Episode 1
Olorun is involved
Mr.Ledan was surfing the net with his BlackBerry Bold 5 in the living room when he noticed sounds from the kitchen, knowing his wife was in the kitchen, he went to see what was going on. When he got close to the kitchen, he stopped abruptly and started working slowly so as not to disrupt whatever his wife was doing. He got to the kitchen door and stood to listen to his wife who was backing him while turning tuwo and at the same time singing.
Imabong was singing a particular traditional song, though she changed the contents of the songs by relating it to the currents happenings around her;
“One and one are identical twin babies of Okoye who in later years grew up to legendary fame and prosperity in music”
“Two is like the two major illness, Ebola and AIDS which attacked Nigeria recently”
“Three is like three major ethnic groups dominating Nigeria since independence”
“Four is four months my Igala love used to woo me before I accepted his heart”
“Five is 5am, the time I wake up every morning to prepare my husband’s food before he goes to work”
“Six is like Number 6(brain), which many people have but fail to use most times”
“Seven is like seventh heaven my husband takes me too whenever we sporosporo at night”…
“I.D!”(pet name ledan calls his wife meaning Imabong Dear), Ledan who have been silently observing his wife with great awe and admiration suddenly found his voice, you never seem to amaze me!, Ledan exclaimed, first you still work with this your conditions despite all my plea for you to rest, and now you’re doing your work with more vigor than ever, he uttered happily, most women would have become as lazy as anything from day one of their pregnancy, he concluded.
“My Igala love, you are more amazing!”, she uttered, “it still surprises me how a whole Crown Princess of Nigeria like me fell for a local champion with dozen marks like you”, she said smirking her face. “What?”, Ledan exclaimed feigning anger, “anyway that’s the power of words and my uncommon brain”, he said hands akimbo before pointing to his forehead.
“Haha!, that’s why I love you Ima mi, anyway what were you doing in the living room before I interrupted you?” She added. “I was busy rocking Skilo9ja.blogspot.com”, he began, “Audrey Timms just posted another update of UNFULFILLED PROMISE”, he continued, “that guy is the bomb! ,he is an encyclopedia of knowledge!” Ledan added. “Guy?”, Imabong asked surprised, “you mean Audrey?”, she asked again to make sure she heard well. “Yes, of course!”, Ledan chorused. “Audrey isnt a guy o, I don’t blame you though because Audrey is unis#x”, she explained. “Wow!, so she was a lady all this while?”, he asked rhetorically. “No wonder I’ve been having weird feelings”, he blurted out. “Feelings?, Mr.man what do you mean?”, Imabong asked in a commanding tone. “I mean I’ve been feeling her story”, Ledan weakly defended. “Come to think of it, Vicevames looks so cool”, she paused to see her reaction then continued, I wish I was the Mirabel in his story “PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER”, she concluded with a victorious tone. “Darling I’m sorry, please don’t crush on anyone ooo…..” Before he could finish his speech, Imabong began making whimpering sounds
“Aww! Aww! Ouch!”, She cried out. “I.D, what is it?”, he asked in a shaky voice. “The babies are coming”, she managed to whisper, “Our twins are here”, she said appearing to struggle with pains and excitement. “Hold on dear, I’ll be right back”, he said with a tone of assurance while running to the bedroom to get his car keys.
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“Goalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll! Yes! Yes! Yes! They are really the Dream Team IV”, Mr.Akande was celebrating jumping up and down his living room while his pregnant wife watched on in awe. “Oko mi Oooo, take it easy nah, you men and football self.. Are they paying you ni?, I’ve never seen you dance like this in Church before”, Medina commented on her husband’s jubilations. “Aya mi”, Akande called his wife grinning, “you women ain’t patriotic at all!”, he jokingly reprimanded her. Don’t you see how great this lads are playing?”, he asked rhetorically, ” thats why i have to show them some love”, he explained. “Should I give them the love I have for you leaving you with no… Ah! Eh!”, she was stopped abruptly by sudden feelings of pains as she touched her stomach. “Aya mi, kilo sele”, Akande who have have by now suspended his dancing asked his wife with a confused look on his face. “I think it’s here at last, the baby is here at last, out joy is here”, she kept uttering with joy to no one in particular almost in joyful tears. Mr Akande grabbed the car keys from the table and made to leave with his wife, then stooped abruptly and looked up to the ceiling saying, “After 13 years of waiting, Olorun is really involved in our lives”
Episode 2
Journey to the world
Ledan was driving at an insane speed, he couldn’t just control is excitement of a father to be. Meanwhile, Imabong who was seating on the passengers seat was pleading with Ledan to take it easy. “please my husband oo, sufri sufri nah, you want to kill me and my twins ehn?”, she kept rambling and protesting in obvious pains. “I.D o, you’re pretty funny! You said your twins” he remarked with his face facing front. “Of course yes! Why not?, I carried them in my tummy for nine months”, she tried to explain. “But it was me who sold the seeds into you without which you won’t have them in tummy”, Ledan said in an excited tone smirking his face while still facing front concentrating on his speedy driving. “I concur with you, but your seed have grown without my fertile land”, Imabong countered pointing to her tummy, “and now I’ll have to painfully harvest them”, she added referring to her current labour pains. “But we both complimented each other, while I contributed the seeds, you contributed the land, people always tend to congratulate the women during pregnancy but no one always compliment the Kaya for a good work done”, Ledan said trying to buttress his standpoint. “E don do ooo, I don hear”, she said remembering what a talkative her hubby was. Ledan could argue all day never lacking words to support his view points. That’s one of the reasons she loved him, with the power of his razor tongue, he had defended her times without number.
