Love At First Sight
Love At First Sight
Years ago, in a city called
Lovely there was a Youngman of about 36years of age, called Ayonge, he was
single and seriously searching for a female partner.
There were high schools and universities in Lovely city. In one of the Universities of this city, admission process has just been completed and the new entrants into this university were busy running here and there for registration in their respective departments and faculties. At those registration points, different fellowships’ members will be on hand to give helping hands to those new entrees as well as using that occasion to invite them to their fellowships. The world is becoming a dangerous place to live in each passing day and it is the believe of many a one that many of those people who become terrorists and join different cult groups do join those groups when they were in the institutions of higher learning. Thus, to catch them young, because many who joined those occult and terrorist groups were lured into the circuits when they could not see someone to help them almost immediately that they entered into the institutions of higher learning. Being naïve and young, they wouldn’t know anything until they have been deep necked into the occult groups.
There were high schools and universities in Lovely city. In one of the Universities of this city, admission process has just been completed and the new entrants into this university were busy running here and there for registration in their respective departments and faculties. At those registration points, different fellowships’ members will be on hand to give helping hands to those new entrees as well as using that occasion to invite them to their fellowships. The world is becoming a dangerous place to live in each passing day and it is the believe of many a one that many of those people who become terrorists and join different cult groups do join those groups when they were in the institutions of higher learning. Thus, to catch them young, because many who joined those occult and terrorist groups were lured into the circuits when they could not see someone to help them almost immediately that they entered into the institutions of higher learning. Being naïve and young, they wouldn’t know anything until they have been deep necked into the occult groups.
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| Young man |
Focus
Non Christians are invited to
join any of those fellowships during this once a session catch them young
program that the on-campus brethren used to do when the institutions have
admitted new students into their schools, but the main focus of the members of
those fellowships was to get those who have Christian background from their
parents homes, who will be encouraged and advised to join their fellowships.
They do focus Christian because
there have been ceaseless fighting between the religious bodies in the city
which have resulted in loss of lives and properties. About 5 years ago, such
fighting between religious bodies broke out within the centre of the town and
before anyone knows it, it has crept in to different institutions of higher
learning within the city. Before this fight could be put off it took the
intervention of the international bodies and one of the resolutions was that no
one should invite anyone she or he knows to their fellowships again. If anyone
however discovers that she or he wants to have a taste of other religion and
maybe change religion outrightly the person should do so at his or her own
volition without being invited by anyone for peace to reign in the city.
Meanwhile during the period that
the fighting lasted, all the institutions within the city was closed because
they do not want the religion bodies to use that as an avenue to kill, maim and
destroy properties again until the problem is resolved.
Having resolved the problem and
the resolution passed across that no one should be found inviting anyone to his
or her program calm has returned to the city. Since this time, all the
fellowship brethren never invites anyone of other religion immediately a person
is being talked to and the person says she or he does not belong to the
Christian religion such would be left alone for peace to reign because war is
better read on pages of books or newspapers than being experienced. Those who
experienced those civil unrests were yet to get out of the shock, in fact the
debris of the burnt houses damaged cars can still be seen in the city centre
and other places within the city.
First Contact
Ayonge, the young guy who was
seriously searching for a lady to be engaged to, being one of the Christian
brothers who is always invited by the on-campus brethren to minister unto them,
he was also on ground during one of the days to give a support to the campus
brethren inviting people to fellowships and while he was there with them, he
saw a lady whom he loved on sighting her. Love at first sight!
This lady whom he saw, is being
talked to by someone from another fellowship to which Ayonge does not belong
soon enough the person talking to the lady left her and he walked up to her to
also talk to her of the need to join one of the on-campus fellowships for that
would be good for her, that would assist her not only spiritually but also
academically he said unto the lady.
On getting to her, he introduced
himself, my name is Ayonge, a computer scientist, can I know your name sister?
The sister did not answer him. When she did not answer, he continued talking to
her, I have come to invite you to join our campus fellowship, where God used to
raise the superstars in their various fields.
While he was talking with the
lady, all that was running through his mind was that the lady would be in his
arms forever. He was able to successfully hide this feeling from being known
unto the lady and other brethren around during the course of his discussion
with the lady. This lady did not answer with a word, she was just looking at
him too, but Ayonge did not know what was running through her mind.
After he finished talking with
the lady, he asked her if she will be fellowshipping with them on their
fellowship days. The lady, again did not reply him, this makes him to start
thinking that the lady may belong to another religion, thus he did not press
her further and just handed to her one of the handbills of the fellowship,
“this is my fellowship’s handbill, you will find our fellowship site’s address
on the handbill, in case you want to have a taste of God in our midst you are always
welcome”, he said as the lady collected the handbill from him and he left her
for another person to be talked to.
Days after this, this lady was
looking forward to meet the guy, Ayonge, on the walkways of the campus, after
all he said he is a computer scientist, and the department he later find out
that it was not far from her department. She used to look forward to meeting
him but this never happened. “Could he be lying?” she asked herself this
question one day and the answer that came to her mind is such lie would be
terrible considering the fact that they are in academic environment and not
outside the campus. Later, she got to know that they said there are some who
have been asked to withdraw from the institution but who yet continue to parade
themselves as a student, could be one of those? If he is one of such people
that would be a dent on the image of the fellowship he speaks about she said
unto herself.
Her mind keeps searching for him
as if she has lost something which she needs to find. She does see others with
whom Ayonge walked that day, though those people hardly recognize her again,
but she does recognize them.
“This should be his department”,
she said one day as she walks through the department with a mind that may be
luck could come her path to see him but all to no avail, she did not see him.
She remembers his name, he is her senior, except that seniority is not used in
Universities as it is being used in the secondary schools. She is yet to know
much people on campus except about two people from her department, Microbiology
whom they registered together at the department.
Weeks after their meeting,
Ayonge was invited to minister at the fellowship the program was well
publicized by the members of that fellowship distributing several handbills to
students and different banners and posters were placed at strategic positions
on campus and outside the campus. Because of the program’s well advertisement,
the lady has been moved to attend the program to see what it’s all about. This
lady, Honest, remembers that it is the fellowship to which Ayonge has invited
her to some weeks back is the fellowship that’s organizing the program. “At
last my chance of meeting with him in their fellowship is here”, Honest says to
herself, “for this program will not be held on weekend neither in the night
when I am supposed to be in the class reading my books or doing assignments”
she has made up her mind to attend the program, saying, at the program she will
come across Ayonge again, since she has not been able to see him in his
department neither on any of the walkways on campus. She wants to know why she
has been unable to come across him on campus. Having made up her mind, she has
been praying in her closets that the day comes quickly.
Surprise
Despite praying for the program,
she did not pay close attention to the name of the invited minister on the
handbills on her and the well displayed banners all around the campus.
The biggest Lecture Theatre on
campus which is Lecture Theatre 1 with is a 2000 seating capacity has been
secured for the program. The news heard about the program before the day is
suggestive that if there is a Lecture Theatre that has more capacity than this,
the students would have secured the place, because the program is one of its
kinds on their campus and over the years the tempo of the program has not gone
down it keeps improving.
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| Lady Showing Surprise |
She was one of the first
students to get to the Lecture Theatre 1 where the program will hold. That is
her nature, that is how her parents have brought her up, if you will be going
to any place, ensure that you get there early, never should you get to a
program you wish to attend late, their parents used to tell them.
Another thing that she has
imbibed in her has been gotten from the rules stated in the baptismal card
which has been given her by the minister in charge of her parent’s church after
her baptism. There are about twenty rules stated in the card for anyone who has
been baptized, the rules they said will show that one is a true believer. One
of the instructions on the card is that “ensure that you get to your seat early
to be a good example to those who usually come late and the nonchalant ones”.
This rule, coupled with how she
has been raised up makes her make it a point of duty to get to any Christian
program early or at least at the dot of the starting time. In the case of
unforeseen circumstances that forces her to be going to any program late, she
won’t exceed 15 minutes of the starting time before she gets there, anything
outside this, it means she will not attending that program that day.
When Honest got to the Lecture
Theatre, she saw some of the brethren gathered at a corner praying, this is
called pre-program prayer before the program starts. As those assigned to
prayers were praying, she saw other members of the fellowship arranging
speakers, engines and other instruments that would be used at the program.
Honest went to the front seat to sit down, to wait for when the program will
earnestly start.
The Lecture Theatre has speakers
situated at the four corners of the hall so that all in the hall would be able
to hear what the speaker in front is saying. There are central microphones too
for lecturers’ use while lecturing the students or when a special seminar or
inaugural lecture would be given in which the hall will be filled to its
maximum capacity.
Despite all of these, Honest
sees that there are certain students, members of the fellowship who organize
the program still carrying speakers to some other parts of the hall, joining
the wires to the speakers, fixing flood lights at specific positions in the
hall and other special lights to make the place well illuminated.
Special lights are fixed to face
the podium to clearly reveal the speakers as well as other ministers who are on
the podium when ministering.
Five generators and other
instruments were brought to the Lecture Theatre by the mini-bus of the
fellowship. Honest got to know at the venue of the program that the fellowship
has about six generators and when they wanted to do special programs as this,
they will carry those generators to the venue of the program to avoid
embarrassment and disappointments from the company supplying electricity to the
island. That day is not different as they came with those generators too, and
four of them were put into use. One is fixed to the systems and engines, the
second is fixed to the lights that have been fixed to the hall to make the
place well illuminated, the third is for the instruments of the choristers
while the fourth one is fixed to different projectors, projecting the program
to all and sundry, those within and some passers-by outside were not left alone
to catch the glimpse of what is on-going in the hall. The last one is not put
into use, it is said to be a standby generator, in case something happens to
one of the generators, before it is put in order by the mechanical engineers
among them, they would start using that.
Since the wall of the Lecture
Theatre is painted in white, the Publicity and Broadcasting section of the
fellowship are projecting the events as it is happening on the wall of the
hall. The program is also connected to different social media live feed such
that people who are not opportune to be at the venue of the program could
follow them and watch the event as it is ongoing in the hall.
Honest was surprised to see all
of these, the organization of the students and was thinking about how they come
about those generators and costly lights that illumine the hall as if the
program is being held in the broad-daylight when the sun is at the peak of its
illumination in the firmament, until she started seeing the instruments that
they brought into the program. When she sees those musical instruments when
they are being arranged, she could not but say “wow!” where she was, because it
is biggest churches full of Politicians and business moguls who could afford to
purchase all those kinds of musical instruments. That has been her thought well
before seeing all of these at the program. “No wonder, people call this program
one of its kind on the campus and that the tempo has been improving and
increasing since the time the program has begun. With the little I have seen, I
cannot but agree that it is one of its kind.” Honest said to herself on her
seat as she keeps watching.
