Immediately she renounced her membership, she pulled their bead off her hand, and threw it on the floor. "What is the point of joining a group that is after my downfall?" she asked looking at the woman who pleaded with her not to be too hasty in her decision. "You, yourself know this deep down in your heart. Or, is it not in this group your 3 children were killed?" Ejigbo asked the woman. "And you. How long have you been in this group?" she asked another young lady. The lady was too surprised to give her a response. "I know you won't talk." Ejigbo said, almost immediately. "You joined this group so that they can help you find a good man to marry. But, for the past three years you have joined this group, how many men has the group given you? Is that not one of your suitors Olori is using as her footstool?" she asked, pointing to the young man Olori was putting her legs on. Olori took her legs off the man's back stylishly. "No…No…No…you don't need to take your legs off." She said, talking to Olori. "You brought his case here for the group to help you cross-check if he is a good man, and it was then Olori remembered the young man's mother offended her many years ago." She reminded the young lady. Silence filled the whole place, and no one challenged Ejigbo, not even Olori. "…and for your information" she said, addressing everybody. "I have not been eating all the meat I collect here. I have a place I keep them in my wardrobe. I am a good mother, and not a bad mother like many of you. First thing tomorrow morning, I will set ablaze all the things that belong to you." She concluded. "I think it's high time I allowed those preachers into my house." She thought within herself, as she disappeared. Silence dominated the whole place, and the silence was so loud that one could hear it from afar. "Hmmmmm….my people!" Olori called, breaking the silence. "I will like us to reconsider our stance on Ejigbo son's issue" she said. Everybody was silent. "Atleast, for Ejigbo's sake." She added. Silence still refused to leave the whole place. "Asake, release his manhood." Olori commanded. As if that was what many of them were waiting for, they started complaining one after the other. "Olori, my boyfriend under your feet must be released too." The lady Ejigbo addressed earlier complained. That led to a heavy argument as some supported the lady while some opposed her. "No. That is a different issue" Olori tried to calm them, but like a sheep without a shepherd, they were out of control. The lady began to insult Olori. "Are you talking to me like that?" Olori asked the lady. Immediately, the 2nd in command stood up. "What will happen if she talks to you like that? What will you do?" The 2nd in command asked Olori. As that was going on, others were already engaged in a battle of words, and it was just a matter of time before a woman slapped another woman, which was only the beginning of a far greater fight among them.
Just like an alarm, a mosquito sang passed Ella's right ears, and she tried to wave it off with her left hand. She opened her eyes, and realized she had dozed off. The chair was not so comfortable, but how she was able to sleep off on it, she herself could not explain. The only reason she gave for it was fatigue. Before her was her husband on the hospital bed and a drip was being passed into his body. She got up from the chair to examine him, and it was obvious he was not yet conscious. With the help of neighbours, Ella was able to get Akande to the hospital after he collapsed, and since then, Akande has been on drip. "Don't worry. He would be fine. He is just stressed, and he should take time to rest. The doctor assured Ella while changing the first drip. She could not even think of leaving her husband's side for a minute, not to talk of going home that night. That was why she sat on the chair to see when her husband would wake up, and it was while sitting on the chair she slept off. She reached for her phone on the small bedside cabinet. "Oh! It's morning already. So, I have slept for that long." She thought. She looked at Akande again to see if he was awake. She went outside to use the toilet, and by the time she came back, Akande was already awake. "Oh! Thank God." She said as she rushed to the bed. "How are you feeling now?" She asked. Akande replied with a nod to show he was fine. "What happened?" Akande asked, speaking slowly. "You fainted last night." Ella replied. Later, at noon, Ella was feeding Akande when Ejigbo walked in with the Akande's gateman. "Akaro ma." Ella greeted, completely kneeling on the floor. Ejigbo