SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA

“Does that really mean the deity was the reason our ancestors were able to have their own children?” “Yes! He affirmed and continued. “Our ancestors agreed on principles and the laid-down procedure of worship ever since then, as revealed through the family's history book. "It is a taboo for any child from the family to get married to or marry someone before they attain the age of 35…” While readjusting his seat after hearing what his uncle had to say, he requested more clarification as he cut in and said… “Every child from our lineage must not be married off or get married to someone until he or she is 35 years of age.” “So says the deity we worship.” “Does this have anything to do with why I was here?” “Very well! They wouldn’t have died that way had you known and followed the principles. You see, from generation to generation, every elder in all families passed onto their offspring the laid-down principles and the importance of worshiping the family deity and I believed, my brother, your father-Akanbiiko,” rending his late brother’s eulogy, “omoonilenlati n fokogigef’eshin dele obaalade, must have informed you about all I’ve just told you. It's therefore a taboo for any child from this lineage to become pregnant even if such a child had gotten married before the mandatory age of 35. "The consequence of failing to do what was expected of every child is what you’ve experienced.” At the end of the narration, Chief Ibikunle had a deep breath and was obviously seen displaying how regrettable the whole incident had been. Then, baba said… “My son, I could clearly see how regrettable you felt…” “Yes, uncle,” he cuts in, sweating so profusely as he continued. “It was so terrible knowing all I had to do to prevent the deaths of my children, who were as innocent as I was, was just worship of a deity. How I wish the hands on the clock could be reversed." I would have loved to abide by the principles and, as well, worship the deity to be able to save their lives.” “It’s never too late. If you wish to have a replacement in this world after you must have completed your journey and some ashes at the end of your burnt charcoal, as well as having to eat from your labor over the children given unto you, worshiping the deity is very necessary and must be immediate for you and the principle has to be adhered to from now on. The chief left the village having been told what to do, and he promised to be back soon for the first ever worship. Some years later, Chief Ibikunle set out of his house with his driver and headed straight to one of his landed properties in the city for an important matter. Having been on the road for a few hours, they approached a bushy landed property along the highway. Having reached a suitable location, the driver pulled over by the roadside. Immediately after the car's engine was put off, Chief Ibikunle alighted and walked to its trunk. The car's trunk was opened by the driver, and he took out a cutlass and a black polythene bag with an undisclosed content. Then, he walked off the road and, with the cutlass, he began cutting and finding his way through onto the landed property. Moments later, he stopped at a sport, after which he started digging and stopped after digging for a while. He dipped his right hand in the polythene bag, and a valuable pot, made of pure gold, was taken out. The pot looked so attractive and expensive. Having been taken out, he lowered it inside the hole, then he immediately covered the portion, making it untraceable to anyone. Having completed this process, he walked back to his car, after which he instructed the driver to move, and they drove out of the place. Humans are facing different and numerous challenges under the same sky. A rich man couldn’t stop the mysterious death of his children despite his huge wealth from which any presented bill on health issues could be settled at any given time. Another rich man in his early days on the ladder of rankings was battling with how to remain wealthy. Change remained the only permanent thing in humans throughout the journey of life. So, tides and times could turn when least expected. Oluwafemi was once a wealthy man who wined and dinned with the kings. For his unmatched talent and input into the nation’s economy, he was the toast of every captain of industries and groups in the city. He had gradually stumbled down the ladder and couldn’t find his place among the wealthy. He had become a laughingstock, especially among those who were envious of his success and had already planned for his downfall. On the eve of his wife’s birthday, he had a sleepless night thinking about how elaborately they had celebrated it in the recent past. He was speaking silently to himself while watching his wife in her deep midnight sleep… “Folakemi, this year’s birthday will have been celebrated so hugely as always. Forgive me, it’s going to be different and so pathetic to be where we are today.” The following morning was different from others ever since he had found himself in his present predicament. Every advice given to him was turned down, thinking the predicament was just a normal situation humans were bound to live in while on earth. He was a bit late and had to wait on the list of those who had come to see an Islamic cleric for ways out of their