This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl.

Season 1

Episode 1

***********

Sometimes, Mama D pisses me off with her inquisitiveness. Why won’t she just allow me do what I want?
For goodness sake, I’m an adult. Abi? Is a mentor not meant to just give advice? Are they monitoring
spirits?

The reason I visited Mama D that Saturday morning was to welcome her back from her trip to Kaduna.
She had travelled out of Lagos to take care of her daughter who had given birth to a set of twins.

I did everything possible to divert her attention away from talking about Wale, but I knew she’d bring it
up. When she stood up from her recliner and settled beside me on the sofa, I just knew exactly what she
was going to talk about.

‘Yemisi,’ my mentor said, her gaze fixed on me. ‘This guy you said you are in love with, what’s the
position of things now?’

I sighed and looked away from her. ‘We are doing fine.’

Mama D hissed. ‘What kind of answer is that?’

What else was she expecting me to say? That I no longer loved him?

I wonder how I ended up with a fifty-five year old woman as my mentor. Most of my friends had
mentors who were young. They understood the language of my generation. I’m sorry to say this, but my
mentor is old school.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have learnt a lot from Mama D. There were days I’ve been blessed by her
deep insight and concern for my welfare but today was not one of those days. She should leave Wale
and I alone.

‘I’m talking to you Yemisi. From everything you have told me, It doesn’t look to me like this guy is
serious about getting into a marital relationship with you.’

‘He is.’ I responded.

Yesterday evening, Wale cupped my face in his strong hands and told me he’d never loved a woman like
me. Few weeks ago, he sent me a love poem. On my birthday, he organized a surprise party for me. How
can a man like that not be serious?

Mama D was not ready to drop the subject. ‘I asked you the name of the church he attends, you said he
doesn’t have a stable church because most Sundays he is occupied with his ministerial assignments. I
asked you that on the weekends he is not invited to minster anywhere, where does he go on such
Sunday mornings? You didn’t give me any answer. Who is he accountable to? Who does he listens to?
Where is this dating or whatever you call it headed? What are your convictions? For a year now, you’ve
not said anything concrete that I can hold on to. Don’t you think you need to hear God clearly?’

At that moment, I wished I had not visited. ‘Mama D, I’m sure about this. Wale is the man God wants me
to marry.’

My mentor folded her hands and looked at me for a long time. ‘I want to see that young man. Nobody
takes my girl on a merry-go-round.’

Thankfully at that moment, the househelp, Kudirat came into the living room to inform my mentor that
she had finished preparing the rice and wanted to know if she should make the stew. Looking for an
excuse to get away from the discussion, I stood up quickly.

‘I’ll prepare the stew.’

‘Don’t add maggi o. Little salt will do. Make sure you use the olive oil to prepare it.’

I shook my head. Even when you have prepared meals for Mama D a thousand times, she’d still talk to
you as if you were entering her kitchen for the first time.

Mama D turned to the househelp. ‘Kudirat, turn the rice into the brown food warmer so it doesn’t get
cold.’

I went into the kitchen. Mama followed me there. She stood at the entrance of the kitchen, her eyes
following my every step. I washed my hands before stooping low to remove a pot from one of the
kitchen cabinet.

‘Make sure you rinse the pot first.’

I rolled my eyes playfully. ‘Mama, I know.’

She pointed at a set of white aprons neatly folded in the store. ‘Get a clean apron and please don’t put
maggi. I don’t know why Kudirat will buy maggi cubes and put them in my cabinet. That girl needs to be
flogged.’

I worked slowly, praying she’d leave me alone. I do not cook well under supervision. One glance at
Mama D and she got the gist. She stepped away from the entrance.

‘I meant what I said earlier. I want to see Wale. This time I’m not going to take any excuse from him. I
must see him.’ She said and walked back to the living room.

The front door opened and a familiar laughter filled the house. Mama appeared at the kitchen followed
by my friend Abigail. She stepped passed Mama and hugged me.
‘Virtuous woman. Correct wife material.’ Abigail said as she pulled away. ‘The man you will marry is
blessed.’

I laughed. ‘It’s good to see you again. How are you?’

Mama clicked her fingers. ‘Save your chit-chat for another time. Let’s get the stew cooking. I have a sick
friend to feed.’

‘Who is sick?’ I asked.

Abigail smiled sadly. ‘My mum. She slumped to the bathroom floor last night. Thank God my baby sister
was with her. It might have been worse. She is getting better though and the doctor said she’ll be
discharged soon.’

I reached for the onions and began to chop them slowly. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t know about it.’

Mama D stood impatiently at the entrance. ‘Ladies of Virtue, can we get to work? Abigail, there are
pineapples and oranges in the store. You can peel some. Where is Kudirat?’

Mama left the kitchen. I fried the stew while Abigail peeled some oranges.

‘How’s Wale?’ Abigail asked.

I was about responding when Mama D entered the kitchen again with another set of instructions.

******* ***************** *****************

Wale refused seeing my mentor and it bothered me. He didn’t say outrightly that he wasn’t going to see
her. These were his exact words.

‘Yemisi, you know how busy I am. It’s not easy combining my job as a real estate supervisor and my
ministerial assignments. Your mentor should understand. I’ll find time to see her but right now, my
schedule is tight.’

I didn’t push but I wasn’t happy either. He noticed my sad countenance when we met on Sunday
evening and the way he felt he could get me cheerful again was to fill my week with endless calls and
romantic words.

6a.m on Monday morning, Wale called. On my way to work, he called again. As I returned to the
staffroom from the SS3 class, my phone rang.

‘My sweetheart. The woman that makes my heart beat. How are you?’

This time I couldn’t hold back the laughter. The anger was gone. ‘You’ve asked me that question three
times already. Wale I am fine.’

‘I can’t stop thinking about you. I wish I could see you right now.’
‘That’s not possible. I am at work.’

‘I know jare. I’ll be seeing you this evening right?’

I decided to do small shakara for him. Let me see how bad enough he wanted me. ‘Maybe another time.
I’ll be tired by the time I get out of here.’

‘Babe, you can’t do that! I have a ministration at Jesus Assembly this evening. You have to come with me
please. Listen, this is going to be my biggest preaching engagement. I’ll be ministering to about a
thousand people. I need you.’

I chuckled. Those words made me feel like I was his wife already. I always love when Wale made
statements like, ‘I need you.’ ‘I can’t do without you.’ ‘You have to be right beside me.’ There was this
wholeness it gave me.

I had always known I’d marry a minister and it was the reason I stuck with Wale especially when he told
me he sensed God would require him to resign from his job very soon. Back on campus, God had shown
me a picture of the kind of man I’d marry. I knew my husband would be in full time ministry. He’d be a
man sold out to the work of God.

‘Okay, fine. We’ll go together.’

Wale shouted in excitement. ‘Thank you! I love you so much. Listen, my boss is approaching my table
right now. I’ll talk to you soon. Make sure you keep your phone close. Your voice is what will make my
afternoon go smoothly.’

I was still smiling when the bell rang for my next class. You won’t believe Wale called me again before
the end of that class. You know, at first when the phone rang, I didn’t expect it would be him since we
had just spoken less than an hour ago. I couldn’t also check the Caller ID because my phone was in front
of the class while I stood at the back dictating notes to my students. I ignored the call at first.

One of my students Dotun, a tall dark teenager with playful eyes looked at me, smiling.

‘Miss Yemisi, pick up your phone. That might be your boyfriend.’

Two boys sitting beside him chuckled. One slapped him playfully on his back.

‘How can you tell it’s Miss Yemisi’s boyfriend. It could be anyone.’ A girl in front of him said.

‘Fine, I may be wrong.’ Dotun responded. ‘But if it rings again, then it’s definitely her boyfriend.’

‘I’ll send both of you out of my class. Be careful!’ I glanced down at my notes. ‘Let’s continue.’

My phone rang again. My students burst into laughter. I walked to the front of the class to turn off the
ring volume.

‘Dotun was right. Love never gives up.’ A boy in the front row commented.
‘Miss Yemisi’s boyfriend is lucky.’ Dotun said. ‘If I were old enough to be her boyfriend, I’d kill anyone
who dared come close to her. She’d belong to me alone.’

I stopped in front of the table and looked sternly at Dotun. His smile disappeared and quickly he bent
down his head.

I pointed a finger at him. ‘Dotun, one more word and you’ll be detained throughout this week. There’ll
be no break time for you.’

He raised his head. ‘Ahh! Miss Yemisi.’ He placed his fingers over his lips. ‘Lips sealed.’

The phone rang the third time. When I glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Wale, a smile escaped
my lips. My students started clapping and making some funny sounds. Seriously, I don’t understand
those children. What was the clapping for?

‘Please excuse me.’ I said quietly and left the class. Before I got to the entrance, a girl sitting close to the
door grinned at me.

‘Miss Yemisi, where are you going to? There is network in our class.’

One glance at her and quickly she turned her face away, suppressing a smile. I moved away from the
class and walked past the two arms of the SS2 class and down the corner that led to the SS3 classes. In
front of one of the SS 3 classes, a pudgy boy frog-jumped. He was sweating profusely and grumbling at
the same time. I moved farther away and leaned on the rusted railings.

‘Wale, I don’t understand you. You’ve called me four times in less than twelve hours.’

There were days Wale would not call and I’d be so mad at him. Other times, we won’t stop talking until
my battery ran flat.

‘I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss my baby. Were you busy?’

‘Yeah. I was in SS 2A.’ I responded. ‘That’s the last for the day though.’

‘That reminds me, I’ve not thanked you for the box of pizza and the malt drink that was delivered to my
office on Friday. I learnt you placed the order. Babe, you didn’t have to do it. Your salary can barely pay
your bills.’

I smiled. ‘Wale, just say thank you.’

He laughed. ‘I was getting to that. That meal was an answer to a famished soul. Thank you so much.’

I made imaginary love shapes on the dusty railings with my fingers. ‘Honey you’ve not seen anything yet.
By the time we get married, I’ll make sure you come home to delicious meals. Food will never be an
issue.’
Wale went quiet. I waited. I wanted him to say something to me. Something like, ‘of course, I can’t wait
for us to get married!’ Or ‘ Finally, I won’t be eating out every night again, all thanks to my wife.’

I remained silent, hoping and praying he’d say something that showed he wanted to spend the rest of
his life with me.

‘I can’t wait to see you this evening.’ He said, finally. ‘A day without you drive me nuts.’

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. Why was he always avoiding the subject of marriage? We’ve been
together for a year now. What was stopping us from settling down? Was I not the kind of wife he
wanted? Did he have doubts about us getting married?

It became clear that not once had we talked about the future. I couldn’t trace back to the day he made
any commitment to me. I just knew we became friends and somewhere along the line, we got intimate.
Was there something wrong that I wasn’t seeing?

‘You should get back to the class.’ Wale said, interrupting my thoughts. It was clear he wanted to dismiss
me so quickly because he was uncomfortable with the line of conversation. That hurt.

Annoyed, I ended the call and returned to the classroom. Different questions flooded my mind that
afternoon.

When a man says he loves you, does it not translate to ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you?’

We didn’t have issues with affection for each other. I have watched him struggle to concentrate because
he was aroused at my presence. There were times we had hugged and it took so much restraint not to
fondle with each other’s body. There were times we could barely keep our hands off each other. We
talked for hours over the phone, eager to share details of our day. We prayed together, shared
scriptures together and proclaimed our love for each other. We never went to bed without settling any
misunderstanding between us. What then could be the problem?

‘How’s he?’ Dotun said, grinning as I entered the class.

I completely ignored his question and faced the class. ‘We’ll continue with our notes tomorrow. Team
leaders, see me at the staffroom for your questions. Each team has three weeks to prepare for a
presentation. If any of your team members do not co-operate, you know what to do. As you are aware,
your presentation is part of your continuous assessment.’

The bell rang. I was relieved that my class was over. A small thin boy with round glasses took my lesson
note from my hand while another reached for the students notebooks on the table. The boys walked
ahead of me to the staffroom. I was half way gone when I heard my name. I turned to find one of my
students running towards me. Her hands were trembling as she held mine.

‘Miss Yemisi, Can I see you at the end of the school day?’

I pulled her aside and touched her chin tenderly.

‘Phoebe, are you okay?’ I gazed into her troubled eyes.

The girl shook her head. Tears welled up her eyes. ‘Miss Yemisi, I’m afraid for Dotun. Yesterday, while I
was sweeping the class, I saw a leather bound journal beside his chair. He must have left it carelessly on
the floor. Out of curiosity, I flipped through. What I read made me shiver. Dotun needs help.’

I stopped for a moment, unable to believe the information Phoebe had just told me. Dotun was always
cheerful in my class. His parents were responsible and loving. He had access to the basic needs of life.

‘Are you sure the journal you saw belongs to Dotun?’

Phoebe nodded. ‘I know Dotun’s handwriting. The journal is his. I scribbled down some of his words
from the journal. I can show them to you.’

For a moment I didn’t know what to say. ‘What subject do you have next?’

‘Mathematics.’

A man with two long whips bounced past me into SS2A. ‘Your teacher is here. We’ll talk later.’

On my way to the staffroom, my phone beeped. It was a text message from Wale.

I’m grateful our path crossed. You are everything a man desires in a woman. I can’t wait to pick you up
this evening. I love you so much.

I read that message several times and the last statement rang sounded like music in my ears. Wale loves
me. He loves me so much. Maybe I was just worried for nothing.

‘Wale said he loved me.’ I muttered again.

There was no way he would be playing pranks on me. He must mean those words. An unbeliever could
do this but certainly not a man of God. Could it be that he didn’t know how to tell me he wanted to
marry me?

I sat quietly behind my table, glad to find the staffroom almost empty. I typed a reply.

I love you too. I can’t wait to see you too.

A call came in before I hit send. The number was not familiar.

‘Hello, who is-‘

‘Stay away from Wale!’ A loud feminine voice shouted. ‘You cannot take him away from me. I don’t even
know what he sees in you. I’m begging you in the name of God, stay away from my man.’

I glanced at the Caller ID and put the phone back to my ear. ‘Please who is this?’

‘Just stay away from Wale and stop asking me stupid question.’
She ended the call. I stared at the phone screen, and for the first time since I met Wale, I was truly afraid.

To be continued.....

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1

Episode 2

****************

Wale came to pick me up after work. I couldn’t leave immediately with him because the Principal had
asked one of the English teachers, Mariam, and I to check up on a boy who lived with his grandmother,
not too far away from the school. I explained to Wale and he said he would wait until I got back.

There were two ways to get to our destination. One would require we walk down the street leading to
the express road, board a taxi, stop at a particular bus stop and again walk down to the boy’s house.

The second option was faster. We could go through a bush path, walk past a refuse dumpsite, take the
corner that led to some uncompleted buildings and then appear in his street.

We settled for the bush path. When we got to the refuse dump, we had to cover our noses and watch
the ground to avoid stepping on rotten food and defaces. The place stank. The heap of refuse was so
high and broad that it would take two large trucks to clear the mess.

As we approached the uncompleted buildings, Mariam suddenly stopped walking and pulled me behind
a tree.

I was scared to my wits. This was a lonely path and anything could happen to us here and no one would
discover us for days.

‘What is it?’ I asked, looking around. Were there rapists here? Even if we screamed, no one would hear
us. My heart pounded. I followed Mariam’s direction to the back of an abandoned bungalow with weeds
gathered in front of it. Right in front of the building were images that looked like the shapes of humans.

‘What’s that?’ I asked, squinting.

‘Is that not your girl, Adesuwa.’ Miriam said.

We moved away from the tree and it was then I saw Adesuwa and the Games prefect of the school
kissing passionately. My eyes and mouth opened wide in shock.
The thing is, I was not surprised that Adesuwa could make attempts to kiss a boy. The issue was the kind
of boy she chose to do it with. If it had been with a boy like Dotun or Badmus, it would have been easy
to contain. But Daniel? The guy everyone knew messed around with anything in skirt.

What was she doing with a boy like that? Why would a girl know that a boy screwed around and still
allowed herself to be used, knowing he’d dump her for someone else? How do girls think?

‘You have to sit Adesuwa down.’ Mariam said. ‘An intelligent girl like that should not fall for a stupid boy
like this.’

I was getting upset as we moved towards them.

Daniel? It was easy for any girl to fall heads over heels for his athletic body. He had won awards for the
school in sports and represented the state in many football matches. But why a young boy like that
could not control the thing between his legs beats me.

We froze when Daniel unzipped his trouser. I closed my eyes and opened them again. Was Daniel really
going to have sex with Adesuwa right there?

‘Will you stop that nonsense!’ Mariam shouted. They froze. Daniel cursed under his breath when he saw
us. He zipped up and stepped away from Adesuwa. Her eyes were filled with shame. She stared at the
floor and gently tucked in her rumpled blouse. Daniel stood beside her, his hands thrust into his pockets.

Mariam faced her. ‘Adesuwa, when did you start this nonsense? Why are you girls stupid like this. Of all
the boys to mess around with, it is this public toilet you chose.’

‘Mariam.’ I said quietly.

‘Leave me jare let me talk sense into her head.’ Miriam eyed Daniel. ‘You are already a vagabond so I
won’t even waste my time talking to you.’ She returned her attention to Adesuwa. ‘If this useless boy
gets you pregnant, you will forever live to regret it because he will hate you and deny ever having
anything to do with you. You will suffer while he goes on to be with another girl. Even if you use
contraceptives, it won’t heal the emotional pain when he dumps you. Stop acting like a fool!’

I couldn’t say anything. My anger had dissipated and was replaced with compassion. This was a girl who
had received a standing ovation during the last graduation ceremony for taking prizes as the best
student in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and English. She wasn’t just intelligent,
everyone at school spoke well of Adesuwa.

Some of the boys in her class had told me that if there was a girl they could boast about who had never
messed up with a guy, it was Adesuwa. One time I overheard Dotun saying,

‘Adesuwa is tough jare. I don’t even know what to do again. Are you sure she is not a boy wearing a girl’s
uniform. How can somebody be so unemotional?’

I wondered what Daniel did to win her heart. I stood there looking at two of them.
Mariam dismissed them. ‘I’ll deal with both of you tomorrow. Now, get out of here. Go home!’

Adesuwa scuttled away, half running and half walking. Daniel bounced with his hands still thrust in his
pockets.

Mariam sighed. ‘I think I have the right question for our in-house press club presentation.’

I looked at Mariam. ‘What’s the question?’

‘Why do good girls fall for bad boys?’

I chuckled. ‘That might be a simple one. Opposite attracts.’

********** *********************

Wale looked content and relaxed when I returned from the visit. Mariam had taken a bike home and I’d
been forced to walk the lonely path to the school building alone. A bible was opened in front of Wale
when I climbed into his car.

‘I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.’ I said and shut the door.

Wale closed his bible and placed it gently on the back seat. ‘It’s okay. Can we go now?’

‘Sure.’

The car jerked forward and then stopped. Wale started the engine again. It hummed and died. He tried
again. The same thing happened. Hissing, he got down and opened the bonnet of the car. After a few
minutes, he returned to start the car. It roared.

‘I’m really trusting God for a new car.’ Wale said as we moved away from the school gate. ‘How can
someone like me be using this kind of car. It does not befit my status. Thank God, the Senior Pastor of
Jesus Assembly will be sending a driver to pick me up for tonight’s meeting.’

‘Oh really?’ I said.

Wale nodded. ‘I love invitations where the host takes care of their guests. I remember one particular
invitation I received. I paid my transport fare to the venue. Guess what they gave me at the end of the
ministration? Two Hollandia drinks and oranges. The next time they invited me, I turned the offer down
sharp sharp.’

‘Don’t you think that might be the best they had to offer? We are not motivated by gifts in our service to
God.’

‘Forget that thing! Nothing is free my dear. We love the envelopes too. Won’t the minister of God eat?
Some of these people just want to drain the life out of you.’ He gave me a quick glance and changed the
topic. ‘How are you?’
I wanted to tell him about the call I received from the woman who’d refused to disclose her name but I
held my lips. This was a big evening for Wale and I didn’t want to spoil it. I had learnt that a wise woman
shares her worries with her husband only at the right time.

‘Women, don’t ever welcome your husband from a tiring day at work with disturbing news.’ a
relationship cousellor had said. ‘Train yourself to know when to let out your concerns. When your
husband is well rested, you can in a polite way, talk to him about them.’

I was preparing to be a good wife. What better time than to start practicing now. I decided to wait until
after his ministration. It was difficult though but I knew I had to try.

‘Are you okay?’ Wale asked.

I nodded. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to pick me up after work. I’d love to shower and change to something
more appropriate before the meeting.’

He looked at his wristwatch. ‘I have an hour and a half before the meeting starts. You know what? I’ll
take you home and then we can go somewhere quiet. I want us to pray together before the meeting.’

It was almost 7p.m when we got to the church in the Pastor’s grey highlander. We had stopped to pick
up two of Wale’s mentees. One of them was a lady who looked at me with contempt. What was her
problem gan? If she was crushing on Wale, then she needed to deal with it and not take it out on me. All
these campus sisters that should be married to their books.

Shior!

This was the reason I told Wale how unhealthy it was for a guy to mentor a lady. Many of these ladies
don’t know boundaries. They’d just be catching feelings anyhow.

When the Senior Pastor came to greet us at the car park, Wale did something I didn’t like. He introduced
us to the Pastor by saying,

‘I came with my people.’

Am I part of the ‘people’?

I was annoyed that the wife of the Pastor addressed me the same way she did with the mentees. No
personal acknowledgment. No special treatment. Did they really know who I was to Wale? I was already
feeling moody but I got out of it and smiled warmly. This was Wale’s day and I would enjoy it with him.

The Senior Pastor led us into the church auditorium. It was packed full. I felt like a Pastor’s wife already
as we filed to the seats reserved for us.

Wale’s ministration blew my mind. I had never seen Wale expound scriptures like I did that evening. He
taught the Word with so much authority that at a point I couldn’t sit still. It was as if I was listening a
different man.
The words that came out of his mouth, the effect those words had on the congregation, I almost didn’t
believe this was the same man I laughed and played with. People fell under the power of God without
being touched. There was a strong flow of the gifts of the Spirit.

‘Oh God!’ I muttered beneath my breath. ‘This is my husband. This is the man I’m getting married to.
This is my man!’

At the end of the meeting, the Pastor handed him an envelope while the women packed food and drinks
into the Pastor’s car.

I smiled. Those women ignored me again but very soon, they’d give me the respect I deserved. It was a
matter of time before I’ll be addressed as Wale’s wife. I’ll get their attention.

I stood there, staring at Wale as he talked with the Senior Pastor. My love for him deepened. We’d do
ministry together. We would go global for Christ.

When it was time to leave, Wale’s mentee, rolled her eyes at me when I sat beside Wale and she had to
sit in front with the driver. I was boiling with anger. I’d deal with her very soon and make sure Wale
stopped mentoring her.

Wale leaned close to me as we left the church compound. ‘I caught you staring at me several times.’

I turned my face away, embarrassed.

He touched my hand lightly. ‘It’s okay. I like when you do that.’

I smiled and relaxed. Soon, I was staring at him again.

When we got to my sister’s house, Wale handed me three packs of food and some cans of soft drinks.

‘I’ll call you.’ He said and waved at me. I thanked him and climbed the steps that led to my sister’s
apartment.

******* ***********

My sister, Yewande was in a hot argument with her husband when I entered the house. They were
screaming at the top of their voices in the kitchen.

I stood for a while in the living room that reeked of urine. Toys were scattered all over the place and
grains of rice messed up the centre table.

‘God, please let Wale propose to me so we can get married this year. I’m tired of this place. I want to be
in my husband’s house.’

I entered the bedroom I shared with my nieces. They were all asleep on a large mattress on the floor. As
I set down the food and drinks on the table, the door opened. My sister entered the room, her eyes
welled up in tears.
‘The only reason I’m still in this marriage is because of my children!’ Yewande shouted.

I glanced at the three girls and back at Yewande. ‘Stop shouting. Do you want to wake them up?’

She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat on the bed. ‘Yemisi, I’m tired. Stephen blames me for
everything. His mother was here earlier. She said I was the cause of her son’s misfortune. That before he
married me he was doing well financially but immediately after the wedding, he lost his job and has not
gotten a stable one since.’

‘But it’s not your fault he lost his job. He defrauded the company. He should be glad he is not in jail
now.’

‘Yemisi, If I have a job, Stephen will not have the guts to talk to me anyhow.’

I touched her shoulder. ‘Everything will be alright. Have a little more faith sis. Things will get better.’

Her eyes caught the food packs on the table. She reached for one of the packs.

‘Jollof rice and chicken.’ Yewande exclaimed and flashed me a quick grin. She dug the plastic spoon into
it.

‘Where did you get this?’

I told her about Wale’s preaching engagement.

She took three quick spoonful. ‘You are lucky to have a man like Wale. I don’t know what I was thinking
when I agreed to marry Stephen. There is no love for God in his heart at all. I asked him why he stopped
going to church and he said churches were full of hypocrites. He’d prefer to stay at home and read his
bible. How did I end up with a man like that? I asked for ordinary 1000 naira to get under wears because
mine were torn. My husband said I was selfish and all I could think about was myself. Imagine, 1000
naira.’

I loved my sister but I was tired of her complaints. When I suggested we prayed about her marriage, she
said prayers solves nothing. How do I dismiss her now without offending her?

Yewande continued. ‘I know Stephen has been giving his mother the money we should be spending for
our use. Imagine, he was mad at me when I told him I won’t have sex anymore without contraceptives.
We are yet to finish paying the children’s school fees and he is looking for more children. How can a man
be heartless.’

I knew Yewande would not stop talking if I didn’t do something. I shook my head and made sounds like,
‘uhmmm..’ ‘chai.’ as if sympathizing with her while at the same time flipping through my lesson notes.
She got the clue and stood up.

‘Sorry for bothering you with my plenty issues.’ She lifted the three plates of food and salad from the
table. ‘I’ll take these to the kitchen. When your bobo calls, thank him for us.’
Relieved to be alone, I lay on my back and dialed Wale’s number. It rang for a while but he didn’t pick up.
When I tried the second time and he didn’t answer the call, I changed into my nightie and got ready to
sleep.

I suddenly began to feel restless. I sat up confused. What was this heaviness I was feeling?

My eyes went to the wall where I had written out the names of my SS2 students. When I became their
class teacher at the beginning of the term, I decided I would pray daily for them. I had written all their
names, thirty of them, on two long pieces of paper and pasted them on the wall of my room. After the
first week, I had been too lazy to continue.

I felt strongly that God wanted me to pray for them that night and I got off my bed and went to the wall
and touched each name on the list as I prayed. The more I prayed, the stronger the burden I felt in my
heart.

A picture flashed across my mind. Dotun was standing on the edge of a cliff.

I stopped praying and sat on the floor. What was Dotun doing on a cliff? I knelt down and continued to
pray. Dotun appeared in my mind again and this time, he pulled off a smiling mask to reveal a dark face
with blood shot eyes.

Lord, what’s going on?

My phone rang. I felt a restraint in my spirit not to pick the call but because it was Wale, I couldn’t resist.
I decided that I’d continue with the prayers later. I answered the call.

‘Hello beautiful. I was in the bathroom when you called.’ Wale said.

I let out a deep breath. ‘I wanted us to talk. I need to get some things off my chest.’

‘Go ahead sweetheart. I’m all ears.’

There was so much I wanted to say. Where was our relationship headed? Were we even in a
relationship? Do I have to tell him to propose? Who was the woman that called me at work shouting at
me to leave him alone? I wanted an assurance that I was Wale’s girl. I wanted him to say that I was the
lady he’d love to spend the rest of his life with.

I let out a deep breath. ‘Can I ask a question?’

‘Sure.’

I waited, unsure of how to start the conversation. ‘Whenever I bring up the subject of marriage, you
push it aside. I know you really didn’t ask me out or propose to me but from how close we’ve been, we
are more than just friends.’ I paused. ‘I get confused sometimes and I’d love to know where we are
headed. Is this intimacy leading to marriage?’
Wale chuckled. ‘Why are you all about marriage Yemisi. Is that all there is to life? Let me ask you this, do
you even know what you want to do with your life? I think what you should be concerned about is
getting a better job and pursuing a viable career path. I don’t mean to hurt you but you are too
complacent.’

My heart stopped at those words. What did Wale just say?

‘Please, don’t be offended but I have to tell you the truth. Right now, I expect to hear you talking
passionately about your life goals, empowerment programs you want to attend, business ideas you
desire to pursue. Is it this teaching job you want to spend your life doing?’

Tears stung my eyes. I had never felt more

humiliated in my life. Yemisi, women are stepping out of the norm. They are changing the status quo my
dear. Search for Taiwo Aderemi on facebook. She is younger than you are and already runs two

businesses. Just last week, Mercy Thomas was asked to head a huge project for a Saudi Arabia firm.
Thats a lady whos not even thirty yet. Aanu Coker now runs her NGO and just two weeks ago, she was
invited to speak at a UNICEF event. I was trembling asI held the phone. Why are you

comparing me with these ladies?'

I'm not! I'm just using their achievements to challenge you. I can't allow you live below your capability.
You are very smart and intelligent. Recently, I was invited for a panel discussion and I was mesmerized
by the profile of one of the speakers. If we should take a look at your CV, the only thing we'll find there
is that you were a salesgirl in a supermarket and now a secondary school teacher. Can't you see ladies
getting their MBA and

Tears trickled my face. Why are you doing this?'

I didn't mean to offend you. I love you Yemisi. I really do but there are more important things than
marriage to talk about right now. Pursuing our divine assignment is paramount. We need to fan

God's purpose in our lives into flames When I didn't say anything, he continued. I'm on the lookout for a
job for you. I want you out of that school as soon as possible. Its time to fly.I promise I'll support you to
any length you want to go. You'll become one of the top influencers in the world. Yemisi, are you
listening to me?

My throat was dry. No words came out. I felt defeated. Wale's words came back again. If we should take
a look at your CV, the only thing we'll find there is that you were a salesgirl in a supermarket and now a
secondary school teacher.

Yemisi, I hurt you right

I didn't answer.

I'm sorry. I just want the best for you. What

would I have done in this life without you. I love you. Do you love me?

Yeah. I do When am I seeing you again?'

I didn't feel like seeing him ever again. I don't know. Tomorrow after work, we'll see. Let me leave you to
rest. Goodnight sweetheart.

Just like that? He was dismissing me so quickly. 'Goodnight.

I lay on the bed and still couldn't sleep. The image of Dotun rushed back to my mind. He had been
standing at the top of a cliff. Had I just been imagining it?

Pray. Yemisi, pray. I didn't feel like praying. I was still angry that Wale could compare me with those
facebook ladies. How many of them were really happy? Was it not few days ago that Abigail narrated
how

a colleague of hers flooded her instagram page with the perfect picture of her family when in truth she
cries almost every night because her husband would not stop cheating on her? I was so wound up that I
could barely think.

Maybe I was complacent. Maybe I was a dummy.

I needed something to make me feel better. I reached for my laptop in search of comic relief. I settled
for a movie but the scene that usually got me laughing hard irritated me. I wasn't halfway through the
movie when I slept off.

To be continued.....

Ife Grace.

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 3

*****

I was standing with the other teachers behind the students lined up on the assembly ground when the
vice-principal called out Adesuwa and Daniel. Surprised, I glanced at Mariam but she turned her face
away. I moved closer to her.

‘You reported them to the vice-principal?’

Mariam didn’t answer me. She folded her hands and stared ahead. I was angry but I kept quiet and
moved back to my position.
The vice-principal shook her head. ‘These foolish students were caught at the back of the refuse dump
at Corner Masalashi kissing and ‘totoring’ themselves.’

The students laughed and a loud noise rang loud across the assembly ground. Adesuwa looked down
and you could see she was fighting tears. Daniel kept a straight face.

‘Which one is totoring again. This woman sef.’ Mr Caleb, the H.O.D of the Arts department said.

The vice-principal continued. ‘We are going to make an example of them. But let me say this.
Henceforth, I do not want to see anybody hanging around the vicinity of the school after the closing
assembly. Go home straight! Is that clear?’

‘Yes ma.’ The student chorused.

She turned to the two students. ‘Hell fire is real in case you have forgotten. How can you be touching
yourselves? If you die now, the devil will throw you into the hottest part of hellfire because as it is, your
bodies are already defiled. Or you think God will just let you go free for desecrating your body?’

The chemistry teacher hissed. ‘What nonsense. This SU woman has come again. Abeg she should release
the students jare. I have the first two classes this morning. .’

The vice-principal didn’t look ready to release the students. ‘Flee from all immorality. When you have
sex, you invite demons into your life. They will play hide and seek in all parts of your body until they
destroy you. Girls, don’t let any boy touch any part of your body. If a boy comes to you and says, ‘hey
baby, I love your smile. You are the most beautiful girl on the face of the earth.’ Run! What did I say?’

‘Run!’ the students shouted.

‘Any boy that comes to you with those sweet words, do not listen to him. It is the devil talking to you not
that boy. He is only a vessel that the devil wants to use. There are demon possessed girls and boys
everywhere. For you boys who like to do tininini with your thing, there are girls Lucifer has assigned
from the pit of hell to destroy you. They will use your brain and your life will just be yamayama.’

A teacher shifted uncomfortably. He turned to the rest of the teachers.

‘Somebody should tell this woman to shut up and let us get to class. Is this a church?’

‘Abi o. rubbish leleyi now.’ The chemistry teacher looked at his wristwatch. ‘It’s already five minutes into
the first period.’

Mr Akin, one of the mathematics teacher laughed. ‘You guys should calm down. Hear the word of the
Lord.’

‘Word of God my foot. This is what the principal will not take. I just pray he returns from his trip today. I
don’t have time to be listening to jargons every morning.’ the chemistry teacher retorted.
‘Now,’ the Vice-principal continued. ‘Let’s get right to your punishment. It’s a free day for the school
cleaners. There’ll be no classes for two of you. You will clean all the toilets in the school.’

‘Ah!’ The students shouted.

‘After that, you will clear the weeds growing around the basketball court. When you are done, you will
report back to my office for further punishments.’ She turned to the students. ‘File into your classes
now!’

When I got to the staffroom, I waited until most of the teachers had left for their lessons and then I
faced Mariam.

‘What’s the meaning of what you did this morning? Adesuwa is my student and I am responsible for
every student in my class. Why would you go behind my back and report my student to the vice-
principal. It’s bad enough that I was there with you when the incident happened.’

Mariam completely ignored me. She flipped through an English textbook and began to read a
comprehension passage.

‘Miss Mariam, what you did was wrong.’ Mr Alamu, the SS3 class teacher said. ‘Daniel is in my class. At
least I should have been notified first.’

I was so upset that she ignored me and I wanted badly to get her to talk.

‘I don’t understand her motive. Something happened yesterday and by this morning, it’s already in the
ears of the Vice-principal. You know how the VP handles issues.’

I finally got her attention. She raised her head. ‘I had to do what was right.’

Mariam was clearly not repentant. ‘Hogwash! Who does not know you were trying to get the attention
of the VP to yourself.’

Mariam tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. ‘Say whatever you like, it’s none of my business. I
can’t join you to raise spoilt brats. They need to be dealt with and that was what the vice-president did.
All you know how to do is laugh and play with your students. I don’t know who made you a class teacher.
You are not fit to be one!’

I stared at Mariam in disbelief. She hissed and continued reading.

‘So what are you insinuating?’ a teacher said. ‘You think you are a better class teacher? Was it not you
the JSS 3 students couldn’t stop complaining about? What will it take from you to apologize. You didn’t
do well Mariam.’

Mariam laughed. ‘Apologize for what? Over my dead body. I did not do anything wrong.’ She turned to
me. ‘You can go and hit your head against the wall for all I care.’
I needed to stay calm to teach the class I had that morning. My emotions were turned upside down and I
knew I couldn’t enter a classroom that way. I went to my table, fuming.

‘Lord, I’m so upset right now.’ I muttered. ‘I don’t want to go to my class like this. Please help my
emotions. I need to be calm to teach properly.’

Nothing changed. Mariam’s words kept flashing across my mind and I convinced myself that the reason
she could talk to me that way was because of how close we were at work. Even the students knew that
of all the teachers, Mariam was the closest to me. I guess that was what made it hurt more. If it had
been a neutral person, it wouldn’t have gotten to me that much.

The bell rang. It was time to teach the SS1 class. I began to mutter tongues quietly, praying for my mind
to be calm enough to teach. As I stood up, I heard a still voice.

Apologize to Mariam.

I shook my head and held the edge of the table. Apologize for what? Mariam got into my business. She
was the one who said I was not fit to be a class teacher. My own friend said this to my face. How was it
my fault? There was no way I was going to apologize. Never!

I picked my lesson notes and left the staffroom. On my way to the SS1 class, I stopped by the physics
laboratory to check up on Dotun. I searched from one student to another but he was not there. I
panicked. Had he hurt himself? Were the revelations I saw the previous night true?

As I stepped away from the window, he appeared in front of me. Relief flooded my heart. I searched his
face for something unusual. There was nothing.

‘Where are you coming from?’

He grinned. ‘Restroom. Were you missing me already?’

I raised my hand to smack him in the face, but he laughed and bounced away from me.

I smiled. ‘Go into your class my friend.’

‘Yes ma’am.’ He said and walked into the laboratory.

My eyes caught Adesuwa walking towards the lavatories holding a toilet brush and a sachet of detergent.
I sighed and decided I’d sit her down and have a long chat with her.

You won’t believe that twice that day, Mariam and I walked past each other on the corridor like we were
strangers. It had never happened. Usually, when we bump into each other like that, I’d pinch her, tickle
her or flash her a smile.

The silence was cold. Mr Akin noticed it during the long break time.
‘Something is going on between Yemisi and Mariam. The noisemakers in this staffroom have suddenly
gone quiet.’

‘Oh, you didn’t see the drama that happened this morning?’ A teacher said.

‘What happened?’

The teacher narrated the incident. Mr Akin looked at Mariam and then at me.

‘You ladies are mature. Forget about the incident and move on. Which one are you beefing each another.
Women sha.’

After my last class that afternoon, I decided to talk to Mariam. To be sincere, I didn’t feel like apologizing.
I was good at shutting people out. After all, when I was a teenager, I didn’t talk to my best friend for
almost two years and it didn’t bother me. She was the one who finally reached out to me.

My relationship with God dealt with some things. I’m not saying I’m flawless but one of the things I
started learning in my walk with God was the heart to be at peace with people. I was feeling restless and
I knew it wouldn’t go away until I made amends with her.

Mariam was coming out of one of the classes when I blocked her path. She glared at me.

‘I’m sorry for the way I spoke to you this morning.’

Her expression remained unchanged. ‘You are in my way.’

I stood aside for her to pass. She walked away without saying a word. The anger rose to my throat. What
was she feeling like? Why did I even apologize to her?

If she wanted end the friendship, then so be it. I was not ready to listen to the Holy Spirit about going to
meet her again. I will not do it!

I was still burning with anger as I returned to the staffroom.

‘Miss Yemisi.’

I turned. Phebe rushed to me with three pieces of paper.

‘I found these drawings hidden in Dotun’s locker. I’m really scared.’

‘Thank you Phebe.’ I took the drawings from her and didn’t bother to look at them. ‘I’ll go through them
and have a chat with Dotun.’

It was then I remembered I had not looked at the notes Phebe had made from Dotun’s journal that she
found lying carelessly on the floor. They were tucked in the bottom of my drawer. I decided I’d find time
to look through them and get to the bottom of the issue.
Mariam walked past me again without saying a word. I wanted to shake her and tell her she was acting
like a child. Why wouldn’t she just get over what had happened.

I forgot again to go through Phebe’s notes and Dotun’s drawings and only remembered when I alighted
at my bus stop. As I walked down the street leading to my sister’s house, I set a reminder to read
through them the following day.

My sister’s husband was playing games in the living room when I stepped into the house. He was so
engrossed that he didn’t respond when I greeted him. I didn’t bother to call his attention to my presence.
I was seeing Wale at 7p.m and that was mattered.

Yewande stood at the entrance to my room, her daughter strapped to her back.

‘He has been sitting there playing games since morning. There is no money at home and the children are
hungry. I don’t understand how a man like that can be useless.’

I squeezed a thousand naira into her hands and hugged her.

‘You’ll be fine Yewande. This is just a phase. He’ll come around.’

************ *************

‘Hi dearie.’ I pretended to be annoyed when I entered Wale’s car.

Even though I had forgiven him for speaking so rashly to me the previous night, I wanted him to know I
didn’t like it. I was his woman and not his mentee. He had to learn to stop treating me like one.

He pulled me into his arms. ‘I’m sorry about the way I spoke to you last night. I’m really sorry. You know
I love you right?’

I loved Wale so much. I doubt if there was anything that’d make me stay angry with him for so long.

‘I love you too.’

We drove to our regular suya and barbeque spot. After making our orders, we settled for one of the
empty slabs in the open space.

‘I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine.’ Wale started. ‘There is a job opening in his company. He
wants your CV.’

So fast? Wale had not given me time to think about leaving my job. I loved working with students very
much even though I earned a meager sum. I didn’t feel ready to leave yet.

‘Sweetheart, we are in the middle of a term. I can’t just leave like that. I thought I’d be able to wait till
the end of the term.’

Wale frowned. ‘There is no time Yemisi. You know how difficult it is to get a good job like this one. I
heard the pay is a hundred and fifty thousand naira. After a year, the salary will be reviewed. This is
apart from the allowances you’ll be entitled to. It’s a travel agency and they have great connections with
rich foreigners. This is your key to greatness, Yemisi. We can’t lose this.’

I told him I’d sent the CV to him later.

‘Send it to me now. Don’t you have it on your phone? Don’t play with your life like this Yemisi.’

The suya and barbeque fish arrived as I searched for the document on my phone. Wale dialed
someone’s number and got talking with the person but I wasn’t listening. I felt a sudden heaviness in my
chest and a feeling that I was making a wrong decision. I found the curriculum vitae and sent it to Wale.

When he ended the call, I told him I had sent it. He looked at me, his face bursting forth with excitement.

‘You won’t believe this. I just got off the phone with the friend I told you about. He wants you to come
see him tomorrow at the office by 10a.m. I didn’t even know he was the head of the HR department.
Babe, this job is yours.’

I frowned. ‘Tomorrow? Honey, I have classes. I can’t just leave like that.’

I could feel Wale’s anger from where I sat. ‘Yemisi, be smart now. Use your brain. Send your principal a
note. Tell him you had to go to the hospital for treatment. Just say something.’

‘Are you asking me to tell a lie?’

Wale didn’t respond. He reached for his phone and began to play with it. He always did that when he
was pissed about anything.

‘Fine. I’ll get a way to leave school. But promise me you’ll see my mentor this weekend.’

He smiled and pinched my cheeks. ‘That’s not a problem. Now that we have that settled, how are you?
Any gist for me?’

The barbeque spot was now crowded and some young men had taken a platform and were singing
Sunny Ade’s ‘Ara ma nfe simi’. Wale unwrapped the suya and held out a tooth pick to me. The suya
looked enticing. I threw a few pieces into my mouth, savouring the peppery taste that lingered in my
tongue.

I told Wale about Mariam and the fracas that happened that morning. Then I remembered the lady that
had called to threaten me the evening before Wale’s preaching engagement. I told him about that too.
Wale stopped listening at that point.

‘A woman called to threaten you?’

‘Yes. She kept screaming that I should leave you alone. Something about being your man. It happened a
while ago but I didn’t want to bring it up.’

‘You should have told me about it. Can I see the number she called you with?’
I had saved the name as ‘Troublemaker.’ Wale’s eyes flickered for a minute when he saw the number.
He shook his head and gave me back the phone.

‘Do you know the person?’

Wale smiled. ‘There is nothing to worry about. You know by reason of my calling, I have ladies flocking
around me. I had lots of them on campus and it took wisdom to be able to handle them. Don’t let it
bother you.’

I wanted an assurance. I wanted to know if I was the only woman in his life but I remembered how the
last discussion on our relationship had gone. I didn’t want to upset him again. The fact that Wale said he
loved me was enough.

*********** *********************

‘Please take a seat.’

Wale’s friend said to me when I stepped into his office the next morning. On his table were flyers with
Pavilion Travel Agency boldly written on them. There were pictures of airplanes, beautiful resorts and
fair-skinned ladies relaxing on a beach.

My chest heaved up and down in quick beats. What’s kind of questions was he going to ask me? I’d
never travelled out of the country and neither did I know anything about travel agencies.

His smiled and I relaxed a little. Maybe this wasn’t going to be difficult as I thought. My eyes caught the
clock on the wall. 10.30. I had swapped lessons with a colleague but I had to be back in school before
1p.m.

‘You are very beautiful.’ He said as soon as I sat down.

‘Thank you sir.’

‘My name is Jide and I am the head of the Human Resources department in this organization.’ He
reclined in his seat. ‘Wale and I go way back. We clubbed and drank together until he decided to follow
Jesus. When he first told me, I laughed. I thought he’d change his mind. But he didn’t. My friend went on
to become the president of a campus fellowship and I knew Jesus had clipped his wings. We remained
friends anyway and when he told me his girl was looking for a job, I knew I had to help.’

I smiled. At least, Wale told his friend I was his girl. That was something 'Don't worry about getting a job
here. I have already sorted that out. All you have to do is apply and show up for the interview. Just so
you

know, this is Nigerian's foremost travel agency. If you work hard, you can build a successful career here.

He passed his business card to me. If you need anything, just call me. I'm already working on your
employment letter. Relax, this job is yours. Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate your help
He smiled and stretched out his hand. I shook it. You are welcome Yemisi

On my way out, I passed by the boardroom just as a young beautiful lady in a short dark gown stepped
out. She smiled warmly at me as she entered into another office. Another fair-skinned came out of
another office carrying a file. She was followed by a man in a black suit, eating a sandwich at the same
time perusing a document in his hand.

I let out a quick breath. What would it feel like to sit in board meetings and brainstorm ideas with other
people? I knewI would enjoy my time here.

I might not have liked Wale's approach but if he hadn't pushed me that way, I would have been
reluctant to make a move.

My days of sitting down for hours writing lesson notes was over. I would no longer spend sleepless
nights marking exam scripts. Pavillion Travel Agency was all I thought of as I returned to my workplace.

The principal's car was parked in front of the school building. My heart fainted. He had driven out some
minutes before I left for the agency and they silently prayed he would not return until | got back.

I decided to take the entrance that led to the girls hostel. From the hostel, I would walk down the
refectory and enter the staff room through the back of the building. This was a better option than
entering through the main school gate. I laughed at myself as I walked quickly. Even as a secondary
school student, I never sneaked out of school. I couldn't believe that I was doing it now as a teacher.

I was closed to the two-storey building that

housed all the secondary school classes when I noticed students hanging around the corridor. It was
unusual since it wasn't break time. The only time this had happened was when the principal called for an
emergency meeting.

I broke into a sweat when I heard the principal's voice from the staff room. Nobody had said anything
about a staff meeting holding that day. Slowly, I moved towards the entrance. Where is Miss Yemisi?'
The principal said. I froze. My heart was now thumping so loud. I walked into the staffroom. The
principal frowned. Where are you coming from?

'Restroom sir. I lied.

His gaze didn't leave me. 'T'm you have heard the tragic news concerning one of your students. I
pretended to be aware andI showed this by my sad countenance. If l acted like l didn't know, he'd be
suspicious especially if the other teachers had already gotten wind of it. As I stood there,I wondered
what student he was talking about.

"Miss Yemisi, I want to you to put the rest of your classes on hold for today and a pay a condolence visit
right away. The H.O.D and Vice-principal will join you later
I raised my head, shocked. Condolence visit? Did any of my students lose a parent? I tried to figure out
who it could be. Sarah had told me earlier in the month about her mother's illness, had she lost her?
When the Principal left the staff room, there was

this gloomy expression on the faces of the

teachers. I hurried to the table of the Accounts teacher, Titi, the lady I had swapped classes with. What's
going on?I whispered to her. From the corner of my eye, I saw Mariam staring at me. I ignored her. One
of your students is dead' Titi said.

I stared at her, shocked. Who?' She let out a deep sigh. 'Dotun!' I went numb. 'What? His body was
found in the bathroom this

morning. Apparently, he committed suicide.

The vision returned. Dotun had been standing on a cliff. He had removed a smiling mask that revealed
dark eyes.

I remember the instruction again. Pray, the still small voice had said.

Oh God' I blinked back tears and managed to return to my seat.

Dotun? Suicide. How could this have happened? If I had obeyed, maybe he'd have lived. I disappointed
God. I could have averted his death. My negligence had cost me a soul. Dotun was a sweet boy. Why
would a boy like that kill himself. Maybe Titi didn't hear the principal correctly.

I went out of the staffroom and hurried down the corridor that led to S$2A. Dotun had to be somewhere
at the back row. Hed make those funny remarks that sometimes got me laughing very hard.

A chill crept over me when I saw my students sitting like they were attending a funeral. No smiles. No
jumping around. No laughter. Some had swollen eyes and others dabbed handkerchiefs across their
teary faces. How did they hear know about this and no one called to inform me.

I stood in front of the class and stared at the empty seat where Dotun usually occupied. My legs couldn't
carry me any longer. I sat on the teacher's chair and stared blankly at my students.

They stared back. I had failed them. I was not worthy to be a class teacher. Under my watch, my own
favourite student had ended his own life. For a long time we stayed that way, content with the silence
that dragged for a long time.

To be continued......

Ife Grace.

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 4

******** *************

I went to Dotun’s residence that afternoon. The housekeeper, a tall skinny woman led me down a hall
that opened up into a spacious living room. Dotun’s mother was reclining on a luxurious creamy sofa
dressed in a black loose gown. She had a black bonnet on her head and a bible opened on her laps.

The atmosphere was thick with an unexplainable darkness. I suddenly felt a sharp pain behind my head
and with it came a fear that almost ripped my heart apart. What kind of house was this?

Dotun’s mother smiled sadly and cleared the photographs of Dotun scattered beside her. She placed
them on the stool in front of her and ask me to sit beside her. My eyes caught a picture of Dotun in a
navy blue suit standing in front of a church with ‘FISHERS OF MEN BIBLE CHURCH’ inscribed boldly on it.

There was another photograph of Dotun in a jersey with a ball under his arm. There was a younger
version of him standing in front of a birthday cake, smiling with his front teeth gone. I closed my eyes
and fought back tears.

I sat down and clasped my hands in front of me. ‘I’m Yemisi, Dotun’s class teacher.’

Dotun’s mother smiled sadly. She took a long glance at the bible and I almost thought she wanted to
share something with me from the scriptures she’d been reading. She looked at me.

‘I know you. We’ve met once.’

I nodded. We had spoken at length at the open day event shortly after I was made the class teacher for
SS2 A.

‘I’m sorry about what happened to Dotun. The Lord comfort your heart ma’am.’

‘Thank you Miss Yemisi. I really appreciate this. The principal was here earlier today.’

I looked around the large sitting room and wondered why she was alone in the house. Where were her
friends? What about her siblings and relatives? Why was there no one with her to comfort her?

She touched my shoulders lightly. ‘You are the first person I’ve permitted to see me since I stumbled on
my dead son this morning. A lot of people were here but I told the housekeeper not to allow anyone in. I
just wanted to be alone for some time.’

I was embarrassed that she had read my thoughts so quickly. ‘Thank you for letting me in.’

A young lady came out of one of the rooms in a torn jeans and black tank top. She wore a heavy makeup
and her long hair was dyed pink. She held a small box and stopped in front of her mother.

‘I’m out of this damn place.’

Dotun mother’s face hardened. ‘Dunni, you can’t leave now. We need you here.’

She set the box down and folded her hands. ‘This place is shit. I can’t stay here.’
Dotun’s mother frowned. ‘Mind your language girl. Take that box back into the house!’

The lady laughed dryly. ‘My brother was a sweet and beautiful soul. You didn’t rest until you killed him.
You want me to stay here so you can ruin my life too?

I felt like standing up and slapping her. What kind of rude child was this? Why would she talk to her
mother like that.

Dotun’s mother flared up. ‘I can clearly see that you are out of your mind. Your brother killed himself
when we poured on him every spiritual and material support any child could need. You have the guts to
stand here and accuse me of killing my own son?’

Dunni wiped her tears. ‘I want the world to know how wicked you are. You ended his life long before
now. You manipulated him! You killed him!’

Her mother slapped her across the face. ‘I just lost my son. Dunni, don’t let me lose my temper.’

I didn’t know what to do at that moment. Should I stand up quietly and leave? Should I try to talk sense
into the girl’s head?

Dunni was not done. Tears poured down her face. ‘If nobody will stand up to you, I will. I regret having
you as my mother. My sister is going through intense therapeutic sessions because of you and now my
brother is gone. You are never satisfied with what we do. How did you even manage to control all of us?
Now I am beginning to doubt if dad’s death was natural. He might have died from a ghastly motor
accident but you drove him to it.’

Her mother wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at her daughter calmly. ‘All I ever did was give you
the best life had to offer. Is this how you repay me?’

Dunni was shaking terribly. She glanced briefly at me. ‘This lady will think I’m just one rebellious child
who has no respect for her mother. Mum, you are the best actress I’ve ever seen. You know how to fit
into any role perfectly. My God! I detest those tears on your face. They are the weapons to more
manipulative schemes. I’m out of here before you kill me too.’

Click on the picture to register

She grabbed her box and stormed out of the house. The house keeper and two other ladies were
standing at the far corner of the living room watching. One glare from Dotun’s mother and they scuttled
away.

Dotun’s mother wiped her tears and smiled at me. I was already uncomfortable sitting there, seeking
desperately for something to say but coming up empty. She came to my rescue.

‘Is there any of Dotun’s belongings in school that I need to come for?’

I told her Dotun’s locker would be emptied and his books sent to the house.
‘You can give out his textbooks, but I’d like all his notebooks returned.’

‘I’ll do that ma’am.’

The bell rang and I was more than relieved when the housekeeper rushed to open the door. The vice-
principal and the heads of department of my school filed in. Soon, other people arrived and by the time I
was ready to leave, the living room was crowded.

****** ************* *************************

4a.m. I woke with a start, panting heavily. My body was soaked with sweat.

My sister, Yewande was perching at the edge of the bed. She looked very worried. ‘You had a
nightmare.’

I was shaking terribly even though the room was hot. I had seen Dotun screaming for help. Fire was
spreading from his legs to his body. Instead of helping him, I had ignored him and right before my eyes,
a strange creature appeared. He had only one enormous eye and sharp talons. His fangs was enough to
send a man’s head rolling in seconds. He swept Dotun off his feet and flung him across the sky. I stood
there, unable to move. When I would look to my left, Dotun’s mother was staring at me with a self-
satisfying smile on her face. I turned my eyes away from her to the monster. He laughed and began to
walk towards me. I screamed.

‘Are you sure you are okay?’

I moved away from the bed and sat on the edge of the bed. Yewande’s husband was standing at the
entrance. I apologized and told them it would not happen again. When they left, I couldn’t sleep. The
dream seemed so real. I wept till the day dawned.

When I woke up much later in the afternoon, I checked my call history. There were twenty calls I had
missed. Wale. My vice-principal. Some of the teachers.

I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. I sent the vice-principal a text message. I was not feeling well. I
needed a little time to pull myself together. She called immediately.

‘What kind of useless text message did you send to me?’ The vice-principal said.

I didn’t know how to respond. ‘I couldn’t get out of bed this morning.’

‘Is that an excuse? We were all affected by Dotun’s death so don’t give me that crap. Life is not fair. But
we can’t stop living. We move on. Who were you expecting to take your classes for today? If you are
acting like this, how do you expect your students to behave? What if all of them decided not to come to
school today. But they are all in school, trying to get past this. My friend! You have no excuse. Your
salary for today has been deducted. You didn’t show up for work. Period! If you think you can cry to the
principal, just so you know, he left for Ghana this morning and until he returns I stand in his position. I
want you back in school tomorrow morning or else you’ll get a query.’
She hung up. I was too weak to be angry. I turned off the phone and faced the wall. My sister came into
my room an hour later with a plate of rice and stew. I tried a few spoons but that was all. I pushed the
tray under the bed and faced the wall again.

Dotun returned in my dreams again. This time, I was in the class teaching when he walked to his seat
and began to cut himself with a sharp razor blade. Blood oozed out of his arm. I stopped teaching and
fixed my gaze on him, alarmed. I started to shout at the top of my lungs hoping the students would stop
him but they all kept their gaze at me. It was if I was standing in front of a class of blind students who
were also deaf. When I rushed to Dotun’s seat, he disappeared from sight. I woke up.

I couldn’t sleep again. At day break, I dressed up and went to school. None of the teachers had arrived
and so I climbed the stairs that led to

SS2 A. I had ten minutes before the teachers and the boarding house students begin to pour into the
school building.

When I got to SS2 A, I stood in front of the class and looked from one seat to the other, whispering their
names.

‘Yemi. Damola. Fisayo. Mary. Adesuwa. Paul. Phebe. Jide. Hamzat. Folarin. Dunni…’ I kept going until I
got to Dotun’s seat. I stopped. Dotun’s voice was ringing in my head.

Miss Yemisi’s boyfriend is lucky. If I were old enough to be her boyfriend, I’d kill anyone who came near
here. She’d belong to me alone.

Tears trickled down my face. How did I not detect that something was wrong? I could have stopped this.

Miss Yemisi, if indeed you say there is a God, then he must be very cruel. If he was good like you claimed,
he wouldn’t have created my mother.

My heart stopped when I remembered those words. Dotun had made that statement one afternoon as
we stood outside the staffroom. Why didn’t I listen?

Miss Yemisi, how can hell be worse than what we are facing in this world. At least the fire, if there is
truly a hell fire, will just burn my skin. Having humans torture your mind is the worst kind of hell.

I closed my eyes and my lips trembled. I remember Dotun’s eyes. I see now how they were pleading for
help. Why was I seeing this now? I felt dizzy and gripped the sides of one of the lockers.

‘Yemisi.’

I turned towards the door. Mariam entered the class slowly and stopped in front of me.

‘Are you okay?’

I nodded. I wondered how long I’d stayed in the class. I followed her out. She held my hands.
‘I’m sorry about what happened. It’s not your fault Dotun died. Please don’t take the guilt trip. He made
the choice to end his life.’

But I would have at least tried to stop him, I thought to myself. I would have made attempts to pray for
him. I would have gone through the notes Phebe gave me. Dotun might still have been alive. When we
got to the front of the vice-principal’s office, I stopped. ‘Mariam, I need to see the vice-principal.’

She nodded and gave me a tight hug. ‘You’ll be fine.’

I forced a smile and waited for her to move away before stepping into the vice-principal’s office. There
was a large plastic cup filled with pap and beside it was an oil-smeared newspaper containing akara balls.
I wondered how the vice-principal could eat comfortably with sheets of paper scattered all over her
table.

‘What do you want?’ she looked at me frowning.

I pulled out an envelope from my handbag. I had written my resignation letter early in the morning. My
mission at Cornerstone College was over. I’d sworn never to have anything to do with teenagers. I
placed the envelope gently in front of her.

‘What’s this?’ She asked, looking at the envelope but not reaching out to take it.

I didn’t respond. She reached for her glasses and put it on before taking out the letter from the envelope.
I waited for her to read through the content. She looked at me, shocked.

‘Do you remember the scripture that says, if you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the
first place?’

Proverbs twenty-four verse ten, message translation. I’d read the verse many times. I wasn’t denying
that there was anything to me anyway. If a boy could die on my watch, how could God commit anything
to me again?

‘Why can’t you just move on with your life for goodness sake? Think before you take action! Are you a
baby? Yemisi, you will regret this.’ She paused. ‘Just when the management planned to pay salary next
week with an increment of five thousand naira for all the employees, you are backing out. You see what
you have lost?

All these lectures because of an extra five thousand naira on the forty thousand naira I earn? Will this
woman just let me get out of here before I lose my mind?

‘You can leave if that’s what you want but for abruptly resigning without giving us time to get another
teacher, you’ll be paid nothing. I hope this teaches you that you are not indispensable.’ The
conversation was over. The Vice-principal tore open a sachet of milk with her teeth and poured it into
the cup before stirring it.
I left for the staffroom to get the rest of my things. The students were hurrying towards the assembly
ground and the teachers on duty were stationed at different positions controlling the movements of the
students. . The rest of the teachers shouted in excitement when I stepped into the staffroom. It was
obvious they were glad to see me. I loved these teachers and I would miss them.

When they left for the assembly, I got to work. I brought out all the textbooks the school had provided
for me and arranged them neatly on the table. The Economic assignment notes for the

SS3 students were stacked beside my chair. I flipped through the notes and was relieved that I had
marked all the assignments. I placed them beside the textbooks along with my lesson notes. I trashed
the pieces of paper that I didn’t find useful.

I was afraid to open the lower drawer of my desk. I didn’t want to see the notes and drawings Phebe
had given to me. But I had to clear everything out. One after the other I pulled out the pieces of papers
from the drawer. In one of the drawings, Dotun lay dead on the floor. Beside the dead body, another
Dotun stood with his arms opened wide, laughing.

I shivered. This wasn’t a caricature at all. The eyes, nostrils, ears, everything was exactly in perfect shape.
The drawing was not just beautiful, it evoked strong emotions. How did I not know that Dotun had such
talent? What else have I missed about this boy?

I reached for one of the notes.

Mum said artists were the poorest people on earth. She took me into the torture chambers when she
saw a drawing I had made of my father. I miss dad so much. He’d covered up for me many times. I love
to draw. It’s the only thing that makes me happy. No, scratch that. I love two things actually. Tearing at
my chest with a very sharp razor blade. Oh how I love the pain.

A chill ran down my back. I picked another note.

Death is the path that leads to freedom. I want to be free!

I stopped reading because my hands were shaking so terribly that the pieces of paper fell from my hand.
I shred them, making no attempt to stop the tears streaming down my face. I had to get out of the
school. I couldn’t stay one moment there or I’d break down.

I went through the back gate. It was the same gate I had taken when I returned from the interview at
Pavillion Travel Agency. The security guard stationed at the back gate was curious.

‘Aunty Yemisi, shey you dey alright?’

I smiled. ‘I’m okay sir.’

I didn’t say goodbye to anyone. Not even to my students who meant so much to me. I loved the time I’d
spent with them, but it didn’t change the fact that I’d failed them. I remember that after a three day
retreat during my service year, I had written in my journal that I perceived God wanted me to raise
teenagers for his glory. It was clear that I had been deceiving myself. I had no business with teens.

When the bike stopped in front of my house, I saw Abigail standing in front of my house with Yewande.

‘Here she comes!’ Abigail exclaimed.

I paid the bike fare and went into the house with them.

‘I resigned.’ I said to Abigail. She sighed as we entered the room together.

‘Yewande said you’ve not been sleeping well.’

I sat on the bed and held my head. Why was my head banging so loud? I lay on my back, tired and
frustrated. Abigail went to work. She took out an empty travelling bag and began to fold some of my
clothes into the bag. Yewande worked with her, folding my under wears and arranging my toiletries into
the bag. I didn’t even bother to ask what they were doing. I fell back to the bed and stared blankly at
them.

‘I don’t want her to be a burden on you.’ My sister said.

‘Yemisi can never be a burden. My mother loves her very much. She’ll be fine.’

When Abigail finished, she zipped the bag and reached for my hand. I took it, too weak to say anything.
We boarded a taxi that took us to her house. I was glad Abigail didn’t make attempts to talk to me all
through the ride. I needed the silence terribly.

Abigail made my favourite meal. Rice and fried plantation. But I couldn’t get it down my throat. It tasted
like paracetamol on my tongue. Abigail was worried.

‘Yewande said you’ve hardly eaten anything since you found out about Dotun’s death. Please eat
something.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

She held up a spoonful of rice. 'Just one spoon. I shook my head and reached for the bottle of cold Fanta.
In one gulp, the 50cl was gone. Abigail left the room and returned with two sausage rolls. I finished them
in no time. Excited, Abigail stood up

Should I get you bread and tea? I touched my stomach. I don't want anything. I'm

filled up' The bread is very nice. It's coconut bread. I can spread jam over it.

I shook my head. 'No. Thank you'

She climbed the bed and opened her laptop. 'Let's watch a movie
Halfway into the movie, I lost the flow and my thoughts returned to Dotun and with it came the tears
again. I tried not to sniff but I couldn't hold it. Abigail looked at me and I knew she didn't know what to
say to make me feel better. The truth was, I didn't want her to say anything. I loved the silence. She
squeezed my hand gently. I smiled and tried to focus on the movie. But I couldn't.

At the end of the movie, Abigail went to get me another drink. When she returned, her face was
beaming with smiles.

'Guess who is here to see you. My eyes went to the door, Mama Deolu and Abigail's mother stood at the
entrance. I flew Out of the bed and ran to hug my spiritual mentor. My hands were still wrapped around
her neck as the tears poured down my face. Tears were in Mama

D's eyes too. I heard. Mama D said. 1 know how you loved that boy. You talked about him a lot. Listen
dear, stop allowing the devil weigh you down with condemnation. You did your best for that boy. Stop
carrying the guilt around'

You don't understand. It's my fault. The signs were there but I ignored them.

Mama Deolu held my shoulders. 'God is not mad at you. He loves you and his plans for you has not
changed. Cast your cares on the Lord and see where he takes you from there.

My mentor didn't understand. I had failed God. How could he still use me to raise a son of his after my
negligence. I had preached the love of the Father but right now, God seemed different to me. I had
disobeyed him. I had let a boy slip into everlasting condemnation. He couldn't possibly trust me with
someone else.

glanced at Abigail's mother Thank you for

allowing me stay here. She smiled and turned to her daughte. 'Has she eaten?

I served rice and plantain but she refused to eat it. She devoured the two sausage rolls I gave her though.
Yewande said she has not been able to eat or sleep well in the last two days. There is a burger in my
handbag. Go get it Abigail left and I returned to the bed. The two women followed me in.

How's Papa D' I asked my mentor

My mentor smiled. 'He has returned from the pastoral college. He misses you a lot. Don't be far away
from us Yemisi.

I nodded. Yes ma'am'

The two women placed their hands on my head and began to pray softly. Suddenly, I felt the heaviness
slowly lift from my chest. My head also felt lighter. I lay on my back enjoying the soothing words that
flowed from their lips. I slept off. I didn't have any nightmare this time. When I woke up, Abigail was
beside me, watching a documentary. I tapped her lightly. She removed her earpiece and looked at me

What's the time?'I asked. It's almost midnight I faced the wall and returned to sleep.
***** ************

I resumed work at Pavillion Travel Agency a month after I resigned from my job as a teacher. I drove
myself to work and by the end of the first month, I was paid a hundred and fifty thousand naira as my
basic salary. I also got another hundred thousand naira as commission. Jide, Wale's friend and the head
of HR gave me a room in his family house which was just few streets away from my office. It was a
temporary provision until I secure a rented apartment.

Something happened the day after I told Wale about the pay l'd received. He asked that we hang out at
a particular restaurant. I wanted it to be a special date. Of course I had money now and I could afford
something classy. I went for a nice shoe and a beautiful dinner gown.

I got to the restaurant and Wale did something l'd been dying for him to do. He held out a beautiful
engagement ring and proposed to me. I said Yes. I should have been excited right? I wasn't and I
couldn't explain why I felt that way. Probably it was just my mind overthinking things. I was wondering
why Wale proposed after I collected my salary. Why not before?

tried to shake off the odd feeling and concentrate on the delicious meal he had ordered.

I stared at the ring on my finger. This was

something l'd been looking forward to yet

everything seemed so bland. I convinced myself that it had nothing to do with the money in my bank
account. Wale was ready to settle down but somewhere in my heart I could sense something terrible
coming.

To be continued.....

Ife Grace.

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl. Season 1 Episode 5

***********

I love working with Taiwo. We became buddies the first week I resumed at Pavilion. I’d been a little
disturbed when I discovered I was to work in the marketing department. I didn’t like the fact that I had
to be looking for clients up and down.

Taiwo assured me that I would get a hang of it. He showed me all I needed to get started. I picked up
well and by the third month of my stay there, my boss was impressed with my work.

Anyway, something happened few days to my twenty-seventh birthday. I was walking down the corridor
to my office when my boss, the head of the marketing department informed me that some big guns
were in town from Abuja. He wanted me to introduce one of our recent travel packages to them.
‘Who is going with me?’ I asked.

‘Tosin.’ My boss said.

Why would he choose Tosin to partner with me? I’d never worked directly with her but the things I
heard about her put me off. I didn’t want a person who did dirty work.

‘Sir, why not Taiwo. I work better with him.’

My boss didn’t answer me. He thrust his hands into his pocket and returned to his office. Frustrated, I
stood there wondering how I was going to handle working with Tosin. I had not even moved a few steps
when she came out of the rest room in a mini gown that had the neck line so low her breasts were
almost popping out.

Her make-up was heavy. At least it covered perfectly the dark grey spots and the redness on one side of
her face. I remember the day she walked into the office without make-up, I almost shouted. It was as if I
was looking at a different person. Whoever invented concealer is really cruel. You can’t even tell
people’s real faces again.

I stopped and rolled my eyes at her. ‘Is this your marketing strategy?’

Tosin looked at me, disgustedly. ‘I don’t even know why Stephen put us together. SU won’t get the job
done. Don’t take all your born-again attitude there o. This is a huge deal to land. No spoil work for me.’

I stood there and wanted to lash out at her. I wanted to ask her if she had ever used her brain to get
anything in her life. I was so angry that I hissed and walked away. All the clients I’d brought to the
agency had been through intelligent persuasions. I was going to win this deal with my brains.

But I was wrong. Who these guys really were and where they got their money from, I couldn’t say. All I
knew was that I was irritated sitting with them and talking about some travel packages my office was
offering. Tosin leaned seductively towards one of the guys. While he ogled her, his partner is lustful eyes
on her. His partner was staring at me and smiling. I wondered why he was amused.

The guy beside Tosin touched her chin tenderly. ‘We love this package and we are ready to pay thirty
percent right away. You’ll get the check tonight at our hotel room with something extra. There will be a
lot of fun.’

Tosin chuckled. ‘We’ll be right there.’

I was pissed. How can a woman be so cheap? What nonsense was this?

The guy who had been flirting with her winked at me. ‘I’ll be expecting you.’

They gave us the address to the hotel they were lodged. We gave them our business cards and returned
to the car park where the driver was waiting for us.
In my few months as a marketer, I had never experienced anything like this. It’s true that some of my
clients had asked me out on a date but they’d relaxed when they knew what I stood for. It was enough
that I was intelligent and knew my onions. But this was different. These ones looked like guys who were
either spoilt brats of wealthy fathers or men who had stolen large sums of money and didn’t know what
to do with it.

When we got back at the office, I met Taiwo chatting with the receptionist. Tosin walked past, flashed
them a smile and said a quick hello. Taiwo beckoned on me and wrapped his hand around my waist
when I got to the reception desk. A heavily pregnant woman sat behind the large brown desk.

‘Hi Rebecca.’ I said to the receptionist. She smiled warmly and reclined on her chair.

‘Let me guess, you didn’t have a good time.’ Rebecca said.

I looked from Taiwo to Rebecca. ‘Does she always flaunt her body around clients?’

Taiwo thrust his hands into his pocket. ‘There are clients Stephen will never let her talk to. You can
never find her at presentations that require intelligent discussions.’

‘Then why did Stephen ask me to go with her. They should have picked one of the other girls.’

Rebecca smiled. ‘Stephen wasn’t sure what your clients really wanted. So he merged body and brains
together. If they wanted sex, Tosin was surely he right pick but if they were looking for an intelligent
deliberation, then you’ll fit in. Either way, the company does not lose.’

‘Abeg, they should just leave me out of any stupid meeting. Imagine, they were asking us to pick up the
check at their hotel room tonight.’

Rebecca and Taiwo laughed. Taiwo reached for a cup of cold water from the dispenser and handed it to
me. I gulped it down and asked for another.

‘You should know they won’t give it to you until they’ve had sex with you.’ Rebecca pointed out.

‘Of course, I’m not a child. Me like this, open my body to those dogs. God forbid.’

We chatted briefly about other things and I returned to my office. I grabbed my purse and left to get
something to eat.

Click picture for more details

That night, I had just fallen asleep when my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID but the number was
unfamiliar. I answered it.

‘Hello, this is Tosin. I’m already at the hotel. Where are you?’

I stared at the phone screen and placed it back to my ear. ‘Are you kidding me? You woke me up from
sleep to ask me this?’
I ended the call and switched off the phone.

The following morning, Tosin stormed into the office, dropped her handbag on her table and walked to
mine.

‘You think you are better than some of us. You’ve not seen anything yet. Life will show you pepper.
Nonsense!’

I glanced at her briefly and returned to the proposal I was working on. I was not angry, just irritated. I
guessed my silence annoyed her more.

‘I don’t want to ever work with you again. You are a pain in the ass!’

I shook my head as she went back to her table. What responsible man would marry a girl like her? How
can someone be jumping from one bed to another and still feel normal?

I finished drafting the proposal and printed it out. As I placed the proposal in a folder, my eyes caught a
note underneath it. I reached for it.

Hey babe, Will you go on a date with me, please?

Taiwo.

I smiled. Even if I wasn’t engaged to Wale, Taiwo wasn’t an option. Apart from the fact that office
romance wasn’t my thing, Taiwo was darkness if you know what I mean.

I wrote a reply note to him. Thankfully, I had an easy way out of this without hurting him.

Taiwo, I am engaged. I value your friendship a lot. Hope this doesn’t change anything.

Stephen came out of his office. ‘Yemisi, come to my office now’

I slipped the note into Taiwo’s laptop bag before entering my boss’ office. I was ready to defend myself
if Stephen asked why I didn’t show up at the hotel. If I had to lose this job then so be it.

Stephen didn’t bring it up. He gave me a file and asked me to work on another proposal.

************ **************

There was no week my sister didn’t ask me for money. It’s not like I’m trying to be tight-fisted with
money, I just didn’t like that she was dependent on me. Our parents lived on farm produce somewhere
in ijebu-igbo.

Two weeks ago, mum called asking for some money for dad’s medical treatment. It’d be nice if we could
both send money to them every month.

I shared my concerns with Taiwo. He suggested we get Yewande a place where she could sell soft drinks.
I loved the idea and jumped at it. At least, she’d have somewhere to go to everyday.
We drew out a budget. I made enquiries for soft drinks and contacted a woman who’d supply donuts
and eggrolls. Taiwo sorted out a perfect location close to a busy construction site. There was only one
vacant shop space left in the shopping complex. Someone had tried to secure the space by paying half of
the rent with a promise to finish up payment. He hadn’t and the owner was ready to give the space to
anyone who could make the full payment. I transferred the amount that same day.

Excited about securing the place, I went to Yewande’s house. Since I moved out of her house to the
temporary apartment Wale’s friend offered me, I’d not visited her.

Yewande was watching a Yoruba movie on African magic when I entered her house that Saturday
morning. One of her daughter slept beside her on the sofa while the other two played with their toys.
Yewande screamed for joy and ran to hug me. The girls left their toys and squealed in delight. The noise
woke my sleeping niece up. I gave them the biscuits and sweets I’d gotten for them. Yewande told them
to go into their room.

I settled on the sofa with my sister. I told her about the business. I had paid for the shop and it was the
drinks and snacks that needed to be settled. Someone was ready to sell his refrigerator to us. I had
contacted an electrician that’d help with the electrical wirings. I assured her that she’d be able to make
lot of sales.

My sister frowned. ‘So you are saying that I’ll be selling soft drinks and snacks.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t know
if I can do it.’

I wanted to shake her and tell her she’d be foolish to lose an opportunity like that ‘Yewande, you’ll make
a lot of money in that place.’

Yewande folded her hands. ‘I’m not interested jare. I want to start a restaurant. Not buka o. I mean a
proper restaurant with nice tables and fine cutlery. How can I be selling soft drinks? Yemisi, think about
it too. Graduate like me selling snacks. I deserve something good too. I’m really sorry about the rent
you’ve already paid.’

The curtain to Yewande’s room opened. Yewande’s husband appeared in a singlet and knickers ready to
explode. He glared at his wife and I was wondering if I was again going to be in the middle of a hot
quarrel.

‘Just look at you.’ Her husband started. ‘Lazy old brat! What about the money I gave you for the
restaurant business? Where is it? Today you want to start a foundation. Next tomorrow a consultancy
firm. The other time it was baby wears you wanted to sell. Last year, you said you’d open a shop to sell
drinks. The money I gave you disappeared into thin air.’

He looked at me. ‘Your sister is all talk and no action. All she knows how to do is build castles in the air. I
want to do this, I want to do that, na only mouth she get.’
Yewande flared up. ‘If you were man enough, would we still be living in this dilapidated two bedroom
flat?’ She pointed at the wall. ‘Just look at the cracks everywhere. Imagine the kind of life you brought us
into.’

‘Nonsense! Don’t turn the searchlight on me. I’m trying. At least you are not living under the bridge. If I
knew you were this lazy, I swear I would not have married you. For seven years, you have never brought
anything good to this marriage. Even a business can’t survive when it keeps incurring liabilities.’

Yewande clapped her hands. ‘Stupid man. Do you think I’d have married you if I knew you would drag
me into poverty? This wasn’t the life I planned for myself. I had enough as a single lady. Every weekends,
I had dates. Men picked me up in expensive cars for dinner dates. I ate whatever I wanted. I-‘

‘And you think they would have stayed if they discovered you were just a pretty woman with an empty
head? The only good thing you know how to do is pop out babies. I wish you could be productive the
way you handle the baby factory.’

I stood up. ‘Please, you guys should stop.’

Yewande’s husband hissed as he picked his shirt from the chair and walked out of the house. ‘You
should be happy I’m still stuck with you. I’m not sure how long I can take this.’

The three children were all standing at the entrance watching the drama between their parents.
Yewande kept shouting at her husband. ‘Go if you want to go! I don’t even need you in my life!’

She sat down, fuming. Her body was trembling. ‘Nonsense. Didn’t you hear him? The only good thing I
know how to do is pop out babies. Is he not the one that will not allow me rest every night? He should
come and meet me again. I am baby factory abi? Okay. If I allow him touch me again, my name is not
Yewande.

‘He’ll sleep out if you deprive him of sex.’

‘Who says he isn’t already having an affair. Is it because I’m not saying anything?’

I looked at my wristwatch. ‘Yewande, I’m seeing Wale in a couple of minutes. I have to go.’

‘What about the money?’

I looked at her. ‘Which money?’

‘The money for the business. Give it to me. I’ll determine what to do with it.’

I shook my head. ‘I’m not giving you any money. Your husband has a point. You are always in love with
everything and you can never make progress that way. You start something and back out when it gets
tough. Results are birthed by commitment and consistency. You can’t live a successful life by depending
on your feelings.’
‘I can’t believe my own sister is taking sides with my husband. You know what, I don’t need your money
and I don’t need your help. Let God strike me if I ever ask anything from you again. Get out of my
house!’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-’

‘Get out!’

I was really upset when I left the house. I had to start thinking of how to get back my money for the shop
I had paid.

************** ***********************

Wale picked me up at Adiat bus stop. We were seeing my spiritual parent that afternoon. Yes, finally he
agreed to see Mama D.

There was something I noticed with Wale after we kicked off the relationship. He took the relationship
seriously. He called at least twice a day. He ensured we prayed together every night. His level of
commitment to what we had amazed me.

Wale never withheld affirmations, especially when he discovered that words of affirmation was my
primary love language. Although I still didn’t like that he sometimes compared me with some of the
young ladies in the business circle, I convinced myself that it was the push I needed.

‘My beautiful wife. I’ve missed seeing your sweet face.’ Wale said when I climbed into his car. He
wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me to him. I sunk into his warmth and pinched his
stomach playfully.

‘I missed you too.’ I said.

When we pulled into the slow traffic on the express road, Wale glanced at me.

‘I’ve gotten the name for our church.’

I stared at him, confused. Church? Wale never discussed anything about starting a church. I mean, he’d
spoken so much about going into full time ministry but he had emphatically said he was not ready to
start out until the next five years.

I still remembered that we talked about the nature of the ministry. He wanted to get young people to
flow in the things of the spirit and the ministry would be non-denominational. Which one is church again?
Who would be the members?

‘How are you going to combine your job with running a church?’

He smiled. ‘I’ll be resigning by the end of the month.’

My eyes widened. ‘What?’

He squeezed my hand briefly before concentrating on the road. ‘Yemisi, as I speak to you now, God is
upset with me. He has been nudging me to step out long before now but I’ve been struggling with it. He
reminded me again yesterday while we were praying. I can’t keep disobeying the instructions of God.’

‘I don’t get you. Few weeks ago, you said you were not ready to step out. You told me it was a non-
denominational ministry you planned to run. Why are you now starting a church?’

Wale smiled. ‘The path of the just is like a shining light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Sweetheart, you can’t just hear instruction once without checking again in your spirit. Sometimes, the
things you hear might not be God. Mine had been drawn out of fear. I didn’t want to go through the
rigors of starting a church. Yet that was what God really wanted me to do.’

I let out a deep breath. ‘Do you have plans on ground?’

He said he did. He had a solid team. Seven of his mentees are joining him in starting the church. They
were working on strategies to get members. Flyers would be released before the end of the month. Two
out of those mentees were digital marketers. They know how to pull a crowd.

I was really angry that preparations had been going on without my knowledge.

‘Do you have a venue yet?’

He nodded. ‘A tentative one though. If we are going to attract the kind of members we desire, we have
to do this big. It has to be classy and top-notch. When people step into Pure Heaven Assembly, they'll
know that we are unique. Pure Heaven Assembly. What a name. It sounded like my favourite biscuit,
Pure Bliss. The name didn't seem spiritual. Was there a heaven that was not pure? Wale continued.
'We'll be using Telilah resorts. There is a nice conference hall there. Fully air-conditioned. Nice
atmosphere. There is no way the presence of God will not flow heavily in that hallstared at my fiancé
with my mouth wide opened. How much will it cost you to rent the hall everybSunday?

Thirty thousand naira. Why are you surprised?bWith God everything is possible

I didn't know how to respond. We were close to my mentor's house. I gave him the directions and we
drove into the estate where she lived. When we got there, Wale touched my chin. Yemisi, we are going
to be a force to reckon with. Just watch, in a couple of weeks, our church will be filled up. Anointing
attracts men. As the Lord gives to me,I release to the people of God.

Wasn't this the kind of man l'd been praying for? A man committed to the work of the ministry. I should
be happy he was determined to obey God. My duty was to support the work in his hands. More than the
love we had for each other, my greatest goal was to support my husband'd's

ministerial assignment. I want us to get married next month Yemisi. The work ahead is huge. If we are
married, the work of the ministry will be easier. Together we will bring nations to their knees'

I sighed deeply. 'Next month is just two weeks away. Wale that's too close. He weaved his fingers into
mine. 'We don't have to do a big wedding. Just something small. Last weekend in March is perfect
Yemisi. We could travel next weekend to see your parents in ijebu-igbo. Your mother is eager to see me.
Remember the first time we spoke on the phone, she kept asking when we'll be travelling down to see
her.

The thought of finally getting married excited me yet I didn't want to feel like I was desperate. I wish
Wale could see how my heart bubbled with joy. There was hardly any night I slept without thinking
about my wedding day.

I'll have to talk to my Pastor and my mentor

about it Wale frowned. I am your Pastor. I hope you know you'll have to leave your church once ours
kick off. Our first service will be in March and you must be by my side. No excuses. We'll inform your
mentor about our wedding plans today. We are not seeking for permission. We are informing

them. Nothing stands against our union.'

We entered the mentor's house. I flew into the arms of my mentor's husband. Papa Deolu was looking
so robust and healthy. I had seen him only once in two years. He'd been running a course in South Africa
for a year and attended another short course for six months.

'Finally, Wale shows up in our house. Mama D said, pulling Wale to his feet. I noticed Papa was looking
at him with a frown on his face. I was worried. 'Papa, why are you looking at him like that?I whispered.
He quickly flashed me a smile and led me into the

living room. I took the beverages Wale had

brought to the kitchen. When I returned, Wale was talking to them. I'm not trying to boast, but the
anointing of God upon my life has liberated many people from the claws of the devil. Wale said. I don't
usually

have any challenge when I flow in the supernatural. He talked about the woman who had been instantly
healed by fibroid after prayers. He spoke about the demonstration of the power of God during his
ministrations. Quietly I watched the reactions of my spiritual parents. Would they be impressed by his
accomplishments? Papa D interrupted him at a point.

Who is your Pastor?

Wale laughed. 1 have many mentors I learn from. If you know Apostle Teri Sanusi, one of the renowned
ministers of God in this country, I have worked personally with him

You haven't answered my question. Papa D

pressed. 'Who are you accountable to? What local church do you attend?"

'Sometimes I attend The Lord's Army bible church and at other times, Fullness of Grace Assembly
Papa D was not satisfied. 'Do you have anyone who oversees your life? Are you are a lone ranger? Who
are you accountable to?

Wale was getting upset. 1 don't have that time. Besides I've not seen anybody that understands in full
details the nature of my call. The truth is, I'm always busy with the work of the ministry. I had to cancel
an important engagement just to be here. Ministerial assignment saps most of my time.

The couple sat there listening as Wale continued to talk about himself. At a point I wanted him to stop
talking because he wasnt making sense again.

Wale broke the news. Yemisi and I are planning to get married next month. lt's going to be a small
wedding with just family and friends

My spiritual parents turned to me. I could see the shock on their faces. I wished Wale had allowed me to
inform them first, it'll have been easier for them to deal with the news.

The house help walked into the dining room with a food warmer. Plates and cutlery were already neatly
arranged on the table. Mama D stood up. 'Lunch is ready

To be continued......

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 6

**********

We ate lunch in silence, except for the clinking sound made by our spoons and forks. When Papa D
finished his meal, he wiped his mouth with a clean towel napkin and turned to Wale.

‘You are a powerful vessel for this generation but you have to calm down. Don’t jump ahead of the
process God wants you to go through. Get your foundation right and follow the Lord step by step. There
are instructions the Lord will give to you that are not for the moment. It’s important you only move with
God at his pace.’

Wale placed his spoon gently on the empty plate. ‘Sir, I understand all you have said. I know what God is
saying to me per time and I am following him as he leads.’

Papa shrugged. ‘Alright. I wish you all the best. It was great having you around.’

Wale smiled and looked at Mama. ‘Thanks for the meal. I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of my mum’s
delicious meals.’

‘You are welcome to join us anytime.’ Mama said.

I cleared the dishes and joined Kudirat to wash and dry them. When I was done, Wale was ready to
leave. I saw him off to the gate.

‘I can’t leave now Wale.’ I said. ‘I need to stay around for a while.’

Wale thrust his hand in his pocket and looked back at the house. ‘Mama D is accommodating but her
husband reminds me of my former Pastor. I detest men like that who enjoy breathing down the necks of
young ministers. Why are they unhappy that we are zealous for the work of God? How many people can
throw away enviable careers for full time ministries? No matter what anyone says, we have counted
everything as dung for the sake of Christ. Nobody will clip my wings.’

He pulled me close to his side. ‘Don’t let them put ideas into your head.’

I nodded and waited until his car disappeared out of sight. Back in the living room, Papa was reading a
newspaper while Mama watched a documentary on the TV. Mama D was clearly unhappy. She turned
off the TV before I had the chance to sit down. Papa also put down the newspaper he was reading.

‘Yemisi, do you really know what you are getting yourself into? That man answers to nobody. He clearly
will not listen to anyone.’ Mama D said.

Papa D patted the space beside him. ‘Sit here.’

I sat down quietly and waited for their reprimands. It was clear they didn’t approve of Wale. I wish they
had attended meetings where Wale moved in the supernatural and preached with so much fire. Wale
may have some flaws but there was no doubt that he exudes the power of God.

‘Why did you leave Cornerstone College?’ Papa asked.

I hesitated, wondering how to answer the question. Dotun’s death had hit me hard. I had left because I
wanted to shut out any memory of my fondness of him. I wanted to kill the thoughts that reminded me
of my failure to stop his death. I had to leave for my own mental health.

‘I perceived my time at the school was over. I needed to move on to other things.’

‘Are you sure?’ Mama said. ‘I thought your leaving was tied to your student’s death.’

I wished I had left with Wale. I sighed. ‘That was part of it. But I believe it was time to leave.’

Papa kept quiet for a long time. That’s how I’d come to know him. He was a deep thinker and there were
times his silence bothered me. You’d raise an issue with Papa expecting to receive a quick counsel and
Papa would not say anything until after a while.

Finally, he patted my back gently. ‘Yemisi, we love you. I hope you know we can’t choose your spouse
for you but we can guide you into making the right decisions. Your mother here prays for you every
night. You should see her groaning in prayers. Her desire is for God’s plan to be fulfilled in your life. We
have nothing else to do than to pray for all the children the Lord has placed in our care that the divine
will of God would be birthed in their lives.’
‘Thank you so much.’ I looked from Papa to Mama and bowed slightly.

‘Now to the other important matter.’ Papa continued. ‘You have not told us anything that shows that
you are led to this brother. My wife has been keeping me up to date. All you have informed us so far are
emotional jargons that holds no stamina. In light of the facts we have before us, you are going to take a
break from this relationship.’

I looked at Papa D, shocked. ‘Sir?’

‘You heard me. You will pray one hour daily for the next forty days. I want a weekly report sent to my
mail. In the body of the mail, you will state the time you started each day and the time you finished.
During this time too, you will stop every communication with Wale until the end of the prayers. You
need to come to a point where your emotions are not influencing what God has to say about this issue.’

I’d lose my mind before the end of the first week if I didn’t talk to Wale. ‘Papa what you are asking me to
do is really difficult.’

‘There is nothing difficult about taking a temporary break!’ Mama snapped. ‘Get a grip on your emotions
for goodness sake.’

Papa tapped my shoulders. ‘At first it might be difficult to stay away from him. But as you keep praying,
it’ll become easier. Listen, we are not saying you should not marry. Let me repeat what I said earlier. We
can’t choose a spouse for you. If at the end of the prayers, you return to tell us you are convinced about
him, then we’ll accept your decision. You can be sure we’ll also be praying along with you ’.

Papa’s words stayed on my mind after I left his house. I walked down my street, my mind torn in
different directions.

Maybe this was what I needed to get my heart at peace. I said this because there were times I feared I
was walking out of God’s will and there were other times I was excited about the relationship. There
were days I had to convince myself that no marriage was perfect. Wale was human like anyone else. I
had my flaws too. I convinced myself that by the wisdom of God, we’d be able to sort out our
differences.

When I told Wale about the assignment my spiritual parents had given me, he was so angry that I could
feel it as if he was standing in front of me.

‘I said it. That man does not like me. What did I do wrong? Why is he jealous of the grace of God upon
my life? Is it wrong for a young man to flow in the power of God?’

I was puzzled at Wale’s words. ‘What does jealousy have to do with this Wale? We just need to be
convinced about-‘

‘What other conviction do we need Yemisi! We are doing fine. Our dreams align well. We are passionate
about the work of God. What else do you want? How else does God speak? They just want to drag this
matter unnecessarily. I’m sorry to say this, but choosing a spouse is not as difficult as people make it to
be. Where in the bible did God say we have to pray for forty days to get convinced about our spouse?’

I didn’t want to get him upset. ‘Wale, I think they-‘

‘Don’t make excuses for them please. If you want to follow their instructions, fine. But listen to me, if
you take a break from this relationship, that’s the end. Don’t ever come back to meet me because I will
not take you back. I need a woman who is stable and not tossed to and fro by every wind of opinion. Let
me know what your decision is before the end of today.’

Wale ended the call. Panic overwhelmed me so much that sweat broke out on my forehead.

I was torn between obeying my spiritual parents and keeping the relationship going. Were Papa and
Mama being heartless? Were they really doing this to get me to stay away from Wale? What should I do?
I didn’t want to lose my fiancé. My heart was already broken with the way he yelled at me over the
phone. I was wrong to have agreed to a temporal break-up. It was my responsibility to stay by my man.

A black tinted car stopped beside me about three houses from where I stayed. It was Wale’s friend, Jide,
the man who helped me secure the job at Pavillion. He also provided a temporary accommodation in a
four-bedroom flat built by his father. I wondered if he had come to chase me out of the house. Of course,
he had every right to do so.

I’d spent enough time in my new job to get my own apartment. I had no right to take his kindness for
granted but the fact remained that there was no money to rent an apartment and I did not want to
return to my sister’s place.

‘Hop in.’ Jide said and opened the passenger door. I obeyed.

He smiled. ‘You need to get a car soon. A beautiful lady like you should not be trekking.’

We got to the house and I immediately apologized for not moving out yet. I asked for more time to get
enough money to rent mine apartment. Jide waited until we were settled in the bigger sitting room
before responding.

‘Yemisi, you can stay here for as long as you want. My father knows you are here and he is comfortable
with it. We don’t want to rent this house out because this is where my dad and my siblings stay
whenever they comes into the country. Don’t get another apartment. Be comfortable here.’ He moved a
step away. ‘I’ll be right back.’

Jide went into his father’s room, while I entered my room and pulled off my gown. I changed into jeans
and a white t-shirt and waited for him in the living room. He came out moments later, holding a blue
clear bag that had documents neatly arranged in it.

I served him a cup of yoghurt. ‘I’ve been curious. Why did you choose to reside in Festac when you have
access to a four-bedroom apartment just thirty minutes away from work.’
Jide put the half-filled cup on the center table and smiled. He sat on the arm of one of the sofas.

‘My mum asked the same question after I got married. It’s complicated. My wife does not want to have
anything to do with my father’s properties. There is another one just few streets away from this place
that we sold to a business tycoon. Dad wanted us to stay there but she vehemently refused. She
preferred we rented our apartment with our own money.’

‘That’s incredible.’ I stood up to go to the kitchen. ‘What would you like to eat? There is vegetable soup
in the freezer.’

‘Don’t bother jare . My wife was preparing dinner when I left the house. I dare not eat anything until I
get home or else we’ll fight again tonight.’ he shook his head. ‘Women. Even a four year course is not
enough to understand you.’

I laughed. ‘That’s why we are special.’

‘That’s true. Women are special. I can’t trade my wife for anything. She is my best friend. We may not
agree on everything but I love her very much.’

‘I’d love to meet her someday.’

‘Hopefully.’ He stood up. ‘I came to get some documents for my father. I should get going before my
wife calls me.’ He motioned for me to follow him. ‘I got bread for you. It’s in the car.’

We went out of the house together. Jide reached into his car and brought out a loaf of bread.

I took it from him. ‘Thank you so much Jide.’

He started the engine. ‘How’s Wale?’

‘He’s fine.’

‘You guys should do and marry o. The Yoruba demons are waiting eagerly. We want to storm that
wedding in our correct agbada and please we are not taking malt drinks at the party. Tell Wale to make
an exception for us. Gulder all the way. We are coming to scatter that place.’

It is not at my wedding you will display your madness. I chuckled. ‘The date will be communicated to
you.’

Jide shot his head out of the window as he drove out of the compound. ‘If you need anything, please let
me know okay?’

‘Definitely.’

Wale didn’t pick my call that night. I tried it a couple of times, he still didn’t answer it. I was worried. I
decided to leave him a message.

I love you Wale. I’m not letting you go. Don’t be angry with me please. I love you so much.
My phone beeped.

I love you too Yemisi. I’ve not stopped thinking about you since our last discussion. What can I do
without you? I want you by my side always. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want us
together to fulfil God’s plan for our lives. We’ll talk once I’m done with my bible study. I love you my
queen.

Those words were a balm to my soul. There were butterflies dancing in my stomach and I couldn’t stay
still. I was obsessed about Wale’s text and even after I lay down on the bed waiting for his call, I couldn’t
stop thinking about him.

We would get married in March as planned. After the wedding, I’d apologize to my spiritual parents.
They’ll have no choice but to forgive me. You don’t throw a baby out with the bathwater right?

*********** *****************

Wale and I travelled to Ijebu-igbo to see my parents. I had informed them about the proposed date for
the wedding. Dad had kicked against it at first but mum had convinced him there was no need to waste
any more time. The trip was for two purposes. One was to formally introduce him to my parents as the
man I wanted to marry and the other was to fix a convenient time for the introduction ceremony.

Yewande refused to come with me. She was still angry about the money for her soft drink business that I
refused to give her. My Pastor had no idea I was planning any wedding. I had deliberately kept it away
from him. If he knew my plans, he’d insist I put the wedding plans on hold and serve disciplinary action
for six months for not informing the marriage committee of the church about the proposal.

I could not ask Abigail to come with me. She’d have to tell her mum who would inform my mentor and
I’d be in trouble.

Mum came out of the small bungalow where I’d been raised. The walls were still not cemented and the
nets were torn and patched. At the back of the building was the bathroom. A chicken pen was erected
beside it. Two goats and a few hen loitered around the frontage of the house.

‘Welcome my children.’ My mum said, dancing excitedly. ‘We have been expecting you. Come in.’

My dad was sitting on a cane chair by the window. He had aged greatly and my heart broke seeing how
weak he looked. We had almost lost him four years ago and since he got out of the hospital, he had not
been his usual cheerful self. He still went to the farm but he could hardly do much. Akin, younger
brother and the first son of the family had taken over the affairs of the farm and the home.

Wale prostrated before my father. Dad patted him gently on the back. I went to hug my father. He
glanced into my eyes and I could see the joy in them. The drinks arrived just as I left the living room for
my mother’s room.

‘Have you bought your wedding gown?’ My mother asked as we sat on the bed.
‘Not yet. I should do that soon.’

Mum went to an iron box and fished out a clean blue aso-oke and white lace material.

‘Is this okay for your introduction ceremony?’ She asked, holding them out for me to see.

My mum never ceased to amaze me. I wouldn’t be surprised if she brought out the lace she’d wear for
my wedding.

‘Sure. It’s perfect.’ I said.

Mum began to dance again. ‘My daughter is getting married. I’m so happy. Wale looks very responsible.
I like him very much.’

‘Where are my brothers?’ I asked.

‘They are on the farm. They’ll join us later.’ She sat back beside me. ‘Let’s talk about your sister. I don’t
even understand her again. She acts as if she is not part of this family. I hope you will not marry and
abandon us. Imagine, I asked her to send twenty thousand naira. She said she didn’t have. She never has
money in her life.’

‘Mum, things are a little difficult for her. Just be patient with her.’

Before we left the room to join the others, I looked around my parents’ room. Nothing had changed. The
floor was the way it had been years ago. The curtains were old. Mum still folded her clothes in locally
made iron boxes. Lizards still habited the walls. Everywhere looked the same

My parents deserved better. Even if I didn’t have the resources to give them the best life offers, I could
make life more comfortable for them. I decided to send twenty thousand naira home monthly. I’d also
tell Akin to get a carpenter to make a wardrobe for her.

Wale enjoyed the wraps of amala and gbegiri he was served. I sat there giggling and watching him lick
his fingers and sweat profusely. My mother was the best cook in town. I took out a clean handkerchief
from my bag and wiped the sweat from his face.

My brothers arrived and in my excitement, I dropped the hankerchief and ran to hug them. Akin seemed
taller and darker. Seyi had not changed much. He had dropped out of school because there was no
money to continue. I told him I’d see that he returned to complete his studies.

My mother asked the question that scattered the whole visit.

‘What do you do for a living?’ My mother asked.

Wale grinned, hoping he’d impress my parents with his spiritual accolades. ‘I am the General Overseer
of Pure Heaven Assembly.’ Wale answered.

The smile on my mother’s face disappeared. ‘You are a Pastor?’

Wale nodded. ‘Yes I am. My church is committed to raising men and women who’ll become great
influencers all over the world.’

‘Hmmm.’ My mother sighed and looked at me. I understood that expression. She didn’t like this one.
Akin must have noticed my worried countenance.

‘Calm down.’ He mouthed. ‘Everything will be fine.’

‘When are we meeting your people?’ My father asked, his voice a little shaky.

‘I was telling Yemisi on my way here that next weekend would be a perfect time. I’ve already spoken to
my parents and they are eager to meet you.’

My mother stared at the ground. ‘They cannot come next weekend. We have a major meeting in the
community.’

Wale looked frustrated, ‘What about two weeks from now. I believe that should work out fine.’

Racked with coughing spasms, my father held a small cloth to his mouth. No one said anything until the
spasm passed. What date did you fix for the wedding again?

Last weekend in March. Wale answered.

My father sat back and was silent. Why the rush? I wonder. My mother said. She was clearly no longer
interested in the wedding. We are just seeing you for the first time and in a month, you want to marry
our daughter. We don't do things like that here

I was surprised to hear my mother say this. When I told her about the plans, she had been excited and
had encouraged me to get the wedding rolling. She said she had married my father just six weeks after
they met. Why did she suddenly change her mind now? What grievance does she have against Pastors?
Can I have a word with you? My mother beckoned on me. We went to her room. As we entered, she
faced me.

What kind of man did you bring home?"

I was confused. What kind of man did my mother expect me to bring? "Mum, what are you talking about?

Of all the men in the city of Lagos, it was a

Pastor you brought to us' I was puzzled. 'What do you have against Pastors

for goodness sake? I hate them! They are thieves. All they do is manipulate you until they suck you dry.
The ones that we know to be real Pastors are roaming the town in torn suits. You need to see their
shoes Yemisi. Their wives go around town begging for food. A man that does not have a job has no place
in this house'
I wanted to remind my mother that Yewande married a man who had a car and a good job but at the
moment he had nothing to show for it. How do people even judge a man by what he had at the moment?
Dont they know that things change? Mum, not all Pastors are like that.

'Shut up! What do you know? Send that man away and bring me a proper son-in-law. I am not putting
you under any pressure. Take your time and get a man with correct sense and money

You are not marrying that man. Don't you even pity your father? We suffered to put you in school. It's
your time to take care of us!'

I left the house with Wale disturbed and

confused. At the motor park, as we waited for the bus to get filled up, Wale stared out of the window
with his hand on his chin. I didn't know what to say. We had no support. My spiritual parents didn't want
us together and now my own mother had rejected him. I reached for his palm

and pressed it to my face. Baby, everything will be fine. I'l find a way to convince my mother. It might
take some time but I'm sure she'll change her mind. Akin has promised to talk to her. She listens to my
brother more than she does my father. She'll agree, you' see. Wale glanced at me and my heart broke to
see the sadness in his eyes. I love you

My heart melted for him. I love you too. Well get past this. Wale smiled sadly and squeezed my hand.
rested my head gently on his shoulder.

To be continued......

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 7

I walked into Telilah Resorts in my smashing tomato red dress. It was the first Sunday service at Pure
Heaven Assembly.

One of Wale’s mentee was arranging the chairs in the hotel’s conference room when I got there.
Remember the lady I said rolled her eyes at me one time I followed Wale for a ministration? The one I
perceived was having a crush on my man? Oh yes, she was the first person to show up at the service.
She looked unhappy to see me and mumbled a greeting before pulling out some chairs stacked against
the wall. When I reached for a chair, she stopped me.

‘You don’t have to do anything. Just sit somewhere at the back. I got this.’

I ignored her and joined in the arrangement of the chairs. I was not going to let anybody upset me,
definitely not a girl who, if given the chance would ruin Wale’s ministry. Of course, she has nothing to
offer my man. I would be a fool to feel threatened. She was just one cheap conceited lady looking for a
well-made man to jump on. She’d better get it into her thick skull that I belong to Wale.

I imagined her eyes welling up in tears, mad with jealousy when the Pastor pronounces us husband and
wife. Once I get married to Wale, I’ll put her in her place. No lady dare disrespect me.

‘Rubbish.’ I didn’t realize I had spoken out aloud. She glanced at me and continued with her work.

‘What’s that your name?’ I said, looking at her disgustedly. ‘Elizabeth, can I get a rag to clean this place?’
I said, pointing at a table close to the entrance. She reached into a white nylon bag and passed an old
towel to me.

We worked in silence. When we were done, I stood aside and glanced around the conference room of
the hotel. How much had Wale paid for the hall?

Two air-conditioners hung towards the front of the hall. There was another one behind. A podium had
been mounted with brown rug covering the entire stage. My eyes went to the front row where four
luxurious leather chairs were arranged. They were different from the other chairs in the hall. I smiled.
Soon, I’ll be sitting right beside my husband in one of those chairs.

Wale arrived few minutes into the service time in a well-ironed navy blue suit followed by another man
who carried his bible. I sat behind Wale smiling, my heart full of joy. Ten people showed up. Two of
them were newcomers. At the end of the service, Wale was furious.

‘Who were you expecting to fill up the empty spaces? Angels? This is not good enough. Only ten persons
were in attendance today. Do you know how heavily we paid for this place?

Wale faced a man wearing round spectacles. He had a laptop in front of him. ‘Bro Yemi, what happened?
It was your duty to create awareness for this service. Today’s attendance is nothing to write home
about.’

Yemi cleared his throat. ‘We tried our best sir. We’ve been sharing the church flyers around since
Monday. I even sponsored an ad for our services on instagram.’

Wale settled into a chair in front of us. ‘This can’t happen next week. We must engage in massive
publicity. Every evening this week, we’ll be going out to talk to people. If we want this church to grow, it
will require our commitment and sacrifice.’

Elizabeth and I counted the offering. Three thousand naira. Wale demanded for the money and when I
gave it to him, his countenance fell.

‘Yemisi you know we can’t give to this work the same way our members do. We must surpass them. We
are the leadership of this church, we must task ourselves more.’

Wale said he’d drop me at home. He was quiet behind the wheels and it made me uncomfortable. I
touched his shoulders.
‘Wale, what’s wrong? I know you expected more from today’s service but remember that seeds grow.
Deeper life, Winners, Redeemed Christian Church of God, all these great ministries started small. Their
numerical strength didn’t happen in one Sunday.’

He glanced briefly at me. ‘That’s not what is bothering me. We need funds. Can I get some money from
you? I’m expecting some money soon. I’ll return it once the cash comes in.’

‘How much are we talking about?’ I asked.

‘One hundred and fifty thousand naira.’

What! That was all of my salary. If I emptied my account, how would I survive for the month? ‘I don’t
have that kind of money Wale.’

‘What about hundred thousand naira. Listen, I promise I’ll pay you back.’

I sighed. ‘That’s fine. Do you want me to send it to your account?’

I typed in the code for the transfer. I remembered I had saved Wale’s account number when he pleaded
I send him some money while I was still at Cornerstone.

‘Yes.’ Wale answered. I sent the hundred thousand naira to him. My heart cut when I saw that I just had
fifty thousand naira left. I comforted myself with the fact that my office still owed me forty thousand
naira for commission on the sales I’d pitched

Wale’s phone beeped. He smiled as he stared at the credit alert on his phone. He parked by the side of
the road and hugged me tight.

‘Thank you Yemisi. God bless you. I feel so relieved.’ Wale said, laughing. I was glad to see that he was
happy. Whatever it would cost me, I’d see that his ministry progresses.

As he pulled back into the road, he looked at me. ‘You left your Pastor thirsty today.’

At first I didn’t understand what he meant. Then it occurred to me what Wale was saying. ‘Oh, I’m so
sorry.’

‘It’s fine. Mistakes happen sometimes. Anyway, every Sunday, make sure that there are two bottles of
water for the Pastor and possibly snacks. You can get these small cupcakes they sell in eateries. Just
something for the Pastor to nibble at.’

I nodded. ‘Noted sir.’

I was melancholic after Wale dropped me at home. I had been excited during the service but the
excitement had disappeared and with it was replaced an unexplainable gloom. Again, I felt used. Why I
was feeling that way, I couldn’t explain. If the man you are in a relationship with needs help, wasn’t it
expected for his sweetheart to support him? Why was I feeling like the support I was rendering Wale
was a burden.
I lay on my bed and the emptiness in my heart wouldn’t go away. I didn’t have the strength to cook so I
took garri flakes topped with groundnut. That too didn’t go down my throat well. I was washing my cup
under the kitchen sink when Yewande called me. I hissed and rejected the call.

Why was she calling me after she’d decided to stay away from me? The phone rang again. I still did not
answer it. When it rang the third time, I sensed something was wrong.

‘Yes, what can I do for you?’

‘Yemisi, Dad has been rushed to the hospital. Mum said she tried reaching you earlier in the day.’

So now that money was involved, my sister knew how to contact me. ‘I was in the church. My phone
was switched off.’

‘We have to send money to mummy urgently. Dad is in a coma.

I moved away from the kitchen to the living room. ‘Coma?’ Tears welled my eyes and I wished I’d not
given Wale the hundred thousand naira.

‘How much does mum need?’

‘A hundred thousand naira will do for now. He may likely be transferred to a teaching hospital.’

I closed my eyes. ‘I don’t have that kind of money.’

‘Yemisi this is serious. You can’t be hoarding money at this time. This is our father we are talking about.’

I flared up. ‘I said I don’t have that amount of money!’ I ended the call and paced the house wondering
what to do.

I imagined my father lying helplessly in the hospital and the nurses shouting at my mother to get the
bills paid or they would throw him out. My phone started ringing again. This time it was my mother. I
couldn’t answer it knowing I’d break down in tears. I had to figure out how to get the money.

I felt depressed when I checked the amount I had as my savings. I’d worked in Pavillion for three months
and at least each month I went home with nothing less than two hundred thousand naira. I did not pay
for rent. I didn’t buy designer shoes or clothes. It was true that in the first month, I’d sent fifty thousand
naira home and thirty thousand at another time. How did money disappear from my hands?

That didn’t matter at the moment. It was how to raise a hundred thousand naira for my father’s
treatment that was topmost. I emptied my account and savings and sent eighty thousand naira to my
mother promising to send the balance. I was relieved when mum said Yewande’s husband had sent
twenty thousand to her earlier that day.

The last one thousand naira I had got me to work the following day. I refused to pick Wale’s call. I just
didn’t feel like talking to him. Taiwo noticed I was withdrawn and came to my table. He closed my laptop
and pulled me to my feet.
‘Let’s go and have lunch.’ He said. I wanted to refuse but he wouldn’t hear it so I followed him to our
regular lunch spot.

‘You’ve been quiet since morning.’ He said, after we placed our orders. ‘What’s wrong?’

I fought tears and tried to smile. ‘My father is in the hospital and I am broke.’

He looked at me with love in his eyes. I wondered when he’d get over the fact that we could never be
together.

‘Why didn’t you tell me Yemisi? You shouldn’t be going through this alone.’ He reached into his wallet
and pulled out his ATM. ‘How much do you need?’

I let out a deep breath. A part of me wanted to tell him not to bother but I was too broke to refuse. ‘Just
enough to sustain me until we are paid our commission.’

‘I heard we’ll be paid next week.’ He held out the ATM to me. ‘When we leave here, you can stop to
withdraw some money before going back to the office.’ he paused. ‘Don’t worry, dad will be fine.

‘Thank you.’ I nodded.

So you can imagine how upset I was when Wale called at the end of the following month to ask for fifty
thousand naira. He had not returned the hundred thousand naira he borrowed yet he had the guts to
ask me for another money. If indeed he wanted to live by faith in his ministry, was that faith connected
with borrowing money everywhere? Was that how men of God built their ministries?

I wanted to tell Wale to go get a job and run the church alongside. I wondered how a person could sit at
home all day and all he does is read his bible and pray.

‘Wale, I don’t have any money to give to you. I pay my tithe to your church. I contributed twenty
thousand naira just last week. My father is still recuperating and I have to send him some money.”

‘Is that why you are raising your voice at me Yemisi?’ Wale said, coolly.

I felt a pang of guilt. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just overwhelmed by all the numerous needs before me. .’

Wale was clearly angry. ‘I’m asking you to support me while I solidify the foundation for our ministry.
This is not going to continue forever. Do you think I’m comfortable asking you for money? You know
what, you can keep your money. God will take care of his work.’

I was restless all night. I tried calling Wale in the morning to apologize but he didn’t answer my call. For
several minutes, I sat on my bed, my head aching badly. Where was I getting things wrong? What exactly
was wrong with me?

******* ***************
Abigail and I fixed Saturday morning to go shopping. Earlier in the week, Stephen, my boss had given me
twenty thousand naira as commission for a deal we pulled off. I decided to spend the money wisely. On
my long list, I had foodstuff, beverages and toiletries. I figured that if I had those items at home, even
when I am down on cash, there’d be something to fall back on.

I got to the front door of Abigail’s house and heard Mama D’s voice.

I froze. I tip-toed away from the entrance.

There was no way I was going to walk in that door. The other option was to go through the back door of
the kitchen but still my mentor would see me because I’d have to pass through the side of the sitting
room to Abigail’s room. I leaned on the wall, thinking of what to do.

My forty days prayer had elapsed and I’d not kept to even a single day. The last time Mama called to ask
why I had not sent any report to Papa, I immediately pretended like I couldn’t hear her and ended the
call. I sent her a text that I could not hear her properly and that I’d call her when I had access to better
signals. I felt really bad telling that lie and it dampened my mood throughout that day. If I went in now,
she’d want a detailed report and I had none to give.

I called Abigail. ‘Babe, I’m waiting outside for you.’

‘You are waiting outside keh?’Abigail said. ‘Come inside the house jare. I’ve not taken my bath yet.’

I heard Mama D’s voice in the background and she was asking if I was the one on the other line. My
heart almost fainted when Abigail told her I was.

‘Mama D is here. ‘Abigail said. ‘Come inside the house my friend. I don’t know why you are in such a
hurry.’

I had no choice now that Mama knew I was around. Every step I took towards the front door made my
heart thump fast. If Mama asks if I was still communicating with Wale, what would I say?

God, please don’t let Mama ask me any questions about Wale. Please Lord, I prayed quietly.

The door opened before I reached the veranda and Abigail leaned at the entrance in a camisole and
knickers. Her hairnet hung loosely on her head.

‘Here she comes.’ She said and hugged me as I climbed the wide veranda. I pushed her away playfully.

‘Smelling somebody. Go and take your bath.’

Abigail pulled my hand into the living room. Her mother lay on one of the sofas with a pillow behind her
head while my mentor sat with her legs on a stool, eating from a plate of fruit salad.

I went down on my knees and greeted them. ‘ Ekaro ma. ’

‘ Ka ro o. Bawoni. ’ Abigail’s mother asked how I was doing. I responded that I was fine and reached for
an empty seat.

‘I’ll be with you shortly. Time for a hot shower.’ Abigail said as she moved away from me. I wish I could
go with her.

She stopped and turned. ‘You want anything? There is moi-moi in the kitchen.’

I shook my head, ‘I’m fine. I ate before leaving the house.’

Abigail left me in the hands of the two women. I sat there, nervous. Mama D stared long at me and I
knew I couldn’t run away from answering questions about Wale.

‘Why didn’t you want to come into the house?’ Abigail’s mother asked.

Before I could respond, my mentor cut in. ‘She is running away from me.’

I frowned. ‘No mama, how can you say that?’

Mama raised her nose. ‘You young people think you can be very smart. We may be getting old but it
never affects our spiritual sight. Did you obey the instruction we gave to you?’

I didn’t answer. Mama waited for my response. When I looked at her and said nothing, she smiled sadly.

‘You didn’t end the relationship with him right?’

‘Mama, I-’

Mama D raised her hand. ‘You don’t have to tell me. The answer is clear enough. I hope you come to
understand that all we are doing is for your good. We don’t have any ulterior motive. Have I ever tried
to match make you with any brother?

I shook my head. ‘No ma.’

‘Is there any brother we are trying to push in your face?’

‘No, mama.’

‘All we desire is that you birth the right conviction by bringing your emotions under control in the place
of prayers. That’s all we seek. Well, we can’t force you to do what you don’t want to do.’

Abigail’s mother just lay there watching us. Finally she sat up and looked at me

‘I’ll be organizing a two-day retreat for single ladies in August. You are invited.’

My mentor clapped her hands excitedly and went to sit with her friend. ‘Bunmi this is interesting. So
finally this meeting is going to take place. I’m so happy.’
Abigail’s mother chuckled. ‘Sometimes, I feel I should have done this long before now. I was busy
pursuing a career in a bank. I have risen to the position of a branch manager but what significant impact
have I made in people’s lives?’

I was glad that the conversation had shifted away from Wale. I stared admiringly at the beautiful woman
who had mothered my friend. The woman had refused to marry after giving birth to Abigail out of
wedlock. Rather she’d pursued her career and had become top in her field.

‘Don’t talk like that.’ My mentor said. ‘Your resources have gone to places you couldn’t reach. Besides,
you’ve been a very active steward in the church for many years now. When I see you working so
diligently in the ushering unit, I’m always impressed. Even with your tight schedule, you don’t joke with
your spiritual commitments. If God is bringing this nudge to impact single ladies, it means you have
stepped into another season of your life. It doesn’t change the fact that other seasons have been fruitful
in their own ways.’

I looked in the direction of Abigail’s room, waiting impatiently for her to come out. The two women
were engrossed in discussion of their past exploits, while I sat there forgotten. It was time to disappear
before Mama raise questions I’ll not be able to answer.

As I stood up to go to Abigail’s room, my friend burst out of her room in a long gown over black leggings.

‘I’m ready. Let’s go.’ She took the car keys on the center table and planted a kiss on her her mother's
cheek. 'Don't miss me too much mum. '

Abigail's mother smiled and slapped her daughter playfully on her back. 'Drive carefully. Don't bash my
car please

Mama D looked at me again. 'Omo, I want to hear from you. I bowed slightly. Yes ma

At the market we walked from one shop to shop ticking our list and dropping the items we had
purchased into a big sac. When the sac got filled, we opened another and by the time we were done we
could hardly carry the heavy sacs. On our way out of the market, I remembered needed some under
wears. Instead of going out of the gate, we crossed to the section of the market where underwear
sellers had their wares displayed in small narrow shops. We stopped in the first shop. A fair skinned
woman with thick Igbo accent reached for transparent nylon bag containing different colours of
brassiere. As I picked one that I liked, someone shouted my name.

Abigail and I turned towards the voice. From a distance I saw one of my students from Cornerstone
College running towards me. She flew into my arms and we almost toppled to the floor had Abigail and
the underwear seller not grabbed me from behind Phebe! I said, pulling away enough to look at her face
and then drawing her into my arms again. Tears trickled down Phebe's face. 'Miss Yemisi, we miss you.
Please come back.
My eyes were filled with tears too. Memories that l'd buried resurrected. Holding Phebe close took me
back to Cornerstone College. I was back there laughing with my students and talking to them about life.
With the beautiful memory came the pain of losing Dotun.

What are you doing here? She turned and pointed to a slender woman standing in front of a shop
negotiating the price of stockings. 'I came with my mother to the

market. Phebe's mother turned in our direction and waved at me. I waved back.

We've been trying to reach you. Can I have your new number?"

I punched my number into Phebe's phone andtook hers. I promised lI'd give her a call before the end of
the week.

I must confess, seeing Phebe again stirred up emotions I wanted buried. As much as I tried to act like
everything was fine, Abigail could tell that something was wrong.

'Something is bothering you. Abigail said, as we took my stuff to the kitchen.

wrapped my fingers around a chilled bottle of pepsi on the kitchen table. 1 think I'm confused about
myself, work and relationship. Abigail squeezed my shoulders. 'You can't be confused Yemisi. You may
not know what to do yet but there is light. There is clarity girl. We could pray together next weekend. I
folded my hand. I'd love that so much. I need

the clarity badly: I wrapped my hand around Abigail's waist. You should get going now so you don't get
stuck in traffic

Abigail had barely driven away from the compound, when calls began to flood my phone. My SS 2A
students.

Miss Yemisi, I can't believe I'm speaking with you. Oh my God! I've missed you.

"Miss Yemisi, we need you. Nothing has been the same since you left. Please come back. At least come
and say hi to us. Please Miss Yemisi'

We've not had any class teacher like you. We want you back please

That night, I rolled restlessly on the bed. I miss them and it made my heart ache badly. Even if I decide to
go back there, there was no way l'd be accepted, not with the way I had left abruptly.

There was no going back. I'd have to look past the pain and face the future. For a long time, I stayed
awake.

To be continued....

Ife Grace
Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 8

***************** **************************

Abigail suggested we pray Friday night. The plan was that I’d go straight to her place from work and then
leave for home on Saturday morning. But that evening, as I left the office, I completely lost interest in
praying. Wale was still not talking to me and my boss, Stephen had reprimanded me for a fundamental
error I made while drafting a proposal for one of the senator’s sons.

I was not in the mood for any kind of prayers. What I wanted to do was go home, lock myself up in my
room and not talk to anyone.

I called Abigail to inform her I’d not be able to make it to her house because I wasn’t feeling too well. I
pleaded that we move the prayers to the following weekend.

‘I’m sorry about your health. You are healed in Jesus name.’ Abigail said. ‘Have you used any medication
‘Abigail, it’s not that type of sickness. I just feel emotionally down. Wale is not talking to me and I had a
bad day at work today.’

Abigail hissed. ‘Get down here my friend! I thought it had to do with your body. I’m waiting for you.’

Abigail ended the call before I had any chance to convince her that I needed to be alone. I stood at the
bus stop for almost thirty minutes torn between going home and travelling to Abigail’s house. It would
take me 4 to 5 hours to get to her house and it wasn’t as if she lived outside Lagos. The traffic to her
place ehn… Anyway, I chose the latter.

It was almost 11p.m when I got to Abigail’s place, no thanks to the heavy traffic. Her mother was not
back from work, so we sat in the living room and waited for her to get home.

Abigail turned off the TV and looked at me. ‘Yemisi, I know God gave you a picture of the nature of your
spouse’s assignment but the fact that Wale is in full time ministry is not enough to jump into conclusion
on God’s leading. Listen, I’m not saying he is not the one. I just want to be sure you know what you are
doing. ’

I stared at the blank TV and at my friend. Was there anything in my life that I was sure of? ‘I don’t even
understand myself anymore. Right now, I’m more concerned about my spiritual growth. I’m tired of
struggling.’

‘Your relationship is supposed to draw you closer to God.’

‘Exactly!’ I exclaimed. ‘Instead I feel drained out. It’s like Wale does not really love me for who I am but
because of what he can get from me. Maybe I’m wrong, I don’t know. But I have that feeling somewhere
in my heart that I need to take a step backward. It’s just so difficult to tear myself away.’

‘We’ll pray and seek God’s mind concerning this situation.’

I sighed. ‘Abigail, I’ve been praying. I can’t hear anything. God just seem so far away from me.’

Abigail leaned forward. ‘God never leaves. You are his daughter. You should know this basic truth
already. He is always with us, nudging us towards his will and purpose but the problem is our receptivity
to the instructions from the Holy Spirit. God’s voice becomes clear to us to the degree that our minds
are available to receive. At this point, you need extra help. You can’t handle this alone because your
mind is very much wrapped around Wale but by praying together, I’ll be helping you create an
atmosphere to clear the channel that’ll open you up to more clarity.’

A car horn sounded. Abigail went to the window and pulled back the curtain.

‘Mum is back.’ Abigail danced, her face beaming with smiles. We went outside and waited at the
veranda as the car pulled into the compound.

Abigail’s mum stepped out of the car. I could see her tired face from the light that shone from the
garage. She pointed to the backseat and asked that we take in the things she had bought.

I took her handbag and high heels while Abigail carried two loaves of bread and two black nylon bags
containing wrapped akara balls. We got into the living room and immediately dug into the akara.

‘Oh my God! This is heavenly’ Abigail exclaimed as she bit into one of the akara balls. I took one and
chewed slowly. We tore open a loaf of bread and ate it alongside the akara.

‘Remember we are going to pray. Let’s eat small small o.’ Abigail said as she reached for the fourth ball. I
laughed. My stomach was already getting heavy but the akara was so delicious that I didn’t want to stop.

We had finished one pack and were about to unwrap the second nylon bag of akara when Abigail’s
mother shouted from the dining table.

‘That’s enough! Don’t open that pack. Haba! Are you sure you’ll be able to pray with the way you are
eating? If I had remembered that you had a prayer vigil, I wouldn’t have bought the bean cakes.’

Abigail spoke with her mouth full. ‘Mummy, we will pray. The Lord is our strength.’

Abigail’s mother was right. Five minutes into our prayer, I could barely walk because my stomach was so
heavy it felt ready to burst. I was staggering on the floor of the living room like a drunk woman. I could
barely open my mouth to pray. Abigail was also having a hard time praying on her knees. She lay flat on
the floor, praying in tongues and gradually, her voice died down and was replaced by heavy snores.

I didn’t even bother waking her up. I jumped on the sofa and slept off.

A loud voice woke me up. When I opened my eyes, Abigail’s mother was standing behind the sofa
holding a cup of coffee. I yawned and rose to my feet. With the back of my hand, I blocked the light
streaming into my eyes from the window. I turned and saw Abigail in the same position as I had left her.
She opened her eyes, closed them and opened them again. Then she sat up.

‘What time is it?’ She said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Abigail’s mother sipped her coffee. ‘How was your prayer meeting?’

Abigail frowned as she looked towards the window. ‘It’s day already?’

‘I can’t believe we didn’t pray.’ I said. I checked the time. It was few minutes past seven a.m.

Abigail’s mother came around to sit in front of the TV. Andrew Wommack was on the screen, sitting with
his bible opened on a table. I couldn’t hear what he was saying because the volume was turned low.
Abigail’s mother looked at us. ‘When you were devouring akara and bread anyhow, you did not
remember that praying effectively goes with having a light stomach.’

Abigail sighed and looked at me. ‘If you are not in a hurry, we can still pray after I’m done with the
house chores.’

I was already on my feet. I had to be home early to clean up my place. ‘How can I help?’

Abigail looked around the living room. ‘I’ll put the dirty clothes in the machine and clean up the kitchen.
You can help sweep the living room and veranda.’

Abigail’s mother put down the cup on a stool beside the sofa. ‘Leave everything and go into your room
and pray. The chores can wait. Go and pray first.’

When we started praying, my mind wandered to Wale. There was this deep love for him that consumed
my heart. I remembered the nice things we did together. I felt convinced that Wale was the man for me
and that I was just looking for excuses to push a good man away. I pulled my mind back to the prayers. I
told God I couldn’t do anything without him. I assured myself that I was his daughter and that I had the
boldness to stand in his presence without fear or inferiority. I confessed that I knew what to do and that
my eyes are enlightened to know the will of God.

My mind wandered again to Pavilion and how that if I continued to work there, I’d one day take over
from Stephen. It wandered to Taiwo and to the party organized at my office. I was greatly distracted. I
kept pulling my mind back to the place of prayer. One minute, I’d be enjoying fellowship. The next, my
mind would be playing back annoying images and thoughts.

Abigail stopped the prayer. ‘I feel the Lord will have us pray some scriptural prayers right now as we also
pray in the spirit. We will take hold of our emotions and deliberately bring it under the obedience of
Christ.’

My phone rang. I had forgotten to turn off the ring volume. My heart jumped when I saw it was Wale. I
wanted so badly to pick it up. Abigail saw my facial expression and knew who it was. She snatched the
phone from my hand and declined the call before switching off the phone.

We paced the bedroom as we prayed, praying as the Spirit gave us utterance. We prayed in our
understanding and prayed in tongues. I suddenly felt energy coursing through my body.
‘We cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. We
bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’

Tongues.

‘I have the mind of Christ. I cannot be confused because I am in union with Christ. I know what to do. I
know the thoughts of the Lord.’

Tongues.

‘My mind is under the influence of the Holy Spirit. I have accurate understanding into the will of God.
My eyes are enlightened.’

Tongues.

‘My spirit dominates my thought life. Oh I have a sound mind. I do not have the spirit of fear, but of
power and discipline and of a sound mind.’

My mind became calm and quiet. The distractions stopped.

In a flash, I saw that I was sitting with some of my students from Cornerstone College but they were not
dressed in their uniforms. We were sitting in front of a building that didn’t look like the school building.
As I talked to my students, I noticed that one of them, Adesuwa was peeping from behind the building. I
stood up to go to her and she ran. When I called her name and she turned, I saw that she was pregnant.

I stopped praying. God, what am I seeing? Was Adesuwa really pregnant? I remembered the day myself
and Mariam had caught her with the games prefect romancing behind an uncompleted building. The
following day, Mariam had reported to the vice-principal who called the two of them out during the
school assembly.

God, what exactly are you saying? I muttered as I rested my head on the wall.

Yemisi, I am your father. I know what is best for you. You have to trust that I have great plans for you.
Stop trying to bring to pass the instructions I have given to you. If I gave you those instructions, I know
the right timing and process by which they’ll come into reality. Just walk with me. Stay in the process.
Don’t make any move until I have given you further instructions on the things I’ve said concerning your
future.

My heart trembled as I wrote down the words I was hearing in my spirit. Just then, Abigail stopped
praying and looked at me.

‘It seems I’m hearing that you still have work to do with your students in Cornerstone College. I don’t
see it like you’ll be going back there to teach but I sense that an opportunity will be created that’ll
connect you to them.’

I couldn’t hold back the tears. I was blessed to have a friend who was sensitive to the mind of God.
Abigail had confirmed the words God was saying to me.
‘I heard something about Wale.’ Abigail started. My eyes opened wide in anticipation. I was eager to
know exactly what to do about Wale.

‘God says, you should listen closely. He is speaking to you right now on what to do about him.’

My hopes fell. I thought she’d give me exact words on the matter. As I closed my eyes, I knew
immediately what I was supposed to do.

Let him go.

I didn’t hear any audible voice. I just knew in my spirit God wanted me to walk away from the
relationship. At first, I thought it was my mind, but the more I prayed, the stronger it stayed on my heart.

‘Abigail, what God is asking me to do is difficult. He wants me to let Wale go. How am I supposed to do
that?’

Abigail gave me a look that said, ‘I feel like slapping you right now.’ Abigail could not understand how
much I loved Wale. How was I supposed to end the relationship like that?

‘Yemisi, if God is asking you to do this, then you can trust your future into his hands.’

I wasn’t convinced. This could be my mind at work. ‘I’ll still pray about it Abigail. I just need to be sure
I’m taking the right step.’

Abigail shrugged. We prayed about other things and then ended the prayers. I helped Abigail with some
chores before leaving for my place. Her mother made yam porridge that had chunks of stock fish
scattered inside it. I was already salivating as Abigail packed my portion into a plastic container.

*************

It was at the gate of my house that I remembered my phone was still switched off. Immediately I turned
it on, I saw a message from Wale.

Yemisi, what’s this shakara about? Why did you reject my call? Oh you are angry with me because I
haven’t called you in a while? I’m sorry okay. I’ll explain when we see. Guess what? I have moved to a
three bedroom apartment. Yes, girl we are set for family life. We’ll go together to see the place after
service tomorrow. I miss you sweetheart. I can’t wait to see you in the service tomorrow.

That night, for several hours, I battled between attending my former church and going for service at
Pure Heaven Assembly. When I sent a message to my Pastor that I had moved to a new assembly, he’d
called to ask why I made the move. I told him I was led to do so. He had not called me after that time.

I went to Pure Heaven Assembly the following day. What I saw at the service made me doubt what I had
heard in prayers.

It was a special service and the hall was packed full. Wale ministered in such supernatural dimensions
that I concluded I had heard wrongly. The prophetic words that flowed from his mouth shook me to my
bones. The atmosphere was charged. You could literally feel the power of God in that hall. During the
prayers, I landed flat on the floor and began to laugh with such joy that burst through my heart. Then
we sat to listen to Wale preach and again it was as if I was looking at a different man.

It was not God who said those words to me in Abigail’s house. My prayer must have been influenced by
fear, I concluded.

At the end of the service, as we drove to Wale’s house, I couldn’t take my gaze away from him. If truly
God didn’t want me to marry Wale, then I wouldn’t have connected with him the way I did in church
today. I could still feel strongly the effect of the service.

Wale glanced at me. ‘I’m very happy with the way the church is growing so fast. By August, we should be
getting to a hundred members. I’m aiming for two thousand consistent members by our second
anniversary.’

I smiled. Wale touched my hand. ‘I’m sorry about the way our conversation ended the last time we
spoke. It was good you didn’t give me that money. God wanted me to stop depending on you.’

So why didn’t he pick my calls, I wanted to ask but I changed my mind. There was no point going back to
the past.

‘Guess what?’ Wale said. ‘I got a mail from a lady who has decided to support my ministry.’

A lady? I didn’t like what I was hearing. ‘Was she in church today?’

Wale grinned. ‘Yes, she was. She sat just behind you. One pretty classy lady like that. She paid for the
conference hall for the month. I was so surprised and amazed.’

‘Why would she do that?’ I asked.

‘She was at a meeting I was invited to minister few months ago. She said she was blessed by my
ministration.’ Wale laughed. ‘Imagine having ten people like that committed to this ministry. I don blow
finish. You see why I was particular about stepping up our game from the beginning. We are not paying
heavily at Telilah for nothing. It is our way of attracting the right kind of members.’

Wale continued. ‘In fact I spoke to the head of the music team few weeks ago. We are planning to hire a
drummer, pianist and three choristers with great voices.’

I looked at him, shocked. ‘Do you know the people you are hiring?’

‘Does it matter? We want the best. Service has to be top-notch. We’ll pay them at the end of every
month. Just watch, they’ll join the church eventually because they won’t be able to resist the word of
God in my mouth. I’m also hiring a music director. I found a guy who has agreed to take 80,000 naira
every month.’
My mouth flew opened. This didn’t sound like the man I listened to few hours ago. Were there two
personalities in one body? For goodness sake, who hires music directors? I’d thought men chosen for
such positions were pulled out of faithful stewards in a local assembly.

‘What happened to Paul?’ I asked. ‘You made him the head of the music team. Why do you need a
music director?’

‘To be candid, Paul is not my spec. The music isn’t as great as I’d want it to be. When he told me he’d be
leaving next month for a master program at the Obafemi Awolowo University, in a way I was happy. We
need class and excellence in this church.

I stared long at my fiancé, unable to believe the things he had said. Pure Heaven Assembly seemed more
like a business organization than a church founded on Christ. Do I really want to go on this journey with
a man like this? But we just saw the move of God during the service this morning. What exactly was
going on?

My mum called me when Wale stopped in front of his new apartment. He turned off the car engine and
sat back waiting.

‘ Ekasan ma.’ I greeted.

‘ Omo, bawoni? ’ Mum’s voice seemed cheerful.

'I'm fine ma. How's dad?

He's getting better. We thank God for healing him but I've been telling him to stop going to the farm. He
will not listen. I've told him Akin is capable of taking care of the farm. When he was still in the hospital,
we got great harvest at the farm. Just yesterday, your brother was selected by the

federal government for a three month agriculture program. I hear he will not only be trained but a large
sum of money will be given to him after the training.'

Mum, I'm happy to hear this. God is faithful.

"Ehn, Yemisi, I called to talk to you concerning Wale.

My heart skipped a beat. I closed my eyes,

listening to my pounding heart, if she kicked against our relationship again, l'd be convinced that God
wanted me to leave this man. If you are sure this is the man you want to spend your life with, you have
my full support. You can ask Wale to bring his family down to see us. We are ready to receive them and
any day you fix for your wedding is fine by us. Apologize to Wale.

Tell him I'm sorry about the way I treated him the last time you brought him home. Ill make it up to him
when he shows up here again.
I held the phone to my ear, disappointed. There was still that nudging to end the relationship with Wale.
It was as if I was expecting my mother to confirm what was in my heart and what I had heard during the
prayers with Abigail. I turned towards Wale and could see him staring at me with hope in his eyes. When
the call ended, I rested my head on the car's headrest and stared

back at Wale.

To be continued......

Ife Grace.

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 9

**************

‘That call was from mum right?’ Wale asked.

I nodded and looked down at my phone praying silently that he would not ask if mum had finally
approved our plans to get married.

Wale pressed. ‘What did she say?’

I sighed, wondering what response to give. I didn’t understand why I was afraid to tell him what mum
had said. Was this not the good news I prayed for?

My eyes fell on his and I could see how much he wanted us to settle down. I wanted it too but
something kept holding me back.

‘Mum just called to let me know Dad is getting better. She said Akin got an opportunity to attend a
training sponsored by the Federal Government.’ I stopped talking. Wale waited to hear more. When I
didn’t say anything, he looked away and drummed gently on the steering.

‘She is still kicking against our relationship right?’ Wale said without looking at me.

I let out a deep breath and touched his hand. ‘We’ll keep praying Wale.’

He pulled his hand away and reached for the door. At first, I thought he was annoyed but I relaxed when
he waited for me to alight and then he took my hand and led me into the house.

There were eight flats in Wale’s compound. Four upstairs and four downstairs. Even though there were
cars parked in the compound, we didn’t hear voices from any of the flat. Everywhere was quiet and I had
to wonder if the neigbours ever gathered for small talks. As we approached Wale’s apartment, a slender
girl, possibly in her early teens descended the stairs with a little boy who held hundred naira note firmly
in his hand. She greeted us before leading the boy out of the gate.

Wale opened the door to his apartment and we stepped in.

‘O boy!’ I muttered.

The sitting room was not big but it was neat and cozy. I loved the dark coffee settee and the frames on
the wall. One frame carried the picture of Wale’s graduation from the WCA Bible Seminary. There was
also a picture of Wale and his two sisters. The two other frames on the opposite side of the wall were
scriptural verses.

I pointed at the picture of Wale and his siblings. ‘Do you realize I’ve not spoken to your sisters before? I
was thinking since you are their only brother, they should be curious about the woman you’d be getting
married to.’

Wale folded his hands, his gaze fixed on the picture frame. He smiled and looked at me. ‘I’ve had a lot of
heartbreaks from ladies. Each time I decide to get serious with one, I always introduce them to my
sisters. But somehow, we break up. The last one that happened, my sisters said I must not introduce any
lady to them until I was sure the lady was not going to leave me.’

I looked away from Wale. He stood in front of me and held my waist. ‘That’s the reason I became afraid
to commit to a relationship. Since the last lady left…’ He paused. ‘I don’t know why they always leave
and now with your family not accepting me, I’m already scared I’ll lose you. So you see why I can’t
introduce you to them yet.’

He pulled his hands away from my waist and thrust them into his pockets. ‘How do you like this place?’

I scanned the living room, my eyes stopping at the large TV screen with big speakers on each side. There
was a new water dispenser at one side of the living room and an air cooler at another end.

‘It’s beautiful.’ I said and ran my fingers over the arm of the three-seater sofa. I looked at the TV. ‘Your
television is something else. It’s so big.’

He pointed at it. ‘I bought that TV because of football. You should see how clear the pictures are. O boy!’
He glanced at me. ‘You know I don’t play with football especially when my team is playing a game. Once
there is a match, no distraction.’

I chuckled. ‘I’ve known that for a long time. Wale will never pick my call once there is a football match.
What if I go into labour on the day of Champions League?’

Wale laughed. ‘In the name of Jesus, you will not be in labour on any of those days. Champions League
keh. God will not even let that happen. I will count nine months to that time and ensure safe sex is
enforced or we will even go on sex sabbatical sef. It can fall before or after. Not during the game.’

I crackled with laughter. ‘What if it happens? Like the match happens at the time I fall into labour.’

‘It cannot happen Yemisi. It won’t.’ He laughed again. ‘Do you know what you are saying at all?

He held my hand. ‘Let me show you the kitchen.’

The kitchen screamed in need of a woman’s touch, my touch actually. There was an empty deep freezer
standing against the wall. On another side of the wall was a gas cooker. Cartons of glass cups, cutlery
and plates were stacked one the kitchen table. I opened each of the kitchen cabinets. Most of them
were empty but I knew when I moved in, it wouldn’t take a week before they were occupied.

I stood back and felt like getting married immediately. It was as if I was already in my husband’s house
preparing meals and taking charge of kitchen affairs.

Wale brought out his Samsung phone. ‘I think you should take pictures of the house and send them to
mummy. Tell her this pastor you are getting married to is not like the ones they have in ijebu-igbo. Not
all pastors are called to suffer. A man called of God who knows his onions should not start his ministry as
a pauper. That’s not God’s will for us.’

As I took the pictures, Wale received a call from the rich lady he spoke about earlier. The one who paid a
month’s fee for the church venue. She wanted him to attend a birthday bash she was organizing for her
younger sister. She said she’d love to introduce her Pastor to some of her friends.

I was not comfortable with Wale attending the function. ‘Do you have to go?’

Wale shrugged. ‘I should. I’ll just breeze in and out.’

‘This party is holding in a hotel. Wale I don’t think you should go. Just tell her you can’t make it.’

Wale left me in the kitchen without saying anything. When I followed him out, he showed me the other
part of the house before taking me back to the living room. He went into his bedroom and returned with
two cold cans of malt.

He gave me one. I took it and popped it open though I was upset that he ignored my suggestion.

‘So you’ll still go for the birthday party?’

Wale was clearly irritated. ‘What is your problem Yemisi. What is wrong with going for a birthday party?
If the party is going to hold in a hotel, so what? Don’t we have our services in a building like that?’

I felt hurt. Couldn’t he see that I was just looking out for him? ‘I’m just thinking about the kind of songs
they’ll sing there and the skimpy dresses the ladies will wear. That kind of environment does not befit a
person like you.’

‘I’ve told you I’m honouring a member’s invitation to a function. Simple!’ He sat and crossed his legs.
‘Let me teach you one lesson in ministry. You do not only minister to the spiritual needs of your
members, you must also be concerned about their day to day life. ’

‘And attending a birthday party is one of them?’

Wale stood up. ‘Yemisi, I don’t have time for this baseless argument this afternoon. I have only slept for
three hours in the last 24 hrs because I had to prepare for today’s service. Can we just be on the same
side today?’
‘I’m sorry.’ I said and threw the empty can into a dustbin at the entrance.

Later that day, when I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about the lady that called Wale. Was there
something else going on that I wasn’t aware of? The way he spoke to me at his place showed that he
honoured her words more than he did mine. I wished I had asked for her name so I could trace her on
facebook or instagram.

Wale had said the lady sat behind me during the service. I tried to remember those who sat around me
but no picture came to my head. I decided I was going to be at alert at the next service.

Adesuwa returned to my mind as I brushed my teeth that night. I had completely forgotten about the
image I had seen while praying with Abigail. It also occurred to me that night that Adesuwa did not call
me when my other students reached out to me after my meeting with Phebe at the market

Was it possible that she was pregnant? There was one way to find out. Phebe. I reached for my phone
and dialed Phebe’s number.

‘Hello Miss Yemisi.’ Phebe said in a cheerful voice. ‘Please tell me that you have decided to come see us.’

‘Phebe, that’s not why I called.’ I could hear disappointment in her voice. ‘How’s Adesuwa?’

‘She is fine. We were together at the Physics lab on friday when we went to collect our exam scripts.
Miss Yemisi, Adesuwa is something else now. The way she dig into her books is scary. At least when you
were still around, she played and had fun with us. But now, it is only book o. She is definitely going to
win most of the prizes this year.’

‘So Adesuwa is not pregnant.’

‘What?’ Phebe exclaimed.

My hand flew to my mouth. I didn’t know that I had spoken my thoughts aloud. ‘Hey Phebe, It’s just a
rumor okay. I just wanted to be sure whoever gave me that information was referring to someone else.’

‘I understand ma’am.’ Phebe said. ‘Adesuwa cannot be pregnant. It’s not even a possibility. Since
Daniel’s case, she has been aversive to boys. She doesn’t even look at them. All she does is read books.
After our exams, she went to one corner of the classroom and buried her head in the biography of
Oprah Winfrey. She is so boring to be with.’

I laughed. So much like the girl I know. Adesuwa had almost fallen down the staircase because she was
engrossed in reading a novel. ‘Tell her I asked after her welfare. One of these days, I’ll come around. My
love to all your classmates.’

‘I’ll deliver your message ma. We look forward to having you around.’

When I ended the call, I felt stupid for some minutes. If I had heard wrongly about Adesuwa, then
definitely it wasn’t God who asked me to let go of Wale. All of those things must have happened in my
mind. I was again confused. How then does God speak? Why would I believe that I received an
information while praying and yet it turned out to be wrong?

I dialed Wale’s number, deciding to break the news to him about what mum’s approval. I was tired of
having my mind deceive me. The day I prayed with Abigail, I had heard ‘Let him go.’ but right now, it was
clear it was my mind and nothing else. At least Adesuwa’s case proved it.

Wale didn’t answer his call. I tried his line again and this time he rejected the call. Was he still at the
party? I imagined Wale sitting comfortably with the rich lady at the party laughing and looking into her
eyes and right there on my bed, I felt a sharp pang of jealousy.

To be continued....

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 10

************

I felt very sad when I got close to my house after a hectic day at work and found Wale’s car parked in
front of my gate.

Why should he appear on the day my boss transferred twenty thousand naira to my account as
commission for a travel package I sold? You can call me a ‘bad wife material’ for thinking this way but for
goodness sake, I needed this money badly. How long would I continue to wear fairly used dresses and
shoes?

You know, I had thought that since this philanthropist lady that paid for the church venue arrived Pure
Heaven Assembly, I’d be free to enjoy my money. Remember the lady whose sister’s birthday party my
fiancé attended? By the way, I finally got to meet her on a Sunday service. What’s that her name again?
Victoria. The moment I saw her, I sighed in relief. I had just wasted my energy worrying for nothing.

Victoria was obviously older than Wale. I’m sorry but the concealer did not conceal anything. You will
know clearly that this one is not in our Age group. She should be somewhere in her late thirties or early
forties. As I was saying, I thought the new supply of cash from this lady would shift his interest from my
purse, but it didn’t. Wale still asked for ten thousand two weeks ago.

I sighed, wishing I could find a place to hide but I knew Wale would have seen me through the outside
mirror. I sighed in frustration remembering how my mum had called earlier in the day to inform me that
one of my nieces had been rushed to the hospital. I had sent Yewande fifteen thousand naira as my
contribution for the hospital bills. Before leaving the office, Yewande had called pleading with me to get
fruits and beverages while coming to pay her a visit that weekend.

God, I’m begging you, don’t allow Wale ask me for money today.
When I got close to the car, Wale was jotting on a notepad and a bible was opened on the steering
wheel.

‘Is it only reading bible this guy knows how to do?’ I muttered quietly as I tapped on his window. He
smiled and motioned for me to get into the car.

‘What a surprise.’ I said, pretending to be excited. ‘You didn’t tell me you were coming to see me.’

Wale closed his bible. ‘I’m sorry. I wanted to see your face before leaving for my ministration tomorrow
morning.’

‘Oh that’s true.’ I remembered Wale had told me the previous night about two ministrations he had
outside town. One in Ondo and another in Ibadan.

‘I’ll be back Saturday evening.’ He said. ‘Are you going to miss me?’

I chuckled. ‘Of course. Just make sure you bring something back for me.’

It suddenly occurred to me that it had been a long time Wale got me anything. Not even five hundred
naira airtime. I was always the one giving to him. I’m not saying he should get the whole world for me
but at least something nice. I can’t remember the last time we hung out and enjoyed some of the nice
places in Lagos. Discussions had become boring too. We are either talking about ministerial expansion or
strategies to get more members. There was nothing about our future or the family we were going to
raise.

‘I don’t trust Seun anymore.’ Wale said to me

Seun was the church’s financial officer. ‘What did he do?’

‘I asked him to send the financial statement for last month and I was shocked when I saw that we have
only one thousand naira in our account. I asked him for the one million naira I sent to him at the
beginning of the month, he started giving me some useless excuses. I have told him he must cough out
that money!’

I was upset. Where did Wale get one million naira from? Why didn’t he tell me? Who knows how much
he had locked up somewhere that I had no knowledge about and he had the guts to still drag the little
money I was managing with me?

Wale looked at me, concerned. ‘Are you okay?’

I flashed him a smile. ‘Nothing.’

He continued. ‘I don’t trust Williams too. Last week, he said I know nothing about starting a church. Can
you imagine? He said that to my face. I don’t know what’s wrong with him these days. He talks to me
anyhow.’
I couldn’t hold back my anger. ‘When you hired choristers and a music director, how do you expect
them to feel? They’ll also feel entitled to earn from their work. They want their salary too.’

Wale flared up. ‘To hell with them! If they want to leave, they should go! The church will go on without
them.’

I shook my head. Wale didn’t know what he was saying at all. These guys had been with him from the
first day he started the church. They were the ones who believed in his vision and sacrificed so much to
see it come into reality. Wale had better tread carefully.

‘Can I get some money from you please?’

The moment I heard that, a nut loose in my head but I pushed the anger down and kept a steady gaze
on Wale.

He continued, his eyes pleading. I was not moved at all. ‘Someone promised to send some money to
support our work. I’m still expecting his call. But as it is, I don’t even have the money that’ll take me for
my ministrations. I’m expecting something huge as honorarium from Ibadan. I’ll pay you back when I
return.’

I opened my purse and brought out two thousand naira. ‘That’s all I have for now.’

Wale looked from me to the money. ‘Am I a beggar? What’s wrong with you? You are giving me two
thousand naira Yemisi. How much fuel will it buy? I’m not even asking for money for my own personal
needs. This is the work of God for goodness sake. I must confess, the way you’ve been holding your
money so tightly I don’t understand you anymore.’

I lost it at that moment. If Wale thought I was a fool, he messed with the wrong person. ‘Wale, I am not
father Christmas! Be reasonable for goodness sake. I send money home every month. As I speak, my
sister’s child has been admitted in the hospital and you know that she is not working. This is all I can
afford to give you.’

‘Spare me that trash.’ Wale barked. ‘How much do you send to your parents? How much does the
hospital bill cost? You don’t pay rent. Your office is just a stone throw from your house. At most, your
monthly transport fare is six thousand naira. Your feeding can’t be more than twenty thousand naira
monthly. You earn one hundred and fifty naira Yemisi. Your commission every month is between twenty
and forty thousand naira. That’s almost two hundred thousand naira monthly. Don’t give me that
bullshit. Just say you don’t want to support my ministry rather than stretch out a miserly two thousand
naira to me. Get out of my car!’

I grabbed my handbag and stepped down from the car, tears welling up my eyes. Wale drove away
angrily, leaving dust behind as he sped away from sight. I wiped my tears and entered the house. I
couldn’t eat the food I had bought. I left it on the kitchen sink and went to my room.
Wale was cruel, that was my conclusion. I was still owing a colleague a hundred thousand naira because
Wale needed money urgently to settle ‘ministerial needs.’ Why had he forgotten the times I emptied my
account to see to the progress of the church? I remember the time Wale invited a guest minister to the
church. I’d kicked against that decision but Wale convinced me that inviting the man would make the
church grow numerically. He said it would bring the right people to our church.

We spent almost four hundred thousand naira on the guest minister. At the hotel room, when the
Pastor counted the honorarium, there was a look of dissatisfaction on his face. After counting the
money, he said the only reason he’d come back if we invited us was because we were a growing church
and he loves Wale very much. But on a normal day if the two hundred thousand naira had been given to
him elsewhere, he’ll never set his feet there again. He looked at my fiancé and said,

‘Be wise with your ministerial call. Forget all the nonsense some of those preachers say about taking
whatever is offered you when you are invited to preach. I’m not saying you should argue with them over
the honorarium given to you but have a standard. From the honorarium, you should be able to tell if
you’ll accept another invitation from them.’

Wale had stood there smiling. He bowed slightly. I was fuming seriously. Whoever this guest minister
was, did he know how we got the money?

‘Yes sir. Your words are duly noted sir.’ Wale said.

The man was not done. ‘If you are not wise, people will use and dump you. Have you not seen pastors
who walk around in rags begging for food? Ignorance caused it. We are not asking people to pay for the
anointing of God over our lives. Of course that’s a gift but preachers should be paid properly for their
sacrifice and diligence to the word. Do you know how many hours it takes a preacher to spend time
preparing a sermon?’

‘Exactly sir.’ Wale said. ‘Even the bible says we should not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. A
labourer is worthy of his reward.’

I stood there beside Wale, stunned for words.

‘As you grow in ministry,’ the man continued. ‘You raise your standard for honorarium. The more your
name is fanned abroad, the greater your value increases. That’s the first lesson in ministerial prosperity.’

Wale prostrated on the floor. ‘Thank you sir.’

I went on my knees too even though what I wanted to do was walk out of the man’s hotel room. While
we knelt down in front of him and he prayed for us, I wondered how Wale would return the money he
borrowed to feed this greedy guest minister. You won’t believe I was the one he ran to when the lenders
came after him. I had to empty my account again and borrow another one fifty thousand naira from
Taiwo.
Wale didn’t remember all this before making calculations of how I spent my monthly income. I opened
my wardrobe and threw all my bags and shoes to the floor, standing over them while my blood boiled. I
couldn’t even buy new shoes and bags because the bulk of my money went to Wale’s ministry.

I was done with the relationship. Yes, it was freaking me out! If this was what it took to be a Pastor’s
wife I wasn’t interested again. This was my fault. If I had listened to my mentor, maybe I wouldn’t be
going through this.

I felt cheated and used. I sent Wale a text message that night and told him I was tired of the relationship
and wanted out.

After I did that, I cried myself to sleep.

******************

Wale was in my house saturday night. I’d just returned from my sister’s place and was sorting out my
clothes for the week when I heard the knock. Standing at the door was Wale holding a gift box.

‘What do you want?’ I said, frowning.

‘Can I come in?’

When I didn’t move away from the entrance, he dropped the wrapped gift on the floor and stepped
closer to me. ‘Yemisi, please. Just hear me out.’

I allowed him in and led him to the inner sitting room. He dropped the gift on the table and sat beside
me and then reached for my hands.

‘I’m very sorry for all I said to you on Friday. I shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you. I’m sorry
Yemisi. You have been there for me. You believed in my dreams and visions yet I took you for granted.
What will my life have become without you by my side?’ He paused. ‘Yemisi, I didn’t expect this turn of
events in my life. I thought with the kind of influence I had, my first service would have hundreds of
people trooping in. I have been asking myself, where did I go wrong in ministry. I’m really sorry for the
things I said.’

I looked into his eyes and knew I couldn’t let him go. I loved this man so much. We are not without our
flaws right? What was important was that we own up to them and trust God to work in us. I was happy I
sent that text. It had got me a repentant man and a gift too.

‘Will you forgive me?’

I had already forgiven him but I didn’t want to sound excited. ‘Yes I have. It’s fine.’

‘We are still together?’

‘Yeah.’ I said. ‘So how did the ministration go?’

He stood up and pulled me to my feet. ‘Let’s hang out somewhere. I want to give my girl a real treat.’

It was then I spilled the news I’d been hiding for a long time. I told him mum had approved our
relationship. I said we could fix any date we wanted for our wedding and my family was looking forward
to receiving his family.

Wale’s eyes widened in surprise but behind them was a doleful look. I wasn’t sure if I was just thinking it.
I expected him to jump for joy or shout ‘glory!’or do a ‘dance in the Holy Ghost’ like he usually did when
he was excited about anything. Wale just grinned and said,

‘We have to celebrate this.’

I wasn’t convinced that Wale was happy about the news. No matter how much he tried to hide it, I could
tell. That left me very confused. If he didn’t want the relationship, why did he come back seeking to
mend our relationship? Why would he ask me to take pictures of his apartment and send them to my
mother? Was I just assuming things? I looked at his face again and noticed the worried lines on his face.
He quickly flashed me a smile and began to talk about his trips.

Something wasn’t right here. But what could it be?

Just as we got to the eatery, a text message appeared on my notification screen. I tapped to read the
message.

Miss Yemisi, I miss you. I just wish I could talk to you but Phebe tells me you are always very busy. I miss
you. Adesuwa.

At that same moment, Wale tapped the table to get my attention.

‘What will you like to eat?’

As I stare blankly at his face, my heart pounding from the words I’d read, Abigail’s words returned to me.

Yemisi, it is by obedience that we step into the things God has planned to do with our lives. If you
continue to disobey the leading of the Holy Spirit, you will not be entrusted with kingdom work. You
have to let go of sentiments and step into the instructions He is laying down for you.

I swallowed hard, remembering how my negligence to God’s instructions had dulled out my sensitivity
to know that Dotun wasn’t alright. He had slipped right from my hand into eternity. Would I lose
Adesuwa too?

‘Yemisi, are you okay?’ Wale asked. He was looking very worried.

I shook my head. Wale leaned forward, waiting for my response. ‘No, I’m not. I’m not feeling too well. I
want to go home.’

To be continued......
Ife Grace.

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 11

***************

I called Adesuwa when I got home, she didn’t pick my call the first time and I tried it a second time. She
answered it.

‘Hello Miss Yemisi.’

She sounded like she had been crying.

‘Adesuwa.’

‘Yes ma. I-’ She stopped talking and burst into tears. I told her to let the tears out and waited until she
was calm.

‘What’s going on?’ I asked finally.

‘Please don’t be angry with me. I know I’m a failure. God must hate me right now. I know he doesn’t
want to have anything to do with me anymore. My life is a mess.’

‘Adesuwa, God does not hate you. I don’t know what is going on, but one thing I’m sure of is that God
loves you very much and he wants to help you.’

She didn’t say anything. I waited again while I prayed silently. I was not going to lose this one. Whatever
was going on, we would get to the end of it together.

‘For a week now, I’ve been feeling quite ill. Mum travelled to Aba to get undies to stock her shop. My
elder sister had to take me to the clinic.’ Adesuwa paused. ‘They ran tests on me. I’m pregnant.’

‘Oh no.’ I muttered underneath my breath. I didn’t know when I stood up and began to pace the room. I
had seen this coming. I had seen Adesuwa pregnant in that revelation. Oh Jesus.

‘I don’t know what to do Miss Yemisi. My sister has been sad since we returned from the clinic. She
doesn’t know what to do and she is afraid of telling my parents. My father will kill me if he finds out
about this. I can’t even tell my friends. They’ve been complaining that I am too serious with my studies. I
can’t even imagine the shock on their faces when they discover I’ve been messing around in secret. I
don’t know what to do. I wish this could all go away.’

I was muttering tongues as I paced the room. I asked God to teach me what to do. How do I handle this
case?

‘Who is the guy responsible for this?’ I asked.

‘Samuel. He lives with us but he’ll be returning to school very soon. When he came into Lagos, he
couldn’t get a place for his one year industrial training. His father pleaded with my dad to take him in his
farm. Dad agreed and said he could stay with us.’

I remembered the presents Adesuwa’s mother gave me during the open day at Corner Stone College.
Large tubers of yam, potatoes, onions, a bag of rice, beans, two live chickens. I had to share some of the
gifts with other teachers.

‘Does he know about this?’

‘I told him this morning.’ Adesuwa replied. ‘He said we have to get rid of it. I don’t want to do this. I’m
afraid. What if I die while the doctor cut me open? I’m really scared.’

I sat down on the bed. ‘Adesuwa, stay calm okay. Don’t go anywhere with that guy. If he keeps
threatening you, call me. I’ll come over this weekend to see you. I know your mother very well. I’ll speak
with her.’

‘I just wish this can just go away. I’ll not allow any man touch me again.’

‘The painful truth is that it can’t go away. However, God has a great plan for you as much as he does for
the life growing in your womb.’

‘I love you Miss Yemisi.’

‘I love you too dear. I’ll be praying for you and I’ll call you again.’

When I ended the call, I went on my knees and prayed. My heart not only ached for Adesuwa, it cried
for the woman I had become.

‘God, please.’ I started and couldn’t get any more words out. Right there on my knees, I decided I was
done trying to do things myself. I have had enough of doing things my own way. I would trust God and
just allow him do whatever he wanted with me.

‘Oh dear Father.’ I said, with tears running down my face. ‘Help me Lord.’

In the course of the week, I had gotten two packs of soft drinks and biscuits for the love feast due to
hold after service at Pure Heaven Assembly. I had also bought envelopes for the church and made
customized pens for the first timers.

I decided that Sunday would be my last in that church. I would tell Wale I was done with the relationship.
Even though the future seemed bleak, I decided to trust God and allow him take charge of my life.

My phone rang. Wale.

I turned off my ring volume and prayed. The more I prayed, the more I felt new strength envelope me.
An hour passed while I continued to pace my room, praying and singing.
When I got ready to sleep, I checked my call history. Wale had called seven times. Someone else called.
The Pastor of my former church. I was surprised. He had not called since I told him I had left for Pure
Heaven Assembly. I noticed there was a text message from him.

Yemisi, how are you? I just want to check up on you to see how you are doing. This scripture comes to
mind as I prayed for you. Proverbs 4:18 . The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which
shines ever brighter until the full light of day. Take one step after the other towards the light and every
other thing will align. Good night daughter.

I had a sound sleep that night. I dreamt I was running on a beach, screaming excitedly. I heard a voice
behind me, laughing. The voice said,

‘Go daughter. I’ve got you.’

I woke up laughing.

**************** *********************

Sunday Service. Pure Heaven Assembly.

Something happened in church while the worship was going on. I sincerely believe that God prepared
me ahead for what I was going to discover that day.

I sat in my usual place behind the Pastor’s ‘throne.’ Elizabeth sat beside me. I noticed she looked
agitated and was muttering words that I couldn’t exactly place. She kept looking back at the entrance. At
this point, it was clear she was obsessed about Wale. From the day she rolled her eyes at me at the
ministration I followed Wale, I already knew she saw me as an obstacle to getting the attention of the
man of God.

She’ll be free to have him, I whispered. I couldn’t wait for the service to end so I could get out of the
church.

As the service progressed, I noticed that the other seats behind us were filled up and the ushers
wouldn’t let anyone sit on the last seat on our row. The evangelism co-ordinator wanted to sit there but
this usher directed him to another place. It was just myself, Elizabeth and the church financial officer. I
kept wondering who they were reserving the last seat for. Wale never said anything to me about inviting
a guest. Anyway did he really tell me anything anymore?

While the worship session was still going on, Pastor Wale walked into the church followed by his usher
who carried his bible. Then I saw Victoria walking briskly behind them holding a lunch bag. I noticed that
the usher smiled at her and made way for her to sit beside Elizabeth.

She was the person the seat was reserved for. But why?

Guess what Victoria did. The moment she sat down, she pulled out two bottled water from the lunch
bag and replaced the bottles I had placed on a stool for the Pastor and his assistant. I saw that she took
the cupcakes I had packed for the Pastor and dumped them into the bag while arranging hers neatly on
a tray on the lower layer of the stool. Even the sweets on the stool, she poured everything out and
replaced her with a pack of sweet she had bought. I was surprised that Wale saw what she was doing
and didn’t say anything.

Lizzy clapped her hands and shook her head. She looked at me. ‘Are you just going to sit down there and
allow this useless woman do whatever she likes here?’

In my mind I thought, how was I supposed to react? Create a scene? Interestingly I was calm but still
curious though. I couldn’t just understand why she did that. For me it was very immature. Even if you
are trying to get the attention of a man, there is a way to go about it.

Elizabeth hissed. ‘Even old women, awon sugar aunties will still be dragging a young pastor with people
like us. Wonders shall never end.’

Victoria must have heard that. She glared at Lizzy who started laughing hysterically. Pastor Wale shot
her an angry glance and Elizabeth returned the glare.

I wanted to be done with the service. I was not comfortable there anymore. When Pastor Wale
mounted the podium, Elizabeth leaned towards me.

‘I will treat this man’s fuck up. He thinks he can play games with me. I will show him pepper.”

What was she talking about? I tried to concentrate on what the Pastor was saying but Elizabeth kept
interrupting me. She hit my shoulder gently and held her phone to me. Reluctantly, I took it from her. It
was a screenshot of a conversation from WhatsApp. I could see Victoria’s picture on the display icon and
the name saved as ‘My beloveth.’

Hello sweetheart.

Hey Pastor Wale

Don’t call me Pastor. I’m a Pastor to every other person, but not to you. You are the woman that makes
my heart beat for joy.

Shocked, I raised my head and looked at Elizabeth, She laughed bitterly.

‘You have not seen anything. Swipe to your right. There are more screenshots.’

I swiped to the next slide.

There was a picture of a finger with an engagement ring. Under the picture was a text.

I will never put off this ring. I’m getting married to Pastor Wale.

Wale replied I don’t want you to wear the ring around yet. We’ll do this officially when the time is right. I
gave you the ring so you can know I’m serious
‘What?’ I stared at the phone, shocked at what I was reading. Wale had given me a ring too but he’d
stopped me from wearing it. He said he wanted my parents to approve our relationship first before
flaunting it around. I continued reading.

Fine if that’s what you want. I can’t wait! My dreams are finally coming to pass. Wale, I promise I’m
going to respect you all the days of my life. Age is never going to be a barrier to submission. We will
grow old together.

Baby, I’ve completed the necessary documentation. You are so lucky. You are a Nigerian and also a
citizen of the United States. I can’t wait to be married to you.

Every process will go smoothly once we get married. I have already booked our tickets to Texas.

Oh really!!! Last week when we had that quarrel, I thought I had lost you. I couldn’t sleep.

I’m sorry. I just didn’t like the way you are close to that Yemisi lady.

Believe me Victoria, Yemisi and I had something together but there is nothing anymore. She just likes to
cling to me. I just wanted to be sure our tickets were ready before I tell all those sisters to back off.

And that small girl that is so obsessed about you. Elizabeth. Mehn, you have crazy people in your church.
So what are you going to do about the Pure Heaven Assembly?

I’m already tired of the place jare. I just want to be with you. Let’s get married and leave this goddamn
country. I love you so much Victoria. You are everything to me. Gush! I’m so happy. Can we just get
married already?

I was literally shaking where I sat. I looked at Wale behind the pulpit, flipping from one scripture to
another. My eyes fell on Elizabeth.

‘How did you get hold of his phone?’

Elizabeth gave me a mocking smile. ‘Before both of you came into the scene, I was Wale’s girl. He
couldn’t do without me. There is barely a week he does not come to my house. I know his mumu button.
But Wale is covetous. I’ve always known that. Apparently I didn’t have the money he needed to run his
ministry so I wasn’t wife material enough. He is looking for a smart wife with lots of cash he can control.
I may not be that kind of wife but I know how to handle that man. I am not called a witch for nothing.
Legions of demons live inside this body and I’ll unleash them on whoever stands in my way.’

I felt a chill run through my spine. Elizabeth suddenly looked different from the lady I had known to be
Wale’s mentee. But with all the power Wale demonstrated, why couldn’t he discern that this lady was
evil?

Elizabeth giggled and took the phone from me. ‘Stay out of my way so you don’t get hurt.’

My heart was pounding very hard. I could literally feel fear descend upon me. I had to get out of that
church. I didn’t want to be part of whatever was going on there anymore.
I stared at Wale again. He was such a wonderful orator. He knew how to command attention and you
could tell from the members who were jumping and shouting for joy when he made some
proclamations.

Wale removed his suit and began to go from row to row, laying hands on the congregation. I could see a
glow on Victoria’s face. She really must adore him.

How did I get into this mess, I asked myself for the umpteenth time. I felt a strong urge to leave.

‘I’m leaving. Goodbye.’ I said to Elizabeth.

‘I hope we don’t meet again.’ Elizabeth said, looking at me fully in the eyes. The same chill ran through
my body. I stepped past some of the people who had fallen on the floor and hurried out of the hotel. I
ordered a taxi with one address in mind.

The Transformation Church, Gbagada.

I was ready to see my mentors. The prodigal child was ready to come home.

In the taxi, I sent a message to Wale.

I’m no longer interested in this relationship. Wale, this time I mean it. It’s over between us. I wish you a
nice life.

**************** *************************

Service had just ended by the time I got to my mentor’s church. I searched for their car hoping to wait
for them till they were ready to leave. I was trying to locate the car when someone grabbed me from
behind.

‘Aunty!’

It was Kudirat, my mentor’s househelp.

‘How are you Kudirat?’ I asked.

‘I’m fine. I’m so happy to see you. Why have you not been coming to our house?’

How was I supposed to answer that question? ‘Where is Mama D?’

‘They had to rush home immediately after the service. We have visitors. Mama insisted I wait for the
youth meeting. We are through with the meeting ma’am. If you are ready, we can go home together.’

I was scared of seeing my spiritual parents. Would they accept me back? Would mummy lash out at me?
Whatever she says, I was ready to take it.

We got to my mentor’s house and the living room was packed full with people. They looked like campus
students. Young and full of life. There were about four young men sitting in the living room. Three other
men were in the dining area laughing. One of them played the guitar while the others sang along with
him. On Christ the solid rock I stand rented the air and I felt this joy welling up in my heart.

Papa D was saying something to a fine man sitting beside him. He looked older than the rest, maybe
somewhere in his early thirties. Papa stopped talking when he saw me.

‘Who do we have here? Yemisi!’ Papa exclaimed.

I went to him and immediately went down on my knees. Papa D placed his hand on his chin and shook
his head.

‘Yemisi.’ Papa repeated

‘I’m so sorry.’ I said quietly. The man sitting beside the Papa smiled at me. His face was familiar but I
couldn’t place where I’d met him.

Papa pointed at the man. ‘Yemisi, do you know him?’

I stared long at his face, wondering where we had met. I couldn’t place the face. ‘Papa, he looks familiar
but I can’t exactly place where we met.’

Papa tapped the young man as he introduced him to me. ‘This is Ayomide, my wonderful spiritual son.
He is a medical doctor and the leader of the Zion medical outreach.’ He pointed at the guys sitting in the
living room. ‘Those are the sons he has raised in his ministry.’

I stood up and greeted the others. The name of the ministry rang a bell. I turned swiftly to Ayomide. ‘I
remember now. We met once. You spent a night here early last year.’

Ayomide grinned. ‘Sharp memory.’ He stretched out his hand. ‘Good to meet you again Yemisi.’

I shook it. ‘Same here. Welcome.’

Mama came out of the kitchen and put her hands on her waist. ‘Yemisi, you are here. Come to the
kitchen my friend! We have plenty of stomachs to feed.’

Papa held my hand as I left to join Mama in the kitchen. ‘When you are done, get ready for your twelve
strokes of cane.’

I looked down. ‘Yes sir. I-’

‘Go and help your mother. We’ll talk about your punishment later.’

As I left the living room, I remember one of the punishments Papa had given one of his mentees. We
called the punishment, weekend lockdown. That Saturday, Papa ushered Deji into the guest room and
told him not to come out of the room throughout the day. A punishment schedule had been drawn.

3 hours prayer.
2 hours study of the word.

Another 3 hours prayer.

4 hours of listening to sermon.

2 hours of prayer.

No breakfast. No lunch.

Papa said he’d consider if Deji would get to eat dinner.

‘If you like sleep all through today. You will repeat the same process tomorrow. I know you cannot lie to
me. I did not raise sons who are liars.’ Papa had said before leaving the guest room. That day, I stood at
the entrance thanking God I didn’t have to serve the punishment.

Papa continued. ‘I don’t want to see your leg outside. The bathroom is in here. I’ll leave you half bag of
water. I’ll be checking up on your progress. Except it’s an emergency, don’t let me see your face
outside.’

I wondered what twelve strokes of cane Papa would give to me. He might ask me to fast and pray for
three days. Even if he says one week, I was ready for whatever discipline would be meted.

In the kitchen, I joined some of the ladies from the medical outreach to prepare lunch. It felt like I was
home. I could see that Mama D was excited to see me. When we finished serving and the team left to
continue their journey, she hugged me close and pecked me on my cheek.

‘I have missed you so much.’

Tears welled up my eyes. ‘I missed you too.’

The punishment came that night after I opened up about Wale and all that had happened. I told them
everything.

‘For the next three months, I want you here in this house every weekend. If you miss a weekend without
any cogent reason, you’ll be in trouble. You are going to study the epistles of Paul starting from
tomorrow. I want a daily report of your study sent to my email every day. I don’t want to hear any
excuse that you couldn’t study because you were tired from work. I will not take any excuse.’

‘Can I add mine?’ Mama D said.

‘Sure.’ Papa looked at me. ‘Don’t think that’s all o. When you come this weekend, we’ll talk about the
weekend lockdown.’

My eyes widened. ‘Please Papa D.’

Papa turned his gaze from me. ‘My dear wife, you have the floor.’
Mama D looked at me. ‘Daddy gave you an assignment to pray one hour every day for forty days. You
refused to listen. I’m tripling it.’

‘That’s my wife.’ Papa grinned.

Mama D continued. ‘For the next one hundred and twenty days, you will pray one hour daily and
produce a weekly report of the time you started praying and when you finished.’

My eyes welled up in tears. Why were they doing this to me? I could not remember the last time I
prayed thirty minutes talk less of an hour. When would I have time to study for an hour every day and
still pray for another one hour every day? Papa still had the weekend lockdown for me. More prayers
and study? Couldn’t they just forget about what I had done and move on?

When they finished, you won’t believe they started talking about something entirely different. Papa
brought up a gist that was really funny. I tried not to laugh because I wanted them to see that I was
upset but I couldn’t help it. I laughed so hard my body shook. How could this people be stern one
minute and be so warm the next?

On my way home that night, Wale called me. I ended the call and blocked his line. This was a new start
and whatever it would take, I was going to get this right.

To be continued....

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 12

***************************

After work on Friday, I went straight to my mentor’s place to get ready for my saturday prayer and bible
study marathon. To be candid, I was expecting the schedule to run like this;

4 hours prayers

5 hours study

3 hours of listening to sermons

4 hours prayers.

But early on Saturday morning, Papa called me into the living room and said I’d pray three hours and
study for two hours and that would be it. I wondered if this was because I’d sought permission to see
Adesuwa or if for subsequent lockdowns, the schedule would change. Anyway, that morning, Mama and
I walked down the corridor that led to the guest room. She opened the door and we stepped into the
room and then she stood in front of me and rubbed my arms gently.
‘Have a beautiful time with the Lord.’ Mama said and left the room.

I didn’t know how to start. I dropped my bible and notepad on the floor and sat with my knees raised to
my chin. I couldn’t get a word out of my mouth. Images from my past clogged my mind and with it came
such indescribable pain. Let me just say that I spent the lockdown crying.

I tried to stop the tears and concentrate on the prayer points I had scribbled down in my notepad but I
couldn’t.

Oh, I felt so hurt and revengeful. I prayed Lizzy would unleash her demons to deal with Wale, that’s if
she truly housed demons like she claimed. I wanted to see him suffer. I wished I could see him one last
time and curse him. I wanted to scream at him and tell him he’d never prosper in life. I’d say to his face
that he’d roam the streets like a vagabond.

Horrible thoughts, I know, but I just couldn’t stop them. I was filled with rage and the only thing I could
think about was how I had given Wale my heart and he had smashed it against the wall.

Believe me Victoria, Yemisi and I had something together but there is nothing anymore. She just likes to
cling to me. I wanted to be sure our tickets were ready before I tell all those sisters to back off.

Those words stung again. I was the biggest fool on earth. Wale squeezed the substance out of me like
hurriedly chopped pineapple thrown into a juicer, blended and afterwards sieved to get the juice out.
Wasn’t the pulp usually emptied into the refuse bin? Pulp. That was what I had ended up becoming. He
drank the juice. All of it. What was left of my life?

‘God, I hate him!’

Forgive, as I have forgiven you.

How could I possibly do that? All my investments, my commitment to the relationship, my desire to
stand by him and see him prosper- everything had gone down the drain. For goodness sake, I was willing
to let go of my own needs just to see that he was fine. I was ready to stay with him through thick and
thin. How could he repay this way?

Let him go.

I wept until I had no strength in me. I opened my bible but nothing made sense there. At a point, I just
sat there in silence. I couldn’t open my mouth to pray, I couldn’t do anything. I was just weak. I lay on
the floor and slept off.

Mama’s voice woke me up. She noticed my swollen eyes and filled with compassion for me. I followed
her to the sitting room where Papa D and my friend Abigail were chatting and laughing.

I didn’t even wait to sit down before confessing the truth. ‘Papa, I didn’t pray. I didn’t read my bible
either.’

Papa smiled sadly. ‘So you spent the lockdown crying.’

‘I couldn’t help it.’ I said and sat beside Abigail who patted my shoulder gently.

‘How do you feel now?’ Abigail asked. I yawned and reclined on the sofa. The truth was, I felt better. I’d
pretended to be strong all through the week and had buried myself into work but spending time alone
with God brought up all the emotions

‘Yemisi, keep the communion with your heavenly father intact.’ Mama said. ‘Do whatever the Holy Spirit
instructs you to do. You’ll heal faster that way. Leave whatever happened in the past and let’s focus on
the way forward.’

I nodded my head. ‘Thank you ma.’

My eyes went to the wall clock. 12.40p.m. It was time to see Adesuwa and have a talk with her parents
concerning their pregnant daughter. Abigail had agreed to come with me and her mother had assured
us that her house was open to the teenage girl in case things didn’t go well with her parents.

While I got dressed, Abigail paced the room praying. I prayed quietly too. We asked for wisdom to deal
with the issue. We asked God to touch her parents and grant us favour. We continued to pray until the
taxi we boarded dropped us off in front of her house.

The house was still the same since the last time I visited Adesuwa when she fell ill for a week and
couldn’t come to school. Her brother opened the gate for us. He led us past a Toyota Camry and a small
truck into a bungalow that had potted plants line the wide veranda. As we got close, I heard the loud
angry voice of a man coming from inside the house.

‘I said l don’t want you in my house anymore!’ The man was shouting. ‘Right under my roof, you slept
with a boy who has no future. Adesuwa! You did not see any responsible boy around, it is that stupid,
good for nothing boy who is as useless on my farm as he is to his life that you chose to mess up with.
Didn’t they teach you how to use condom? Adesuwa! You sabi book nah. Why you behave like mumu
like this? See, you no be my pickin again, you hear me so?’

We entered the living room. Adesuwa was on her knees crying. Two of her sisters sat in the dining area,
their faces sullen. Beside them was a black box and a travelling bag.

Adesuwa’s mother held her husband’s legs. ‘My husband, please. Have mercy on her. Remember all the
good things she has done in the past. Where do you want her to go to?’

‘Woman! Let go of my leg!’ The man tried to pull her hands away but she held on firmly. He raised his
head and saw us standing close to the boy who had brought us in. He frowned, obviously annoyed at our
presence. ‘Who be this people?’

His wife released her grip on his leg and turned towards us. She recognized me immediately and jumped
to her feet.

‘Miss Yemisi’ She said and ran towards me. ‘You came at the right time.’
Her hand trembled as she led me towards the center of the living room. ‘Help me beg my husband. I
don’t know where he want my daughter to go.’

Abigail and I went down on our knees. The man looked closely at me. He put his hands on his waist
without taking his gaze away from me.

‘No be Adesuwa former class teacher be this?’

I nodded quickly, my hands clasped in front of me. ‘Please sir. Adesuwa is a good girl. This is a mistake
and I’m very sure she has learnt her lesson.’

He shook his head and I was a little annoyed that a man could be this stubborn where his own blood was
concerned. Who throws a baby out with the bathwater? He seemed to enjoy the attention. We were all
on our knees including Adesuwa’s sisters and two other young boys and yet he wouldn’t budge.

‘I don’t want to see her again. Period!’ He turned to his wife. ‘You know me. I don’t go back on my words.
Get her out of my house!’

He walked out but stopped at the entrance and turned to Adesuwa.

‘I had so much plans for you. I have already started saving money to send you abroad for a graduate
program. I just spoke to my friend two days ago about getting you into one of the Ivy League schools.
You ruined everything. Adesuwa, you fall my hand big time.’

When he left, Abigail suggested we wait until he returned. She believed his heart would soften after a
while but Adesuwa’s mother didn’t think her husband would change his mind.

‘I know my husband, he doesn’t go back on his words and he won’t at least for now. I wish there is a
place I can keep her until he calms down.’

Abigail looked from me to the distressed woman. ‘She can come with me. My mother is willing to take
care of her.’

Adesuwa’s mother wasn’t comfortable with the arrangement. She folded her hands and shook her head.

I went to her. ‘Abigail is my best friend and her mother has a beautiful heart. Your daughter will be safe
with them. Please let Adesuwa come with us. It’ll just be for a short time until her father’s anger
dissipates. Please.’

Adesuwa’s mother held her head and my heart broke for the pain her daughter was making her go
through. She let out a deep sigh. ‘What about her studies? That means she won’t graduate with her
mates.’

She glanced at her daughter. ‘Adesuwa, why? You had a bright future ahead of you. From JSS 1, you’ve
been receiving awards and prizes. I have seen parents look at me with envy because many of them wish
they had a child like you. Can you remember the year the principal called me out and introduced me as
the mother to the most intelligent student in Cornerstone College? Couldn’t you even think of the
reputation you have built before making that stupid decision? What is even in the sex sef? In three
minutes you ruined everything! You ruined your life.’

Adesuwa burst into tears. ‘Mummy, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.’

Her mother ignored her and stood up. She glanced at Abigail. ‘Can I go with you to the place? I just need
to see where she’ll be staying and also to thank your mother.’

‘Sure.’ Abigail said and ordered a taxi. When the car arrived, Abigail sat in front with the driver while the
three of us got into the back seat.

Adesuwa wouldn’t stop crying. Her mother wrapped her hand around her shoulder. ‘Don’t go and be
thinking about it o. I’m begging you Adesuwa. Remember that boy that killed himself in your class. It was
because he was thinking too much. Please don’t listen to the devil, you hear? You can see how God
provided these wonderful aunties to help you. God will take care of you. Are you listening to me?’

Adesuwa nodded. I passed her a clean handkerchief. She blew her nose into it and started crying again.

Her mother tapped her. ‘Wetin dey do you? Stop crying. I dey warn you. Don’t go and drink poison abeg.
I have told you that God will take care of you and the baby. His plan for your life will come to pass.’ She
clapped her hands. ‘All those your father people that say you will not succeed, God will destroy them.
The way God will expose them ehn.’

Adesuwa’s head fell on my shoulder. I patted her gently. Adesuwa’s mother began to sing and her voice
cracked with tears.

All my enemies, dem go perish o

All my enemies, dem go die o

The people wey wan put me to shame

Dem go die o

Halleluyah, with God I dey kampe

************

Abigail’s mother came out of the house as the taxi pulled into the compound. I introduced the visitors to
her and I noticed that Adesuwa’s mother became relaxed when Abigail’s mother drew her into her arms.
Abigail’s mother can be warm like that.

We carried Adesuwa’s belonging into the house as the women walked in front of us.

‘I hope your husband is cool with this. We don’t want to be a burden.’ Adesuwa’s mother said.

Abigail’s mother gave her a warm smile. She didn’t say anything until they got to the living room. ‘I’m
not married.’
Adesuwa’s mother sat down.‘You lost your husband?’

‘No. I have never been married. I am a single mother.’

Her mouth flew opened. ‘I’m sorry I don’t mean to probe but did you rent this beautiful place by
yourself? ’

‘I didn’t rent it. I own it.’

‘ Osanobua! What do you do?’

We left the women in the living room and got Adesuwa settled into her new room. The bed was already
dressed with a beautiful flowery pink bed sheet. There was a bible in front of a white furry teddy bear
with a red bow tied around the neck.

Adesuwa sat on the bed and reached for the teddy bear. She placed it close to her chest. ‘I like this
teddy bear.’

‘I am glad you like it. It’s yours.’ Abigail said.

Adesuwa smiled at us. ‘Thank you very much for allowing me to stay here. I promise to be of good
behavior.’

Abigail turned on the fan. ‘If you need anything, my room is just down the corridor.’

Adesuwa smiled and turned to Abigail. ‘I heard your mum say she never got married. So you live here
alone with her?’

‘Not always.’ Abigail said. ‘I have a sister but at the moment she is in the university. You’ll get to meet
her when she comes home for Christmas.’

I knew Abigail didn’t like to tell people her sister was adopted. Ten years after Abigail was born, her
mother had gone with a team on an evangelistic outreach and had returned with a baby abandoned in
the bush. The child was so sick, she had to be rushed to the intensive care unit. The doctors had thought
she wouldn’t live.

A frown appeared on Adesuwa’s face. ‘I feel terrible. This is all my fault. I don’t know what’s wrong with
me. Once a guy shows interest in me, different images runs through my mind and at night, I’ll imagine
him touching and doing things with me. Even if he doesn’t want to touch me, I’ll plead with him until he
does.’ She stopped. ‘My parents do not know about this battle I’ve been facing. I’ve had boys and men
fondle with my body since I was seven. I have cried and prayed to God but nothing has changed.’

I sat beside her. ‘There is a lot you’re going to learn here. I might not come often because my house is
miles away from here but I’ll speak to you every day. You have an elder sister in Abigail. She can answer
any question you might want to ask.’

Abigail sat at the other side and held her hand. ‘We are sure going to have a good time together.’
‘Adesuwa,’ I said. ‘Jesus died to set you free from the power of sin. Romans 6 verse 6 says, Knowing this
that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin.’

‘Who’s the old man?’ Adesuwa asked.

‘It is the nature of the devil we received through Adam’s fall.’

‘I remember the story of Adam’s fall.’ Adesuwa said. ‘The devil deceived his wife into eating of the tree
of knowledge of good and evil and then she gave her husband to eat. That was the way sin came into
the world right?’

‘Yes. Romans 4 verse 18 says based on Adam’s choice, we all came into condemnation. We became
sinners and enemies of God. We carried the nature of the devil but because God loves man intensely,
Jesus came to take that nature from us so we can be restored to a relationship with God.

‘Adesuwa, the life God gives is beautiful. You know why? It is eternal. It is a never-ending incorruptible
life. But then that horrible nature in man must be completely destroyed if we must receive this eternal
life. The only way that could happen was by death. So Jesus became sin for us and died and then was
buried. When he resurrected, we were not just free from the power of sin, the nature of God became
ours.’

Adesuwa sighed. ‘This nature, how can someone get it. Is there something I’m supposed to do?’

‘Believe.’ Abigail chipped in. ‘If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with your
heart that God raised Christ from the dead, you will be saved. That’s what Romans 10 verse 9 says.’

‘Listen to this dear.’ I said. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The only condition is faith in
what Christ has done. Once you do that, the nature of Christ becomes yours. The death, burial and
resurrection has already happened long ago. Your part is to believe and then you’ll become a new
creature and a beloved daughter in the family of God. Satan will have no hold over you anymore.’

Tears poured down Adesuwa’s face. ‘Lord I believe. I believe you died and was raised from the dead to
impart your nature to me. I confess you as my Lord and savior. Oh Jesus, I believe. Thank you for
forgiving me. Thank you for giving me this new nature. Thank you for delivering me from Satan.’

We held Adesuwa’s hands and prayed with her. My heart surged with joy that day. For the first time in a
long time, I felt really fulfilled.

The door opened and the two women entered the room. They asked to speak to Adesuwa alone. We left
the room and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. While I prepared amala, Abigail made the ewedu
soup.

‘There are many teenagers battling with lust.’ Abigail said as she added bicarbonate to the steaming
ewedu on the gas cooker.
‘True.’ I responded. ‘For introverted teenagers like Adesuwa, it’s difficult to tell unless they are caught
red handed. I remember one of my students who just couldn’t get his eyes off a girl with big buttocks. It
was easy for me to deal with his case because he talks a lot and somehow what was in his heart came
out.’

We took the food to the dining room. ‘Imagine Adesuwa telling me she’d been like this since she was
seven. I could almost not believe it. You should see this girl in class. She reads her bible and many times
lead the class fellowship. To think she wasn’t even saved. It’s very deceptive for a believer to assume
someone is saved by their outward moral disposition.’

Abigail sighed. ‘While we were in the room, I saw an image of Adesuwa standing before a crowd and
ministering God’s word. There is something about her. She has a mission to fulfil.’

I smiled and placed two folded napkins at the center of the table. ‘There is plenty of work to do. We
start by praying intensely for her.’

About thirty minutes later, Adesuwa and the two women came out of the guest room. Adesuwa’s
mother was in a hurry to leave.

‘We’d love for you to join us for dinner.’ Abigail said to Adesuwa’s mother.

Adesuwa’s mother shook her head. ‘I’m so sorry I won’t be able to stay any longer. It’s already 9p.m. I
should go now.’

We tried to convince her to call her husband and explain that it was already late. Abigail promised to
drop her off at home the following morning.

‘You don’t know my husband.’ she said. ‘Please allow me go. I’ll come another time.’ She turned to
Abigail’s mother. ‘Thank you for everything. The Lord bless you.’

And then she was gone. Adesuwa sat at the dining table and stared at her meal. Her eyes were filled
with tears and I knew she was already missing her mother. For a fifteen year old girl who had never
been away from home, this was all strange to her. It’d take some time for her to adjust to the new
environment.

Abigail’s mother touched her hand tenderly. Adesuwa closed her eyes and slowly tears trickled down
her face. She sighed deeply and smiled at her new host and slowly she began to eat.

***************

The week we got paid our salary, I walked into the office excited that finally I would settle the last of the
debt I took for Wale.

That man dealt with me sha!

Guy was gone from my life while I was still settling gbese . What kind of mumu love be that sef. I
wondered what had become of Pure Heaven Assembly. Was it still existing?
I bumped into Taiwo at the corridor.

‘Here you are.’ I said, excited to see him. ‘I’m sending the balance to you now. My days of

gbese is over. Amen!’

Taiwo didn’t smile. I noticed he was restless. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the boardroom.
Even though the air-conditioner was turned on, Taiwo was sweating profusely.

I was worried now. ‘Taiwo, what’s going on?’

He placed his hands on his waist and looked at me. ‘Today, I will know if we are truly friends.’

I stared at him, puzzled. ‘What are you talking about?’

He stopped in front of me. ‘You remember that deal we had with Mr Olowolagba?’

I nodded. I remembered the deal very well. The man was blind and had recently been diagnosed with
Alzheimer. We had to complete the deal through his personal assistant.

‘What we presented to the office here was ten million naira.’

I shook my head. ‘That’s not possible. We sealed that deal at thirteen million naira’

Taiwo looked at me impatiently. ‘Three million is off the record. Our share has been sent to my account.
I’ll transfer it to you later. Myself, Stephen and you are entitled to seven hundred thousand naira each.’

I looked at him stunned. ‘What?’

‘Don’t worry, nobody will suspect anything. The old man can’t remember anything anymore. His son is
running his father’s business now. What I don’t understand is why the M.D is pestering us about the
deal. We told him already but he is not satisfied. Don’t be afraid, we have covered all our tracks. If he
calls you, just tell him we closed the deal at ten million naira.’

I couldn’t believe what Taiwo was asking me to do.

How was I supposed to do that?

I was still trying to make a sense of the fraud when Stephen shot his head into the boardroom. He
grinned at me.

‘It’s good you learn early how business is done here. If you want to make it in this life, you have to play
smart. I hear the M.D is looking for you.’ He gave Taiwo a quick glance. ‘Leave her for a couple of
minutes, let her put herself together. If she goes in like this, the M.D will know there is something fishy.’

Taiwo squeezed my shoulders and whispered into my ears. ‘I love you Yemisi. You know I’ve stood by
you since you joined this company. Our job is on the line.’
I watched Taiwo leave the boardroom and for several minutes, I stood there, confused.

Jesus, what kind of fix am I in like this?

To be continued.......

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 13

***************

My mind went numb the moment I stepped into the M.D’s office. This was my second time in his office.
The first was the week I resumed work at Pavilion and Jide had to introduce the new employees to him.

My eyes widened with fear when I saw it was the M.D’s wife sitting on his chair. The only time I had
seen her was when she barked out orders at the receptionist. My colleagues told horrible tales of their
close encounter with Mabel. Some said she was more subtle than the devil and that she controlled her
husband. I remember Taiwo had once said the M.D rescued her from penury.

Now that I was within close range, I saw she was strikingly beautiful. Her pretty face could make men
gasp when she appeared in a room. Her black skin was completely flawless!

I tried to imagine her life before she got married to her rich husband. Black spots covering her skin.
Meals so infrequent her stomach growled for more after a plate of soggy rice and watery stew. Who
knows, her mother might have filled an empty milk can with ori as body cream because vaseline was
expensive. Had Mabel refused to discard her hair extensions after several use because she couldn’t
afford another one? Had this woman ever hawked sweets and biscuits at the motor parks in Lagos?

The M.D’s wife looked up from a travel magazine she was engrossed in and pointed to a chair across her
table. I sat down.

She pushed the magazine aside. ‘Where on earth have you been? The secretary has been trying to reach
you on the phone.’

‘I’m sorry ma’am.’ I said. ‘I was away from my phone. I’m just seeing the calls I missed.’

She sat back and stared long at me. Her penetrating gaze disturbed me. I almost screamed,

Can we get this meeting over with please?

Where for goodness sake was the M.D and why was I having this conversation with his wife.

Yemisi, relax, this might not be about that deal, I said to myself. She might need your help with
something else.
‘How much was the deal with Mr Olowolagba?’ Mabel blurted out.

I stared at her surprised. So it really was about the deal. Mabel thought I had forgotten and went on to
describe vital details of the transaction. Every word she said was accurate. Was this how she monitored
everything that went on here? The wives of rich men that I know stayed at home to tend to their kids
and cook for their husband while the ambitious ones grew businesses in other sectors. When she
finished, she reclined on her seat and folded her hands.

‘You remember the deal now?’

My heart was pounding. The conversation I had with Taiwo flashed across my mind.

I love you Yemisi. You know I’ve stood by you since you joined this company. Our job is on the line. I
need you now.

There had to be a way out of this.

‘I remember the deal ma’am. The truth is, I just started working here over a year ago. Stephen and
Taiwo know more about this contract than I do. I only followed them that day to learn how to negotiate
properly. In fact before I joined the company, I heard they’ve been working on the proposal. They are in
the best position to answer the question ma’am. The M.D knows this too.’

Mabel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and chuckled. I got more uncomfortable and you could tell
from my sweaty palms.

‘What a smart way of avoiding my question.’ She frowned. ‘Let me put it straight to you and please
don’t beat around the bush. I don’t have time to waste here.’ She paused. ‘Were you there when the
contract was signed with Mr Olowolagba? Secondly, has Stephen or Taiwo at any time sent you a mail or
document regarding this transaction?’

I let out a deep sigh. I had been boxed into a corner. It was either I told a lie or I lose my friendship with
Taiwo. But then, I do not owe her any explanation. I was only answerable to the M.D.’

Her eyes were hard as they bore into mine. ‘Listen here, I run this place now. When my husband returns,
a general meeting will be called and the announcement made. Tell me what I need to know about this
transaction. My husband has asked the other men involved, they’ve tried to convinced us that ten
million naira was the deal. We just want your own side of the story since you witnessed the signing and
you saw the document.

I sighed and looked away from her.

These six things the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look, a lying tongue…

I had read that scripture this morning. Had God been trying to speak to me ahead of this situation?

A false balance is abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight.
Why were these scriptures rushing into my head? My mind went to Taiwo and how he’d feel if he
discovered I said the truth. But I loved the Lord. This was a test of my loyalty. Would I disappoint God?

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing….

Oh I had prayed Colossians one verse nine to eleven last night. I had confessed several times that I was
the righteousness of God in Christ. I had shouted and screamed for joy when the realization dawned on
me that I had truly been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ. Was telling a
lie not a darkness trait? Would my answer reflect my true nature or would I embrace the pattern of the
world that I had been delivered from?

‘Yemisi.’

I shifted my thoughts back to the room. ‘Thirteen million naira.’

She looked at me, shocked. ‘Are you serious?’

I nodded my head. ‘Yes ma’am.’

She shook her head. ‘I knew there was something fishy when Mr Olowolagba’s son called last night.’ She
paused. ‘My husband has been too lenient with Stephen. How can your own brother connive with a staff
to perpetrate fraud? I’ve told him his brother needs to learn a lesson otherwise he’d wreck this
company.’

She returned her gaze to me and scribbled down an email address on a sticky note. She passed the note
to me. ‘I want every document or mail you have regarding this transaction. I must get to the bottom of
this.’

She dismissed me. As I left the office, I stopped to plead with her to take it easy on Taiwo but she had
rolled the chair towards the wall. Her shoulders drooped as she stared blankly into space. I didn’t bother
to say anything. I just left.

Click picture for more details

Taiwo was standing impatiently by my table. I was irritated by his sight and wished we had never met.
What kind of man defrauds his employer? Why do people think they’ll prosper with this kind of wicked
heart?

‘How did it go?’ Taiwo said, his hands thrust into his pockets.

‘Please I don’t want to talk right now.’ I said and opened my laptop.

He closed the laptop. ‘What do you mean you don’t want to talk? My friend, talk to me.’

I glared at him and anger rose to my throat. ‘Taiwo, I have work to do. Please just leave here.’

His phone rang. He looked at his phone and then at me. ‘Mabel is calling me. Is she around?’
I nodded. ‘Yes, she is.’

Taiwo spat out a foul word. ‘What the hell is she doing here? Where is the M.D?’

‘I don’t know. I’ve not seen him today.’

Taiwo held the edge of my table. ‘Wait a minute. Are you saying she interrogated you about the deal?’

I hissed and tapped furiously on my laptop. ‘Just go away please. I’m not answering any question.’

Taiwo rubbed his head and stamped his feet. His phone rang again. ‘She’s calling me again. This had
better be good.’ He said and left my table.

When I opened my mailbox, Stephen had left me a message.

Delete every document and mail you have on the deal with Mr Olowolagba.

I ignored the message and forwarded the mails and documents to Mabel including a scanned copy of
the thirteen million naira contract.

Few minutes later, my phone rang. The M.D’s secretary.

‘Oh God!’ I said aloud. Two of my colleagues looked up from their work and glanced at me, curious. I
apologized and picked the call.

Mabel wanted me in the M.D’s office immediately. My heart pounded with each step that I took to her
office. Stephen and Taiwo were already here and I wished the ground could open up and swallow me

Stephen looked down at the laptop opened in front of Mabel. ‘This proves nothing! I have told you that
initially when we went to see him, he agreed to close the deal for thirteen million. But later he changed
his mind and rescheduled a meeting with us.

Mabel was boiling with rage. ‘You are saying you didn’t sign the documents that day?’

‘No we didn’t. The contract was concluded on a later date. Yemisi didn’t go with us the second time.’
Taiwo answered.

Stephen laughed sardonically. ‘Mabel, but you claim to be a smart woman, why are you acting like this?’
He pointed at a document on the table. ‘The only agreement before you clearly states that the deal was
for ten million naira. Why are you dragging this matter? Why are we even talking to you? Where is my
brother? For one, I know he has no time for irrelevancies. How dare you accuse me of stealing my
brother’s money?’

Mabel smiled sadly and returned her attention to the laptop. ‘I’m sure you don’t know anything about
this. Take a look.’
Reluctantly, Stephen’s eyes went to the screen of the Mac system and immediately colour drained from
his face. I could guess what he had seen. The scanned copy of the thirteen million naira contract I’d sent
to her. Stephen shot me an angry glare. He looked ready to punch me in the face.

Mabel folded her hands. ‘We travelled out of the country for a couple months and my own brother-in-
law swindles us of three million naira.’ She looked from Taiwo to Stephen. ‘Listen, I don’t know what’s
going on in Mr Olowolagba’s firm but since his son took over as the CEO, he’s been digging into the
books. Of course you might want to know that he worked for ten years as an auditor in one of the
country’s best audit firm. You guys had better start talking because if any part of this document was
forged, you are both going down.

Stephen looked frustrated and ashamed. Taiwo stood there, fear written all over his face.

‘Mabel, please.’ Stephen pleaded.

‘Why are you calling my name? Few minutes ago, your shoulders were high and you were forming James
Bond. Oya now! Save yourself. I don’t know when it will sink into your skull that deceit only brings
temporary gain. You have a beautiful well-furnished apartment, you have a nice car, my husband
sponsors your vacation trip yearly. Even after you squandered the money your late father left you, at
least you have a job here. Why can’t you be satisfied! Why can’t you even be like your twin brother?’

Stephen flared up. ‘Mabel, stop it. I’ve told you. Don’t ever compare me to my twin. I don’t like it!’

Mabel was still fuming. ‘Unfortunately today, you have no choice but to listen to me if you want me to
save your ass.’

Stephen walked away. Mabel stood up.

‘You are walking away?’

Stephen turned swiftly. ‘Why won’t I? If you want to prosecute, then go ahead! What I will not do is
stand there and have you compare me to my brother. I don’t care what you do!’

Mabel shook her head. ‘Your pride has always been your undoing. Maybe you really need to spend a few
days behind bars. I think a little torture will do you some good.’

The door opened and a short pot-bellied man with a toothpick hanging on one side of his lips entered
the office. The M.D had arrived. The man could hardly carry himself as he walked towards the center of
the room.

Mabel left the table and stood beside her husband. ‘Honey, I have a scanned copy of the thirteen million
naira contract agreement, thanks to Yemisi. So right now we have two documents on the same
transaction. You should have seen your brother’s face when he saw the other document.’

The M.D faced his brother. ‘Stephen.’

‘Let me explain. I-” Stephen started.

The M.D pointed a finger at him, ‘If you say one more word!’ He paused, his gaze still fixed on his
brother. ‘Both of you leave us.’

Taiwo and I stepped out. I didn’t bother to return to my office. My head was spinning and I wanted to be
alone. When I walked past the reception, Rebecca, the receptionist was leaning on the reception desk
talking with Taiwo. She rolled her eyes at me and spat out a foul word. I left the building and wished I
didn’t have to return.

There was a confectionery just down the street. I went in and ordered whipped cream on lemon cake. I
stared at it but lacked strength to even take a bite.

God, I’m tired of that office, I muttered. Will you please get me out?

**************

Taiwo was fired two days after the meeting with Mabel. I leaned against the wall, watching as he cleared
his belongings into a laptop bag. You know what made his departure more difficult for me? My
colleagues. I’m talking about the other employees in the advertising and marketing department. They
were all looking at me like I was some devil.

Everyone liked Taiwo but then who wouldn’t? He was interesting to be with. You can’t even be sad
around him because by the time he cracks those his funny jokes, you’d be laughing again. He was the
kind of guy who could take the bullet for anyone.

I felt horrible. I mean I was literally fighting tears. Taiwo had been there for me and just once when he
needed me, I had failed him. When I first got to Pavillion and was confused about how to carry on with
some of my tasks, Taiwo had come to my rescue. He taught me how to write a proposal, he gave me the
confidence I needed to approach clients and he never complained when I kept borrowing money from
him.

That morning, Taiwo was surrounded by sympathizers. The men assured him that he’d get a better job.
Three ladies hung on to him, tears running down their faces.

Rebecca wrapped her hand around his neck and wept. Tosin, the lady who slept with clients to get deals,
looked at me and hissed.

‘Backstabber! How could you do this to your friend? You are wicked!’

Taiwo turned slightly in my direction and laughed sardonically. ‘Did you just call us friends?’ He glared at
me. ‘God forbid it.’

Those words hit me. When Taiwo bounced out of our office with the ladies, I ran to the rest room and
fell on the floor and wept. Taiwo was gone, just like that? How would Pavillion be without him? I felt
alone. Nobody in the office would ever talk to me. If Stephen remained my boss, he’d frustrate my life.

Help me Lord. Please get me out of here.

***********

I woke up early the next morning, feeling depressed. From 3a.m, my eyes were opened till about five
thirty a.m when I got ready for work.

I dreaded going back to my place of work. I wish I could just call in sick or find a reasonable excuse for
not going to work that morning. I imagined Stephen stepping out of his office and yelling orders at me.
Not one person took my side.

My head ached badly. I sat in front of the mirror and noticed there were still bags under my eyes. I
rubbed them gently.

‘Lord Jesus, strengthen me. I do not regret standing for the truth. If I have to do this again, I’ll stand by
your word. All I ask is for strength and boldness.’ I whispered and placed my head on the table. I didn’t
know when I slept off.

A call woke me up. I jumped to my feet and looked at my wristwatch.

8.35a.m

I gasped. I had just given Stephen enough reason to nail me. There was no way I was going to avoid
answering a query.

My phone started ringing again but I ignored it and ran out of the house as if I had been chased by a dog.
I flagged down a bike, jumped on it and gave the bike man directions to my office.

The attack started right from the reception. Rebecca hit me with her shoulder as she walked past to get
water from the dispenser. She didn’t apologize or look my way. I knew more was coming. I was going to
get it hot in this Agency.

I entered my office, relieved to be welcomed by empty chairs. The others must have gone out in search
of clients. There was only a lady at the far corner, flipping through some documents. I greeted her. Not
like I was expecting a response, but she did respond.

‘Stephen has been posted to the research and development department.’ The lady said from across the
room. At least there was someone willing to hold conversation with me. That was something.

I turned to her, surprised. ‘Who is our new boss?’

‘Stephen’s twin brother.’

It was as if cold water had been poured on my head. I bowed my head and giggled silently. ‘Jesus, thank
you for making life easier for me.’

I didn’t have to face Stephen’s fury. But who knows what this new guy would demand for.
What if this man craved sex the way the head of the Reservation and Tour department pressurized me
until he got bored when I kept declining his offer? He’d shifted his attention to a new staff in his
department. I remember the lady had met me in the canteen, her eyes filled with tears.

‘I want to stop having sex with my boss but I don’t know how to stop.’ She said. ‘Every time I stand to
lead worship in church and I see my fiancé smiling with admiration in his eyes, I feel very bad.’

When her boss had made the move, she had at first stood her ground until he threatened to put up a
negative report about her work to the M.D. She had given in finally.

‘God forbid.’ I said to myself. ‘The day this new boss, whoever he is, demands for sex is the day I’ll
resign.’

Tosin walked into the office in a mini gown with a low-cut top that revealed too much of her cleavages
and heels high enough to break a woman’s ankles if she dared slip. I opened my mouth, speechless. This
was not my first time seeing her dressed like this, it had just been difficult getting used to this sight.

How can a grown woman dress like this for Christ sake!

Her friends followed behind. Chidinma and Moyo giggled and slapped each other’s back playfully. It
wasn’t hard to tell that Tosin had just returned from a ‘meeting’ with a client. As usual, she’d change to
a proper corporate outfit. Not proper really, but with less exposure.

Tosin stood at the middle of the room and turned her gaze towards my boss’ office. ‘I hear that our new
boss is the definition of handsome.’ Tosin said, giggling. ‘This is fresh bread straight from the oven. I was
already tired of Stephen anyway.’

I stared at her irritated. Doesn’t she get tired of jumping from one man to another?

‘When I am done with this one, Oh my God!’ She rolled her eyes and turned to her friends. ‘Stay away
from this man. He is mine.’

Chidinma and Moyo were laughing and hailing her and I was just so disgusted. Birds of a feather flock
together, right?

‘It’s time to meet Mr Handsome.’ She said and cat-walked towards my boss office. She opened the door
slowly.

Delilah, I muttered under my breath. I hissed and began to take note of the clients I had to meet later in
the day. I had barely gotten to the second name when I heard the loud voice of a man coming from my
boss’ office.

‘Will you get out of my office now!’ The man shouted.

Everybody stopped what they were doing. Our attention was directed to the door.
‘I said Get out!’ He repeated. Tosin scrambled out of the office, embarrassed. Laughter almost escaped
my mouth.

He followed her out of the office, boiling with anger. My new boss was nothing compared to Stephen
when it came to physical appearance. This guy was fine. Handsome dude mehn.

He looked from one person to another and stopped at Tosin who was now seated behind her table,
fuming.

‘Don’t ever come to the office dressed like that. Where do you think you are? A club house? You came
into my office to seduce me? You are very foolish, really. You know nothing about me and the first thing
that came to your mind was to show me your breast and flabby laps. Don’t you even have any sort of
dignity? Listen, I’m saying this in front of every one of you. Don’t try to make any dirty moves or I’ll
embarrass you openly.’

He paused. ‘We’ll be having a departmental meeting tomorrow afternoon. Tell the others when they
return. I think we need set some things straight if we are going to work together without stepping on
each other’s toes.’

He walked back into his office. We sat in silence as if waiting for him to return with another lecture.
Tosin broke the silence.

‘I’ll frustrate this guy in this office. He doesn’t know me yet.’ She said in a low tone and walked out of
the office.

Her friends burst into laughter and for a moment I was confused. Why were they laughing?

Moyo hissed. ‘Finally, the harlot meets her waterloo. I like this.’

I glanced at her shocked. I couldn’t believe the same people who hailed Tosin few minutes ago could do
this behind her. Moyo was Tosin’s closest friend for goodness sake.

How can a person have a friend like this?

I made a silent prayer to God. May I never meet a friend who’d see me going the wrong path and keep
silent but behind me laugh at my foolishness.

My boss came out again. ‘Who is Yemisi?’

My heart fainted.

What have I done again?

I raised my head. Was this about the query? Was he mad at me because of his brother?

‘Come to my office immediately.’ He said and shut the door.

I let out a deep breath. Maybe my days here was over. Maybe my new boss wanted to inform me to
stop by the HR office to pick my sack letter. Whatever it was, I was ready to say goodbye to Pavilion
Travel Agency.

************

To be continued.....

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 14

***************************

‘Have a seat.’ My new boss said.

When I sat down, he fixed his gaze on me and broke into a smile.

‘My name is Simeon. It’s good to finally meet you.’

I was puzzled. What was this man saying and why was he looking at me like that? Fear caught my throat.
My eyes went to his finger and I relaxed when I saw a wedding band.

Simeon laughed. ‘Oh my God! You thought I wanted to toast you. I could see the relief in your eyes
when you saw a wedding band on my finger.’

Embarrassed, I put up a defence. ‘I didn’t mean to do that. It’s just that-’

‘I understand.’ Simeon interrupted. ‘It’s okay to be careful. I have no intention of wooing you even
though I know some married people do that, but you see, the reason people like us don’t cheat on our
wives is far beyond our commitment and love for them. Our devotion is first to the Lord.’

My eyes widened. ‘You are a Christian?’

He smiled and leaned forward. ‘Let’s get to the reason I called you. Does the name, Abeo ring a bell?

Abeo. The name was familiar. I muttered the name under my breath as if by doing so, it would trigger a
memory.

‘I have heard the name before but I-’ I remembered. When Mama D returned from

omugwu in Kaduna, she’d spoken highly of one Abeo who visited her daughter’s family frequently.
Mama wouldn’t stop talking about his large heart.

‘I heard my mentor talk about Abeo.’ I said. Could this be the man?

‘Mama D.’ we chorused and laughed at the same time. I almost wanted to scream for joy.

‘Oh my God! You know Mama D.’

He nodded his head. ‘Yes I do. She is such a wonderful woman. Her daughter and my wife are close
buddies. When I informed her yesterday that we had moved from Kaduna and I mentioned kicking off
work in my brother’s company, she told me you were here as a staff. This morning, I asked Mabel what
department you were and she said you were right under my nose.’

I smiled. ‘This is interesting. So your other name is Abeo.’

‘Don’t call me that in the office. I prefer to stick with Simeon.’

‘Noted sir.’

Simeon pushed his chair backward and crossed one leg over the other.‘I heard what you did here last
week. Mabel speaks so highly of you and it makes me happy when I meet one more believer who
refuses to bow to the system of the world.’

Simeon was so easy to talk with. For over an hour we dabbled in and out of different topics. I didn’t
know when I began to share my worries with him. He just sat there and listened. There was this
connection I felt with him. This wasn’t romantic in any way. I just sensed he’d be instrumental to my
discovery into the path God would have me take in a short while.

When I stopped talking, Simeon didn’t say anything. He seemed like a guy who weighed his thoughts
before spilling them out.

‘Do you love what you are doing? Do you think this place is where you should be?’

I shrugged. How many times have I asked myself that question? ‘I enjoy it sometimes. At least, it pays
my bills.’

‘Let me ask you this. If you were to be paid a hundred thousand naira monthly to do anything you
choose, what would that be?’

My eyes lightened up. Only one thing came to my mind. ‘I’d be a teens coach. I’d love to lead teenagers
into God’s plan for their lives.’

I talked about my experiences with my students at Cornerstone College. I told him about Dotun’s death
and how I’d convinced myself that getting involved in the lives of teenagers was not God’s purpose for
my life. I shared my escapades with Wale and the many regrets I had in the relationship.I also shared my
recent burden to return to Cornerstone College. At a point, I stopped talking.

‘Are you a Pastor or a therapist? The way you listen, you make me want to talk more.’

Simeon laughed. ‘I am an associate Pastor. Although I don’t know if it has anything to do with that. My
wife tells me I’m a great listener.’

I decided it was time to stop talking about myself. The last thing I wanted was to sound like a whining
old hag. ‘Thank you for listening. I feel better. This week has been depressing, really.’
He passed me a paper towel and it was then I realized I’d been crying. Why do I keep embarrassing
myself like this?

‘I’ll say two things quickly before I allow you return to work. One, you should go to Cornerstone College
and see the principal. I’ll give you some hours off work. Just let me know when you are ready.’

I threw the rumpled wet towel into a refuse bin under the table. ‘I don’t even know what I’m going to do
there. What will I say to him?’

‘You will know when you get there.’ He paused. ‘Secondly, I think it’s time you meet my wife.’

I nodded. ‘I’d love to meet her.’

‘This week will be pretty busy for us. Our church convention starts tomorrow. Let’s see how next week
goes.’

I thanked him and stood up to return to my office. When I got to the door, he called my name. I turned.

‘Yemisi,’ he repeated. ‘I understand you were not deliberate about Dotun but you cannot change what
has happened. The boy is dead. Let the guilt go. You can’t bring him back but you can save thousands of
teenagers from making an attempt at suicide. Your heavenly father loves you. He is waiting for you to
respond to him.’

I thanked him again and stepped into my office. Tosin was sitting on her table flanked by her two fake
friends. Yes, I call them fake. How can she have friends who won’t tell her the truth? They were glaring
at me but I didn’t care.

Tosin stormed out of the office again with her friends, but this time she stopped at the entrance and
turned in my direction.

‘All these church people that will be deceiving us. They are worse than we are. One day, your secrets will
be exposed. You cannot sleep with clients but your boss is an exception. Nonsense!’ She hissed and left
the office.

I was pissed. I wondered how long she’d last in Pavilion before Mabel kicked her out.

**********************

My heart pounded as I approached Cornerstone College. I was nervous and had to stop at the gate to
catch my breath. Some students were standing with a teacher on the ground floor of the school building.
Quickly I stepped away from the gate and decided to go through the back entrance.

This was the plan I had in mind. Get into the school compound through the back gate, pass the girls’
hostel, refectory and school hall and then take the back stairs to the principal’s office. After the meeting,
I’d take the same route out of school before any of the students catches a glimpse of me.
The gateman, a middle aged dark man with brown teeth and buggy eyes, was leaning against the fence,
holding a transistor radio. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

‘Aunty Yemisi!’ He shouted in excitement. ‘Na your face be this?’

‘Yes o. Oga Rafiu, how is everything?’

‘My sister, we dey where you leave us.’

‘I want to see the principal but I don’t want to go through the main gate. You know how these students
can be sometimes. I don’t want to distract them from their lessons.’

He moved away from the fence and opened the gate for me. ‘Sure. You are still part of our family.’ He
stared at my bag. ‘Nothing for the old man?’

I smiled and reached into my bag. I pulled out two thousand naira note and gave him. He raised his
hands to the air, laughing. I waved at him and proceeded into the school.

I got close to the refectory and heard familiar voices.

I froze.

My students.

I tip-toed towards the corridor of the refectory and hid against the wall. Thankfully, the place was quiet
and none of the cooks were around. I peeped and saw three of my students sitting on a concrete slab
that faced the entrance to the refectory. Textbooks were opened in front of them. Were they preparing
for an exam?

Then I remembered SSCE and it hit me that in a couple of months, they’d be graduating from the school.
How time flies. I looked ahead and saw more students scattered outside the school hall, reading. Some
boys were sitting under a mango tree, bent over textbooks.

Oh God, I miss my students.

When I looked closely, I saw it was Phebe sitting on the slab with two other girls. They were reading out
past multiple choice questions from a book. I heard Phebe ask a question on where Aerobic respiration
takes place. The girls argued over the answer and when they couldn’t come to a conclusion, they rushed
to the back page to check the answer.

How do I get to the principal’s office without attracting their attention? The truth was, I wanted to draw
them into my arms and tell them how much I loved them, but then why should they believe my words? I
wouldn’t be surprised if they ignored me. I had left the school without telling them. They had pleaded
with me to come see them but I had turned down their offer. I had also failed to keep my promise that I
wasn’t going to leave them until they all graduated.

A girl stepped out of the school hall and began to dance shaku shaku. I shook my head.
Debby!

I wondered if her father still made her memorize five memory verses every day. Her friends were hailing
her and the boys under the tree were now staring at her. Where for goodness sake had she learnt all
these dance moves?

‘Miss Yemisi!’ Somebody screamed my name. My heart fainted. My hide-out had been discovered. I
looked behind me to find a girl gaping at me, shocked. I stepped away from the refectory. Phebe and the
two girls flew at me.

‘Miss Yemisi is here!’ One of the girls shouted to the others. Debby stopped dancing and ran towards me,
followed by some of the girls. The boys also hurried in my direction. I saw students coming out of
different corners, all charging at me.

Some of the girls started crying. The boys stood there, mesmerized. They were all talking at the same
time.

‘Miss Yemisi, you just left us without a word.’

‘You promised to be with us till we graduate.’

‘Miss Yemisi, we miss you.’

I had to hold myself from crying in front of my students. Oh how I loved them.

Dotun’s best friend stood aloof with his hands folded. He didn’t look cheerful at all and it made me
wonder if he had healed from the loss of his friend. I looked from one face to the other. Only two
students were missing from the bunch. Dotun and Adesuwa.

‘I miss you and I’m sorry for disappearing like that.’ I said. My chest was tight with emotions

‘How’s Adesuwa?’ One of the boys asked. The others were looking at me, waiting for a response.

‘She is doing fine.’

Somebody whispered something to Phebe and she ran towards the school hall. It was time to go see the
Principal.

They pleaded with me to give them a few minutes. I saw Phebe running towards us, holding three large
greeting card. She handed me the cards.

‘Please tell Adesuwa that we love her.’ Phebe said.

In front of the card was boldly written,

For Adesuwa

Because we love and cherish you.

When I opened one of the cards, I saw on the top, ‘CLASS OF 2014’

All over the cards were handwritten notes by Adesuwa’s classmates.

Adesuwa, don’t ever give up, you hear me! I love you and I miss you. Phebe.

Tell our little princess that were all waiting to receive her. (Yeah, you are going to have a girl. The boys
don’t think so. We made a bet. lol. Toyin.

You are dear to our hearts. John

Do you know I’ve had a crush on you since JSS 1? You are an amazing girl. I miss you. Emmanuel

You will be fine. Your baby will be fine. We love you. Yomi.

Do you still chew your fingernails…hehehe…I still remember how I slapped your finger off your mouth.
You chased me round the class that day. Baby girl, I miss you. Sandra.

I just learnt a new dance step. I wish you could see it. I love you Adesuwa. Debby.

I stopped reading because my eyes were blurred with tears. When I raised my head, a tear trickled down
my face.

‘This is beautiful. I’ll make sure she reads this.’ I looked at the cards again. ‘But how were you planning
to get this across to her? You didn’t know I was coming.’

‘We just filled the cards yesterday after our meeting with the principal.’ Phebe answered. ‘They’ve been
in my school bag since then. I knew somehow we’d get her to read it.’

‘Miss Yemisi,’ Debby called. ‘Will you attend our valedictory service?’

I wouldn’t miss it for anything. ‘Sure. Now go prepare for your exam.’

They didn’t want to leave and some of the girls kept holding on to my waist until I was finally able to
whisk myself away. I was crying as I walked away from them. By now you should know I cry a lot.
Anyway, I got to the front of the Principal’s office and pulled myself together.

Click picture for more details

‘Who am I seeing free of charge like this?’ The principal said as I entered his office. There was nothing in
his expression to show that he was upset with me. He gave me a side hug and led me to a chair.

‘This is wonderful. I’m so happy to see you.’

I clasped my hands in front of me. ‘I’m very sorry the way I left, I should have informed you or waited till
the end of the term.’

‘It’s okay. That boy’s death must have shaken you so badly. You look really good.’
I bowed slightly. ‘Thank you sir.’

‘What happened to your phone number? I tried it several times.’

‘I changed it.’

He sighed. ‘You just didn’t want to have anything to do with us.’

‘That’s not the case. A lot was going on at that time. I’m really sorry sir.’

‘It’s okay.’ He paused. ‘So what can we do for you or did you stop by to pay us a visit? ‘cos I heard you
now work in one of those big firms.’

Lord, what am I supposed to say? Why am I really here?

Immediately, a picture flashed across my mind. It was quick and very clear. I was sitting with my
students in Desuite event center and we were eating and chatting. It was a very relaxed atmosphere but
I noticed it changed to a more serious meeting. Some of them began to cry. Others pleaded with me to
help them. I saw a date too. 28th July.

I knew exactly what I was supposed to say.

‘Sir, I want to request for a hangout session with my students on the 28th July at the Desuite event
center. This is their final year and after they graduate, I may never see some of them again. I perceive
God would have me reach out to them this last time.’

The principal smiled. ‘You’ve always had a heart for teenagers.’ He reached for the calendar hung at the
corner of his office. ‘Great! They would have completed their exams by then. I’ll bring it up at the next
PTA meeting.’

Did I just say I was going to host my students on the 28th July? Where did that come from? How was I
supposed to get the funds for a place like Desuite Event Center?

‘Yemisi, there is something I’d love you to think about.’ My principal said.

I looked at my principal, praying he would not ask me to return to Cornerstone College as a teacher.

‘You have a lot to offer these students. Some of them don’t even know their left from their right.
Depression is ravaging their lives. Just yesterday, I heard that one of our former students was almost
killed in a cult attack. There is so much you can do here Yemisi.’

He continued. ‘Back when I taught in a school in the north, we had a student fellowship we called the
Fellowship of Christian Students. FCS. It is scattered all around many secondary schools in the North. I
remember the corps member who coordinated the fellowship in my school, oh my God! That brother
carried power. There was one student who was a terror in the school. When God arrested his heart, he
became a radical evangelist. Yemisi, you can start a weekly meeting here and spread it to other schools
in Lagos.’
My heart jumped in excitement. It was as if the principal was saying something I already nursed in my
heart even though I’d never given voice to it. I told the principal I would pray about it.

On my way back to Pavilion Travel Agency, ideas kept pouring into my head. I brought out a notepad
and scribbled down the ideas. By the time I got to the office, I had drafted the activities for the meeting,
ideas for summer camp, bible study topics and ice-breakers.This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl-
Season 1 Episode 15

It was almost 6p.m when I got to Abigail’s house. You won’t believe that from the time I left Simeon’s
house to my friend’s place, Festus called me three times. I really tried not to get pissed. The guy didn’t
have anything interesting to say. The conversation went in this order;

‘Are you at your friend’s place?’

‘It was great seeing you today.’

‘You have great dreams. I’m so amazed at your ideas. You really know what you want in life.’

‘Do you live with your parents?’

‘How many siblings do you have?’

I stopped picking his call and turned off the ring volume of my phone when I approached the front door
to my friend’s place.

I let myself into the living room. It was empty. As I opened my mouth to call my friend’s name, I heard
her voice coming from the corridor that led to the three bedrooms.

‘Please open this door.’ Abigail was saying.

Who was she talking to? I increased my pace, pushing the curtain aside and hurrying down the corridor.
I stopped when I saw Abigail sitting in front of Adesuwa’s room with a tray of food in front of her. She
leaped to her feet when she saw me.

‘Thank God you are here. Your girl has refused to come out of the room since morning. She didn’t take
breakfast, and this is lunch. She still doesn’t want to let me in.’

I rapped on the door. ‘Adesuwa, It’s Miss Yemisi. Open the door.’ No answer. ‘Adesuwa, please.’

We knocked several times. No response. I pushed the tray aside and sat in front of my friend.

‘What do you think is wrong?’

‘I don’t know. Yesterday afternoon, we had a beautiful time reading the book of Colossians and we
shared lessons from scriptures but before we went to bed, her mood changed. I asked her what the
problem was, she said nothing was wrong.’

‘Where is mum?’ I asked.

‘She went out with Mama D very early this morning. They took some clothing items and toiletries to one
of the slums in the outskirt of Lagos.’ She paused. ‘I was so worried that I called mum. She said Adesuwa
will come around but what if she hurts herself?’

I smiled. ‘She’ll be fine. Relax.’

Abigail let out a deep sigh. ‘It’s so good to have you around. How far your new boss?’

I was still bursting with excitement over my meeting with Simeon’s wife.

‘Abigail, my life is taking a new turn. Right now, I’m so confident of the path God wants me to take. I
know impacting the lives of teens is some serious labour but I’m assured I have the capacity to do
everything God is calling me to do.’

Abigail held out her palm. I slapped her a Hi five. ‘That’s my friend. I’m happy for you. If God has called
you to do this, he’ll provide the resources you need.’

‘Yeah, right.’ I was ready to get into ‘man’ gist. ‘Guess what? I met a guy in my boss’ house. He asked to
have lunch with me tomorrow.’

Abigail got up quickly and sat beside me. ‘Na this kain gist I dey like. Tell me about him. Is he gorgeous?’

I poked her side playfully. ‘You are too carnal. He is just an okay guy. He is nowhere near my boss when
it comes to physique.’

‘You are going to have lunch with him?’

‘I might…not tomorrow though. I just want to meet him and get to know him more.’

Abigail sighed as if she was frustrated about something. I glanced at her, concerned.

‘What was that sigh for? What’s going on?’

‘Nothing much. I was just thinking about my own life and how-’ She paused. ‘Forget it.’

I could immediately guess what was bothering her. ‘Abigail, please don’t tell me you are still waiting for
Victor to propose to you?’

She pulled her knees up and rested her head on them. ‘Yemisi, I don’t know.’

It was time to talk sense into my friend’s head. She was there when I was stupid enough to allow Wale
walk over me. It was my turn to get her out of this fantasy. We deserved men who respected us, men
who knew our worth, men who believed strongly in our roles in their lives. We are God’s daughters and
we deserved the best.

I pushed her head up and held up her chin. ‘Abigail, why are you doing this to yourself? Victor is in a
relationship for goodness sake. I get it that before he kicked off the relationship with that lady, you were
convinced he was the one but right now, you have to let him go! There is a good man out there who
values the grace of God on your life. ’

Abigail stood up and paced the corridor in silence. She stopped in front of me. ‘Do you really think I
don’t want to move on?’

I went to her. ‘Babe, it’s been four years since you’ve held on to Victor. You did your best to make him
see that you were available. We both know he saw the green light and still he chose someone else!
Can’t you see that you are wasting your time? I’m not saying your conviction was wrong, but it takes two
to be in a relationship. There is someone else who will fit into God’s plan for your life.’

Abigail blinked back tears. ‘I really want to let him go. I wish you can see my heart but I don’t know why
it’s so difficult. I was so sure about him Yemisi. I really was. What about the things God said to me in
prayers about my place in his life. What am I supposed to do with those notes? Sometimes I feel like,
getting married to someone else would mean I’m not aligning with God’s original plan.

‘You see what I’m saying? Abigail! You must break this stronghold in your mind. That a relationship
between you and Victor didn’t work out does not mean you can’t have a beautiful marriage with
someone else. We must pray together this weekend. There is wisdom to break that emotional
attachment you have with him.’

We went to the door and knocked again.

‘Adesuwa, please open the door.’

Still no response.

We sat back on the floor. I said to myself that I would wait for another twenty minutes and if Adesuwa
does not respond, we’d get a carpenter to break open the door. I didn’t understand why I felt so
peaceful. I just sensed there was no urgency to save Adesuwa from doing anything stupid.

‘There is a brother in my church who is seriously interested in me.’ Abigail said. ‘I told my Pastor I wasn’t
interested but the truth is, I still have this tiny spark of light that Victor will come back.’

I shook my head. ‘You are indirectly saying, Victor’s relationship should break up so he can choose you.’

Abigail laughed sadly. ‘That’s so selfish.’ she rubbed her hand over her face. ‘My emotions…Oh God!’

The door to Adesuwa’s room finally opened. Adesuwa stood there, eyes swollen, her protruding
stomach filling the entrance. It was obvious she had been crying.

We rushed into the room before she changed her mind and lock herself in again.

Abigail faced the distraught teenage girl, clearly upset. ‘Adesuwa, what is wrong with you? I’ve been
knocking on this door since morning! At least you would have accorded me some respect and opened
the door. Why would you do such a thing?’
Adesuwa started to cry. ‘I’m sorry.’

I went to her and led her to the bed. ‘It’s okay. Stop crying.’

Abigail served rice and vegetable into a plate and placed it in front of Adesuwa. She wiped her tears and
began to eat slowly at first and then ravenously. The rice disappeared before our eyes and we had to
plead with her to slow down when the food choked her throat.

When she pounced on the pomo with two hands, Abigail and I started laughing. Adesuwa didn’t even
look at us. She finished everything on the plate and stood up to take the tray to the kitchen.

Abigail stopped her. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll take it.’

She gulped down water from her water bottle before looking in our direction. ‘Yesterday night, I saw a
chat on 2go about the ongoing SSCE exams. I felt really bad because I know I should be writing the
exams now but here I am-’ She rubbed her stomach. ‘I won’t be graduating with my mates.’

I rubbed her back gently. ‘Adesuwa, by God’s grace, you will write your final exams next year. Don’t
allow anything bother you okay?’

‘Thank you, Miss Yemisi.’

We heard voices in the living room. The women were back. I could hear Mama D singing ‘Jesu o, se
b’oun lo n gbani’ in a bass voice that rented the air. Abigail’s mother backed her up with some very
funny beats. We burst into laughter. Even Adesuwa couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘Will mum be upset with me?’Adesuwa said. ‘I heard her knock on the door this morning but I didn’t
want to talk with anyone.’

Abigail smiled. ‘No she won’t. Rest a while and join us in the living room.’

As I rose to follow Abigail out, Adesuwa held my hand.

‘Will you be staying over?’

I sat back on the bed and squeezed her hand. ‘Sure. I’ll be here till tomorrow evening.’

A smile broke across her face. ‘I’ve missed you. Yesterday, I was thinking about my classmates. I can’t
believe I won’t graduate this year.’

I drew her into my arms. The cards her classmates had given me were in my bag but I wasn’t sure it was
the best time to give them to her. With the way she’d been acting since morning, the last thing I wanted
was for her to break down again.

She pulled away and looked at my face. ‘If my classmates should see me now, they’ll just jeer at me.
Philip will raise his hands and say, ‘How hath the mighty fallen.’ Debby will hiss at me and call me a naïve
girl who knew nothing aboit safe sex. I don’t want to ever stumble on any of my classmates. The shame
will be too much to bear.’

I reached into my bag and brought out three cards. ‘These cards are from your classmates. You are
wrong Adesuwa. They love you.’

She hesitated, afraid of touching the cards. I dropped them on the bed.

‘I’ll be back.’ I said and left the room to see my spiritual mentor.

Mama D was seated at a corner of the kitchen chatting with her friend. They always had something to
talk about. Abigail’s mother was the only woman I’d seen Mama speak so freely with. There were times
I’ve stopped to wonder if this was really my mentor. They behaved like teenagers sometimes and it
fascinated me.

Abigail was offloading sacks of yam and onions the women had brought home. Mama D held out her
arms to me when I entered the kitchen. I knelt down and wrapped my hand around her waist.

‘My beautiful daughter.’ Mama D said, wrapping her hand around my shoulder. I greeted Abigail’s
mother too

‘How’s Abeo and his lovely wife?’ Mama asked, when I joined Abigail to arrange the yams into the store.

‘They are doing well.’ I answered. ‘They sent their greetings.’

Abigail raised her head. ‘Who is Abeo?’

‘My boss. That’s his other name.’

Abigail’s mother remembered something and sprang to her feet. ‘Imagine, I’ve not seen Adesuwa today.
Has she finally come out of her confinement?’

Abigail poured out the onions to a sack flattened on the floor. ‘Yes, she has. If you see the way she
finished that food.’

Abigail’s mother laughed. ‘I told you she will come around. A day after my parents dropped me off at my
grandmother’s place, I refused to eat. My grandma pleaded with me but I was adamant. When she left
for the farm, I grabbed the pot of

ewa agoyin and finished everything in the pot.’

‘I think we should check up on her.’ Mama stood up and reached for my hand. She held my hand tightly
as if I was a little stubborn boy who needed to be monitored.

When we got to Adesuwa’s room, she was looking at the cards and tears poured down her face. She
didn’t even notice when we came in. Quietly, we stepped away from the room and shut the door.

Abigail shook her head. ‘The tears that girl has shed today, it will fill a bucket.’
Abigail’s mother turned to her daughter. ‘I’ve told you the story before. I did worse when I carried you in
my womb. I wept for several nights. I couldn’t understand why my parents dumped me in the village
with my grandmother. I was angry because I didn’t get pregnant by choice. They refused to believe I was
raped. It’s a tough journey but she’ll be fine.’

I knew the details of the intense suffering Abigail’s mother went through when she found out she was
pregnant. Thanks to a grandmother who gave her reason to hope.

I went back to Adesuwa’s room shortly before we started preparing dinner. I just wanted to be with her
and to let her know again, she was not alone. I opened the door and there she was, kneeling beside her
bed, praying, a bible opened in front of her.

***************************************************

Tosin was fired today. I had left the office early to catch up with a client on the island. I returned to find
her crying. This time, her so-called friends were nowhere to be found.

‘What happened?’ I whispered to a guy whose table was next to mine.

‘Mabel fired her. ’ He said.

What happened? I asked. He said he didn’t know the details only that she had gotten on Mabel’s bad
side. I felt pity for her. When I looked at her again, she was pulling a make-up kit out of her drawer. Two
employees had been fired since Mabel took over. Who was next?

Simeon entered and stood in front of us. His attention was directed at Tosin.

‘Tosin, see me in my office now.’ Simeon said and walked into the inner room that served as his office.

Click picture for more details

My eyes went to Tosin again. The high-class, I-can-get-whatever-client-I-want looked so defeated. Was it
not last week she bragged about clients pleading with her to come work for them? Why didn’t she just
walk out boldly when Mabel asked her to leave?

She wiped her tears and went to see my boss. A minute later, they came out and went out of the office.

Shortly after I started writing my report on the business meeting I had that morning, Jide came to my
table.

‘Hey Yemisi, is your boss around?’

I shook my head. ‘He just stepped out.’

‘If you are not so busy, come over to my office. There is a letter for you.’

I looked at him surprised. A letter for me?

I jumped to my feet. Everything could wait until I read the content of the letter. I followed Jide to his
office. He waited for me to catch up with him on the corridor and then patted me gently on my shoulder.

‘How are you? I can’t believe we work in the same place and we rarely see each other.’

I shrugged. If Jide was sounding this cool, then the letter must be a good one.

‘You’ve been very busy.’ I said. ‘I’ve checked up on you a couple of times.’

We came to a glass door that had ‘Human Resource department’ written boldly on it. He pushed it open.
We walked past a big room with people working on their computers and entered a smaller office. He
pointed to a chair across from his. I sat down.

He smiled broadly. ‘Hope there’s no problem with the house.’

‘Not really.’ I responded. Since Jide assured me I was fine staying in his family house, I’d not bothered
looking for an apartment to rent. ‘The kitchen sink is leaking but it’s a manageable situation.’

‘I’ll ask the family plumber to check it out this weekend.’

I clasped my hands on the table. ‘Thank you so much for everything.’

Jide smiled and reached into his drawer. He brought out a letter and pushed it towards me. I took it
from him but didn’t open it.

‘Go ahead. Open it.’ He said.

What I saw made me gasp. My salary has been upgraded. From one hundred and fifty thousand naira, I
now earned two hundred and eighty thousand naira. I did a quick calculation of my commission and
bonuses. Monthly, I’d be going home with over three hundred thousand naira.

Jide said something but I didn’t hear clearly because I was carried away by the figures before me.

‘Can you drive?’ He repeated.

I shook my head. ‘Not yet. Although, I have plans for that later this year.’

‘You should start immediately. Mabel is giving out official cars to you and two other staff.’

I opened my mouth. ‘What!’

He nodded. ‘I’ll recommend two driving schools. I can also come over to teach you on weekends.’

I was mesmerized. Why would good things be happening when I felt an urge to leave Pavilion?

I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave again. Life here was sweet. I had a boss who had become a friend. Mabel
and I were on a good page unlike her relationship with some of my colleagues. My salary has just been
increased and now I have a car.
I started a bargain with God right there in Jide’s office.

Lord, do I really have to leave Pavilion? Can’t I do the teens work alongside this? At least Simeon is a
Pastor even though he works in a corporate organization. I can combine both perfectly well.

I got no response. God just went quiet on me.

‘Yemisi.’

I jolted out of my thoughts. ‘Sir?’

‘I was asking what really happened between you and Wale. I’ve not had time to talk about it in details
with you.’

I sighed. ‘It didn’t work out. Apparently, he liked some other lady and was already making travel plans
with her even while we were together.’

‘Oh!’ Jide exclaimed.

‘How’s he doing? Have you heard from him?’

Jide shook his head. ‘I have not been able to reach him since you told me you guys broke up. His line
isn’t going through.’

‘He must have travelled out of the country with the lady. That was their plan.’

Jide leaned forward. ‘How are you faring?’

‘I’m fine now. All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and who are the called
according to his purpose.’

Jide laughed. ‘Christian sister.’

A call came into Jide’s phone. I took the opportunity to return to my office and finish up my report.

When I got there, my colleagues were in a joyous mood. Tosin was smiling and serving everybody
cupcakes. Simeon had pleaded for her and she had been restored.

I went into Simeon’s office. ‘Thank you for speaking to Mabel about Tosin.’

Simeon folded his hands. ‘She is an intelligent lady. Last week, I gave her two assignments and the result
she brought back was just amazing. She has an unusual creative mind. I’m moving her to the advertising
team.’ He let out a deep breath. ‘We have another mission though. We are going to get her saved. There
is no mess God can’t fix.’

I was about asking him what he knew about Tosin and what mess he was referring to when he looked at
the paper in my hand.
‘What’s that?’

‘My salary has been upgraded. I am also entitled to an official car.’

Simeon laughed out loud. ‘What a temptation. Mabel didn’t tell me about this.’ He took the letter from
me and read the content. He looked at me. ‘I hope somebody is not changing her mind.’

I exhaled. ‘Simeon, are you sure God wants me to leave Pavilion? I mean, you are the head of the
advertising and marketing department. You are also in the Pastoral office. Who says I can’t combine my
work here and my ministry to teenagers.’

Simeon just fixed his gaze at me and didn’t say anything.

‘Simeon, please say something.’

He folded his hands. ‘As far as I am concerned, right now, it’s your flesh speaking. Spend more time in
prayers. You can’t be moved by ephemeral things.’

My phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Festus. By this time I was really tired of the
guy and I didn’t hide it from Simeon.

‘What’s wrong with your friend?’ I said, showing him the phone screen. ‘Simeon, please tell this guy to
slow down. He calls me every day.’

Jide chuckled. ‘The guy likes you a lot. He is a wonderful brother, Yemisi.’

What for goodness sake was my boss saying. Why would he be pitching this man to me?

‘I can vouch for him.’ Simeon continued. ‘We’ve known each other since uni days. We were pastored by
the same man and ran a pastoral course together. He was so happy when he heard I had moved to
Lagos.’

Simeon leaned forward. ‘It’s true he knows close to nothing about wooing a woman, but he is teachable.
Festus is a man of good character although he can be narrow-minded sometimes but trust me, he loves
God. Yemisi, he is worth praying about.’

When I stepped out of the office and walked to my table, I was very upset. Festus was still calling me
even though I was not answering the call. When a lady’s phone rings twice and she does not pick up,
wasn’t that enough reason to make you just stop until she returns the call?

My phone beeped. It was a text message from him

Hello Yemisi. I was calling to check up on you. How’s work going? You are always in my heart and I can’t
wait to have you by my side forever. I love you very much.

I stared at the message. Love! Abi what’s this man saying? Which one is ‘I can’t wait to have you by my
side forever?’
I grabbed my phone and went to the rest room. As far as I was concerned, it was either his spiritual
father was not training him well on how to approach a lady or he was simply not listening. I dialed
Festus’ number.

‘Hello dear.’ He said on the other end.

‘Festus, I don’t understand the text message you sent to me. You don’t even know me and you are
talking about love. For goodness sake, we just met last weekend!’

‘Does it matter, Yemisi?’ Festus said. ‘We are spirit beings, have you forgotten? The moment you started
talking, my spirit connected with you straightaway and by the following morning, I knew what God was
saying to me about you. Yes, we may live in this world but we are not citizens of this world. It is the
world system that tries out everything before making moves. We carry the Holy Spirit and we know
exactly what the Father is saying at every moment.’

I was shocked listening to Festus spill those words. Where for goodness sake did Simeon get a friend like
this?

He continued. ‘There is so much I’ll love to say but I’ll wait till we have lunch together. We are meeting
this week right?’

‘Festus, I’m not having lunch with you. Since we are spirit beings and we know exactly what the Spirit is
saying. Listen to what the spirit has to say. I cannot be by your side forever.’

‘Yemisi, don’t-’

‘I have to get back to work now. Please don’t call my line again. Leave me alone. Thank you.’

I hung up and held the edges of the toilet sink while I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Some Christian brothers sha, I said aloud.

I felt guilty almost immediately. Was my response to Festus harsh?

To be continued.....

Ife Graceed that this was what God wanted me to do. I remembered sharing some of the ideas with
Papa D. He’d smiled so broadly it was clear he was in agreement with my plans.

‘Wow!’ Ebun exclaimed after I showed her a folder on my phone full of ideas. ‘This is amazing. I’ll
connect you with the team head in Osogbo. You can pray more to know if God will have you serve with
us. In a couple of months, the Zion Teenage Outreach Team will be having a prayer retreat at Ede to
seek God’s mind and also to strategize.’

‘I’ll pray.’ I said. ‘Thank you for fanning this fire. ’

Ebun smiled. ‘Secondly, there is an online course you might want to take. It’s not free but it’s affordable.
It’s a basic and advance course on teen coaching.’

‘Please text me the link to the website.’ I said. This was just overwhelming. Just a week ago, I felt God
nudging my heart to find courses on teen coaching and psychology. Just see the way God was working
things out for me.

If there was anything I learnt since my restoration, it was, there was no point fretting over anything. As
long as I was yielded to the Holy Spirit, everything I needed for each season of my life would be revealed
to me. I had no business worrying over what I didn’t know yet. All I needed to do was stay submitted to
God.

The online courses Ebun introduced me to had objectives that detailed everything my heart yearned for.
I almost screamed aloud as I scrolled down the website.

‘I told you that your days in Pavilion Travel Agency are over.’ Simeon said.

Festus looked at me. ‘Wait a minute. You mean you work in Simeon’s office?’

I nodded my head, laughing. Festus would think I was laughing at what he said. How I wished he could
see how my heart jumped for joy.

‘What department are you?’ He asked.

‘Advertising and Marketing.’ I said.

His eyes widened. ‘Wow! You really need to leave that place and face this.’

I caught Festus staring at me again while we had lunch. He didn’t talk much while we ate but I noticed
he observed my every move and that kind of made me feel awkward. I was not surprised after I left and
Simeon called to say Festus wanted my number. I said it was fine.

Festus called me almost immediately. ‘Hey Yemisi. This is Festus. We met at Simeon’s house.’

I laughed. ‘Of course, I remember.’

‘Will you have lunch with me tomorrow afternoon? I just want to know you more. Just lunch.’

I sighed. I’d have to check my spirit on this one. ‘Sunday won’t be feasible. Possibly, one of the days in
the week.’

‘Oh that’s fine.’

‘But wait, I’m not promising yet. I’ll have to get back to you.’

He chuckled. ‘Yes, I know. You’ll have to check your spirit. Is this guy a beast? Is he a wolf in sheep
clothing?’
I chuckled. ‘Like I said, I’ll get back to you.’

‘Thank you Yemisi. I look forward to a favourable response.’

When I ended the call, I stared out the window of the taxi.

God, is he the one?

To be continued.....

Ife Grace

Diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 15

It was almost 6p.m when I got to Abigail’s house. You won’t believe that from the time I left Simeon’s
house to my friend’s place, Festus called me three times. I really tried not to get pissed. The guy didn’t
have anything interesting to say. The conversation went in this order;

‘Are you at your friend’s place?’

‘It was great seeing you today.’

‘You have great dreams. I’m so amazed at your ideas. You really know what you want in life.’

‘Do you live with your parents?’

‘How many siblings do you have?’

I stopped picking his call and turned off the ring volume of my phone when I approached the front door
to my friend’s place.

I let myself into the living room. It was empty. As I opened my mouth to call my friend’s name, I heard
her voice coming from the corridor that led to the three bedrooms.

‘Please open this door.’ Abigail was saying.

Who was she talking to? I increased my pace, pushing the curtain aside and hurrying down the corridor.
I stopped when I saw Abigail sitting in front of Adesuwa’s room with a tray of food in front of her. She
leaped to her feet when she saw me.

‘Thank God you are here. Your girl has refused to come out of the room since morning. She didn’t take
breakfast, and this is lunch. She still doesn’t want to let me in.’

I rapped on the door. ‘Adesuwa, It’s Miss Yemisi. Open the door.’ No answer. ‘Adesuwa, please.’

We knocked several times. No response. I pushed the tray aside and sat in front of my friend.

‘What do you think is wrong?’

‘I don’t know. Yesterday afternoon, we had a beautiful time reading the book of Colossians and we
shared lessons from scriptures but before we went to bed, her mood changed. I asked her what the
problem was, she said nothing was wrong.’

‘Where is mum?’ I asked.

‘She went out with Mama D very early this morning. They took some clothing items and toiletries to one
of the slums in the outskirt of Lagos.’ She paused. ‘I was so worried that I called mum. She said Adesuwa
will come around but what if she hurts herself?’

I smiled. ‘She’ll be fine. Relax.’

Abigail let out a deep sigh. ‘It’s so good to have you around. How far your new boss?’

I was still bursting with excitement over my meeting with Simeon’s wife.

‘Abigail, my life is taking a new turn. Right now, I’m so confident of the path God wants me to take. I
know impacting the lives of teens is some serious labour but I’m assured I have the capacity to do
everything God is calling me to do.’

Abigail held out her palm. I slapped her a Hi five. ‘That’s my friend. I’m happy for you. If God has called
you to do this, he’ll provide the resources you need.’

‘Yeah, right.’ I was ready to get into ‘man’ gist. ‘Guess what? I met a guy in my boss’ house. He asked to
have lunch with me tomorrow.’

Abigail got up quickly and sat beside me. ‘Na this kain gist I dey like. Tell me about him. Is he gorgeous?’

I poked her side playfully. ‘You are too carnal. He is just an okay guy. He is nowhere near my boss when
it comes to physique.’

‘You are going to have lunch with him?’

‘I might…not tomorrow though. I just want to meet him and get to know him more.’

Abigail sighed as if she was frustrated about something. I glanced at her, concerned.

‘What was that sigh for? What’s going on?’

‘Nothing much. I was just thinking about my own life and how-’ She paused. ‘Forget it.’

I could immediately guess what was bothering her. ‘Abigail, please don’t tell me you are still waiting for
Victor to propose to you?’

She pulled her knees up and rested her head on them. ‘Yemisi, I don’t know.’

It was time to talk sense into my friend’s head. She was there when I was stupid enough to allow Wale
walk over me. It was my turn to get her out of this fantasy. We deserved men who respected us, men
who knew our worth, men who believed strongly in our roles in their lives. We are God’s daughters and
we deserved the best.

I pushed her head up and held up her chin. ‘Abigail, why are you doing this to yourself? Victor is in a
relationship for goodness sake. I get it that before he kicked off the relationship with that lady, you were
convinced he was the one but right now, you have to let him go! There is a good man out there who
values the grace of God on your life. ’

Abigail stood up and paced the corridor in silence. She stopped in front of me. ‘Do you really think I
don’t want to move on?’

I went to her. ‘Babe, it’s been four years since you’ve held on to Victor. You did your best to make him
see that you were available. We both know he saw the green light and still he chose someone else!
Can’t you see that you are wasting your time? I’m not saying your conviction was wrong, but it takes two
to be in a relationship. There is someone else who will fit into God’s plan for your life.’

Abigail blinked back tears. ‘I really want to let him go. I wish you can see my heart but I don’t know why
it’s so difficult. I was so sure about him Yemisi. I really was. What about the things God said to me in
prayers about my place in his life. What am I supposed to do with those notes? Sometimes I feel like,
getting married to someone else would mean I’m not aligning with God’s original plan.

‘You see what I’m saying? Abigail! You must break this stronghold in your mind. That a relationship
between you and Victor didn’t work out does not mean you can’t have a beautiful marriage with
someone else. We must pray together this weekend. There is wisdom to break that emotional
attachment you have with him.’

We went to the door and knocked again.

‘Adesuwa, please open the door.’

Still no response.

We sat back on the floor. I said to myself that I would wait for another twenty minutes and if Adesuwa
does not respond, we’d get a carpenter to break open the door. I didn’t understand why I felt so
peaceful. I just sensed there was no urgency to save Adesuwa from doing anything stupid.

‘There is a brother in my church who is seriously interested in me.’ Abigail said. ‘I told my Pastor I wasn’t
interested but the truth is, I still have this tiny spark of light that Victor will come back.’

I shook my head. ‘You are indirectly saying, Victor’s relationship should break up so he can choose you.’

Abigail laughed sadly. ‘That’s so selfish.’ she rubbed her hand over her face. ‘My emotions…Oh God!’

The door to Adesuwa’s room finally opened. Adesuwa stood there, eyes swollen, her protruding
stomach filling the entrance. It was obvious she had been crying.

We rushed into the room before she changed her mind and lock herself in again.
Abigail faced the distraught teenage girl, clearly upset. ‘Adesuwa, what is wrong with you? I’ve been
knocking on this door since morning! At least you would have accorded me some respect and opened
the door. Why would you do such a thing?’

Adesuwa started to cry. ‘I’m sorry.’

I went to her and led her to the bed. ‘It’s okay. Stop crying.’

Abigail served rice and vegetable into a plate and placed it in front of Adesuwa. She wiped her tears and
began to eat slowly at first and then ravenously. The rice disappeared before our eyes and we had to
plead with her to slow down when the food choked her throat.

When she pounced on the pomo with two hands, Abigail and I started laughing. Adesuwa didn’t even
look at us. She finished everything on the plate and stood up to take the tray to the kitchen.

Abigail stopped her. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll take it.’

She gulped down water from her water bottle before looking in our direction. ‘Yesterday night, I saw a
chat on 2go about the ongoing SSCE exams. I felt really bad because I know I should be writing the
exams now but here I am-’ She rubbed her stomach. ‘I won’t be graduating with my mates.’

I rubbed her back gently. ‘Adesuwa, by God’s grace, you will write your final exams next year. Don’t
allow anything bother you okay?’

‘Thank you, Miss Yemisi.’

We heard voices in the living room. The women were back. I could hear Mama D singing ‘Jesu o, se
b’oun lo n gbani’ in a bass voice that rented the air. Abigail’s mother backed her up with some very
funny beats. We burst into laughter. Even Adesuwa couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘Will mum be upset with me?’Adesuwa said. ‘I heard her knock on the door this morning but I didn’t
want to talk with anyone.’

Abigail smiled. ‘No she won’t. Rest a while and join us in the living room.’

As I rose to follow Abigail out, Adesuwa held my hand.

‘Will you be staying over?’

I sat back on the bed and squeezed her hand. ‘Sure. I’ll be here till tomorrow evening.’

A smile broke across her face. ‘I’ve missed you. Yesterday, I was thinking about my classmates. I can’t
believe I won’t graduate this year.’

I drew her into my arms. The cards her classmates had given me were in my bag but I wasn’t sure it was
the best time to give them to her. With the way she’d been acting since morning, the last thing I wanted
was for her to break down again.
She pulled away and looked at my face. ‘If my classmates should see me now, they’ll just jeer at me.
Philip will raise his hands and say, ‘How hath the mighty fallen.’ Debby will hiss at me and call me a naïve
girl who knew nothing aboit safe sex. I don’t want to ever stumble on any of my classmates. The shame
will be too much to bear.’

I reached into my bag and brought out three cards. ‘These cards are from your classmates. You are
wrong Adesuwa. They love you.’

She hesitated, afraid of touching the cards. I dropped them on the bed.

‘I’ll be back.’ I said and left the room to see my spiritual mentor.

Mama D was seated at a corner of the kitchen chatting with her friend. They always had something to
talk about. Abigail’s mother was the only woman I’d seen Mama speak so freely with. There were times
I’ve stopped to wonder if this was really my mentor. They behaved like teenagers sometimes and it
fascinated me.

Abigail was offloading sacks of yam and onions the women had brought home. Mama D held out her
arms to me when I entered the kitchen. I knelt down and wrapped my hand around her waist.

‘My beautiful daughter.’ Mama D said, wrapping her hand around my shoulder. I greeted Abigail’s
mother too

‘How’s Abeo and his lovely wife?’ Mama asked, when I joined Abigail to arrange the yams into the store.

‘They are doing well.’ I answered. ‘They sent their greetings.’

Abigail raised her head. ‘Who is Abeo?’

‘My boss. That’s his other name.’

Abigail’s mother remembered something and sprang to her feet. ‘Imagine, I’ve not seen Adesuwa today.
Has she finally come out of her confinement?’

Abigail poured out the onions to a sack flattened on the floor. ‘Yes, she has. If you see the way she
finished that food.’

Abigail’s mother laughed. ‘I told you she will come around. A day after my parents dropped me off at my
grandmother’s place, I refused to eat. My grandma pleaded with me but I was adamant. When she left
for the farm, I grabbed the pot of

ewa agoyin and finished everything in the pot.’

‘I think we should check up on her.’ Mama stood up and reached for my hand. She held my hand tightly
as if I was a little stubborn boy who needed to be monitored.
When we got to Adesuwa’s room, she was looking at the cards and tears poured down her face. She
didn’t even notice when we came in. Quietly, we stepped away from the room and shut the door.

Abigail shook her head. ‘The tears that girl has shed today, it will fill a bucket.’

Abigail’s mother turned to her daughter. ‘I’ve told you the story before. I did worse when I carried you in
my womb. I wept for several nights. I couldn’t understand why my parents dumped me in the village
with my grandmother. I was angry because I didn’t get pregnant by choice. They refused to believe I was
raped. It’s a tough journey but she’ll be fine.’

I knew the details of the intense suffering Abigail’s mother went through when she found out she was
pregnant. Thanks to a grandmother who gave her reason to hope.

I went back to Adesuwa’s room shortly before we started preparing dinner. I just wanted to be with her
and to let her know again, she was not alone. I opened the door and there she was, kneeling beside her
bed, praying, a bible opened in front of her.

***************************************************

Tosin was fired today. I had left the office early to catch up with a client on the island. I returned to find
her crying. This time, her so-called friends were nowhere to be found.

‘What happened?’ I whispered to a guy whose table was next to mine.

‘Mabel fired her. ’ He said.

What happened? I asked. He said he didn’t know the details only that she had gotten on Mabel’s bad
side. I felt pity for her. When I looked at her again, she was pulling a make-up kit out of her drawer. Two
employees had been fired since Mabel took over. Who was next?

Simeon entered and stood in front of us. His attention was directed at Tosin.

‘Tosin, see me in my office now.’ Simeon said and walked into the inner room that served as his office.

Click picture for more details

My eyes went to Tosin again. The high-class, I-can-get-whatever-client-I-want looked so defeated. Was it
not last week she bragged about clients pleading with her to come work for them? Why didn’t she just
walk out boldly when Mabel asked her to leave?

She wiped her tears and went to see my boss. A minute later, they came out and went out of the office.

Shortly after I started writing my report on the business meeting I had that morning, Jide came to my
table.

‘Hey Yemisi, is your boss around?’

I shook my head. ‘He just stepped out.’

‘If you are not so busy, come over to my office. There is a letter for you.’

I looked at him surprised. A letter for me?

I jumped to my feet. Everything could wait until I read the content of the letter. I followed Jide to his
office. He waited for me to catch up with him on the corridor and then patted me gently on my shoulder.

‘How are you? I can’t believe we work in the same place and we rarely see each other.’

I shrugged. If Jide was sounding this cool, then the letter must be a good one.

‘You’ve been very busy.’ I said. ‘I’ve checked up on you a couple of times.’

We came to a glass door that had ‘Human Resource department’ written boldly on it. He pushed it open.
We walked past a big room with people working on their computers and entered a smaller office. He
pointed to a chair across from his. I sat down.

He smiled broadly. ‘Hope there’s no problem with the house.’

‘Not really.’ I responded. Since Jide assured me I was fine staying in his family house, I’d not bothered
looking for an apartment to rent. ‘The kitchen sink is leaking but it’s a manageable situation.’

‘I’ll ask the family plumber to check it out this weekend.’

I clasped my hands on the table. ‘Thank you so much for everything.’

Jide smiled and reached into his drawer. He brought out a letter and pushed it towards me. I took it
from him but didn’t open it.

‘Go ahead. Open it.’ He said.

What I saw made me gasp. My salary has been upgraded. From one hundred and fifty thousand naira, I
now earned two hundred and eighty thousand naira. I did a quick calculation of my commission and
bonuses. Monthly, I’d be going home with over three hundred thousand naira.

Jide said something but I didn’t hear clearly because I was carried away by the figures before me.

‘Can you drive?’ He repeated.

I shook my head. ‘Not yet. Although, I have plans for that later this year.’

‘You should start immediately. Mabel is giving out official cars to you and two other staff.’

I opened my mouth. ‘What!’

He nodded. ‘I’ll recommend two driving schools. I can also come over to teach you on weekends.’

I was mesmerized. Why would good things be happening when I felt an urge to leave Pavilion?
I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave again. Life here was sweet. I had a boss who had become a friend. Mabel
and I were on a good page unlike her relationship with some of my colleagues. My salary has just been
increased and now I have a car.

I started a bargain with God right there in Jide’s office.

Lord, do I really have to leave Pavilion? Can’t I do the teens work alongside this? At least Simeon is a
Pastor even though he works in a corporate organization. I can combine both perfectly well.

I got no response. God just went quiet on me.

‘Yemisi.’

I jolted out of my thoughts. ‘Sir?’

‘I was asking what really happened between you and Wale. I’ve not had time to talk about it in details
with you.’

I sighed. ‘It didn’t work out. Apparently, he liked some other lady and was already making travel plans
with her even while we were together.’

‘Oh!’ Jide exclaimed.

‘How’s he doing? Have you heard from him?’

Jide shook his head. ‘I have not been able to reach him since you told me you guys broke up. His line
isn’t going through.’

‘He must have travelled out of the country with the lady. That was their plan.’

Jide leaned forward. ‘How are you faring?’

‘I’m fine now. All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and who are the called
according to his purpose.’

Jide laughed. ‘Christian sister.’

A call came into Jide’s phone. I took the opportunity to return to my office and finish up my report.

When I got there, my colleagues were in a joyous mood. Tosin was smiling and serving everybody
cupcakes. Simeon had pleaded for her and she had been restored.

I went into Simeon’s office. ‘Thank you for speaking to Mabel about Tosin.’

Simeon folded his hands. ‘She is an intelligent lady. Last week, I gave her two assignments and the result
she brought back was just amazing. She has an unusual creative mind. I’m moving her to the advertising
team.’ He let out a deep breath. ‘We have another mission though. We are going to get her saved. There
is no mess God can’t fix.’
I was about asking him what he knew about Tosin and what mess he was referring to when he looked at
the paper in my hand.

‘What’s that?’

‘My salary has been upgraded. I am also entitled to an official car.’

Simeon laughed out loud. ‘What a temptation. Mabel didn’t tell me about this.’ He took the letter from
me and read the content. He looked at me. ‘I hope somebody is not changing her mind.’

I exhaled. ‘Simeon, are you sure God wants me to leave Pavilion? I mean, you are the head of the
advertising and marketing department. You are also in the Pastoral office. Who says I can’t combine my
work here and my ministry to teenagers.’

Simeon just fixed his gaze at me and didn’t say anything.

‘Simeon, please say something.’

He folded his hands. ‘As far as I am concerned, right now, it’s your flesh speaking. Spend more time in
prayers. You can’t be moved by ephemeral things.’

My phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Festus. By this time I was really tired of the
guy and I didn’t hide it from Simeon.

‘What’s wrong with your friend?’ I said, showing him the phone screen. ‘Simeon, please tell this guy to
slow down. He calls me every day.’

Jide chuckled. ‘The guy likes you a lot. He is a wonderful brother, Yemisi.’

What for goodness sake was my boss saying. Why would he be pitching this man to me?

‘I can vouch for him.’ Simeon continued. ‘We’ve known each other since uni days. We were pastored by
the same man and ran a pastoral course together. He was so happy when he heard I had moved to
Lagos.’

Simeon leaned forward. ‘It’s true he knows close to nothing about wooing a woman, but he is teachable.
Festus is a man of good character although he can be narrow-minded sometimes but trust me, he loves
God. Yemisi, he is worth praying about.’

When I stepped out of the office and walked to my table, I was very upset. Festus was still calling me
even though I was not answering the call. When a lady’s phone rings twice and she does not pick up,
wasn’t that enough reason to make you just stop until she returns the call?

My phone beeped. It was a text message from him

Hello Yemisi. I was calling to check up on you. How’s work going? You are always in my heart and I can’t
wait to have you by my side forever. I love you very much.
I stared at the message. Love! Abi what’s this man saying? Which one is ‘I can’t wait to have you by my
side forever?’

I grabbed my phone and went to the rest room. As far as I was concerned, it was either his spiritual
father was not training him well on how to approach a lady or he was simply not listening. I dialed
Festus’ number.

‘Hello dear.’ He said on the other end.

‘Festus, I don’t understand the text message you sent to me. You don’t even know me and you are
talking about love. For goodness sake, we just met last weekend!’

‘Does it matter, Yemisi?’ Festus said. ‘We are spirit beings, have you forgotten? The moment you started
talking, my spirit connected with you straightaway and by the following morning, I knew what God was
saying to me about you. Yes, we may live in this world but we are not citizens of this world. It is the
world system that tries out everything before making moves. We carry the Holy Spirit and we know
exactly what the Father is saying at every moment.’

I was shocked listening to Festus spill those words. Where for goodness sake did Simeon get a friend like
this?

He continued. ‘There is so much I’ll love to say but I’ll wait till we have lunch together. We are meeting
this week right?’

‘Festus, I’m not having lunch with you. Since we are spirit beings and we know exactly what the Spirit is
saying. Listen to what the spirit has to say. I cannot be by your side forever.’

‘Yemisi, don’t-’

‘I have to get back to work now. Please don’t call my line again. Leave me alone. Thank you.’

I hung up and held the edges of the toilet sink while I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Some Christian brothers sha, I said aloud.

I felt guilty almost immediately. Was my response to Festus harsh?

To be continued.....

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian girl season 1 Episode 16

**********

Mama D’s birthday was on a Tuesday. Since it was a work day, I could not go over to her place. I was
surprised when that evening, one of her daughters called to inform me she was in town. She was making
plans for a birthday party for Mama and wanted me to invite as many people as I could.

Simeon jumped into action when I informed him of the birthday plans. We started thinking of
contributing money to use an event center close to Mama’s house.

I don’t know how Mama got wind of our plans. She vehemently kicked against them. She said she didn’t
want a party and pleaded with us not to use the event center.

But sixty years was no small feat for goodness sake.

We settled for a small party in Mama’s house. I placed calls to as many of Mama’s mentees that I could
contact.

The eve to the celebration, I slept over at Simeon’s house. His wife, Ebun wanted us to take cookies and
spring rolls along with us. She had already gotten bottles for zobo drink and each of the bottle had a
paper with ‘Mama at 60’ wrapped around it.

It was a busy night. We didn’t finish making the snacks until about 4 a.m. I was I was so tired and didn’t
know how I slept off on the sofa.

Few hours later, we got up to prepare for the party.

Ebun received a call while we were arranging the chilled zobo drinks into a big cooler. She stepped away
from the dining area and entered the kitchen.

‘Mummy, please I am begging you in the name of God, I don’t need this stress.’ Ebun was saying. ‘Is it
my fault that I don’t have a child yet? My mother-in-law does not even stress me out the way you do.
Please, just stop.’ Ebun was saying.

She came out of the kitchen and stopped at the entrance, listening to the person at the other end.

‘Mummy!’ Ebun exclaimed and walked back into the kitchen. ‘We have gone to the hospital already.
They’ve run different tests on me and my husband. Nothing is wrong with us. Our organs are perfectly
fine.’ She paused. ‘I don’t have answers for that! For goodness sake, am I God? Mummy, please, don’t
ask me about this again. Every time you call, this is all you talk about. You don’t even want to know how
I’m faring.’

Ebun ended the call and returned to her space by the freezer. She pretended everything was fine but it
was clear she was upset. Simeon came out of his room, his gaze fixed on his wife. It was obvious he’d
heard part of the conversation. He came towards her and pulled her away from our work.
‘Yemisi, give us a few minutes. We’ll be back.’

I watched Simeon lead his wife into the bedroom. There was this tenderness about the way he held her
and at moment I wished I had a guy in my life.

Click flyer for more details

I had almost finished packing the drinks when the couple came out of the room, laughing as if nothing
had happened. I was greatly relieved to see Ebun in her cheerful self again. This was a day of laughter
and rejoicing for us. Our Mama had turned sixty.

‘I’m so sorry Yemisi. I got worked up by that call.’ Ebun said as she pushed the already filled cooler
against the wall. ‘There is so much joy and peace when you pray in the spirit.’

Simeon lifted the lid of one of the cooler and pulled out a bottle of zobo. He opened it and drained it
down his throat in one gulp. Ebun faced her husband.

‘How many bottles have you taken today?’

He flashed her a grin as he threw the empty bottle into a waste bin. ‘Just seven bottles.’

When he reached for another bottle, Ebun flew at him and blocked his hand from taking another one.
He laughed and with his free hand pulled her away easily and then he lifted her and whirled her around
like a small baby. She fluttered her legs, shouting to be put down. Simeon started singing a lullaby. I was
laughing so hard. When he finally put her down, she punched him playfully on his stomach.

‘Is it because I am small that you think you can handle me the way you like?’ Ebun said, panting hard.

He made another attempt to lift her up again but she moved backwards. He winked at her and reached
for another bottle

‘My wife, my wife.’ He said and moved towards the large tray of cookies. Ebun shouted and ran to stand
in front of the tray. This time their struggle ended when he carried her to the bedroom. Whatever
happened there I don’t know, but it took a whooping fifteen minutes before they returned to the living
room. By this time, I was done packing the drinks and snacks.

Ebun apologized. ‘I’m so sorry Yemisi. I don’t know what entered our head this morning.’

I said it was fine. She had been stressed by the several trips to the market that week and it was good she
had time to relax.

We got into Simeon’s car and drove to Mama D’s place. I was quiet and didn’t want to join in their
conversation. Many thoughts kept running through my mind.

I wanted to get married. I craved the bonding Simeon and his wife had. Would I ever meet a man who’d
love me selflessly? Was there such a man who’d be comfortable with my desire to work full-time in an
outreach that paid stipends? Aren’t most men like Wale who aimed for boss ladies a.k.a career madams
as wives?

Festus. I’d hoped something would work out between us. I had this picture of me and Festus in the exact
form of Simeon and Ebun. Simeon was a corporate guy, Festus was a tech guy. Ebun was changing the
narrative for girls and leading them to Christ, I was also pursuing a similar path.

But Festus…Oh my hope had been crushed. That guy was just one desperate brother looking for a
christian sister to hook up with. I wasn’t that kind of woman. I was not going to fall for a man who
merely saw me as a marital goal.

God, if I’m not asking for too much, please send this brother my way soon.

Maybe, I’d meet him at Mama D’s birthday ceremony, I thought. With God all things are possible abi?

‘Yemisi,’ Ebun called out. I pushed the romantic thoughts aside and gave her my attention. She pointed
at a supermarket in front of us. ‘We want to get presents for Mama.’

I remembered I didn’t have any gift for Mama. ‘I want to get something for her too.’

There was no space in the car park at the supermarket. Simeon drove some miles away and parked in
front of a church. We strolled in and got our purchases. Ebun bought a travel leather homemade
scrapbook, Simeon an expensive antique mug cup and I a wool throw.

As we got close to the car, I started telling the couple the story of how I met Mama when a hungry-
looking man with unkempt hair dressed in a faded white shirt and dirty jean hurried towards us.

‘Please help me with any money you have. My brother is on the hospital bed and the doctor said if we
don’t produce money for the surgery, he will die. Please I beg you in the name of the Lord, help me.’

Ebun pulled out two five hundred naira notes from her purse to give the man. Simeon looked hard at
him. ‘You always have one tale to tell. Last time, you said the money for your transport fare was not
complete. Another time, it was your sister that had an accident.’

I know this face.

I know him.’ I muttered.

The man took the money from Ebun and bounced away gaily as if he had just received a million dollar.
He stopped and turned in our direction, waving at us.

I froze.

Who was I seeing? This couldn’t be possible.

This could not be Wale.

No!
Simeon folded his hand and was staring at the man. ‘Whenever I come around this place and this man
approach me for money, I always sense something very dark about him. He speaks intelligently and it
makes me wonder where things went wrong for him.

The man laughed and rubbed his finger over the tip of his tongue and started to count the money. He
tucked the notes into his back pocket and went to a fair skin lady standing beside a Benz.

I still couldn’t take away my gaze from him. The lady shushed him and waved him away with a look of
disgust on her face. He scratched his head and scanned around for the next person he’d approach.

This can’t be Wale. It cannot be him, I thought.

We were about getting into the car when Simeon slammed the door shut and turned in the direction of
the man who was now sitting on a bench, staring at the moving traffic.

‘Why do I perceive his name is Wale and God would have me get him out of here?’

I broke down in tears. If Simeon had not been sensitive to the Holy Spirit, I would never had believed it
was Wale I was seeing in rags. This picture of Wale messed with the confident man I dated few years ago.

Simeon and Ebun glanced at me, puzzled.

‘Wale.’ I said, pointing at him. ‘That’s his name. Simeon, please help him.’

Simeon’s eyes widened. ‘You know him.’

I dried my eyes quickly when I saw he was walking towards in our direction, absentmindedly tearing at a
loaf of bread.

‘My ex. I told you about him.’

‘Oh my God!’ Ebun exclaimed.

Simeon smiled. ‘I just heard what I’m supposed to say to him. He is coming with us.’

Simeon went to him, looking him straight in the face as he spoke. My heart broke for Wale. What would
have happened to him? I remember that Lizzy, one of the ladies in the church had sworn to deal with
him. Had she really meant it? What happened to the plans to travel out of the country? The marriage
didn’t hold? What for goodness sake happened to the Pastor of Pure Heavens Assembly?

Simeon returned with Wale. I had no doubt it was my ex. He frowned and stared hard at me.

‘Yemisi!’ Wale said and ran into my arms.

Wale stank. He reeked of urine and of an odour that almost choked me. Instead of pushing him away, I
patted his head gently. When he raised his head, there were tears in his eyes. Simeon opened the
passenger door.
‘Wale, come with us. We are going somewhere to have a good time.’

Ebun flashed him a broad grin. ‘We have lots of food and drinks. You will eat as much as you want.’

Wale’s eyes brightened at the mention of food. He appeared starved and I hoped he caught the bait.

He looked from me to Simeon and to Ebun, shook his head and began to walk away.

‘Wale, please.’ I pleaded again.

He turned towards us again. He shook his head. ‘I don’t belong in your circle again. I’m far gone.’

Simeon frowned. ‘Wale, Get into the car now!’

Ebun and I glanced at her husband in surprise. As if controlled by a remote button, Wale tottered into
the car.

I sat beside Wale, my thoughts torn in different directions. I was scared a little and confused too.

When Simeon turned on the car stereo and played Sinach’s ‘I know who I am’, Wale became restless. His
fingers began to twitch and he shifted restlessly in his seat. My heart pounded so hard and different
images attacked my mind. Wale was acting like he was under a demonic influence. What if he made an
attempt to strangulate me?

‘I want to come down, please. I don’t want to go with you again!’ He shouted.

He tried opening the door with so much force but he couldn’t.

Simeon didn’t respond. Wale banged on the car window so hard I thought he’d break it. I’d never been
afraid like that in my life. His eyes were blood shot and when he glared at me, I almost peed in my
panties. I started praying in tongues, fear almost ripping my heart out.

Ebun was so calm and that made me jealous. Wale began to clap his hands and sing.

I see darkness everywhere.

I see darkness everywhere

I see darkness everywhere.

Ebun turned to him. ‘No, what you see is light. The light of Christ shines upon you.’

He looked around the car as if in search of the light Ebun was talking about and then he fell quiet.
Thankfully, the traffic had eased up. I couldn’t wait to get to Mama’s place.

A hand touched me. I jumped. Wale was smiling broadly.

‘I scared you?’ He said.

I was panting so fast I couldn’t respond immediately. He turned his attention away from me and began
to hum slowly.

‘I’m hungry.’ He announced.

Ebun gave him her food warmer containing the rice and plantain we prepared that morning. He ate with
his bare hand even when Ebun offered him a spoon. I sat there watching him, my heart full of
compassion for him. He caught me staring at him. I quickly took my eyes away and stared out the
window.

Four hours in that car with Wale seemed like forever. Finally, we got to Mama D’s house. I jumped out
of the car and went straight to the trunk for the cooler of zobo. I wanted to get as far away from this
‘stranger’ as fast as possible.

****************** ***************************

Mama D’s house was packed full with people. The living room had been rearranged to accommodate
more chairs. I knew most of the people present although there were few unfamiliar faces.

‘Yemisi is here!’ One of Mama’s mentees, Bimbo, shouted and rushed to help me with the heavy cooler.
Together, we carried the cooler into the kitchen and dropped it on the kitchen table.

I hugged her. ‘Bimbo, it’s been ages. You just forgot about us in Lagos. How is Abeokuta?’

She grinned. ‘Abeokuta is fine. I’m so happy to be here. I have missed you.’

Bimbo had not changed. She was still short and plump with ‘yam’ legs. I loved to see her smile because
then I get to see her cute gap tooth. The last time I saw Bimbo was four years ago when Mama
organized a weekend retreat for some of her mentees.

‘I’m getting married next month.’ She announced, fluttering the bright silver ring on her fourth finger.

‘Your ring is lovely.’

Some ladies came in with more coolers. Abigail followed behind with a large metal can of cookies. She
waited until Bimbo and the other ladies left the kitchen before turning to me.

‘Who did I just see in the living room?’ She said, her eyes full of surprise.

‘Wale.’

She opened her mouth. ‘What happened to him? Why is he looking so…horrible?’

Somebody screamed. Abigail and I rushed out of the kitchen to see what had happened. Wale was on
the floor rolling from one side to the other.

‘He is under an attack.’ Abigail whispered to me and moved closer to him.

Wale stood up and vomited right at the center of the living room. Some of the mess splashed on Papa
D’s trouser. Two men led him quickly towards a sink at the side of the living room but already he had left
a pool of puke behind. On the floor were worms mixed with blood and a white foamy substance.

The men led him back to Papa who placed his hand on him and began to pray for him. Mama was also
standing by Abigail’s mother, muttering words of prayer.

‘I break every hold of the devil over your life. You are set free in the name of Jesus! Every voice that is
not of God is silenced right now.’

Wale went on his knees and cried loudly. He reached for Papa D’s feet and placed his face on it. The
people gathered in the living room began to sing in unison.

That wonderful name, Jesus

That wonderful name, Jesus

That wonderful name, Jesus

There is no other name I know.

Somebody grabbed my waist. I turned to see Adesuwa trembling beside me.

‘Miss Yemisi, I’m scared.’

Quickly, I pulled her away from the scene and took her into the guest room. She was still trembling. I
held her close.

‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’ She said when I led her gently to the bed. ‘Miss Yemisi, I think I have
seen his face before. Has he come to to pick you up from Cornerstone College?’

I nodded. ‘You are right.’

‘Why is he like this? Is he not a christian?’

I sat close to her. ‘Adesuwa, I have not seen Wale in two years. I don’t know what he opened himself up
to that gave room for the devil to deal with him this way.’

She looked at me confused. ‘I don’t understand what you are saying.’

I sat gently beside her, praying for wisdom to explain this truth to her. ‘Listen, when a man becomes
born-again, he receives the perfect nature of God in his spirit. 1 Peter 1 verse 23 says, that nature is
incorruptible. It is perfect and in oneness with our spirit. It is the nature of Christ. However a man who
has received this nature still possesses an unrenewed mind. It is his responsibility to reprogram that
mind so that it can reflect the character of his true nature. If he doesn’t, he’ll become an easy target for
the operations of the devil in his life.’

Adesuwa nodded slowly. ‘Renewing the mind means I must spent time with the word regularly right?’
‘Yes. A person is not properly renewing his mind if he is vibrant with communion with God one month
and ignores it the next. As he keeps his gaze on his right standing with God, he’ll draw strength to stand
against the flesh.’

Adesuwa closed her eyes and opened them. ‘I don’t want to ever lose the hunger for my heavenly father.
I don’t want to sin against God too.’

