.
They were organizing.
They were learning technology.
They were demanding accountability.
They were discovering that patriotism did not mean remaining silent.
And that frightened the hypocrites.