The musical instruments are
arranged accordingly: the strings section comprising of violin, viola and
double bass; the brass section – tuba, trombone, trumpet and saxophone; Wood
wind section which is made up of flute, piccolo and recorder; those in the
percussion section has these - congas, drum-kit, cymbals, tambourines (which is
also present among the students), glockenspiel, xylophone, kettledrum and
steel-drum (these last two are being handled by a single person who is an
expert in it); the Guitar section has electric guitar, acoustic guitar,
balalaika and sitar; there is piano which is being handled by a young lady,
perhaps younger than Honest or about her age; harmonica and synthesizer by
amplifier.
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| Lecture Theatre |
Honest did not know the name of
some of the instruments, though she used to see some of it while watching
foreign musicals, but seeing them live and direct in the hall, within her
vicinity beats her hollow, for she never for once imagine what she was seeing.
It was as if they were professionals who were singing to win award or at the
international concert.
While she continues to look
baffled with what she was seeing she then sees another luxurious bus drove in
and students started alighting from the bus, she could spot the name of the
fellowship on the bus, then she said to no one in particular, “now, I now that
I am indeed in a University setting, this is magnificent”.
Blessed Twins
A lady who sits by her side who
is obviously a member of the fellowship replied her, “sister, are you new on
campus?” Honest replied that she is one of the new students around. The lady
whose name she later got to know to be Funmi replied her that, “no wonder you
are surprised seeing all of these, this fellowship is a unique one on campus in
all respects”. “I can see that now. When on campus students are talking about
this program, I was thinking what could be so special about it, but on getting
here now, I know it is special and we need to celebrate our things”, Honest
replied her.
“Over the sessions, this
fellowship has been known for musical exploits on campus and students being
lovers of good music have been drawn to this fellowship with many a one
becoming member over the years…”
Honest interrupting Funmi says,
“Oh I see”. They continue to interact as the organizing members of the
fellowship keep working, keep arranging the instruments and other things
putting everything in place.
“The most wondrous thing about
the fellowship is that they have not allow their music prowess to dwindle over
the years”
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| Non-identical Twins |
“Uhm mm”
“In the stead of dwindling they
keep improving. According to history that I have been able to gather from some
senior students on campus, this fellowship broke forth among the comity of
musicians and choristers during the time of a twin called Elizabeth and Elias.
Elizabeth and Elias are not identical twins because Elizabeth is female while
Elias is a male. Both however were music students on campus.”
“Okay” Honest says looking at
Funmi
“During their days they started
musical concert. In preparing for the musical concert, those blessed twins as
they were popularly called by friends and brethren ensured that they trained
other members of choir how to handle some of the musical instruments very well.
It was being said that, that program organized that year was spectacular such
that one of their professors in the music school had to give them some
instruments after the concert.”
“Was that so?” Honest asks in
surprise.
“Oh yeah. This happened when
they were semi-finalists. During their final year, it was stated that, two of
the private broadcasting stations in the island and the only broadcasting
station on campus even aired the event. That was how they have been improving.”
“Wow!”
“After the twins’ graduation,
they left the country for developed country and there they in association with
others started sending instruments to the fellowship to ensure that the tempo
they left behind would not dwindle”
“Uhm”, Honest said, “so all of
these things are from the alumni of the fellowship?” she asked
People start entering the hall
like ants walking together and the population of the people in the hall
increased drastically.
“At least 89 percent of it is
from them.”
“Alright. That is good”.
“Did you know that another thing
now happened about two years after the twins’ left the scene and members of the
fellowship present and past are saying that is one of the best thing that has
happened to the fellowship since its inception”, Funmi said looking at people
entering the hall as they keep talking as they walk to take their seats.
“What is it that happened?”
Honest looking curious asked
“What happened was centered on the
person invited to preach today. It was said that he was yet one of the best if
not the best thing that has happened to the fellowship since inception”
“Is he also a great musician
like the twins’?” Honest asked
“No he is neither a musician nor
an instrumentalist”.
“Who is he then?”
“People said he is a great
teacher full with God’s Power to heal infirmities and sicknesses.”
“Heh, Heh”
“He is being called apostle by
many of them because they believed he was full of different kinds of gifts of
the spirit. He has been used on countless number of times for the people
students and lecturers while a student and now that he has graduated, he is
still doing exploits for the Lord.”
“Wow! Is he now into the
ministry proper?” Honest asked
“No, he is not oh”
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| Ladies sited side by side in Lecture Theatre |
“But why?” Honest asked her.
“I don’t know because I am not
close to any of the leaderships of the fellowship. All I am saying and can say
is what I heard people say about him, but I know he yet does some works having
finished from the Computer Department here” Funmi enthused
Honest did not think that the
person Funmi is talking about is the person she has been longing to see all
these while because she didn’t pay close attention to the name of the person
invited to minister at the program, all that is in her mind is that she wants
to see him. Why she wants to see him she couldn’t say, but she is sure that
there is a larger part of him in her since the day they talked despite her
keeping mute to all he was saying that day. She hasn’t felt like that before
and up until this moment, she is yet to see anyone who has left something in
her heart like he did that day. She has been hoping that may be she will come
across one person who will leave something like that in her heart after he left
her that day, may be University is where people leave something great in a
lady’s heart she thought, but alas, she has been mistaken as not a single male
after him has been able to make such impact in her heart, arresting her heart
with his mien and the way he talks, in fact everything about Ayonge arrests her
heart.
Having been unable to find a
similitude, that was when she started looking for him, that was when she
started passing through his department to see if she will be able to stumble
across him one day, but alas, she couldn’t find him, even his shadow could not
be traced. She tried night classes, different ones, but all to no avail until
when the publicity department started publicizing the program of Ayonge’s fellowship.
She was not given to going against her parents’ orders, that was why she did
not make attempt at attending their fellowship, trying to locate him by
herself, in the class and thereby develop some rapport with him. “That would be
easy” she has said to herself. “I know he would be my senior and there is a
general course that all science students offer in first year, I know he would
have offered that, through that I would develop rapport with him when I know
where he used to study and would be asking him to teach me some of the topics
and from there, I will know him more and deeply” Honest had reasoned only to
discover that all those thoughts wouldn’t work. It did not work because she did
not for once come across him on campus until the program.
His thoughts having subsumed her
mind, she could not but decide to attend the program because of him. After this
resolution when people start saying the program is a must attend for people
especially those who belong to the Christian faith on campus, she could not but
wish to try what they are saying out to know whether it is true or false. On
getting to the venue now, she has seen that they weren’t lying.
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| Sound Mixer |
Since she did not pay attention
to who will be ministering, she did not know that the person Funmi is talking
about is the one for whom she has primarily come to the program. Honest says,
“this person you are talking about may have a reason for still being whom he
is”
“Oh yes, he has and some of us have been
figuring it out that it may be because he is yet to be married, that is one of
the probable reasons many of us arrived at for him being as he is” She replied
her.
“Oh, I see”.
“He is still said to be one of the
greatest products of all times of the fellowship because of the spiritual gifts
God has blessed him with. Despite all these gifts he still finds time to
associate with us and attend our programs” Funmi said
Everything
in Right Proportion
The program ought to have started before
now, because on the handbill that has been distributed by members of the fellowship
and different posters that have been pasted all over the campus, what was
written on it is that the program will start at 17:00 hours. She got to the
venue of the program at 17:10 hours but the program was yet to be started. She
was thinking that maybe this fellowship is one of the fellowships who hardly
keeps to time, “if this fellowship belongs to that class, I possibly will not
be joining them after all, let me just give them today and see what will come
out of here”, she said to herself.
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| Lady Speaking into Microphone |
The hall that has been scanty by the time
she entered, when it was 17:18 hours, students have started to fill up the hall
as they entered in groups. Those arranging the engines are almost through and
one of them is now speaking into the microphone “tweh-tweh, testing-testing
microphone”, while a second person says, “Praise the Lord”, the lady among them
answered “Halleluiah”.
They switch off the microphones while the
person who sat by the drum set also beat it round to show it has also been set
for use, arranging the microphones that would be conveying the sound of the
drum to the outside to fit perfectly to the drum.
As all the people handling the instruments
tested round their instruments, signaling to those operating the engines what
to do either to give it more volume or reduce it such that everything would be
in order. After those people operating the engine see that everything, the
sound is now in right proportion, a Christian album is being aired to the
public while students keep entering the hall for the program.
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| Shekere |
When it was 17:25 hours, a lady walks to
the podium took the microphone and she says “Praise Ye The Lord”, the people in
the hall replied “Alleluiah”, she seems unsatisfied with the way we have
responded and she says, “I am not asking you to praise me, neither am I asking
you to praise yourself, but I am saying you should praise the King of kings,
the Lord of lords”, as she was saying this, a lady who was on the piano started
pressing the keys, while the man by the drum sets started beating it too, a
lady and a guy were the ones with the local drum called “talking drum” and they
were beating it into the microphone, a brother with the congas was not left
behind in beating it, guitarists, trumpet blowers, a brother with “Shekere (a
local musical instrument with beads (or cowries) netted around a big or small
calabash) was also making a sound of his instrument into the microphone, about
four members of the choir started walking to the podium each to a microphone on
its stand, they are those who will back her up on stage while others walked to
the section of the choir to stand and to start singing. Everywhere becomes
agog, she however did not stop to mention the titles of Jesus, “rose of Sharon,
Lily of the Valley, the Lion of the tribe Judah, the Unchanging changer, the
Omnipresent, omnipotent, Omniscience, the I am that I am, Yahweh, Elohim,
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shammah, Jehovah Rapha, Emmanuel, Prince
of Peace, Consuming Fire, Holy One, Mighty God, The Almighty, The Great Supplier,
Our All in All, The beginning and the Ending, Miracle Worker, God of Glory, God
who specializes in Impossibilities, The Supreme Ruler, Our Savior, Alpha and
Omega” as she continues to say this students started jumping, some were
shouting, some knelt down, few ones with tambourines started waving them, some
started saying “Oh yes”, ‘thank you sis.’”, “ride on sis.’”, “oh glory”, then
I heard this is the One I asked you to praise so, Praise Ye the Lord”, and the
entire people in the hall replied at the top of their voice, “Alleluiah”, the
hall became vibrated by the sound of their response and the echo of the reply
went loud and far and while the shout was dying down, she busted into this
song, “You are the Alpha and Omega, we worship you our God, you are worthy to
be praised…” the anointing could be felt, it was palpable as the entire people
in the hall joined her in singing the worship song and the instrumentalists
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| Choir on stage |
Apologies
After a wonderful worship session with
this lady, a short prayer was offered by one of the brothers after which the
Emcee of the program mounted the podium and profusely apologized to us that the
program started behind the time schedule because Lecture Theater was not free
until 16:50 hours that was when the lecturer left the hall. However, I need to
let you know that when we booked for this place, it was free on the time
schedule, but according to the information gathered, the Professor has a
national engagement which will take him out of the University for weeks, by the
time he returns it is likely we would have started our examination by then. So
as to be fair to the students and his conscience that is the reason for him
arranging for this lecture with his students before he leaves. I do hope you
can understand with us.
