"It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds. In the best boks, great men talk to us, give us their most precious thoughts, an dpour their souls into ours. God be thankd for boks. They are the voices of the distant and the dead, and make us heirs of the spiritual life or past ages. Books are true levelers,. They give to all who will faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual presence, of the best and greatest of our race. - William Ellery Channing. Quoted from Ben Carson's "Think Big" p. 13"
Chapter 5
My Biological Father
"And My stepmothers, as I Knew them
I cannot fathom why they so much loved me. And their love has continued even after my mother's death. It has become a mystery. They were surely the hands of God! Even so, they were not then devoted Christians as to say that they were influenced by their agape love-that's another mystery!"
My father, Pa Omogboyega, was a Blacksmith by profession and a subsistent farmer.
From my earliest moments of awareness, I have always related with him and his influences on me were situated in his deep affection. But he never disclosed his paternity to me then. Why he and mother concealed the fact from me beats my imagination although the degree of his closeness to me enabled me to discover much later that he is my biological father. He either lured me to his shop, or sent my mother for me. At other times, he would send one or the other of his two wives (Hannah or Iyaniwura) to get me.
Although he had no money to meet my financial needs, his conduct showed that if he had it, he would have lavished it on me. But what he had he gave - love, which he showered upon me. The measure with which he gave it to me he gave equally to the rest of his children.
His workshop had become my usual playground and I did some chores for him like heating up the fire in the furnace used to melt the irons he shaped into cutlasses, hoes, snares and such like. I also went to the farm with him as often as feasible.
Even as a youth, I had not particularly cherished the celebration of the famous Ogun festival. But I accompanied him during such occasions and he made me proud at the time. I usually received my own allocation of the dog meat used for the festival.
I confess that I was always in a dilemma eating dog meat. In the first place, dogs have always been my friends, so I considered eating their meat as a betrayal of friendship. I agonized over their slaughter for their closeness to human beings with whom they have always shared trust. Their being killed was therefore also a betrayal of such trust.
In such contemplation I often ended up offering such meat to my peers in our compound who relished such opportunities.
Father's affection for me was so persistent and consistent that our mutual intimacy is intact till now. He is a lover of history, for he stands on the side of truth. He is also firm but fair. He is a Christian but (having seen their potency), he does not see anything wrong with developing some aspects of African religion. So all efforts to prevail upon him to stop sacrificing to Ogun (the God of Iron) meant little to him! Surprisingly too, though an illiterate by western standards, he is very sound in biblical doctrines and he quotes what the Bible says without any error whatsoever!
My Stepmothers
There were three of them - Late “Eye Salu” (I don't know her real names) who was Pa- Ilugbusi's first wife and Madams Hannah and Iyaniwura. All of them drew me very close to them as if I passed through their wombs. They gave me luscious food and treated me well every time I was with them.
But, Hannah (who was my mother's bossom friend and a distant cousin too) and Iyaniwura treated me with such love as if I was their own biological child. They fed and treated me well every time I was with them. Iyaniwura used to come to my mother in the evenings under the pretext of buying the proverbial fish. My mother was most often with Madam Hannah in her Restaurant and whenever I accompanied mother there, she would serve me some pounded yam for food.
Till today, I cannot fathom why they so much loved me. And their love has continued even after my mother's death. It has become a mystery. They were surely the hands of God! Even so, they were not then devoted Christians as to say that they were influenced by their agape love-that's another mystery! Rather than continue to dwell on the mysterious aspect, I have decided that it would be more rewarding to reciprocate their good gestures by ensuring that they never suffer in my life-time. Their labour of love deserves recompense and I have covenanted with my God that such responsibility shall be my concern.
=====================================================================
NB. My father, Pa. Gabriel Omogboyega passed on on 21st of July 2009. He left us with greatest legacies a good father can. I share this in "daily energiser" of 22nd of November 2009, 2 days after posting this chapter of Better Tomorrow.
====================================================================
A Call To Charity
Life is about giving and inspiring people. I have a great vision to leave the world better than I met it. You can join (or help me to fulfil this) by ensuring this book is circulated world-wide free. Because of consciousness for quality, it costs approximately N1,200 to print a copy of this 320-page book. If you so desired, I can print your own name as "DONATED BY ...................................) on the number of copies you order. If you don't have time to distribute, I can do so on your behalf. If you want to distribute them yourself, I can ship them to you. Let's put a smile in someone's face! If interested, please send me a mail at treasuredynamics@gmail.com or better still sms or call me on 08034465225. The Lord will always remember you for favour as you are doing to people with your gift of this book to humanity. Amen. Someone has started it already! Read below please.
==================================================================
APPRECIATION
"Wonderful ! This is like reading 'Thriller in Manila' ! ! I could not believe its not fiction? Please send me 4 hardcopies of the books through any of your contacts.....for a token N10,000 ........... Story is moving.. Congratulations. Cheers." - Austen
My comment:
Thanks sir, the story is not only real but scientific. With this N10k donation, I am producing 8 CUSTOMISED copies acknowledging your name on each; 4 for you and 4 to be given out on your behalf to people you never and may never meet in life. That's your contribution to humanity.
Surely, just as I did with Ben Carson's "Gifted Hands" recommended to me by Mary, I am going after "Thriller in Manila", if anything, to compare experiences! Remain blessed.
Yemi
No comments:
Post a Comment