problems. Eventually, it reaches his turn and he was asked to go inside the room. Inside the room, there was a seat directly before the cleric and was asked, through finger gesture, to sit on it. After sitting down, he was asked to stretched his hand a bit forward and towards the cleric.He obeyed and the cleric hold onto it as he recited some verses of the holy book. “Servant of Allah, may I be briefed about what had brought you here?” He said as he folded his hand and asked him through a hand gesture to return back his hand. “Greetings to you, man of Allah,” he began while adjusting his seat as he returned his hand and continued. “I had once a very rich and wealthy man who couldn’t recollects when last I had found myself in need of just anything. My wealth was far beyond human imagination. I wined and dined with kings and well-to-do in the and was well respected in the society.My predicament began so suddenly and in an unexplainable manner. Down the ladder of the famous and important personality of the society, I remained and became irrelevant till today. Not only did I turned a laughing stock in the society, also, my capability and ability to perform optimally over my family became varnished…” he looked sober and wasn’t that coherent at the later stage of his narration, then, the cleric cuts in and said… “I requested to view the source of your problem on your palm as you stepped in here having seen all over you, the tribulation of life. Some years back, servant of Allah had travelled to visit your aged parents, several gifts items were bought and taken along in other to share among the villagers apart from those meant for your parents…” It clearly shown on him, as he positively affirmed through head nod as the cleric spoke further. “The gifts were shared with good heart to lucky ones around but, there was this old woman who felt cheated and believed her portion wouldn’t have been so small had her womb had been blessed too… “Yes!” He suddenly said as he then went into a brief reflection of the said day in the past. After a few moments, he said… “What a perfect revelation! I could vividly recollect how far I had drove from the city to the village for a visit to my parents. Several people trooped down to extend their greetings and as usual, have some share of what I had brought as gifts for the villagers…” “yes,” he cuts in. “there was an old woman who came late and wished to be blessed with some of the gifts as well, she felt snubbed and downgraded for the loaf of bread she was given which she believedworth far less than what was given to others on the day…” “The woman here was an old barren woman…” he hurriedly said, acting as if the picture of the day’s incident was brought before him as he continued. “She appeared to be satisfied with the gift having been promised of a better gift on my next visit.” “Servant of God, what took place after she had left the scene was the opposite of her words of contentment.] At this stage, the cleric stood up and walked straight into a room, shortly, he returned with a pure white garment] which he pinned to the wall. After pinning, he brought out a bottle with a liquid content and splashes the content onto the pinned white garment after which said… “Focus your attention on wall forthe revelation you’re about to watch, the incidents that took place on the day couldn’t be better explained to you by mere narration but, a view of the happenings.” Shortly after, motion picture appeared on the white garment], at a corner near one of the huts in the village was an old who obviously was in a bad mood. She looked towards the direction where Oluwafemi and his family were and angrily said… “You are not the one to blame if not the Creator that refuses to bless my own womb as well. Had my womb been blessed, I wouldn’t have been running after children of others just to be given what to eat anytime they came to visit their aged parents; My inability to find what to eat today wouldn’t have been in existence, I also would have always been proud of growing old with joy and having children who would look after me as does to others and I wouldn’t have been this dragged” She was bitterly sad as she shed tears while she continued. “For dragging me in the mud today, you shall be made to regret ever being born into this world for the rest of your life.” She walked gently out of the scene and straight to an isolated area, it was an area where trees were richly grown. She looked round and one of the big trees in the area was sighted after which she walked as gently as she could to its base. Having got there, she dipped her left hand into an inner save] of hiswrapper, an item was brought out, she tapped the trunk] of the tree, three times in a row with her right palm and said… “Today, being a day I had chosen to forever live with me, as the saddest day of my life in the journey of this world, I, Abebi oniru, curse] you, Oluwafemi, the son of Gbemleke, your wealth is hereby banished] and to become vanished beyond any solution under the sun of this world while you witness it all, poverty shall henceforth replace it and to remain with you as long as you exist in this world. Whosoever disrupt the honey comb] shall be grievously stung] by the dwelling bees]. You’ve dared, and disrupted the peace of the sleeping dog, you shall, from today on, face the consequence of your actions.”