The Lecturer couldn’t finish with the
students earlier than the time he finishes. The Emcee continues it was when he
was through with them that we have access to this place, that is when we start
bringing in our things arranging the instruments and putting things in order
here. I hope you understand with us now, why we started behind time schedule?
Be that as it may, I want you all to know that we won’t exceed the time that we
shall finish, as some of you are well aware of our brother and father who has
been invited here, one of the alumni of the school and fellowship, we know him
to be a time conscious man, he won’t exceed the time because we all need to
rest or go to class and read, preparing for tomorrow’s lectures, he said.
But before I call to the podium our
brother in the Lord, which the president of the fellowship has asked me to do
to save time, I will want those who are fellowshipping with us for the first
time to stand to their feet to be welcomed and recognized.
Tens of people stood up including me, and
we were welcomed to the program. We were given a form to fill the data about
ourselves on. After receiving the forms, the president prayed for us while we
were asked to take our seats.
While all these were on going, my heart
races round to see brother Ayonge, I thought he would be among the choir who
have been rendering wonderful songs since, looking amongst the instrumentalists
but he isn’t there, neither among all the officials that I have been seeing.
Since I cannot isolate him, I decide that I will leave that to concentrate on
what is going on. Since I am sitting in the front seat, I said to myself, when
the fellowship is over, I will wait behind to search for him, but in case he
did not come to the program what will you do? Something within me asks me that
question. And I was saying that is not possible, this isn’t a regular program,
it is a special one which have won many reports from all and sundry, he would
be here, because he looks like one of their leaders to me when he was talking
with me that day, I replied the thing talking to me within me. But this mind
would not let me be, he says again what will you do if he is not here today?
Then I said again I may ask from someone, after all I remember his name. after
saying this, the spirit talking to me seems contented with this reply and did
not talk again as the program continues, then I heard the Emcee saying can you
join me by welcoming brother Peace Ayonge to the podium? He as you are all
aware of is our guest minister today.
The people in the hall started clapping,
but I could not believe my ears when the Emcee said “Peace Ayonge”, I was
thinking well maybe it is another Ayonge and not the person who has welcomed me
during the Catch Them Young Program at the bursary department. As the hall
becomes alive, the Emcee soon adds that we all stand to our feet to honor God
in the life of our brother, the guest minister, the sound of the seats is being
heard here and there as people rise to their feet to welcome Peace Ayonge.
Invited
Minister Gets to The Podium
The person coming seems to be at the
extreme end of the hall, as he struggles to get out of the seats to come
forward to the podium the Emcee says again, “you can do better, you can do
better, know that he is not the one you are clapping for, but the God in him is
the one you are praising”, then the brethren in the hall clapped the more and
the clapping continues until this guest minister walks up to the podium. On
getting to the podium, he bent his torso a bit to greet the Emcee, then
embraced him after which he collected the microphone from him, the congregation
is yet clapping with happiness expressed on the faces of some brethren who have
known him. The Emcee hands him a piece of paper, which is likely going to be
the expected time he should use for his ministration, he says something to the
Emcee and they both smile as the Emcee leaves the podium.
 |
| Preacher |
Who am I seeing? I asked myself. It is the
same person who has talked to me now, I replied myself, still looking at him in
his sky-blue suit, with white shirt, tie to match, black shoe on and a shining
metal wrist watch on his left wrist. On seeing him the brethren clapped the
more, while he takes his time to get his papers arranged before talking. He is
the same man, I said to myself where I am clapping with others.
I cannot hide my surprise as I asked
sister Funmi who has been telling something about the guest minister before,
“is this the person you were talking about?”
Ecstatically she replied me, “oh yea, that
is him. I am sure you will enjoy his ministration” she replied still clapping,
raised her hands above her head and laughing.
Then he said, “Thank you. Thank you. Maybe
I should start on this note, shall we sing again the song you all know me with?
“When I come into your presence am so happy” as he says this, the selected
members of the choir are up on the podium with him again to back him up in the
song, and those who know the song have joined him in singing the song, but I
did not know the song, so I keep looking, then suddenly on the hall the song’s
wording was projected by the communication department for those of us who do
not know the song or those who have not mastered it and the song continues
“When I come into your presence, I am
glad, In your presence there is anointing, when the Spirit Moves around me, in
your presence anointing breaks the yokes”
We all could sing this song without
hassles now and the presence of God could again be felt as we sing the song.
After this song, we prayed for about 10
minutes and he asked us to take our seats.
When everything becomes calm, he greeted
the executives of the fellowship for holding forth the forth, greeted those of
us worshiping with the fellowship for the first time and everyone on seat in
the name of the Lord. After this, he said to those of us who have come for the
special program but who are not members of the fellowship holding the program
that, “this is where spiritual superstars are made manifesting physically and
spiritually. I want to assure you all that you have not make a mistake of
worshipping with us here today because I am sure you will be touched at the
very point of your needs. If you have not been touched since, I am positive
that you will be touched in the word, none of us can escape being touched by
the word of God, and those of you who have been touched before, you will again
receive a superlative touch in the word, I am sure of that”.
I want to again reiterate that, those of
you who are not members of the fellowship but who have come because of this
special program should not to leave again but make the fellowship your homes.
“Here, everyone is somebody”. He concludes as he starts his ministration.
Where I am sited listening to him, I am
still wondering if I am dreaming or it is happening in life. This is because I
never thought he has graduated, how he approached me to talk to me that day did
not show he is a graduate, he was talking like one of the undergraduates,
having seen some of them talked to me before he comes and talks to me, I was
thinking he would be in 300 Level or at most a final year student. Nothing
about him suggested a graduate to me then. He again is not a fresh graduate but
someone who has graduated two or more years ago. I said to myself as he
continues to talk that “I now know that a big cloth does not signify a big
person”.
 |
| Guy and lady talking and laughing |
Couldn’t
See Him
He did not dwell much on praying for needs
of the people as he says, the time is far spent and dwelling on that would take
additional time. “I do not wish to stay long here, I know your God and my God
will touch you at that point where you need him most while teaching. The only
thing you need do is touch the hems of his garment through the word and you
will be healed”, he said as he teaches. He finished his word well before the
time given room for the president of the fellowship to address the congregation
before the grace was shared.
After the grace has been shared, students
were leaving the hall one after the other leaving only the executives of the
fellowship behind to pack the fellowship’s properties as the hall will be used
by students to study in the night and it will be used the following day for
lectures. The bus is seen conveying people who are not residing on campus
outside the campus.
Since Honest’s primary aim of attending
the program is seeing Ayonge who now happens to be the minister of the day, she
decided that she will have to wait behind to see him and she moved to the back
of the hall to wait for him. As she walks to the back of the hall, she sees him
talking with another lady, both sat by each other. Honest thought he will soon
round up with the lady and decided that she will hang on a bit longer till he
finishes with her before walking to him to introduce herself unto him maybe he
will still remember her.
However, she discovered that this would
not be so because both were deep into their discussions and they were laughing
ecstatically. This continued for minutes and it was certain that they were not
ready to end their discussion that was when Honest decides to leave the hall
for her hostel.
They
Met Again
On her way to her hostel she started
thinking about him bringing to her mind the discussion had with Funmi that it
is because he is yet to be married that is why he is yet to be fully involved
in the ministry. Though, he is yet to be married, but she thinks from what she
saw after the program that he is not single, he is engaged. Look at how he was
deep necked into discussion with the sister, such could not be an ordinary
sister after all she reasoned within herself.
Two weeks after this, Ayonge came to the
University during the lecture hours, and he headed straight for the
Microbiology department. He has been asked by the department secretary to get
for the department two new desktop computers and to service the photocopier of
the department that is not printing properly.
He has chartered one of the intra-campus
tricycles to carry the computers and the photocopier machine for him to
Microbiology department. After the tricycle driver has parked at the parking
space, he started carrying the desktop computers inside with the help of the
tricycle driver. As he was about to carry one of the flat screens from the
tricycle, he sees Honest in company of her colleagues walking into the parking
space of the Microbiology department. He paused a while to have a proper look
at her and he immediately remember where he met her for the first time and the
thought that ran through his mind then. The same thought and feelings still run
through his mind now on seeing her again after months. However, he could not
hold it further today because of the limited time that he has and above all he
does not know whether this department is her department or that she has
accompanied her friends to the department. That is what students do, he has
once been like them and has done something similar on many occasions when a
student.
Honest has also seen him even before they
moved near into the parking space in front of the department, but she kept on
talking with her colleagues as they walked into the perimeter of the parking
lot.
Ayonge left what he was doing asking the
driver to give him a second as he walks towards them, “excuse me sister,” he
said. The three sisters walking looked at his side, halt their movement
momentarily as he walks up to them, and he greeted them. Their response was
chorused and then he faces Honest, saying, this is the lady I want to see.
Being in a matured setting, the two ladies walk up a bit giving Honest and
Ayonge some privacies. “I remember I saw you at the bursary department during
the Catch Them Young Program organized by the fellowships”, Ayonge said. This
time around Honest did not behave as she did the first time, she answered him,
“Yes sir, you are correct sir”.
“Heh heh, I cannot miss it”, he said, “but
you have not been coming to our fellowship or are you not a Christian?” He
asked looking at her.
“By the special grace of God, I am a
Christian”
“But why have you not been coming to our
fellowship or have you been attending one of the other fellowships?”