responded, and patted her back for her to stand up. "But, Mama, how did you hear so soon?" Ella asked in amazement. "I didn't know anything happened. I just decided to pay you both a visit, and I left Lagos since morning. It was when I got to your house Alamu told me what happened. So, I told him to bring me here." Ejigbo explained. "So, how is he now?" Ejigbo added. "I am better now." Akande replied, this time, he spoke a little faster than before. Ejigbo sat at the other end of the bed as she started singing Akande's eulogy. "Mama! You and your eulogy." Ella said smiling. "You will not understand. " Ejigbo said. "Ok ooo…." Ella replied. "Mama! Please, excuse me. I want to go and get his drugs from the pharmacy." Ella added. Ejigbo replied with a nod, and Ella rushed out. "Akande, I have something I want to tell you." Ejigbo said. "Really?" Akande asked. "That reminds me. Mama, I had a dream when I was sleeping." Akande said almost immediately. "Dream? What was it about?" Ejigbo asked. "hmmmm…..I don't really understand the dream. But, in the dream, I was looking for something I lost for a very long time. I searched everywhere for it, and I couldn't find it. I don't know what it was exactly, but I was terribly searching for it. The place was so dark that I couldn't see properly. But then, a man came with a very bright lantern, and it was the man who found it for me." Akande narrated. "I really can't figure what it was, but I knew I was happy when the man found it for me." He ended. "Really?" Ejigbo asked. "Well, Akande. What I'm about to tell you might shock you, but please understand that I no longer belong to them." Ejigbo said. "Belong to who?" Akande asked. Ejigbo narrated her ordeal right from the time she lost her very first child to that very present day. Akande could not help but open his mouth. "So, it is that girl that is responsible for my childlessness" Akande asked rhetorically. "Ah ! I'm doomed" He said, putting his two hands on his head. He jeered up almost immediately, as if just coming to his senses, "Mummy, so are you saying you are a wi…?" Akande wanted to ask before realizing that Ella has just entered. "Is she saying she is a wi- what?" Ella asked. "Are you yourself saying you don't know your mother is a WI-dow?" Ella added with a smile, teasing Akande. "Mama, don't mind Akande. Does the government want to help the widows?" She asked again. All the while, Akande was just looking like a lost sailor. "My dear, yes ooo….Help." Ejigbo said. "The help that would make us all happy and rejoice very soon." She added.
© 2016. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
Do I say the story has spoken for itself? It sure has. Many a times, we are the main cause of our problems, yet we run from mountains to valleys, from pillars to posts, seeking for solutions. Our actions and attitudes have a way of inviting in the enemy, yet, we pray against the enemy, forgetting that we are our number 1 enemy. An adage says, "If the wall is not cracked, the lizard will never go in." and, "It is the thief at home that invites the thief outside to come and steal." Watch what you are doing because it might be a well-packed invitation card for the enemy to come into your life. Thanks to you all for taking time to read the story. Thanks for being patient with me, even when I delay to send it across at times, and above all, special thanks to the King of kings who is the source of my inspiration. Who without Him, there will not be any Daily Diet. Join me again next week for another mind-blowing story.
It is good to share. So, take your time to share Daily Diet with your friends and loved ones. I'm sure you don't want them to miss out of the fun and lessons. For whatsapp users, you can create a broadcast list to enable you easily share Daily Diet with your contact. If you need help on how to create a broadcast list, message me so that I can put you through. And, if you don't want to create a broadcast list, you can simply give your friends my number to message me on Whatsapp, and I will add them to my broadcast list. For those who would also like to receive Daily Diet via Whatsapp, simple send a Whatsapp message to my number @ +2348072970850. Did you know there are over 20 of these wonderful stories? Did you know that there are over 50 wonderful articles that you need to read? Well, get them all for free on my blog at www.tyobstacle.blogspot.com
----------
OFMAT AUSTUS NWANNE
Inspirational Speaker/Media Consultant,
Swift24 Multimedia Services.
+2348072970850
Mrtackle2009@gmail.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment