SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA

Chapter 3

"Very well! They wouldn't have died the way they did had you had known and followed the principles. You see, from generations to generations, elders from our lineage passed onto their offsprings, the laid down principles as well as the reason for worshipping the deity which I believed, my elder brother- your father- Akanbiiko," eulogizing him. "The son of the owner of the mightiest building who became prominent among the beaded kings through the provision of foliage for their horses, must have informed you about all I'd just revealed to you.

It is a taboo for any child from our lineage to become pregnant or impregnated someone, even if such child had got married, before the mandatory age of 35 and the consequence of failing to do what is expected of every child is what you've experienced over your children.

Chief Ibikunle had a deep breath after the whole revelation and was obviously regretting the part he had innocently taken.

Having noticed how sorry he was, the old man said, "My son, I could clearly see how regrettable you felt hearing all I had told you"

"Yes uncle," he replied, sweating so profusely as he continued.

"It wasn't only regrettable but also, a terrible steps taken in the past after realizing all I had to do to prevent the deaths of my children who were as innocent as I was, was just my worship of a deity.

"How I wish the hands on the clock could be reversed, I would have loved to follow the steps others had followed and worship the deity so as to be able to save their lives"

There was much tears on his face as he regrettably wished and his uncle said,

"It's never too late my son. if it's your wish to have a replacement in this world after you must have completed your journey; and ashes at the end of your burnt charcoals, so also, you wish to have your effort over your surviving child rewarded before you depart this world, worshipping the deity is a must for you and the time for that is now."

After the revelation and the next step he had to take for the atonement of all he had brought upon himself, he left on the same day and promised to return back at a chosen date for the first worship of the deity by him.

Some months later, he set out of his house with his driver 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 very bushy landed property he owned along the highway and the driver pull over by the roadside having reached a suitable spot.

Thereafter, the car engine was switched off then, chief alighted and headed straight to the car trunk. It was opened from inside by the driver then, he took out a cutlass and one black polythene bag, which contained an unknown content.

After having a tight grip on it, he started finding his way into the bushy land with the help of the cutlass he was holding. Moments after, he stopped at a spot and started digging the ground till it got to a satisfying depth where the digging stopped.

Then, he dipped his right hand inside the polythene bag and a nice looking and beautiful golden pot was taken out.

The pot had an attractive look and obviously very expensive. He looked round under the very thick bushy area in other to be sure, no one was watching.

Having got satisfied, he lowered it inside the hole after which the portion was neatly covered back making it untraceable to anyone.

At the end of this, he walked back to his car and instructed his driver to drive out of the place.

Humans were created into this world with different challenges to face.

The wealthiest, with almost everything the world could offer under their control, are not totally exempted from any form of challenge.

They do not work for their wealth to become dwindle in life but, for it to always be on the increase.

There are lots among them who are not blessed with children and are doing all within their capacity to ensure they have children.

Some had children and their children became the source of their problems; some are having sleepless night over the lack of money while some are in fear of going bankrupt.

While chief was in dilemma over his predicament, A young handsomely looking man, Oluwafemi, a one time wealthy man, was going through hell on earth.

He was once among the wealthiest indigene in the city of Abeokuta, the State Capital of Ogun State, Nigeria, who were working round the clock to ensure they remain in wealth, untill tides turn on him during when he lost his grip on wealth and things were not the same for him.

One blessed morning, he decided to consult a popular man of God, who resided in the city of Ayetoro, some kilometers away from the state capital and who was well known for his unmatched knowledge in mysteries of life.

He has never had it in record, of an individual whose problem, having consulted him, remained unsolved.

He wasn't the first, second nor third on the queue of those who had came for consultation when he eventually arrived. Everyone was patiently waiting for his or her turn to be attended to.

Few hours after his arrival, having been on the waiting list, he was asked in.

Setting his eyes on him, the man of God said to him.

"Servant of God, why do you look so worried? no human will ever taste honey with a frowned facial reaction, you're at a place where all that gives you a sleepless night shall end through Allah's support and joy shall be yours at the end of your visit."

"Amen!"

He bent forward a bit as he responded after which he was asked to sit on a provided chair opposite the man of God.

"What was the reason for your visit?"

"I was once a wealthy man," he said softly as he began. "and was so blessed beyond human imagination," he continued. "I dinned and wined with kings and accorded the deserved respect in the society. I was so comfortable and had everything going smooth for me not untill suddenly, all that I had worked for, started diminishing and gone beyond man's explanation. I had since been going through a hell fending for my family, man of God, I seek a way out. I do not wish to go on in life this very ugly way..." voice distorting as he explained.

"May you be my solicitor before the Creator of heaven and earth, the suffering had reached its climax. I need a way out"

There was a cloud of tears ready to flow freely down his face as he was finding it uneasy to prevent.

Having concluded, he said to him, "All things are possible before our Creator," assuring him as he stood and asked to be excused for a short while before entering a room.

Moments later, he returned back in the consulting room.

"Servant of God, your being patient shall be rewarded," he said as he was sitting back on his seat.

"Amen!" he faithfully responded.

Then, he started some explanation while he remained very attentive.

"All that remained hidden to man are in open before the Creator... when last have you visited your aged parents?"

"When last I had visited my parents?" he reiterated as he slightly raised his head towards the roof.

"Yes," he repeated and continued. "Those through whom you were born into this world."

He thoughts for a short while after which he said,

"That has been a very long time ago, I couldn't be prisice about the exact date."

"On your last visit to your parents, there were some incidents which were known to you as well as those that were unknown..." he cuts in and said,

"I think I could recollect, I recently visited my aged parents in the village, as usual and I bought some items which I shared among some of the people of the village in presence aside from those meant for my parents..."

He interrupted and said.

"In the midst of those who benefited from those gift items on that day was an old woman who felt cheated having seen the gift to her as worthless compared to that of others.

"Could that be Iyaalaro?" he silently said to himself then, he continued. "I could remembered giving an old woman, who had no children of her own, the last of the gifts, she was a barren old woman and arrived at the scene when all gifts, except a loaf of bread that remained unshared, had been given out.

She was handed the bread with a promised of a bigger and special gift on my next visit..."

The man of God cuts in and went proverbial after a deep breath.

"Humans' thoughts toward fellow humans are so deep and dirty likewise the outer layer of humans' skin, which stands as barrier from seeing what human plan against one another.

"Laughter, shouldn't be mistaken for pureness of the heart because, someone who laughs at you might not be totally exempted from planning evil against you.

"Had opening of human stomach is as easy as we might wished, the evil ones among friends would have been easily identified.

"It was on that day, that the evil by human to fellow human began over you, and because of your cause, salt was willingly mixed with sands, and your destiny was permanently tied to failure.

"Your good intention on that day was used against you because what you gave the old woman wasn't accepted in good faith, she considered herself to have been cheated through the gift to her and your action, was as well, viewed to be disrespectful and believed all was as a result of her barrenness.

"She believed her children wouldn't have treated her that way had she also was blessed with chicken.

"What no man can see is always in the open before God. Not long after you left on that day, she walked towards a building and stopped at a conducive spot where she unhinderdely rained curses on you while you're leaving the village.

"It wasn't end yet because, on getting back to her house, three of her cult members were waiting and demanded from her, the reason they were summoned by her then, your matter was discussed, she sought for their support and they all agreed to invoke their occultic powers of darkness and subjected you to life in bondage till your last day on earth. They were the reason you are in this present situation"

Oluwafemi became sad and disturbed more than he was on his arrival, tears were visibly clouded in his face as he pitifully said...

"I hadn't done her any wrong to have warranted subjecting me to a curse of this magnitude. It is God alone who gives every human the deserving fruits of the womb," at this point, he turned to the man of God and said. "Please, do all within your power to help me out of this curse, I have come to you for a solution and I believed, through you, the bondage will be broken" He pleaded while shedding tears.

"Servant of God," he said while holding firmly onto his left palm, a thorough consultation on your behalf immediately you stepped in here revealed to me, the solution to all your problem and that is nothing but fasting and prayers. Telling you any other thing aside these would tarnish my image and reputation."

"Prayers and fasting alone!" he asked, raising his voice as he appeared to be expecting something heavier than that.

"Yes," he responded and continued. "nothing more and I believed you shall be set free by your Creator."