“Actually, I do not plan to attend your
fellowship, because from home I have been told by my parents that I should be
attending the general fellowship but not a fellowship that is not recognized by
the university’s authority” she replied him
“Wow! That is good. Did your parents
finish from this university?” he asked looking at her, then her friends asked
her to hurry up so that they will not miss the lecturers and as if they planned
it together the tricycle rider also said “master, hurry up now because morning
business is vital to those of us who are intra-campus transporters”.
He turned to the man and said, “Oh, I am
sorry sir. just give me a minute more”, while Honest turned to his friend,
raised up her voice a bit so that she will be heard, “sorry, this will take but
a moment, in the meanwhile can you please be going to his office I will catch
up with you”. As she was replying her friends, Ayonge, said in his mind, “what
a beautiful voice, matched up with beautiful gait, everything about her is
perfect to me”. Having finished her talk with her friends, he said
“It seems both of us are on a tight
schedule this morning and we may not be able to continue this discussion any
further, for obvious reasons. Can you please give me your phone number so that
I will talk to you later and we can arrange where to meet?”
“That is a good idea.”
He takes out of his pocket his small phone
and she asks, “are you set sir?” “Oh Yes,” he replied as she started calling
the digits to him as he started pressing the buttons on his phone. After he has
typed the numbers, he called it out to her again and she said you are right
sir. “Is your phone here?” he asks her. “Oh yes, but I do put it off when I
wanted to start lectures because I do not want to be distracted, you will have
to wait a while as I put it on”
“My number ends with 17, when you see it
know it is me. Please what name will I use to save the number?” he asked
“My names are Honest Love” she replied
“Uhm mm. It is love indeed. I will keep
trying it and may send message to you if I couldn’t get through so that when it
is put on it will be delivered straightaway.
“I think that is better because I will not
want to put it on before I get to my lecturers office so that I will not be
rude to him” she responded.
“Okay that is lovely” he said, stretching
out his hand for a handshake, “it is nice meeting you sister Honest Love”, she
was kept aback to stretch out her hand but so that it won’t be as if she is
disgracing him, she received his warm hand in hers, looking at his face with
love written all over her, “It is an honor shaking hand with a respected pastor
today” she said. Bowing a bit, then taking her hand off his as she turns to
leave.
 |
| Microbiology Student in the laboratory |
“What?! Who told you that?!” he asked
shaking his head, but she did not wait as she started running to catch up with
her colleagues while Ayonge walked to the driver, profusely apologizing but the
driver said, “assuming I have not known you before I would have put down your
loads off my car and leave, but I know you don’t do that, you have been a
wonderful customer to me” he said as he assisted him to take the photocopier
into the departmental office. After helping him he paid him, and the man said
when is he leaving the department so that he will come and carry him on his way
back from the Pharmacy Department. He replied that he is not too sure of when,
but in case he will need his service he will call his number. “Okay sir” the
driver replied, turns and leaves him while he started discussing with the
department’s members of staff on the products, he has gotten for them.
The
Connection
The new secretary to the department was
the secretary at the computer department before she was transferred to
microbiology department during the ended session. On getting to the department
she discovered that the photocopier’s print out was not good, it used to have black
stripes on it running through the length of the paper, on noticing this she
told the head of department of the need to call technicians to service the
photocopier and do the needful changes on the machine. The head of department
asked her if she has anyone who can do the servicing perfectly well for her,
because the person they have been using has not been able to fix the problem.
Mrs. Teginah replied that she has someone a graduate of the university from
computer department whom she has been using and he has not been disappointing
her neither the department and she knows that he will do the repairs well.
When she told the head of department this,
the man said he will give the person in question a trial that he should invite
him to his office for negotiations. She immediately placed a call to Ayonge
using the department’s phone. Ayonge however could not make it that day,
because he was out of the city, but he told Mrs. Teginah that he will be the
first person she will be seeing immediately she opens her office’s door the
following morning.
 |
| Connection |
The following morning as said, he has been
on the campus premises before the secretary opens her office. After seeing Mrs.
Teginah, he was told to wait until Professor Shagilogbe, the head of department
arrives.
Professor Shagilogbe usually gets to the
office at 08:15 hours, but that day he was not in his office and the secretary
was thinking that it was unusual of him not to be around by that time. She
tried to call him, but his phone was ringing it was not answered. Then she
decided to check his schedule for the day and discovered that he has an early
morning lecture with the 100 Level students. “Oh! That must be it, the head of
department is with the students you will have to wait a bit longer”, Mrs.
Teginah said unto Ayonge.
“I do not think I have another option”, he
said sitting down in the secretary’s office watching the television program and
discussing with the woman.
At 09:06 hours the professor enters the
department and he was being greeted by members of staff here and there and
students, then Mrs. Teginah told Ayonge that the head of department is around.
Soon, he got into the office, giving the office clerk the key to his vehicle to
go and get for him his food flask from the car.
“Good morning sir”, the Secretary greeted.
“Good morning ma. I was with the students
when you called, I hope there is no problem?” he asked half-heartedly as he
opens his office door, walking in
 |
| Professor lecturing students in Lecture Theatre |
“No sir, there is no problem sir. When I
did not see you at 08:20 hours and since you have not been doing like that
before, at least since I started working with you here, that was when I decide
to call you to ask after your welfare sir.”
“Don’t mind my wife oh, she was the
architect of everything today, she woke up late and insisted that I should take
food to the office when I wanted to bolt out, he locked the door and kept the
key.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Don’t mind her, she knows I don’t use to
take meals outside she said she would not allow me to starve myself in the
office. I promised her that I won’t starve myself, that I will sort myself out,
“because I don’t use to, that does not mean I cannot at least when I travel I
used to eat outside” I said to her, but she will not agree, Professor
Shagilogbe imitating his wife changed his voice to hers, said, “have I just
married you? I know you my love, I will not allow any work to kill you for me,
we are still young””
“Wow! She may be true after all sir”
“What are you saying? Am I a child? I told
her that I am a new person, I won’t starve myself, but she will not agree, and
I have to comply. I thence sat and started watching sports news until she is
done”
“It seems as if you have a wonderful
morning with madam today” Mrs. Teginah replied
“Wonderful indeed? You women, we always
learn to live each day with you, because every day you come up with new
things”, Professor Shagilogbe said
“That is it sir”
“So, immediately she opens the door, puts
the flask in the car, after kissing her, I told her, I will not allow you to
keep me here so that I will be sacked by my boss and she started laughing. I
switched on the car engine and as I was about to put it in gear, she will stop
me again saying, you have not said what you used to say to me when leaving the
house. Oh woman! I said. Have a wonderful time today at your office oh, “heh
heh, honey” she replied, “don’t miss me too much oh”. Missing you already. I
replied her as I drove out of our compound. On seeing that the time is 08:15
hours when I drove into the campus, remembering that the 100 level students
would be waiting for me in the lecture hall, I decide to drive straight to the
lecture theater to lecture them before coming here, that is what happened. So
how was your night?” Professor Shagilogbe asked
 |
| Secretary |
“It was wonderful sir. I do not need to
ask you about yours for you have just narrated what happened this morning to
me”, Mrs. Teginah replied
“But what I said did not happen during the
night, it started during the day, this very morning.” He said without waiting
for my response, he pushes his seat backwards, sits on it, bow down his head to
have words of prayers after which he raised his head and opened his eyes, “em,
what about the guy that said he will be here this morning, has he gotten here?”
Professor Shagilogbe asked.
“He is here already sir”
“Wow! He must be a time conscious man”
“That is very correct sir”
“Apart from him do I have any message that
I need to attend to before attending to him?” he asked from his secretary.
“None so far sir”
“That is good then. Could you please go
and make me a small green tea and ask him to come in”?
“Yes sir”, she responded as she turns from
him heading towards the door, while Professor Shagilogbe is seen putting on his
spectacles and he took out an international journal that he has just received
out of his bag, opening to the table of contents of the journal as he heard a
knock on the door, “Please come on in”, he said without taking his face off the
journal, “good morning sir”, Ayonge greeted bending his torso to greet the
professor as he closes the door gently behind him and walked to stand before
the table of the professor. “Please take your seat”, he said closing the
journal and looking to the young man who has entered his office. “Thank you,
sir,”, Ayonge replied him.
“You are welcome. I am the one who asks my
secretary to invite you here because he says you are the one who has been
repairing the Photocopier machine that she was using when she was in Computer
department”
“Yes sir”
“Our photocopier is not working properly,
and we have invited two engineers to repair it but they were unable to fix it
well. We have been managing it until she was transferred here, on getting here
she said the photocopier needs to be repaired since the authority of the school
is yet to release money to buy another one…”
“Okay sir”
“I cannot agree less with her summation,
but the question I asked her is who will repair it well because the money we
have spent on it, if we can add the same amount together, we would be able to
buy new one. When I said this that was when she said she has someone who is
very good in servicing and repairing photocopiers and that she is confident
that if we can give you a trial you will do a perfect job for us”
“Okay sir”
“This is why I have asked her to invite
you to hear from you if you truly can do the work or not”, Professor Shagilogbe
said on a note of finality.
“As she has said sir, I will do the work
to your satisfaction sir.”
“Have you seen the machine?”
“Yes, I have sir before your arrival, we
just need to change its roller and the machine will be okay.”
“The roller? It is the exact same thing
the former engineers said needed to be changed and we paid for it to be changed
but the situation remains the same”, he said as the secretary knocks and enters
without waiting for a response with boiled water in hot kettle which she gently
put down on a table at the south end of the room.
She moved to the place where tea cups are,
take two out of the cups and rinsed them. The rinsed tea cups are covered with
a lid and placed on a tray side by side with cruets containing cubes of sugar
and green tea and tins of milk and spoons.
“Here they are sir”, she said. “Thanks a
bunch”, Professor Shagilogbe replied looked at her briefly and then face Ayonge
back.
“So, as I was saying young man, may be the
machine has another problem that you and perhaps the earlier engineers are yet
to discover”
“Roller is the problem sir, but maybe the
ones bought are not the original ones, because if they do not buy the original
ones or one whose number is not the same with the one the machine is using, the
machine will work for days then it will return to how it was before”, Ayonge
replied
“Are you now telling me that you can get
for me, for the department, original one that will serve us long?”
“Yes, I can sir”
“I hope I will not be disappointed with
this”
“No, you will not be disappointed sir. You
will indubitably like the work sir. In fact, I am sure that if you have other
photocopier machines by the time you see the work of this you will invite me to
service them for you sir”
“That is one side of the deal. Another
side of the deal is this, the department needs two desktop computers, the money
to get this has just been released and I have been thinking of the person who
will get it for the department until Mrs. Teginah said you can get for us a
better one? Can you also do this?”