Gboom! Ledan had just entered into a pothole. “Ewooo, if our daddy doesn’t kill us, who will?” Imabong asked rhetorically while shaking her head in pains.
In no time Ledan and his wife got to the Group Medical Hospital. It took them about 30 minutes, something which usually take them about one hour. The nurses on duty rushed out and took Imabong in to one of the delivery rooms, while Ledan waited just outside the door doing what he knows how to do best; singing…
“Center never busy
Always on the line
You may hear from heaven
Almost every time
It is a Royal Service
Free for one and all
When you get in trouble
Give the Royal Line a call’
He switched to another song…
“Lord I have confidence in you, Jesus
Lord I have confidence in you, anytime any day
Lord I have confidence in you, Chineke mo”
Ledan kept on singing songs after songs most especially worship songs until the doctor came out about 20 minutes later.
He ran to the doctor, though unable to speak gave him a questioning look. “Mr.Ledan, please see me in my office nowt”, the doctor said wearing a tired look while Ledan followed him like someone who is being controlled by a remote into his office.
“Doctor what’s happening with my wife and kids?”, Ledan finally asked weakly as if he just found his lost voice. “There seem to be some complications in your wife’s attempt to give birth”, the doctor began, “as it stands now, cesarean section is the only way out”, the doctor spilled the beans. “What?, why would my wife need a c-section to deliver?”, he asked the doctor almost shouting. “Mr.Ledan, you have to calm down please, a hundred and fifty thousand naira would be needed for this section and it should be provided as soon as possible”, the doctor replied. “Where do you want me to get such a huge amount of money right now, huh?” Ledan asked the doctor appearing angered by his words. “If I knew the answer to your questions, I wouldn’t have asked you here to talk to you”, the doctor answered. “Doctor, can’t you go ahead with it, why I go to find the money?” Ledan asked pleadingly. “Mr.Ledan, most people might think we doctors are wicked, but we ain’t like that, we have dealt with dubious people in the past times without number who made promises like you’re doing now but failed, experience they say teaches even fools, need I remind you, to start looking for the money now because time waits for no one”, the doctor explained before walking out of the office with the excuse of being busy leaving Ledan dumbfounded. “Seems like my babies won’t experience a smooth journey into the world”, Ledan painfully said and left the doctor’s office.
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“Doctor!, Doctor!!”, Akande called out as he approached the doctor who had just come out of the delivery room, “how’s my wife?, how’s Medina and my unborn child?”, Akande asked impatiently given the doctor a short dark man with moustache no chance to reply. “Akande my friend, the delivery process is having complications, the child is facing the wrong place, but we’re doing everything in our power to make sure your wife and babies are safe”, Doctor Ebele explained calmly. “Subhanalah!, exclaimed Akande arms akimbo, ” would I still loose my child again after four previous miscarriages and thirteen years of waiting?”, Akande asked rhetorically. “Don’t worry too much Akande my friend, God would hear your prayers, nothing will happen to your wife and your unborn child”, doctor Ebele assured Akande. “There’s no one on earth without problems, Allamdulilah for mine”, Akande chorused with tears in his eyes.
EPISODE 3
Ledan was sweating all over like someone who had just lifted a trailer engine, he couldn’t believe none of his many friends refused to help, he felt so alone on the world. What would he do? How do he get #150000?, he knew his account was empty, he wasn’t close to his family members either who could have helped him. Peem, peem! Ledan was jolted from his reverie by the horns of a trailer that wanted to park where he had been standing. He apologized immediately to the occupants of the trailer who were by now raining causes on him.
Ledan crossed the road to the other side where his car was parked. He had just arrived from his friend Thomas’ house who claimed to be broke. Before coming to Thomas’ house, he had gone to five others of his friends but couldn’t get the financial assistance he needed.
They all gave him different reasons for not being able to help. Salisu had said he didn’t have money because he paid his children’s school fees last week, Onalo couldn’t help because he gave his wife money to go to market yesterday, Onoja said one of his elder sis died and he needed all the money he could get to sponsor her burial, Ajudu couldn’t come out to answer him because he had been sick for three days now. Such were the excuses given by Ledan’s friends. He didn’t want to ask money from his best friend Akande who would surely give him but wasn’t part of their clique, “the seven masters”.
All his life, Ledan had only made friends with friends who are chronic drunker. If you can drink alcohol very well, then you’re Ledan’s friend. As a result, he goes to places like beer parlours, brukutu joints and other places where the misfits of the society hibernate. He failed to save money anytime he got his salary, he would always give his wife Imabong 10000 naira to manage for the month while he will spend the remaining 170000 naira remnants of his salary on buying drinks for people and dashing his so-called friends money. It’s after he spends the money finish that is eyes becomes clear and he goes to stay with Imabong at home, the reason why he was at home when she went into labour.
It now dawned on him he had fairweather friends. He had always avoided Akande who was his true friends because he doesn’t drink alcohol and always advising him to attend church with his wife despite the fact that’s he’s a Muslim. He had also avoided his relatives because they were always advised him to stop living his kind of life. Ledan was confused and dejected. Then a call entered and he soliloquy was cut short. The caller was no other person than his best friend and colleague, Akande.
Ledan:Hello (after picking the call)
Akande: Besty of life, bawoni
Ledan: I’m fine oo, what about you and Mrs Akande..
Akande: sorry i couldn’t call to inform you when my wife went into labour wife has been in labour for about 11 hours now and the doctor said the reason is because the baby is facing the wrong place
Ledan: sorry my friend, five miscarriages is already enough, your wife will give birth to a healthy baby this time by God grace.
Akande: insha Allah she will, what about your wife my friend?
Ledan: she also went into labour, but she’s having complications and would need a caesarean section
Akande: subhanalah!… I’m sorry my friend… Its a….
Ledan: *he cut him off so he would be tempted to reveal his need for money* I have to go now my friend, I’ll talk to you later. *he didn’t wait for him to reply before hanging up the call*
After hanging up the call, he smiled to himself. An idea had just crossed his mind while speaking to his friend. He was sad though because he had to betray his best friend who had done him no harm once again. But he reassured himself that the safety of his unborn kids is more necessary than his best friend. “After all a popular Yoruba adage says ‘money is in the mouth of the lion’, I have to put my mouth in the lions mouth to get money to save my wife and kids even if it means sacrificing my best friend”, he opined, “betrayers have been happening from the genesis of the world, Lucifer, the Morning Star betrayed God, even Jesus was betrayed by Judas, so if saints good betray the Supreme Beings, there’s no reason he shouldn’t betray his friend” he thought justifiably, “desperate times requires desperate actions, even God will understand I’m doing this to save three lives”, he concluded.
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Akande was forcing himself not to dose. He hasn’t been able to sleep since he brought in Medinat yesterday night, just then he heard cries from the labour room, and almost immediately he ran into the delivery room like someone who had suddenly gone mad in his curious rush to find out what had happen. Alas! The nurse was holding a baby. His joy knew no bounds, he is a father at last. “Congratulations Mr.Akande, your wife just delivered a bouncing baby girl, she’s so……haaaa!”, the nurse couldn’t complete her sentence because the baby had just pissed on the nurse’s mouth. Everyone laughed and it provided a form of comic relief to everyone on the room.
Just then, Akande received a call. “What?”, Akande screamed, “you mean the patrol money was stolen?”, he asked the caller. The phone dropped from his hands and he fainted.
Episode 4
Life Expectancy
“What?, my mom is awake? Are you sure of what you’re saying?” ,Ledan who was so surprised at the latest news asked back to back questions. “Yes Sir! , she’s awake and demands for your presence immediately”, the nurse replied. “Let’s go please”, he followed after the nurse unable to hold in his curiosity anymore. In no time, they got to Ledan mother’s ward. Lo and behold, Ledan met one of the strangest miracles of the millennium, his mother who has been diagnosed with stroke and slated to die in a week time is sitting up and looks as healthy as ever.
“Leave us!, I want to be alone with my son”, grandma said in a commanding tone. The two nurses in the room gave Ledan a questioning look and he nodded in approval after which they left. “You shouldn’t have done that!”, grandma said in a high pitch voice after the nurses had left, “don’t you know, pride comes before a fall?, your so-called ego led you to an irrational action which will make your unborn son face serious consequences”, grandma remarked leaving Ledan in the valley of confusion as he wondered how grandma came to know all these. “Perhaps she was possessed, or her ghost might be talking”, he thought. “Get a pen!”, grandma said, “I said get a pen and paper now!”, grandma barked the order with much vigor and power than her old age suggests. Ledan looked around and found a pen and a jotter on the table which he took and came back to where grandma was staying. “March 27, 2020!”, grandma said while Ledan was looking at his seemingly possessed mum with a puzzled look. “What are you waiting for?, write it down”, grandma blurted out leaving Ledan with no other option but to act as told. Grandma appearing satisfied continued, September 5, 2023″, which Ledan wrote down without much ado. “February 14, 2025”, grandma finally said Ledan wrote it down in the small jotter. “Those days I called are three evil days your unborn son’s will experience in his life and he could die on any of the three days but he’s bound to die on the third day”, grandma explained as Ledan attempted to protest but grandma had continued before he could utter a word, ” this is the consequence of your ego and wickedness and your unborn son will have to face the waterloo for your crimes”. “He would be called Gift by every one, he would love music dearly”, grandma added leaving Ele to laugh out loud for the first time. Grandma ignored him and continued as if truly possessed, “only one thing could save him, that’s LOVE”. Almost immediately the tears of a baby was heard, simultaneously grandma ceased to breath.
Ledan was numb! He couldn’t believe what was happening around him, he blamed everything on Akande who he believed has always been cynical and pretending, first of all stole his position in office and now his son’s happiness have been stolen by that same man. He vowed to deliver karma himself to the ever condenscending Akande. “What a life expectancy Fate has given my son”, he thought out loud.
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Akande couldn’t believe all that was currently happening around him. His joy of becoming a father has been overclouded by the lost of his job. They had gotten 7.25 million from the patrol money, and had kept it in his office because he was the head of the patrol team as the most senior officer. Only he,Ledan and Officer Sani knew the money was kept in his office. Ledan has been with his pregnant wife who has been in labour for hours, and even though, he could bet his life that his best friend will never bring such harm to him. Officer Sani had gone somewhere with another team for patrol, so who on earth could have taken the money, if he put his mind to it, he could catch the culprit, but God had saved him, because a lot of people in the Force have ended up in jail in this kind of situation, but as the honest officer he his, he was only given a sack letter. At least he is now a father, if he were to choose between keeping his job or getting his daughter, he would choose getting a daughter over and over again. “Life doesn’t give us challenges we can’t handle, there are people who have all the riches of this world, but would easily give them up for good health and a child, both of which he currently has, once there’s life there’s hope”, he thought, “All fingers ain’t equal Allhamdulilah for mine”, he said with a deep sigh.
Episode 5
They are the lack that take your lack away
In your eyes I can still see the look of the one who really loves me
I can still feel the way that you want me
The one who wouldn’t put anything
else in the world above me I can
still see love for me in your eyes
And there ain’t no way
I’m letting’ you go now
and there ain’t no how
I’ll never see that day….
‘Cause I’m keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our days
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face–always
I’m keeping you forever and for always
I’m in your arms”, Ledan finished singing. “Wow!!!, amazing!, my Igala love is the best, Shania Twain is a learner o”, Imabong said ecstatically clapping and marvelling at the way her husband perfectly executed Shania Twain’s song. “Yes o, my igala love,i will also love you forever and always, I keep wondering why you opted to work as a custom officer when you can easily make waves in music, our son will surely take after you”, Imabong remarked elatedly. The last statement made by Imabong changed Ledan’s mood because he made him remembered what his mother said about his son becoming a great musician if love could save him, he also realised that he hasn’t told his wife anything about what grandma said. “My igala love, why the sudden change of mood?, have I said anything wrong?”, she asked looking confused. “No I.D, you haven’t said anything wrong, instead, it was me who did something wrong to you and our boy”, Ledan answered facing down. “You did something wrong?, honestly I’m lost here, you’re acting so strange all of a sudden”, she said looking at her husband in confusingly. “I’ll explain!”, Ledan weakly said.
