The boy was 11 years old when his father took him to live with a kinsman, a businessman with many shops in Lagos, Nigeria. He later spent 12 years with this master, learning a trade, and understanding many aspects of business. At the end of his apprenticeship, his family and the master pooled resources and graduated him. They got him a shop, bought shop items, and gave him money. He was now a man. He must live independently, and go back to the village, find another boy, and become a mentor himself.