“Yes, I can do that too. I am a graduate
of computer science from this university and I know the ones that would serve
you better sir”
“Okay, I will want you to take one A4
sheet there and write out the total cost of what you want to do for us
including the price you will get the desktop computers for the department. Note however that, I have a rough estimate of
what a desktop computer will cost, because I recently priced laptops and
desktop computers of different brands from High Crown Help Business Ventures. I
hope you are aware that they are also well known in computer sales and
accessories within the island? So, what I am saying is give us moderate prices
on all as if it is your department that you are supplying, after all, this
department is part of the school too. I will also want you to state the brand
of desktop that you want to supply us” Professor said
“Okay sir”, Ayonge replied as he stretches
his right hand and take a piece of A4 paper from where they are packed, and he
started writing on it while the Professor continues to flip through the
international journal that he was earlier on looking at before Ayonge entered.
He writes out the prices of desktop computers, stating the brands before it,
but asterisks the one he knows is the best for the department, the price that
the roller will cost and what his charges will be for repairing and servicing
the Photocopier.
 |
| International College |
What he wrote was in seven rows and four
columns. He stated the three best brands and their prices before them and the
price of the roller and his workmanship. The last row has the total cost for
each of the brands and his workmanship. “This is it sir”, as he stands up and
hands over the piece of paper which is self-explanatory unto him to go through.
The Professor after receiving the paper says, “okay”, puts on his spectacles
again, and started looking at the listed items and the total cost. “This seems
to be moderate indeed, but are you sure you will get these for us at these
prices? I will neither want excuses nor add any money later”, Professor
Shagilogbe said. “I am confident that I can get any of these for you or the
department at the said prices sir. This is the work I now do for a living sir’.
“Uhm mm”, Professor Shagilogbe said as he
continues
“Sir, I supplied 10 desktops and 3
photocopiers to Segzy International College last week so the prices I am giving
you is mostly recent and fair prices sir, that even if you order it directly
from the companies the differences there would be minimal. This may prompt you
to ask me where and how I get my consignment at such a price sir”, Ayonge
replied the Professor.
“The proprietor of Segzy International
college is my friend, we attend the same church and belong to the same group in
the church, he has been telling me that he wants to get some computers for his
school and he thought I have a reputable person who will do the job for him,
but I told him that the person I know I cannot guarantee him, he said if you
can’t guarantee the person then it is a no go area to him. If you have just
supplied his college, that is an added feather to you, because I will talk to
him about it this evening when we get to church council meeting” Professor
Shagilogbe said
“That will be good sir. This is one of the
reasons why, it is not good to tell lies, how would I know that you know him?
It was one of my customers who introduced me to him that I won’t disappoint
him. So, I am sure he will not hesitate to recommend me to you when you discuss
with him today or later of what you want me to do for the department or from
anyone at that”, Ayonge said
“That will be lovely. If this first deal
could be a success, then be sure that some of my friends too and some other
departments would soon need your assistance….”
“Okay sir”
“So, when do we expect the supply of those
things Mr….?” trying to remember Ayonge’s name
“Ayonge sir”, he completes the sentence
for him, telling him his name.
“Thank you, Mr. Ayonge, when will you
supply them and finish with the repair cum servicing of the photocopier?”
Professor asked
“If I receive mobilization fee today,
which is Wednesday, I can authoritatively tell you that latest Monday morning I
will come with everything and then get my balance”
“How much will you need as mobilization
fee?”
“About 80% of the total cost sir”
 |
| Flask |
“Alright. That would be no problem. What I
will do is this, so that there won’t be any delay because the photocopier is
really setting us back, there are some reports that we ought to have typed and
sent to some professional bodies, locally and internationally, but because the
department has no good desktop computers those works cannot be done. They are
department’s work not mine, it is not good for me to be taken them home. In
fact other lecturers during the departmental meeting have said that taken the
department’s works home by anyone is unacceptable, and they have put the
responsibility of getting everything that the department needs on me as soon as
possible so that we would be able to work fast, better, contribute our quota
which is the reason for University’s establishment globally to the world of
Science better and of course move this department to an enviable position
locally and globally.”
“Okay sir”
“You can see that we need it very fast”
“Yes sir”
“The inability to get those systems is
like a cog to our wheel, it is not only hindering our movement, it is setting
us back. And now that we have a good secretary in the department who will
assist and see that the work is done to time, we need to make the most use of
this time and her. I hope you are following what I am saying?”
Yes sir”, Ayonge replied
“To avoid delay, I will transfer the
required 80% of the money into your account from my account now, by tomorrow,
my secretary will get the money from the bank and you will have your balance
when you bring everything on Monday morning as you have said, could you please
give me your account details?” Professor Shagilogbe asks as he takes his
Android phone while Ayonge too started calling his account digit.
“What are the numbers?”
“00…6”, Ayonge said
“Which bank?”
“Multi-Banking”
Having typed those account numbers into
the phone and the bank, he called the name, “Ayonge Peace, is that correct?”
Professor asked looking at him
“Yes sir. It is correct sir”
“That is good.” He approved the transfer
by supplying his secret code. He received an alert afterwards, then said, “the
money has been transferred.”
“Okay sir”
“Please do not disappoint me” Professor
Shagilogbe said
“If not for the Photocopier’s repair that
will take minimum of two days, I would have said tomorrow I will bring
everything because I still have 12 new desktops and 5 new Photocopiers in my
store, part of which was supplied to Segzy international college…”
“That is great. This confirms what you
have said that you are doing this for a living now, for some business people
would not have goods like these in their store, it is the part-payment that
they received that they will use in placing the order.
“I used to do that when I first begin the
business sir”
“But now, you do not do that again or are
you?” Professor Shagilogbe inquires
“No sir”
“That is good. That is how someone who
wants to do business on a fulltime basis should be doing, you should leave
elementary stages to a more mature stage…”
“Uhm mm”
“It is the same thing with anyone who
wants to be a lecturer. There is a starting phase. One should strive to leave
the starting phase by undergoing other studies and trainings to become a Ph.D.
holder after which one would continue to work and submit papers to be promoted
and become a professor…”
“Uhm”
“Failing to do this, you know that
person’s colleagues and those who become employed after him or her will leave
the person behind”
“That’s right sir”
“And when something like this happens,
some will be crying foul when there is none”
“That is true sir”
“As you have gotten these now, do you know
that some who have been twenty or more years in the business like you will not
have such things in their stores?”
“It is God’s grace sir”
“Thank God for God’s grace, but it
requires commitment, dedication, focus if God has not allowed the person to be
sick neither allow for thieves to burgle the shop nor fire to destroy the
store, it needs all and more of those things stated”
“Okay sir”
“But do you know the problem of our
people?” Professor Shagilogbe stands up from where he sits to go and make the
tea
 |
| Money Transfer Through Phone |
“No, I don’t sir.”
“The problem with our people is that, they
place the cart before the horse”
“I am still at a loss sir”
Professor Shagilogbe takes one of the cups
and poured boiled water in it, adds a cube of sugar, said to no one in
particular, “Nutritionists say too much of sugar is bad”, without waiting for
Ayonge’s comment said, “do you mind a cup of tea young man?”
“No sir, thank you”, Ayonge replied.
“Alright.” He stirred the contents and
walked back to his seat as he sips the tea, then cleared his throat and
continues, “What I am saying is, our business people like to imitate, what they
cannot achieve in two years, they will start pursuing. When they see salary
earners do something some of them will be tempted to imitate and do what those
people are doing, they have forgotten that salary earners are different from
them, they ought to be spending from their gains not from their capital, but
when they start to imitate they will dip their hands into their capitals all
because they are imitating, all because they want to satisfy some people, and
when they continue to do this, their business suffers, becomes affected and
before you know it they start going down and down and would not be able to
catch up again…” he takes the cup to his mouth again to sip the tea,
“Uhm, I understand what you are saying
sir”
“A business person should learn to improve
his business before pursuing other things, and that is what you have done which
I am crediting”, Professor Shagilogbe said
“I see sir”
“In any case, I want you to take your
time. Do a very good job so that I can also join others to be recommending you
to people”
“Yes, I will sir”
“If I may?”
“Go ahead sir”
“Do you consider furthering you academics
at all in the future?”
“Before now, I love being a lecturer”
Ayonge replied
“But what about now?” Professor Shagilogbe
asked
“I don’t love lecturing again”
“Uhm, I see. Business has taken over”
“Not really sir. I have other plans apart
from business which do not involve additional certificates”
“Okay. That is good but know that no
knowledge is wasted. What you think will not be useful today may be useful
tomorrow” Professor Shagilogbe said
“Okay sir, I will think about it”
“That is the spirit. And please come with
your receipt on Monday because we will need to file it for future references
and auditing” Professor Shagilogbe said.
“I will definitely do that sir”, Ayonge
dips his hand into his pocket and take out his business card, “sir?” Professor
Shagilogbe looks at his direction, “this is my business card sir”, “okay. That
is good” as Professor Professor Shagilogbe stretches his hand to receive his
card from him, “Peace Business Venture?” he said, “Yes sir, that is my business
name sir.”
“This is good. You can go to the secretary
and take the photocopier”, Professor said
“Yes sir. Thank you, sir,” he said
standing up, dragged the chair gently to its position as he takes his leave off
the office of the head of department. Professor Shagilogbe takes the cup to his
mouth drinking the tea again as the door to his office opens and closes gently
behind Ayonge. Professor Shagilogbe faintly hears the voice of secretary and
other members of staff talking in the general office as Ayonge joined them.
After removing from the socket, the
photocopier plug he place a call to the tricycle driver to come and carry him
from Microbiology department.
 |
| Tray containing tea cups and others |
Appreciation
The tricycle driver arrived, and he took
him from the department to his workshop. After dropping the Photocopier
machine, he quickly ordered for a new roller of the size of the Photocopier.
The following day he got the roller around 13:00 hours, repaired and service
the machine as stated in the agreement and tested the machine over the weekend,
by Monday morning he has packed everything and brought them to the department
and that was when he saw Honest Love.
After supplying the machines ordered for
by the department, he sets it up for them in the department office and tested
the photocopier for them. The secretary is contented with what he has done.
Ayonge asks of the head of department and he was told that he accompanied the Vice
Chancellor to a function and would not be coming to the office that day. The
secretary then draws out a box from the cabinet and gives him the envelope
containing the balance as being directed by the Head of the department before
he traveled.
