When Tunde was a young boy, he begged his father to teach him fishing.

On his first day, the sea was calm and quiet. The boat barely moved. Tunde threw the net, caught nothing, and returned home smiling. “Fishing is easy,” he said proudly.

His father only laughed.

The next week, the wind roared. Waves slapped the boat hard. The sky turned grey. Tunde’s hands shook as he tried to row. The net tangled. Water splashed into the boat. Twice, he almost fell overboard.

“Let’s go back!” he shouted.

His father replied, “Today is your real lesson.”

Day after day, they went out — in wind, rain, and rough tides. Tunde learned how to balance the boat, read the clouds, tie stronger knots, and cast his net at the right moment.

Months later, another storm came. This time, other fishermen stayed ashore. But Tunde sailed out calmly and returned with the biggest catch.

That evening, his father smiled and said,
“Smooth seas never made a skilled fisherman.”