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“Salamaleikun(peace be onto this house””, Alpha Shina greeted, “Waleikun salam(peace be onto you to)”, Akande replied before leading him in to have a seat. “I’m sincerely sorry for not coming to see you my son since your wife went into labour, I wasn’t in the city then, please forgive me my son”, Alpha Shina requested pleadingly. “Its no problem Alpha Shina, at least you’re here now”, Akande said smiling. “Thanks so much for your forgiveness, it means a lot to me”, Alpha Shina remarked, “by the way, where’s Medina and the baby girl?”, Alpha Shina quickly added. “Let me get them for you Sir”, Akande said quickly going inside the room and returning in no time with his wife and the latest addition to their family. “Good afternoon Sir”, Medina greeted with the baby still in her hands, “afternoon!”, Alpha replied, “congrajubilations!”, he quickly added. “Haha, you’re always funny Alpha, congrajubilations in did! Wole Soyonka who do form new words does not have ten heads, thank you very much Alpha, I’m so grateful”, Medina replied kneeling down respectfully. Alpha then began, “Allah is truly great and merciful, after 13 years, she’s really a miracle child, it pays to be patient!”, Alpha explained. “Yes o, Allhamdulilah for our lives, Allah showed us he has never for once left us”, Akande said smiling. “I heard about your work, so what are you doing now? because it’s like you got a new job”, Alpha asked curiously.
“So we should all imbibe the spirit of given”, Alpha Shina concluded. “Thanks so much Alpha, we have learnt lot from this”, Akande remarked. “You’re welcome my son!, that reminds me, i heard your friend the minister’s wife recently delivered on the same day with your wife,am I correct?”, Alpha asked smiling. “Yawaa! the news have already reached you too, of course is the minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria, yes she gave birth to a bouncing baby girl and she was named Khadijah right there at the hospital bed”, Akande explained, “what amazes me the most is how God work because I remembered a year ago the minister’s wife wanted to divorce the him with the reason being the minister is impotent, she confided in me and said she did not want to loose in the financial aspect but I made her understand the fact that Nigeria is not America or some other Occidental countries where the issue of Alimony is strictly adhered to, thus, she will not only lose her hubby but loose her economic status”, Akande concluded. “Allhamdulilah!”, Medina and Alpha Shina chorused. “Before I forget, what name do you plan your give to your daughter?”, Alpha Shina asked. “Alpha, we have been fighting over that o for days”, Medina quickly replied given her husband no space to talk, “I wanted to give our daughter Shewa or Ayomide as first name but he opted for LIA”, Medina quickly added feigning anger at her husband. “Hmm, what’s the meaning of Lia Akande?”, Alpha asked. “Lia means bearer of good news, I really love the name and I have my reasons for given such a name”‘ Akande explained. “I also love that name, hmm, you never seem to amaze me Akande”, Alpha said grinning to the dismay of Medina. “What?, you have agreed with him Alpha?, men will always be men”, Medina blurted out feigning annoyance then stood up to go to the kitchen while the two men were laughing hysterically.
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“Ledan, I didn’t expect any less from you because that’s how you’ve been treating me since you got married to me, your mates who aren’t even up to you have built houses and rented big shops for their wife but all what you do is give me a measly ten thousand in this kind of economy for all my needs all month long. You don’t even know whether I wear cloth or not, whether I change my undies or not, I have emaciated since i arrived your house, if not for where I came from, I would have left you for another man a long time ago because when you always abandon me, many responsible men have always come to ask me out promising heaven and earth but I rejected them because of my wedding vow to God and you, because of my love for you but all I get from you is maltreatment and now you passed it to my lovely son, may God forgive you and have mercy on you”, Imabong poured out her heart’s content to the surprise of Ledan. What was more surprising is Imabong calling him by his first name for the first time since they married five years ago. He knew he made a big mistake but he did it for the sake of his son. “If I could say sorry a million times, it won’t be enough to say sorry to you but if I could turn back the ends of time, I’ll do the same thing all over again to save my son”, Ledan blurted out facing Imabong who had nothing to say anymore to her estranged husband but to ask him what he intended to name their son. “I want to name him Ithani because he was born in suffering”, Ledan said. “Never!, I said never will my son bear such a name, even though he was predicted to fae the consequences of your cynical actions, that doesn’t warrant such a name”, she remarked, “what’s God’s Gift in your language Ledan?” , Imabong asked. “God’s Gift in Igala means ELE-OJO, Ele means GIFT, OJO means GOD”, Ledan replied so surprised because he didn’t tell his wife the aspect where grandma mentioned his son would be called Gift since he wanted to prove grandma wrong. “Wonderful name!”, Imabong exclaimed smiling for the first time since she needed the conversation with her husband “that will be my son’s name, Ele will be his name, you got any problem with that Ledan?”, she asked facing her husband. “No ma’am”, Ledan sarcastically replied, “Ele.. Ele…Eleojo.”, Ledan recited.
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