After receiving the money, he also gives
the secretary the invoice of the product supplied and repaired. The Secretary
of the department after reading the content in the issued invoice signed the
needful portions of the invoice on behalf of the department while he also
signed his own column.
On seeing that the deal has been
completed, he asked the Secretary to please take a walk with him that he will
like to tell her something. The Secretary excused herself from the other
members of staff and walked with him for about two minutes and they were
discussing as they were going. Before they got to the balcony, he brought out
an envelope and gave it to the secretary “this is for you to buy credit ma” he
said.
 |
| Showing appreciation |
The Secretary looked at the envelope,
received it and prayed, “Oh thank you oh, may the Lord continue to bless the
works of your hands in Jesus name”, as Ayonge said “Amen. It is you that I have
to thank ma, because if you did not introduce me to Professor, how would I get
this contract neither make a gain? Outside this, what he promised, how would I
have the promise?” Mrs. Teginah interjecting, “What did Professor promise you?”
“He promised that more is in the offing if
after trying the computers and the photocopiers for weeks and they are without
issues that he will connect me with others within and without to make supplies
to them”
“Wow! That is good. Professor Shagilogbe
is a trustworthy person he will do what he has said, what he will not do he
will neither promise nor say”, Mrs. Teginah replied.
“I can see from my discussion with him
that day. So, once again ma, thank you ma, may God always place you there for
us ma”, he bends his torso a bit as a sign of appreciation to her.
“You do not have to do this. It is your
work that is speaking for you, bible says your work will make room for you and
take you to great men, this is what happened to you now. Assuming your work is
not good or maybe you have been arrogant when I got to know you, do you think I
will talk to him about you? No, I will not have done that” Ayonge listens to
her as she speaks nodding his head in agreement as she continues, “My counsel
to you is you should keep it up, do not deviate to right or left and with time,
things shall take shape for you in Jesus name.”
“Amen ma” he says the keep walking and on
getting to the balcony, he asks her to return to the office as she turns back,
he continues to walk on the walkway.
They
Talked on Phone
While going he was looking right and left
as if he could see lady Honest again, but he did not see her. He took out his
phone and called, but the number was not going. “She has not put on her phone”,
he silently muttered to himself. After trying the number again, because
sometimes the network providers used to do that such that the phone would be on
and the answering machine would say “the line is not available now or out of
reach” and he discovered that it is the same he left dialing the number and
decided to call one of the executives of the fellowship to see if he could see
him. The number of the executive was through, but he did not answer the call,
after trying the second time and the recipient did not answer the call, he tried
another one fellowship member, that person also did not answer his call. He
left trying them, walked outside the campus gate and board a bus to his shop.
 |
| Phone conversation |
The thought of Honest filled his mind,
while working he was thinking about her. He stopped working and sent a text to
her, so that when she opens her phone she will see and know her number and by
the time he will be calling the introduction won’t be much, the text reads, “I
hope your day is not tedious? I have returned to my shop. Talk later-Brother
Ayonge P”.
The message did not deliver immediately,
showing that she is yet in the lecture room or yet to put on her phone as she
said earlier. He continues with his work, playing a Christian song to which, he
is gently dancing to.
He looked at the time, it was 17:00 hours,
the work he was doing and the thought of Honest overwhelmed him such that he
skipped afternoon meal. He woke up late today and he couldn’t prepare meal, he
just took two slices of bread and a cup of tea, rushed out of his house to go
and supply Microbiology department the computers and photocopiers, “first
impression lasts longer if nor forever”, he said to himself while rushing to
meet the appointment, for he did not want to disappoint the Professor. His
thought was that after finishing with him, he will branch at any of the
cafeteria to buy food, but the lady he meets, Honest, subsumed him such that he
forgot that he has a plan like that, that day. And now it is some minutes after
17:00 hours, the day is almost over, I cannot buy any food again, I will wait
till I get home he said to himself, and then decides to call Honest number
again. He scrolled to the number, dialed it, and it started ringing, he heaved
a sigh of relief, “thanks to God” he said to himself before the lady answers
the phone. As if the lady has been expecting the call, it was answered
immediately
“Hello” Honest replied at the other end
“Hello, is that sister Honest?”
“Yes, it is me. Is this not Pastor
Ayonge?” she asked
“Yes, it is me. But this voice did not
sound as the voice I talked to in the morning”, he said
“Oh! Is that so? How is the voice you talk
to in the morning different from this?” she asked
“I don’t know. I can’t say. But it seems
as if the voice is thinner than this”, he replied.
“Uhm. This is me oh, the person you talked
to earlier”, she replied
Ayonge drawing a seat out to sit on as he
talks with her “What is that?” she asked
“It’s nothing”
“But I heard something scratching the
ground” she said
“Yes, I draw out a chair to sit on” he
replied.
“Okay sir”
“Did you see my message?”
“No, I have not received any message from
you” she replied
“I don’t know what is wrong with these
networks. I have sent a message to you…”
“I will receive it later, what is it
about? If I may?”
“You remember I said I will send a message
to you if I can’t reach you so that you will know my number” he replied
“Oh, that is true, I have forgotten, but
never mind, it will be delivered. How is work today?”.
“Fine oh. Thanks to God. And how were your
lectures?” he asked her
“Not bad. Normal. As it used to be” she
replied
“If people like me can scale through the
system, I know you can”, he replied
“Thanks. That is a word of encouragement”,
she replied
“But who told you that I am a Pastor?”
“Ain’t you one?”
“No, I am not”
“Will a pastor do better than what I have
seen you do?”
“What do you see me do? And where?”
“Leave that sir. To me oh, you are a
pastor”, she replied
“I want to know where you get your wrong
information from”
“Really? Is it wrong?? What I see with my
two eyes you call wrong???”
“It is misnomer” he replied
“It is not to me, it may though be like
that to some”, she replied
“Earlier you said your parents told you to
be going to the fellowship the authorities of the institution support, and I
asked are your parents alumni of the University, but you did not reply. Are
they?” he asked again
“No, they are not. But they have friends
who lecture in our university and my father being an education official, he
knows there is always a fellowship approved by the school authority. That is
why I have been instructed not to attend a fellowship that has neither be
sealed nor stamped by the management of the institution.” She replied
“Oh, I see. But some of the fellowships on
campus if not all have a means of registering with the authority too.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. Such registration is being
handled by the religious body instituted by the management”, he said, looking
at his wrist watch
“That is good then. The fear of my parents
is that it is through unregistered fellowships that different things happen on
campus and they do not want such to happen to me, they will say, we have send
you to study in the university and that you should face, do not dabble into
some other things not stated in your provisional admission letter” she replied
“That is okay. It is precautionary. Every
parent says that to their wards while leaving home so that they will face what
they have been sent there to do. I think it is fair on their part, because
spending such money on a child for the child to now return home with stories
because of a fellowship, it won’t be fair on them…”
“That is it”
“But we still have a means of balancing
everything because without God we cannot do much in the world and the world
does not exclude campuses.” He said
“Uhm mm”
“Let me give you time to relax and prepare
for evening class”
“Thanks sir”
“I will though be coming to the fellowship
on Sunday, maybe we can see then if you don’t mind” he said
“I am not sure that I will be around then,
because I use to go home every weekend”
“Is that so? Are you based in Lovely
island?” he inquired
“Yes, I am born and bred here. Every
Friday my mum’s driver used to come and pick me home”, she said.
“Wow! You don’t look like one of us here.”
“How do people who are born and bred here
look like if I may ask sir?”
“Can’t say specifically, but to me you
look like a lady from one of the developed countries”
Honest cannot help but laughed over the
phone. “You make me laugh sir”
“Well, laughter is good for the body, good
for our health so the scientists say now”
“If I tell you that I have not even get
out of the shores of Lovely island will you believe me?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Why would I sir?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes sir”
“That is great. When you finished from
University you will have time for traveling then and who knows your husband may
not be residing here too”
“First thing first my dad would say”
“That is true. Since you won’t be around
on Sunday, maybe some other day then”,
“Or may be Sunday evening if you will
still be around then, we shall see because I used to return to campus Sunday evening,
but I can tell them that I have work to do with my mates Sunday evening and
they will bring me to campus early”, she replied.
“That would be alright by me, though I may
for that not attend morning service with the campus brethren again, and will
just come around 16:00 hours, play with anyone of them and then wait for you at
the Students Union Building” he said
“That would be alright. I will return to
campus around 16:00 hours because of you and by 16:30 hours I should be at the
Students Union Building, just make sure you stay where I can easily find you
because I dread that place oh”
“Why do you? The place is built with our
money” he said
“I don’t like those I use to see there, and
all of their circumvolution that
is all”
“Alright. Just flash me when you arrive
and I will place a call to you to know where you are so that we meet”, he
replied.
“Okay. That is good. I will surely do that
sir.”
“It is nice meeting you today sister
Honest”, he said
“It is an honor meeting with you too sir”
she replied
“Do have a wonderful night”
“Bye bye sir”, she replied, and the phone
conversation ends.
 |
| Students' Union Building |
On
Campus
Students Union Building is a two storey
building that accommodates the offices of the elected officers of the students.
On the ground floor there are different activities going on there, different
kinds of music are being played, some indoor games, snooker, television at
different angles, there are small stores where different drinks could be
bought. The place is usually filled up with the smokes being puffed out by
smokers, different characters fill this area. It is modernized garage so to
say. Some students who could not get accommodation also make this place their
hostel keeping their cloths somewhere and sleeping there.
It was as if Sunday is a 365-day before
Ayonge, it seems long to him. On Wednesday he sends text to her to greet her
and ask of how her studies was. She also replied him, thanking him for finding
time to check on her. He skipped Thursday and Friday and texted her again on
Saturday, by that time she has gotten home. She replied him that everything is
fine, she is busy reading her note, but it has not been easy because of the temptation
to want to watch movies she replied. “You have to endure and skip those
distractions”, he replied her, “I will do my best sir”, she responded.
By 15:50 hours, Ayonge has reached the
campus, he though is a time conscious man. He checked his watch and decided
against visiting any of the campus brethren because if he does, he knows he
won’t be able to leave them even at 17:00 hours. “It is better I go there and
be relaxing, watching the activities there until she gets here” he said to
himself as he heads for the Student Union Building straight from the bus-stop.
He was though lucky because no one among the campus brethren who knows him sees
until he gets to the Student Building.
At 16:27 hours, he received her call, he
initially did not want to answer the call, but he later answered it, “Hello?”
he said.
“Hello sir”, the thin voice replied at the
other end, “have you gotten there?” she asked
“Yes, I am”, he replied, he was thinking, maybe
she will not be able to come again. Her voice brings him back to life, “I will
be late, because I have just been dropped by my parents, I want to go and drop
my bags inside the hostel after which I will come and meet you there, that may
take about 15 or 20 minutes” she said.
“That will be okay by me, I will be here
waiting for you”, he replied
“Okay. I won’t take long, I will be with
you shortly”, she replied as the line drops and she bends down to pick her
bags, walking to the hostel. On getting to her hostel her room mates are not
around, she just opened her wardrobe, put her things there and within seconds
gets out of her room in a hurry.
She was walking fast to the students’
union building; she was cleaning her face with her white handkerchief. When she
was about 10 meters from the place, she flashed Brother Ayonge, and he went out
of the building to see where she was. He spotted her coming from the south side
of the building, he stepped out to go and meet her.
“Good evening sir”, genuflecting, “I am
sorry for keeping you waiting and for the inconveniences”, she said
“Oh, come off that. It is no problem. How
was your trip back?” he asked
“It is fine oh.”
“Where do we go now? Since you said you do
not like Students’ Union Building” he asked
“You know this place more than I do, but I
will prefer another place apart from Students’ Union Building, but if there is
no other option, then I will go with the place for today”, she replied cleaning
the perspiration on her face
“Alright. I know there used to be a place
called Coolant building, foods and drinks are being sold there, but when I was
on campus, we used to look at those going to the place as rich people and…”
“You are also rich now”, interjecting she
said
“Amen oh. In Jesus name, I am” he replied
“Amen oh”
“Shall we?” he asked looking at her face
“Yes”, she answered as they turned to face
the road leading to the place, and she drags from his hand the black folder
with zip at its edge which he is carrying. He releases it for her, saying,
“thank you” and they started walking to the place, talking as they were going.
 |
| Fast Food Building |
At
Coolant Building
Coolant Building is a building
compartmentalized into different sections. There is a security man who opens
and closes door for customers entering the building. This security man after
welcoming Honest and Ayonge, he opened the door of the building for them to
enter as they were responding to his greeting.
“What will you like to take?” Ayonge asked
her.
“Nothing because it was after I ate that
dad and mum drove me to campus, the food is yet to be fully digested” she
responded
“You cannot but take something”
“Is it compulsory?” she asked him
“Oh yes, it is”
“Why would it be a must?” She inquired
further as they walked towards the service desk
“You know this is neither a Students’
Union Building nor city’s relaxation center…”
“Yes, I know”
“So, the person who owns this place
established it for business purposes, to make profit…”
“It means one cannot enter here without
buying something?” She asked
“You will not want to do that too, because
you will want the business to keep flourishing”, he replied Honest.
“Uhm mm, you are right in that”, she
replied him
“Again, I asked, what will you like to
take?”
“Since it is a must from your analysis, I
will like to take bottled water”, she said
“That won’t be enough. You will have to
add some snacks to it.” He said
“Another must?”
“Not necessarily. It’s me who desires that
you add something to bottled water now” he said
“I do not want you to buy what I won’t be
able to eat. Bottled water would be enough”, she insisted
“Okay. Let me make a work around that for
you”
“How do you mean?”
“You will buy one doughnut with your
bottled water because I cannot be eating while you will be looking at my mouth,
it’s unethical, if you cannot finish it, I will finish it for you let it not be
said that on the day of our first meeting you did not take anything” he said
while Honest shrugged her shoulders “does that really matter?” she said
smiling. “That is the first work around.” “May I know what the second work
around is?” She asked looking at his face as they joined the queue to buy what
they want from the attendant
“Thanks for asking. Now, the second work
around is we shall buy some inside a take away so that you will give your
colleagues and friends when you get to your room…”
“But I told you earlier that I met none of
them inside the room when I dropped my luggage neither did I tell anyone that I
have a date with anyone” she replied
“I know and remember what you said, but
isn’t it good if you get them something?”
“I am not saying it is a bad idea, what I
am trying to say is, I am not the type who keeps many friends. I am yet to have
a stable friend amongst any of my colleagues neither roomies”
“Well, that is fair enough. It means we
are similar because I don’t keep friends too, having learnt lessons from my uncle
who has so many friends but when his trials began, they all left him”. He
replied
“You can see that. I do not wish to draw
unnecessary attention to myself”
“I understand. When I was a student, I was
always happy when I see a friend buy something like this for me, because I come
from a below average home”
“Uhm.”
“I am therefore sure that there will be
someone like me in your room who will be happy receiving something like this
from you today.”
“Okay oh. If you insist, no problem”
“Yes, I insist. I want you to have
something today, our first day of meeting, some other times you may reject the
offer and also take to your friends in your room something for I know by the
time we finish here, one of them would have gotten to the room and when they
see you entering the room with something they will know you have come here”, he
said conclusively.
They are the next to be attended to by the
attendant. He told the attendant to get him doughnuts, bottled water in a tray
and a meat pie and Pepsi cola in another tray. While the attendant was getting
those, he silently asked her, “do you live in room of four or eight? “Room of
four” she replied. “Alright” he said and turned to the attendant telling her to
put two meat-pies, two doughnuts, and a small bottle of juice into five
different packages that they will be leaving with later.
The attendant asked, “are those different
from the ones you will take here sir?”
“Yes, they are” he replied her.
“Or do you want any other things apart
from the ones stated to be included in yours?” he asked Honest.
“That would be alright by me”, she
replied.
This was done and they took the tray
containing the snacks into a corner where they will be alone.
“I still want to know why you are calling
me a pastor”, he said as they sat facing each other
“So, you are still on this? I thought men
don’t use to repeat the same thing”
“Oh yeah. And sometimes men need to repeat
the same thing over and over to become clear.”
“What happened was after we met and you
told me your department, I used to pass through the department with the hope
that I will come across you one day, but I discovered that I did not. This
baffles me. Why can someone lie to me in the name of the Gospel, I said to
myself that would be unfair…”
“Uhm”
“And since I am relatively new, and all of
us living in the same room are new students I couldn’t ask anyone of them. I
therefore think I will have to attend the fellowship you introduced to me one
day.”
“I see”, he said
“When God would seal up everything, the
fellowship started publicizing a program. I checked for when the program would
be held and discovered that it is during the week when I would still be on
campus, and I said to myself, “my prayer has finally been answered by God, I
will attend the program and know why on earth this brother lied to me in the
name of the Gospel.”
“Uhm mm”
“I did not bother to check for the details
of the program neither check for whom the minister would be, even if I checked I
may be confused, thinking may be the name of the minister resembles yours or
something.”
“Okay”
“So, all I was doing was preparing for the
D-day, following your brethren’s daily publicities about the program. They
really did a wonderful publicity on the program”
“Was that so?”
“Yes, it was.”
“That is wonderful” He replied.
“So, on the day of the program, I was one
of those who got there early.”
“Wow!” He exclaimed, “You wanted to expose
my secret”
“Isn’t it good?”
“Oh yeah, it is. One needs to be sure of what
and whom one is dealing with, not forgetting that your parents have even warned
you against fellowships that have “neither received the authorities seal nor
stamps” according to your word” Ayonge replied
“You get it. I have been growing in
confusion about your estate on campus, having heard so many things about those
who are non-students but who yet paraded themselves as students to some people
on campus, I keep saying could you be one of those liars? If you are one of
them, it sure means that the fellowship you have introduced to me is a bad
fellowship and I would have confirmed what my parents have told me before moving
to the hostel.”
“That is true”
“The inquisitiveness in me keeps pressing
me to find out what could be up, searching for the missing link”
“I get you” Ayonge said
“When I got to the Lecture Theatre people
were still praying, preprogram prayer and I told myself as one of the
executives you should be there praying with them, only to discover that I was
in gross error. Sitting in the front did not give me room to look back, but I
said I will after the program hang around to see you or at best ask of you from
members of the executives in case, I couldn’t see you. While ruminating on what
to do, just then the emcee introduced you as the speaker. I said it couldn’t be
you, but when you came to the podium that was when I discovered that you are
the one, that was how I know you are a pastor no one told me”
“Uhm. I see”
“But you did not look like a graduate to
me you know”
“How do I look if I may ask?” Ayonge asks
“You look like someone who is a
semifinalist or at most in his final year. That was what I thought of about
you” Honest replies.
“How does a semifinalist or a finalist
look like?”
“Can’t explain it. But sincerely that was
what has been in my mind, coupled with the fact that you were around for the
fresher’s program or something, I couldn’t imagine that someone who has
graduated could be indulging in such activities with the undergraduates…”
“Oh!” He raised up his finger, points the
index finger at her, “I now get what you are saying”
“You were involved in the program not as
if you are trying to invite new students to your fellowship or church but
assisting the students and talking that they join the students fellowship. These
thoughts made me think, oh, you are one of them and in the final year trying to
draw people to your fellowship”
 |
| Christian Association |
“It has been my nature and about two other
members whom we finished together to be assisting them during the Catch Them
Young Program. Those two brothers and I use to divide ourselves during those
welcoming days. All we want is that the younger generations would see it as we
are doing it before so that they won’t be afraid neither do it in a slipshod manner…”
“O..o..okay” she stammers
“That day which I came with other brethren
to welcome you and others was the day assigned for me by others to be present
to give a helping hand to the campus brethren.”
“That is wondrous”
“Immediately I finished talking to you
that day, I received a call from my neighbor in my workplace that I have a
customer, thus, I cannot finish with them, I had to excuse myself from the
program head straight for my work place…”
“Were you able to meet the person by the
time you get to the place” She curiously asked
“Oh yes. The man waited for me.”
“Thanks to God for that”
“Since that day, I have not been able to
come back to campus, because I have been on my toes, attending to customers.
Assuming I have, I am sure you would have met me once, because I used to visit
one of my lecturers in my department. In fact the man called to ask after me
when he couldn’t see me for weeks and he knows I have not been doing like that
before”
“Alright”
“This has been the situation with me until
when the general secretary of the fellowship and another brother came to me
that I have been chosen to handle that program and since it will come up after
working hours, all I need to do is cancel all other appointments for that day,
which I did to be able to grace the program” Ayonge said
“Wow! That is good. Your coming really
clears many doubts off my mind” she said.
“Do you know what I thought about you the
day I was talking to you?”
“No, I did not”
“I asked of your name, you did not answer,
all other questions asked you did not reply. I said maybe you are not a
Christian and we have been cautioned along the line that when we see or talk to
someone who does not answer, we should leave the person alone so that there won’t
be religious riot…”
“Ha!”
“Yes oh. That is common. When people don’t
respond they will soon go to their camps and say someone is forcing them
raising false alarms and before you know it everything would have gotten out of
hand.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh yes, it is. Therefore we have been
cautioned that when you talk to anyone who is not showing interest, don’t allow
it to lead to another thing, just leave the person alone and go to someone
else, you have done your part let the Lord continue from there, if the person
is a child of God, God knows how to touch his or her heart. It was after we
reach this status that we start having peace on the campus”, he said.
“So, that was what prompted you to ask me
that day we met that am I a Christian?”
“Yes, that is it.”
“Okay. I understand.”
“But after the program why can’t you wait
to see me that day?” Ayonge asked.
“I did wait for about 20 or more minutes…”
“Wow!”
“It took me some seconds to locate you
where you were sited. After locating you, I discovered that you were attending
to a lady and there are other students still hanging around to see you. I said
to myself, I will just greet you to see if you can recognize me and leave. But
then you were so subsumed in your discussion with the lady such that for close
to 30 minutes you were with her talking and laughing. I said to myself, this
must be your fiancée having known that you have graduated. I sum one plus one
together in my heart that you have use the opportunity of ministering that day
to also see your spouse and play with her before you leave. Having thought like
this, I decide to leave the hall, saying to myself, I have achieved the
purposes of coming…”
“Which were?”
“Knowing if indeed you are a student and
knowing the kind of fellowship you introduce to me…”
“Uhm”
“That was what happened. I did not even
dream of seeing you as early as this again”
“Why?”
“Because I am not a member of the
fellowship and since it is that fellowship you used to attend and you have
finished from the school, how could I think of seeing you days after that?” she
said
“I understand. Let me start by apologizing
for keeping you waiting that day. Before I left campus that day, it was close
to 22:00 hours, because all those students you said you see waiting to see me,
I make sure I see all of them before I leave, because I know I may not be able
to see them the following day if I did not wait to see them that night…”
“Was that so?”
“Yes, it was. And the lady with whom I was
chatting that day we graduated the same session from the University. After our
graduation we lost contacts. She also said she saw the poster of the program
when she was on campus to see her lecturer and having known that she will still
be around when the program will be held, she decided to fix it in her calendar.
Immediately I entered the hall even before ministration she has spotted me, she
walked to where I was sited and greeted me, and we fixed our discussion till
after the program. After the program that you wanted to see me, she has walked
up to me before every other person and we were reliving what life is after
graduation, that is why you see us talking and laughing that day.”
“Okay. To God who made me I thought she
was your fiancée”, she said.
“No, she is not” he replied.
They talked a bit about other issues after
this and when it was 19:30 hours they decide to leave the place. They walked
until they got to the entrance of her hall where he boarded a tricycle to the
main gate of the campus from where he boarded a bus to his house.
On getting home he called her to let her know
that he has gotten to his room.
This was what began their intimacy, and
hardly could a day pass by that they won’t talk on phone or any of the social
media, asking about each other’s welfare, progress academically and business
wise.
Ayonge being a member of the City’s
Christian Association used to receive invitation from the Youths of some
churches, which he will tell Honest about. After Honest’s second semester she
used to attend some of the programs Ayonge is being invited to. And he used to
see that after the programs he used to wait behind to attend to those who want
to see him for counselling.
Ayonge again received an invitation to
minister to the Youths of the Fire Brand Church. The church is on the same
street as Honest’s parent’s house. Honest was elated to hear that he would be
ministering there for 3 days and she promised to attend the programs.
On the second day, after Ayonge finished
the program Honest waited for him and while they were going home, that was when
Honest proposed to her.
She was speechless after Ayonge told her
that they should be going out. They parted that day. A week after the program
the returnee students resume to campus again. Three weeks after the resumption,
Ayonge and Honest met again and Honest told him that she has consider his
proposal carefully but the only but she has is that she still has about 3 years
to spend on campus before graduation.
Ayonge said, the year would not be a
problem if she can agree to be his’ forever.
That was how they started their relationship.
She usually accompanies him to all the program he has except those that’s out
of the town and or clashed with her academics.
But after the end of his ministrations she
notices something, and it was the way people usually wait to see him. She has
been enduring this for a while but when their love was 15 months old after a
program and she saw how people lined up to see him, she could not hold herself
as she burst into tears.
One of the Youths who accompanied them to
the program, brother Jack, who sat beside her looked confused and had to ask
her what the matter with her was. She told Jack that she is beginning to have
feelings that she will lose her spouse in no distant time. Jack asked to know
why such feelings and thoughts should come to her mind. And she replied that
she remembered different stories of how ladies and women lose their spouses to
another woman during the course of counseling and all that.
Jack smiled and heaved a sigh of relief
telling her that such would not happen. She was not contented with what Jack
told her and when she was alone with her spouse, Ayonge she has to tell him
what her feelings for some weeks have been.
Ayonge asked him why he was having such a
feeling and she repeated what she told Jack to him that she remembered how
ladies have snatched popular figures from their spouses and I have been having
that repeated thought over the months now. Today with the increased number of
people who waited to see you after the ministration I cannot but agree with my
mind that she is telling the truth after all.
Ayonge laughed after hearing what she
said, she did not wait for him to speak before saying, “I should have seen this
ahead, I should not have agree to your proposal in the first place, because it
was not as if when you came to me your fame has not been on the rise then”
Ayonge continue to laugh while she continues to talk, “I do not want you to
break my tender heart, I have heard of what used to happen to different ladies
who their spouses break their hearts it is better imagined than experienced.”
She conclusively said.
“I am loss of words. Let me ask you a
question”
“What?”
“Have you found me with any strange ladies
since the time we have started dating?” he asked her
“No, I have not”, she replied.
“Why now do you think I can suddenly
change?” Honest did not answer him as he continues “let me reassure you my
love, I will not disappoint you neither will I ever break your heart” she walks
close to him, as they continued to walk along the campus street with street
light on, resting her head on his shoulder and he uses his right hand to draw
her close to him as they keep going. “Have I not told you that I am not exposed
to ladies before you? I tried to be exposed to ladies when my colleagues were
doing that in the secondary school days, but something keeps pulling back, and
what was pulling me back was the words of my uncle, that if I hope to be
something in life I should distance myself from illicit affairs with ladies
until I am ripe for it” Honest did not talk but was listening to him, “so when
they were all getting attached to different ladies, I will say to myself, “my
uncle says I must not do this. I continued in this estate until I got saved in
my junior class in the secondary school. And since the time I have given myself
to Jesus Christ until this moment I have not looked back, not to now talk of
when God has released on me some gifts and commission some things into my
hands. If I do any of those, I have not only broken thine heart, but I will
equally be breaking the heart of God who has counted me worthy of his grace”
“Uhm mm. I am still afraid oh. I have been
thinking that may be we shall need to solidify this relationship before my
graduation”
Ayonge was not sure if he was hearing right,
he thence asked, “what did you just say”
“I know you heard me. I don’t think I want
to wait again till my graduation, that is about 15 more months, anything could
happen before then, but when the relationship has been solidified, then I will
be assured that you are mine and I am yours forever”, she enthused.
“Are you kidding me?”
 |
| Lady resting head on man's shoulder |
“I am in no way kidding oh. I want to be
sincere to myself and be as practical as possible to myself. I have neither
have any relationship before yours nor be close to any male before you. This is
because it was girls’ school that I attended before getting to University and
coupled with the fact that my parents do not allow me to mingle, even before the
school closes the driver would be by the gate to pick me up to our house. So, I
don’t have any experience except those we watch in movies, but then they said
what we watch in movies should be considered good for movies alone as many of
those are not practicable and I think it is true because when we have been
seeing each other, I have been learning what it is to relate with opposite sex,
it is not straightforward as being painted in movies neither reading novels…”
“This is a surprise. It seems to me as if
someone has been talking to you” Ayonge said
“Well, you know me better. You know if I
am not chatting with you, I will be by my books or reading bible or Christian
books. No one has been discussing with me, not even my mum who should be
counseling me on marital issues for she said, what works to lady A may not work
for lady B, and the best thing she can do is to tell you general things about
relationship, that is what she used to say. But telling me that you will break
my heart, she has not, and I know she will not. All these are my thoughts and
this thought pressed me hard today on seeing many ladies waiting behind to see
you. My Love let us do the right thing, the honorable thing. After all it isn’t
as if you do not have job that would cater for us all I am saying is I don’t
want my heart to be broken, it is good to learn from others but when one begins
to learn from what happens to him or her people say that is an act of
foolishness. I do not want to be a fool, I want to be enlisted among those who
are proactive, an adage says it is from a far place that a person with a sunken
socket begins to cry”
“You have caught me off guard I need to
tell you this. What will your parents say? Won’t they say I am the one who does
not want their daughter to finish their academics having finished mine?” he
asked
“Leave my parents to me. All they want for
me and my siblings is happy home. When to them does not as much matter. Yes,
they may look at it from a perspective you have painted, but I will tell them
that I am not stopping my academics, I will finish it, but will finish it
happily knowing that I am forever in your arms” she enthused.
“I will think about this, because this is
hot” Ayonge replied him
“I know you love me, and you know I love
you. People have been saying there is hardly anything called love at first
instance, but you and I have proved those people wrong for on seeing me you
love me and the same thing with me and as fate would have it, it works for us.
I don’t want it to die on the road like a smoke. I do not want people to say
haven’t we say that there is nothing like love at first instance! I want us to
prove there is love at first instance and that it is real and working and that
what works for person B may not work for person G”
“As I said give me time to think about
this, it is not in my agenda at all, not so early” he enthused.
“Okay. Thanks.”
Their love continued. Ayonge agrees to
what she said and asked her to feel the pulse of her parents. She informed her
parents and they will not agree to what she said immediately telling her to
break off with Ayonge and she told them that he was not the one who initiated
the move, the move for her to be married was initiated by her and if they
really want happiness for her as they have been saying they should allow her to
go ahead with what is in her heart.
After much deliberations and consultations
with friends and family members they agree to what she said and ask her to
bring the guy home so that they know him.
During the lady’s first semester in her
final year she got married to her heartthrob, Ayonge…
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