I smiled. I had one more thing to say. ‘Adesuwa, you can’t stand against sin by trying not to sin or calling
into account the sins we are battling with.’

‘Yes! Aunty Abigail said something like that. She said, the more we consistently focus on what the word
says about our nature, the more disengaged we’ll be towards sin. In fact, it is impossible to be yielded to
the Holy Spirit and live in the flesh.’

I slapped her a hi five. ‘Good! You are really learning a lot.’

Adesuwa sighs. ‘I hope Uncle Wale will be fine.’

‘I believe so. He has a father who loves him dearly. He’ll be delivered from the grip of the devil.’

Adesuwa hesitated. ‘Are you saying, it was not God who sent the devil to punish him?’

I shook my head. ‘No. God does not punish his children with evil. You know why? God has no capacity to
do evil. He does not also collaborate with Satan to punish us when we err. That would go against his
nature. God is love and he is good always. The devil is the author of evil. God will not force his son to
stay with any instruction he gives. When he steps out, he walks right into the enemy’s camp. My
bumping into Wale today was the Father’s way of rescuing his son. Wale will be restored.’

‘Amen.’ Adesuwa muttered.

From the living room, we heard loud voices chanting the Happy birthday song. ‘

‘Do you want to rest a little?’ I asked.

She shook her head and stretched out her hand. ‘I’m fine. I feel much better.’

I pulled her up and together we walked out of the bedroom.

In the living room, the mess had been cleaned up but I couldn’t find Wale anywhere. I figured he would
have retreated to the men’s room to shower and change his clothes.

The celebration went well. Prayers were said for Mama. Ladies who had been mentored shared
testimonies of how Mama had greatly affected their lives.

Camera lights from phones blinked from all corners. Drinks and small chops were passed around. There
was so much laughter and more people kept pouring in.
‘Please, can I have a can of malt?’ Someone said from behind me. I was holding a pack of malt cans,
scanning the room to see those who had not been served.

I pulled out a can and was about giving it to the person who had asked when my eyes caught the face.

‘Ayomide.’

He smiled and took the drink from my hand. ‘Yemisi.’

‘Oh! I didn’t know you were around. You came in today?’

He nodded and popped the can open. ‘This morning.’

‘I’m very sure you’ll be running off again.’ I said.

He shook his head. ‘Not this time. I’m here for a retreat. I’ve been on the mission field since the first day
in January and I figured I needed some time off before setting out to work again. I’ll be around here for a
while.’ He looked towards the dining table. ‘Who is that girl?’

I followed his eyes. Adesuwa was sitting at a corner away from others, pressing her phone. ‘She is one of
my teenage girls.’

He looked away from her and brought his gaze back to me. I held my breath and released it slowly.

‘Can I have a chat with her?’

‘Sure.’

He smiled. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’

I watched Ayomide grab a chair and move over to where Adesuwa was sitting. She recoiled at first but
when he started talking, she relaxed and even laughed at something he said. I went back into the
kitchen to help and when I returned to the sitting room, I was surprised to see Ayomide still talking with
Adesuwa. The girl didn’t even notice when I walked past her. She was so engrossed in the discussion
with him.

Adesuwa had been munching cake since the celebration began. There was a large piece on a plate in
front of her. I went to her.

‘Adesuwa, after this piece, no more cakes. You’ve eaten enough.’

She frowned and pretended to cry. ‘Miss Yemisi, please.’

‘Miss Yemisi, it’s just cake.’ Ayomide said, looking at me with pleading eyes. ‘It’s…cake.’ He repeated.

She looked from Ayomide to me. ‘Exactly, I don’t know when I’ll eat delicious cake like this again.’

‘Abi?’ Ayomide said, ‘Let’s enjoy while it last.’

I opened my mouth to say something to Ayo but I shut my mouth.

He winked at me and turned to Adesuwa ‘On a serious note, no more cake after this.’

Adesuwa frowned. ‘I thought you had my back.’

He reclined in his seat. ‘Somebody cannot play with you again. No more cakes so eat this piece very
slowly.’

She cried. ‘Uncle Ayo, it’s not fair.’

I laughed and walked away from them. I looked around for any sign of Wale. I still didn’t see him.

********************

It was almost eight p.m by the time we finished tidying the living room. After everyone retired to bed, I
dished out fried rice and two laps of fried turkey and went to the dining table. Ayomide was there
nibbling at cookies.

‘What a day.’ I said, pulling out a chair and settling into it. .

‘Thank God I didn’t miss it.’ he rubbed his stomach. ‘I can’t remember when last I ate this much.’

I laughed. We ate in silence.

‘Mum said you work with a Travel Agency.’ Ayomide said.

I nodded. ‘Yes. But I’ll be resigning soon.’

He stopped eating and looked at me. ‘Why?’

I’m volunteering with Zion Teens full-time. I can’t work and still go through series of training required to
join the ministry. I didn’t know Zion Mission had such strict procedures but I’m ready for it. I just know
that’s where God will have me serve.’

He stared at me and said nothing. Ayomide threw the last cookie into his mouth.

‘I remember the first time God began to speak to me about Zion Missions. I had completed my medical
training in the US, stayed back for my residency and had no plans of returning to Nigeria. I had a job too.
Mehn, I struggled.’

I giggled. ‘That’s exactly the way I feel right now. It’s very comfortable at Pavilion. Good salary. Great
ambience. Awesome boss. I almost doubted if God wanted me to leave.’

I plunged my fork into the turkey and tore out a small part. ‘So how did you step out?’

He smiled. ‘I was restless. I mean very restless. The instruction to return to Nigeria was very clear. It was
disturbing because God didn’t say exactly what I was supposed to do when I returned. The only
instruction was for me to come home. I told my parents. They didn’t even debate my decision. It was as
if God had reached them first. Anyway, I packed my things and came home. Two weeks after I arrived
Nigeria, I went to see my mentor.’

‘You’ve known Papa D for a while?’ I asked.

‘Oh yes! I got born-again in JSS 2. Papa was my physics teacher then. We’ve come a long way.’

Ayomide folded his hands. ‘I can never forget the day I was kneeling in the living room after I got back
into the country and I saw a vision of myself and a team driving into a particular village in a bus filled
with medical supplies. Immediately, the Lord told me that I would meet someone the following day and I
would work with him on my new assignment.’

I was enjoying the discussion, my food forgotten. I didn’t want Ayo to stop talking.

Ayomide continued ‘The next day, the founder of Zion Missions visited Papa D. He started talking about
plans to start a medical outreach as a sub division of the ministry. That day, I was helping Mama in the
kitchen when I heard him say that. I just started laughing.’

I wiped my palms on a serviette. ‘Don’t you miss the days before you joined the mission? I mean you
were in the United States.’

He asked me to pass him a bottle of water from a pack close to where I was sitting. I did.

‘I know it seem so hard to believe but I don’t. I am very happy with my work here. I am content with
God’s plans for my life.

We talked at length. I told him about some of the things God was saying to me. He shared some of the
instructions he had received. There was this unexplainable drive for God about Ayomide that just stirred
in me a determination to do God’s will. I told him about the school fellowship and my proposed meeting
with some of my students. He gave me some ideas on what to do and then he folded his hand and said,

‘Yemisi, take that meeting seriously. Get on your knees and spend time praying about it. Hear what God
wants you to say to those students. Trust me, whether it will be a success or not depends on your
intentionality about it. I sense strongly it will be the beginning of a new life for some of those students.’

I let out a deep breath. ‘Amen.’

‘Two of my friends are here with me for the retreat. One of them is from the Zion Medical Outreach. The
other works with Ebun at the Zion Girls. We’ll be glad to help in any way possible. If you need people to
stretch in prayers with you or to help with preparation, just let me know.’

Just few hours of conversing with this brother and I felt so rejuvenated. Why had I not met Ayo earlier?

As I stood up to take my plate to the kitchen, I saw Wale standing at the entrance to the men’s room.
When our eyes met, he moved away and went back into the room.
****

To be continued......

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian girl season 1 Episode 17

*******

I resigned from Pavilion Travel Agency.

The night before that happened, I couldn’t sleep until 4a.m. The head of Zion Teens had called earlier
with a very depressing news.

‘Yemisi, we are happy that you have decided to serve with us but I must let you know that until you are
done with the stipulated trainings and workshops, you’ll only be paid a stipend of ten thousand naira
monthly. Again, Zion Teens is a new project of the Zion Mission and while the headquarters will be
giving us the support they can, we’ll be handling the financial expenses to a large extent. As a team,
we’ll have to trust God for funds for all our outreaches.’

I panicked at first. Training was for three months and another three months for probation before I
became a full-fledged member? How do I survive with ten thousand naira?

My fear dissipated when I calculated my savings.

Two million naira.

That was more than enough to hold me for a while. If I managed the money well, I might still have
enough to last me even when the drills were over.

As I knelt beside my bed to pray before going to bed, I heard a voice

Send one million naira to Hope for Girls and forward another one million to Andrew for Zion Teens.

What did I just hear?

I stopped praying and sat on my bed, puzzled.

This cannot be God. How can God ask me to take that kind of money and give it out? Am I Father
Christmas? If I removed that huge sum, how much would be left in my account?

I paced the room, muttering words to myself.

God cannot ask me to do this, I concluded. For goodness sake, I just sent almost a million naira home for
dad’s treatment and another fifty thousand naira to my sister, Yewande?
Tears burned my eyes as I lay on that bed. I tried to sleep but I couldn’t. I was restless. No matter how
much I tried to argue with what I’d heard, I knew it was what God wanted me to do.

If I took out the two million naira from my account, I’d just have three hundred and seventy thousand
naira left. Since I had decided to resign abruptly, I had to pay in lieu of notice. That means three hundred
thousand naira had to be returned to the office. I’d be left with seventy thousand naira. My brother was
getting married and I’d promised to send the balance of forty thousand naira as my contribution for the
wedding.

How was I going to survive three months on ten thousand naira monthly? How do I even tell my parents
that I was leaving a paid job for a ministerial assignment?

Now you understand why I was restless all night. When I woke up and dressed up for my last day at
work, I reassured myself that God would take care of my needs. It worked for a few minutes, but when I
stepped out of the house, worry and anxiety consumed my heart again.

I couldn’t even change my mind because I’d look stupid to my colleagues. I had already informed Mabel
and the HR about my decision to resign. Almost everyone in the office knew I was leaving. There was no
turning back.

‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Jide asked as I sat in his office that morning.

I nodded. ‘Yes, Jide. I want to pursue what I have been called to do.’

‘That’s good.’ He leaned forward. ‘You can still stay in the family house for as long as you want. Although
my parents will be coming in for a wedding next month, they’ll just be at the house for a week before
returning to the US.’

I long to stay in Jide’s family house until my training in November. Andrew had sent me the schedule for
the three months training; long stretches of prayers, bible studies, trips to communities, in house
facilitations, online teens coaching courses, participation in the organizing of teen camp meetings,
brainstorming on creative ideas with the secondary school educators of the ministry… the list was
endless.

When I told Mama D about my decision to resign, she instructed that I pack all my belongings and come
over to her house immediately. The thought of staying four months in Mama’s house didn’t settle well
with me. I craved my quiet space at Jide’s family house. It was my safe haven. I loved that I could cook
when I wanted and on days when I didn’t feel like, I’d get snacks and drinks.

All that would change once I move into Mama’s house. Since Mama’s birthday, some of the mentees
had stayed back. There were now three ladies and five brothers and I was supposed to share a room
with the ladies. No privacy.

‘Thank you.’ I said to Jide. ‘But I’ll be moving to my mentor’s house tomorrow.’

He clapped his hands. ‘Okay, if you say so.’

Back in my office, I saw a wrapped gift on the side of my table with an inscription on it.

‘From the advertising and Marketing department.’

I was shocked. I mean, they had barely rolled with me since the incident with Taiwo. Why were they
doing this?

They gathered around my table and I stared from one person to another, speechless. My heart was
already dampened. This was my last day here. I picked up the wrapped package.

‘Thank you so much.’ I said.

Simeon was not in when I was ready to leave. I gave a last wave to my colleagues and walked out of
Pavilion.

**************************

‘Yemisi, what’s wrong with you?’ Abigail asked as I arranged my stuff into my boxes. It was my last night
at Jide’s family house. No matter how much she tried to cheer me up, it was just so hard to be excited.

‘I’m running out of cash Abigail. Very soon, my mum will call to ask for more money. Besides, I don’t like
the fact that I’ll have to depend on Mama for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Right now, I’m fighting not to
question if God really sent me to this.’

Abigail pulled me away from the box. ‘Where is your journal?’

I went to get it from my wardrobe and dropped it on the bed.

Abigail held the journal without opening it. ‘You see, when you notice that doubts are beginning to
creep into your heart, learn to go through the instructions and promises God gave to you.’

I shook my head. ‘Imagine, I’m well aware of what you are saying. I know that the way to strengthen
conviction is by praying over the things God has said. I just don’t know why I forgot.’

Abigail rubbed my shoulder. ‘I forget too. There were times I have taught boldly spiritual realities but
when I came face with contradictions, it was you who helped me remember.’

I knelt with the journal opened in front of me and tears streamed down my face. Abigail knelt beside me.
I prayed. I wept. I asked God for strength.

Now he that ministers seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed
sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

Oh how 2 Corinthians nine verse ten always brought comfort to my heart since the day I knew God
wanted me to leave Pavilion.

I laid on the floor and started laughing out loud. Abigail pulled me up and we danced round the room,
singing at the top of our voices.
My phone rang. Festus.

‘Why is he calling me?’ I said to Abigail.

‘Pick the call and find out.’ She said.

When I did, Festus’ voice sounded low. He asked how I was doing. I told him I was fine. Then he said,

‘Yemisi, I know I’ve been a jerk. I am very sorry. I didn’t mean to be so forward like I did the last time. I
was just too excited to meet you and lost control of my manners. Simeon spoke to me and I’ve repented.
Please forgive me.’

I sighed. ‘I’m not holding anything against you Festus.’

‘Thank you very much.’ He paused. ‘Will you still give me another chance to at least get to know you?
Just lunch please.’

For some reason I couldn’t explain, I felt at peace. ‘Fine, I’ll let you know when I’m free.’

‘I look forward to seeing you again.’

When I ended the call, I lay beside Abigail, staring at the ceiling.

‘He apologized.’ I said without looking at her. ‘He wants to have lunch with me.’

‘Hmmm…’ Abigail muttered.

Festus filled my thoughts that night. All I could think about was the ease marrying him would bring to my
ministry. If we got married, I wouldn’t have to think about resources or money especially now that
Simeon told me Festus had landed a huge partnership deal with a Chinese company.

This might just be God rewarding me for giving out the two million naira in my account. I smiled and
scrolled through instagram to search for his picture.

*************

I moved out of Jide’s house. This was a new phase of my life. I had been pushed out of my comfort zone
and in a way, I felt the cold wind biting into my bones.

When the taxi pulled into Mama’s compound, one of Papa’s mentees was sitting in the veranda reading
his bible. Wale was pacing the compound praying with another brother. I could hear laughter coming
from the house. The mixture of the voices of prayer and laughter immediately brought a soothing relief
to my heart.

The man at the veranda helped me with my boxes. Wale and his partner joined him too. When I got into
the house, Ayomide was sitting in the living room talking with Papa D. Papa smiled and I went to greet
him.
I went down on my knees. ‘Good evening Papa.’

‘My girl is here.’ Papa said, his hands patting my back gently. He glanced briefly at the men pulling my
boxes towards the ladies room. ‘Some serious labour is about to commence.’

Ayomide folded his hand and crossed his leg over the arm of the sofa. He winked at me. I winked back.

‘Ayo will give you proper training of what ministry life entails.’

Ayomide laughed. ‘We’ve started the training sessions already. She has been a diligent student.’

I raised my hand in mock joy before turning to Papa. ‘Where is Mummy?’

‘Kitchen.’ Papa said.

I hurried to the kitchen. Kudirat, the househelp and another lady were plucking ewedu leaves. Mama
was telling them a story and they were all staring at her with rapt attention. Wale was peeling oranges
and I was surprised how he had quickly moved from his prayers to helping me with my boxes to peeling
oranges in the kitchen.

‘ Omo mi ti de o .’ Mama exclaimed, dancing as I approached her. She pulled me into her arms, patted
my back a little hard, shook my shoulders and hugged me again.

She looked from me to the other lady. ‘I think it’s time I leave this kitchen for you ladies. Someone
should prepare the stew for tomorrow’s rice. Another person should prepare the ewedu. When you are
done, make the eguisi for tonight. Kudirat, come and get something for me at the junction.’

She left the kitchen with Kudirat and we got to work. You won’t believe Wale didn’t leave the kitchen. I
believe he was deliberately peeling the oranges slowly just so he could remain there. How long does it
take to peel twenty oranges?

Even when we finished preparing the stew and

eguisi and the other lady left, he was still there with the knife, stealing glances at me.

Ayomide entered the kitchen and went into an inner room that served as the store. He brought out a
pack of semovita and half-filled a large pot with water. As he placed the pot on the gas cooker, two
ladies entered the kitchen, carrying a large tray of smoked fish.

‘Ayo, the best semovita maker. He has a Ph.D in preparing semovita without lumps.’ One of the ladies
said after they had dropped the tray in the store.

The second lady turned to me. ‘Pounded yam too. If you see the yam Ayo pounded for us last week. It
was smooth and perfect.’

Ayomide bowed playfully, turning his head from one side to another. ‘ Merci beacoup. Thank you.’

I faced him. ‘I thought you were ajebutter. Why are you acting like one pako child?’
Ayo giggled as he poured a little quantity of the semolina into a bowl. ‘I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me.’

The ladies left and I was left alone with him. I helped with the food warmers and the small transparent
nylon bags.

‘How does it feel leaving your job?’ Ayo said as he stirred the uncooked meal vigorously.

I let out a deep sigh. ‘Happy. Nervous. Hopeful. Curious.’

He glanced at me. ‘Soon, all of those feelings will emerge into one. Satisfaction.’

Kudirat came into the kitchen and it was then I noticed that Wale had been leaning on the kitchen table,
staring at me. Sincerely, I had completely forgotten he was in the kitchen.

‘Yemisi, please can I have a word with you?’ Wale said.

I was not sure I wanted to talk. ‘Now?’

He shrugged. ‘If you are not busy, yeah.’

Ayo winked at me. ‘You can go. Kudirat will help me with whatever I need.’

Mama’s eyes followed us as we walked out of the house. Wale suggested we sit in the open space
shaded by a large blue umbrella. It was a beautiful place to relax on a cool evening. I remembered how
several times, Papa and Mama had lunch with the mentees and sometimes bible study.

I pulled out a beautifully made bamboo chair and sat down. I waited for Wale to start the conversation.
There was so much I wanted to know. What happened to him? Why did he end up in the streets? What
had gone wrong?

‘I’m sorry for the way I treated you. You deserved better.’ Wale started.

I shrugged. ‘It’s fine Wale. Let’s leave all that in the past. But I’m curious, what happened to you?’

Wale turned his face away. I could see he was in so much pain. He brought his gaze to rest on me. ‘You
don’t know this. Apart from the money I took from you, I borrowed more to keep the church going. I
wanted it to be top notch. I wanted my church to be a class of its own. But I couldn’t pay my debts and
one morning I was arrested and taken to the police station.’

He continued. ‘Those men beat the hell out of me. I told them I didn’t have any money. I tried to seek
help from Victoria. She didn’t pick my call.’

Victoria. That name was familiar.

I remembered who Victoria was. ‘That was the lady you were seeing while we were still together? The
one you wanted to travel overseas with.’
‘You knew about it. That was why you left.’ He rubbed his hand over his face and let out a deep breath.
‘I feel so ashamed of myself.’

‘Go on, Wale. I’m listening.’

‘I was so frustrated. I tried her line several times, she still didn’t answer me. Thirty minutes later, she
sent me a text message saying I was a fraudster. Obviously she heard all that happened. Yemisi, I had no
one. I was too ashamed to call Jide. All my church people disappeared. Even the leaders of the church
that I thought would have my back didn’t show up. I had no ministry, no money, nothing. Then Lizzy
came to my rescue.’

‘Lizzy has always been there for you.’ I said, smiling remembering how I thought she was obsessed about
him.

Wale looked down. ‘Lizzy. I regret the day I met her. I wish I refused the invitation to minister at her
school fellowship where we first had a conversation. She paid my debts. I don’t know how she got the
money to pay my debts. I knew I would never be free from her.’

I considered what he said for a moment. ‘Maybe she loves you, or what do you think?’

Wale began to unbutton his shirt. At first, I was scared he was having a relapse. I sat straight, ready to
run if he tried anything funny but then a part of me was calm. He removed the shirt to reveal a white
singlet. He pulled off the singlet.

I gasped when I saw marks covering different parts of his body. It was as if someone had patiently used a
hot knife to create patterned lines on his back. There were deep scars covering his chest. I covered my
mouth and tears began to pour down my face.

‘Stop crying Yemisi,’ Wale said and wrapped his palm around my fingers. ‘I brought this upon myself. I
was chasing shadows. I learnt the hard way.’

‘Are you saying she did this to you?’

Wale nodded. ‘Somebody must have been praying for me. I am very sure of that. I should be dead by
now but God’s mercy rescued me. Every night, Lizzy tortured me. I saw her in my dreams, she sent men
to deal with me right in our bedroom, we had sex when she wanted it and I dared not refuse it. When I
wake up bleeding, she’d tend to my wounds like a good nurse and remind me I brought it on myself. Oh
that lady almost killed me.’

I tried to picture Lizzy doing all of the things he had said. The girl had seemed so young and naïve. I had
thought she was just a mentee crushing on her mentor. I remember the angry look she gave me the day
we accompanied Wale for a ministration. I also remember sitting beside her at Pure Heaven Assembly
and reading the screenshots that proved Wale was seeing Victoria.

‘What about your apartment? I remember there was one you took me to see after one of the Sunday
services.’
Wale shook his head. ‘She didn’t allow me go back there. Not like I had anything left there anyway. My
furniture, freezer, kitchen utensils, almost all my belongings had gone into the payment of my debt.’

‘Wale you’ve gone through a lot.’ I said, my heart full of compassion for him.

‘God rescued me.’ Wale said, his eyes brimmed with tears. ‘I remember one afternoon, I sat on the floor
crying to God to deliver me from the bondage, and just then, the entrance door opened. Initially, I
thought Lizzy was back until I heard a voice say, ‘Go away from here as fast as you can!’ I ran away and
didn’t look back. But she had already messed with my head. I was hearing voices. I was seeing men in
dark hoods chasing me. It was crazy.’

‘We have a Father.’ I said quietly.

Wale blocked his eyes with his clenched fist but I knew he was crying. When he raised his head, tears
glittered his eyes. ‘I don’t know why God will love me this much.’ He hesitated. ‘I’m here to learn. I told
Papa D already that I would submit to him and do whatever he says. I’m ready to do things right.’

Wale went on his knees before I had the chance of stopping him. ‘I’m sorry Yemisi. I’m really sorry.’

I pulled him back up and held his chin. We gazed into each other’s eyes and I had one resolve within me.
I was going to be there for him. Wale was different now. I was going to prove that I was not a fair-
weathered Christian woman. This would be a new beginning for us.

‘Will you forgive me Yemisi?’

‘I have forgiven you already. I don’t have anything against you anymore.’

Wale hesitated. ‘Do you think I’m still worth a second chance?’

I didn’t expect the question to come out so fast. I folded my hands. ‘Wale, I-’

‘You can take as much time as you want to pray about this. I have not given you what you deserve. If I
get another chance to make things right, I’ll treat you like the woman you are. I really love you Yemisi.’

One of the guys in the house interrupted our deep moment. Dinner had been served and Mama wanted
both of us to come into the house. We told him we’d joining them soon.

‘I’ll pray about it.’ I said to Wale when the man left.

‘Thank you very much.’ Wale said.

I had two men to pray about. Wale. Festus. Who would God lead me to choose? It was clear that Wale
had changed. I’d seen how he submitted to Papa’s instructions.

One of the weekends I came over to Mama’s house, Papa had organized an evening fellowship in the
compound. A pastor had invited Wale to minister at the youth fellowship of his church. Wale had been
excited but Papa had said No. It was not time for him to take preaching engagements. There was still
some more work to be done. I was surprised to see how well he took Papa’s refusal. Immediately, he
called the Pastor and rejected the invitation.

As we walked back in, Wale held my hand, smiling.

‘You are a blessed woman. With you, a man has rest of mind.’

I didn’t respond but those words made my heart soar. ‘Thank you Wale.’

Could God be asking me to get back with Wale? What about Festus. That man knew what God had
called me to do and he seemed ready to support me. He had a thriving business and I would not have to
think about money to pursue my passions.

God, I need clarity.

************ ***************

Mum came to Lagos to see Yewande. I was so happy that I left my online class and rushed over to
Yewande’s place. When I got there, my sister and my mother were sitting in the living room looking
gloomy.

‘Yemisi, so you know the way to my house.’ My sister said sarcastically.

It’d been a long time I came to my sister’s place but at least we’d been talking on the phone.

‘ Ma binu . I have been so busy.’ I said and went to greet my mother. She answered coldly and I
wondered what was wrong.

Mum faced my sister. ‘You must go to Benin to meet him.’

Yewande looked at her defiantly. ‘I am not going anywhere mummy! I am not going!’

I looked from my mother to my sister. ‘What’s going on?’

Yewande was clearly upset. ‘My husband got a job in Benin.’

I smiled. ‘That’s so beautiful. Finally, he has a stable job.’

‘ Fara bale and hear the rest of the news!’ My mother shouted aloud, her eyes fixed on Yewande. ‘Tell
her everything!’

Whatever was getting my mother this angry had to be serious.

Yewande looked at me. ‘When I asked when he was coming to take us. He said, he wasn’t.’

‘What!’ I looked at her shocked. ‘Why?’

‘He lives with his boss. Let me put it out plainly. He is rendering home services to his boss in her
bedroom.’
‘Home service? What’s that?’

‘Are you really asking me that?’ She rolled her eyes at me. ‘Have you heard of sugar mummy before?’

‘Yewande-‘

Yewande was in tears. ‘What do you call a man who has an arranged sexual relationship with a woman
outside of his wife? For the woman I know she is called mistress. What-’ Yewande stopped talking and
covered her face.

My mother was on her feet. ‘Go to Benin and confront that man! You can’t just sit down here and watch
your marriage die! Fight for this marriage!’

‘How am I supposed to do that mum? I don’t even know where he is in Benin. Am I supposed to just take
a bus down there and ask every stranger on the street if they know where to find my husband?’

My mother kept quiet and stared at the TV screen. I pulled my sister to her feet.

‘Mum, we’ll be back.’ I looked around the living room. ‘Where are the kids?’

‘They are playing at the neigbour’s house. I don’t want them to see me like this.’ Yewande said, breaking
into more tears.

As we walked into the room, Mum called me back.

‘Ehen, now that Wale is out of the picture, what man is on ground?’

‘Mummy!’ My sister and I chorused.

She stretched out on the sofa. ‘Keep shouting ‘mummy’. Just know that time has gone Yemisi.’ She
stood up. ‘Let me go and get my grandchildren.’

Yewande hissed and pulled me into the bedroom. She turned to me.

‘Don’t even let anybody put pressure on you! It’s not worth it. It is you who will live with this man. They
won’t be there when things turn sour.’

We sat on the floor with our back against the wall. We were comfortable with the silence.

Yewande broke it. ‘You were right. I should have listened to you. If I had agreed to sell soft drinks and
snacks, maybe I’ll still have a home. It’s my fault.’

‘Don’t say that!’ I exclaimed. ‘It’s not enough reason for him to be a sex slave to his boss.’

Yewande shook her head, tears streaming from her eyes. ‘Every night I sleep, I imagine my husband in
bed with that woman and-‘ she stopped to hold back more tears. ‘It’d have been better if I didn’t know
he was sleeping with her. He said he would leave once he gets another job.’
I waited for her to continue. ‘I just got a place in a primary school. The pay is small but it’s something. I
don’t want any of his filthy money. ’

She burst into tears again. I drew her into my arms. I cried with her.

To be continued......

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 18

***********

The meeting with my Cornerstone College students was awesome!

It went far better than I expected. Come to think of it, a week before the meeting, I didn’t have the
balance payment for the hall we were to use. We had only sorted out drinks and snacks. Every time I
went into my place of prayer, God kept reminding me of the words I was to say to the students and at a
point, I almost wanted to scream,

‘God! we don’t have money!’

Why would God keep pouring words into my heart while I was having sleepless nights thinking of how to
raise money to pay that mean manager at Desuite Event Center? I tried not to be anxious but as the day
drew near, I couldn’t help it.

The mentees at Mama’s place were supportive. The female mentees had all gone and I was the only lady
amidst men organizing prayer vigils and making strategic plans for the meeting. One would think we
were preparing an event for a thousand participants.

Daniel, one of Ayomide’s guys made beautiful ‘Permission for release’ cards for the parents of the
students. I love those cards. The principal of Cornerstone College loved them too.

Yes, we had a breakthrough with their parents, but the question still remained. What about the balance
fee for the venue? Would I have to send another message saying the meeting wouldn’t hold again at
Desuite? But God had given me the specific location for the meeting. Had I heard wrongly?

I remember sitting outside thinking of every possible way to raise the balance fee when Ayomide came
to sit beside me.

I turned to him. ‘How do you guys do this? How do you trust God for your needs especially with the little
money Zion Mission pay you monthly. How do you raise money to run your projects?’

Ayo chuckled. ‘We trust God. He has never for once disappointed us.’
I wished he could say something more practical. Sometimes I got tired of hearing same line of, ‘trust
God.’

His steady gaze met mine. ‘Zion Missions will train you to depend on God for your needs. ’

I’d not even started fully with Zion Missions and I was already feeling overwhelmed. ‘I don’t know what
to say.’

Ayo smiled. ‘Yemisi, when you are in God’s will, He’ll provide for your needs. You need to learn how to
trust God absolutely. Yeah, there will be rough times but they never lasts for long. God will take care of
you.’

I sighed. ‘I believe.’

Click picture for more details on discount prices

Ayo continued. ‘The Toyota Camry I used two years back was given to me when I least expected it. The
medical supplies for the last outreach, a man I had never met called to say he was praying and the Lord
asked him to contact Zion Medical Outreach. He gave us the exact amount we needed. Since I got here,
we’ve been praying for funds for our next outreach. As I speak, we’ve gotten half of our budget sorted
out already.’

‘I wish I had that kind of faith.’ I muttered.

Ayo looked at me and didn’t say anything for a while. ‘You have the faith of Christ. It’s at work in you.
Relax Yemisi. We’ve been praying about this meeting. We cannot be stranded.’

As he stood up to leave, I pulled his hand back. ‘Can we pray together again?’

He smiled. ‘Sure.’

You won’t believe the balance came in the next day. I was mopping the bedroom floor when I received a
call from one of the parents of my students. He had read the note on the permission for release card
and felt led to send some money to support the meeting. He transferred the exact amount we needed
to complete the payment for the hall. I’d screamed in excitement and dashed out of the room to look
for Ayo.

I found him outside the house cleaning Papa’s shoes. I ran into his arms and stayed there, tears pouring
down my face. When I finally pulled away, I couldn’t speak. I showed him the credit alert.

Ayo grinned broadly. ‘You’ve not seen anything yet. This is just the beginning.’

On the morning scheduled for the meeting, I had an extra hundred thousand naira sitting in my account.
We got more than what we needed. I couldn’t believe it. That experience would be my first big move of
faith. It gave me confidence to trust God for other things.
The meeting took another dimension. Many of my students got saved. There was wisdom to answer
every question they asked and at the end of the meeting, we agreed to open a WhatsApp group to keep
in touch and follow up with their growth.

You remember Debby the Pastor’s kid who was a pro at dancing shaku shaku? Oh yes, she got saved too.
At the end of the meeting, as we got ready to leave, Debby came to meet me.

‘Miss Yemisi, thank you for organizing this meeting. My parents will scream for joy when I tell them I’ve
accepted Christ. Can I ask you a question?’

‘Sure.’

She looked in Ayo’s direction. Ayomide was discussing with two boys and they were engrossed in
whatever he was saying. ‘Are you going to marry Uncle Ayo?’

I laughed. ‘No! He is a very good friend of mine.’

She folded her hands and looked at him again. ‘I see. There is something about him that is so powerful.
He makes me want to know more about God.’

I touched her shoulder. ‘Once we kick off that group, we’ll be sharing resources that will help you grow
spiritually. Believe me, there is so much to learn.’

‘I can’t wait!’ She exclaimed as we joined the other team members who were already getting into the
bus. It was time to go home.

I was so exhausted when we finally left Desuite Event Center. The guys were at the back laughing while I
sat beside Ayo in front with the driver.

‘You must really be tired.’ Ayo said, passing me a bottle of cold pepsi.

I took a few gulps and covered the bottle before reclining on the head rest. ‘Virtue has left me. I feel
very happy and fulfilled.’ I turn to Ayo. ‘I don’t know how I’d have handled this meeting without your
help. Thank you.’

Ayo smiled. ‘You are welcome.’

I looked him over. Ayo needed to add some flesh to his slender body. ‘You’ve only eaten two slices of
bread today.’

He rolled his eyes playfully. ‘I’m fine. I’ll eat when I get home.’

I didn’t know exactly when I slept off but when I woke up, we were close to the house. Papa, Mama and
Wale stood on the veranda as the bus sped in. The man who had driven us was Papa’s mentee. He got
down quickly and prostrated before Papa. The others got down from the bus.

I was about stepping down when Ayo stopped me. I sat back and waited for him to speak.
Ayo sighed. ‘We are leaving tomorrow morning.’

I stared at him in unbelief. ‘What? Why are you just telling me?’

‘I’m so sorry Yemisi. The initial plan was to return to our base next week, but an urgent instruction came
from the headquarters. Some of our missionaries are in Onagunte right now and they need help with
their medical services.’

Wherever Onagunte was, I didn’t really want to know. I just felt unhappy that Ayomide was leaving
Mama’s place. I imagined how boring the house would be without him and the other guys that had
come with him.

‘Will you be coming back soon?’ I asked him, praying he’d say Yes.

He shook his head. ‘I won’t be coming back anytime soon.’

I climbed down from the car, heartbroken. Ayomide came to my side and held my hand.

‘I’m sorry. If I knew earlier, I’d have told you.’

I told him I understood. When ministry calls, how dare we disobey. As we walk together to join the
others at the veranda, my eyes caught Wale looking in our direction. I waved at him and he hurried
quickly towards us. He shook Ayo’s hand and pulled me close to his side. When Ayo was out of earshot,
Wale touched my chin.

‘Just few hours away from you, and I’ve missed you this much.’

I chuckled. ‘I missed you too.’

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t go with you.’ Wale said.

‘You already told me you had to attend a ministration with Papa this morning.’ I said, although I wished
he had seen me preach.

‘How was it?’

‘Awesome. I’ll chat you up later at night.’

He grinned. ‘I can’t wait. You are a powerful woman. I’m so proud of you.’

I smiled and snuggled closer to him until I caught Mama frowning at me. Slowly, I pulled away from him. .

************

Ayomide left Papa’s house early the next morning. I cried when he got ready to leave with his other
team members. Ayo had become my support system. There was barely any decision I made without his
input. He was my friend. He was one of the highlights of my stay at Mama’s place.
‘I’ll call you Yemisi.’ He said as he stood beside Papa’s car, holding my hands.

I hugged him and tears ran down my face. I made no attempt to stop them. I was going to miss my
friend. I held on to him and wouldn’t let him go.

‘Yemisi, I have to go now.’ Ayomide said, softly. ‘The others are in the car already.’

I turned towards the car. Wale was behind the wheels watching us. Ayo’s team members were clustered
at the back seat, talking to Mama D.

I released him. He squeezed my hands gently and climbed into the car. I stood with Mama, Papa and
Kudirat, my heart was torn as the car sped out of the house. Suddenly the house felt empty. Mama held
my hand and together we walked back into the house. Mama was unusually quiet and I could tell she
was already missing her boys.

Festus called me about an hour later while I prepared for church. He wanted to remind me of the lunch I
promised to have with him. In his words, I had no excuse anymore. The meeting with the students was
over.

‘When are we seeing?’ Festus said.

Call me carnal if you like but I don’t have any connection with this guy. I can’t even imagine Festus
kissing or cuddling me in bed if we ended up getting married. The very thought of it was repulsive.

His jokes were not funny and many times I’ve had to force myself to laugh just so he doesn’t feel bad.
Each time his call came in, I was restless and unhappy. The only comfort was that he had the resources I
needed for my ministry, but was that enough reason to marry a man?

Festus kept talking and since I had to prepare for church, I left the phone on the bed and continued to
brush my hair.

‘I’m sure you pulled off that meeting powerfully.’ He said. ‘Women like you are scarce in our society.
When I told my friends about a woman of God I cherish, I could tell how much they longed to meet you.
You are a mother in Isreal. I’m super sure that when you stood in front of those students to release
God’s word, they couldn’t resist the word in your mouth. You see…..’

I was bored. That’s the truth. I don’t know if Festus expected the accolades to get to my head. If that
was his intention, he simply had poured water into a basket. I was tired of listening to him. There was no
way I was marrying this kind of man.

‘So let me ask again, when are we having the lunch we talked about?’

My eyes fell on an expensive perfume he’d sent through Ebun. On the table was a beautiful journal he
had gotten for me from his trip to China. Even the wristwatch in my jewelry box was a gift from him. I
got gifts delivered to Mama’s house almost every week.
Mama had been so pissed when I told her who the gifts were from. She ordered me to stop collecting
them.

I told her Festus and I were just friends but Mama didn’t agree.

‘Can’t you see the way he is treating you specially? Would he do that to every other friend he has?

I pleaded with Festus to stop sending the gifts but he didn’t. He insisted he had no ulterior motive and
we were just friends.

I wanted to come out bluntly today. I had to let him know I was not interested in a relationship with him.

‘Festus, I just want to say I’m sorting things out with my ex. We are getting back together.’

Festus went quiet. I could tell he was struggling with the information I’d just given him. It was better to
let it out now and allow him move on to some other lady.

‘Why did you break up with him if… Are you really saying, both of you are getting back together?’

‘Yes. I just got reconnected with him recently. We’ve been talking and ironing out things.’

Festus sighed. ‘Why are you just saying this?’

I threw up a defence. ‘I didn’t think the relationship could be mended until the recent events in his life.
I’m sorry if I led you on but a relationship between us cannot work.’

He sounded frustrated. ‘Okay. Thank you for letting me know.’

‘The lunch won’t be necessary, I guess.’ I said.

‘No it won’t.’ Festus answered coldly and ended the call.

As much as I hated seeing Festus’ heart break, I felt relieved.

My phone beeped. It was a message from Wale.

Hi dear. Where are you? It’s almost time for church. Just wanted to let you know that I’m back from
dropping off Ayomide and the others.

I smiled as typed on my phone. I’ll be out soon.

Wale was leaning on the dining table dressed in a clean black suit. His gaze was fixed in the direction of
my room when I came out in a kneel-length Ankara gown over black heels. He straightened and walked
towards me.

‘You are beautiful.’ He said and gave me a side hug.

How many times have I longed to hear Wale say those words every night? I only got to hear sweet
words from him when he was in the mood and that wasn’t frequent. I still remember days when I had to
beg Wale to affirm his love for me. Since we got talking again, guy had spilled romantic words like a
running tap that has lost its cap.

The way Wale looked at me was different. I saw love. I saw respect. I saw a man who would allow me be
the woman I was called to be.

I looked him over. ‘Nice suit.’

He bowed slightly. ‘Thank you ma’am.’

While we waited for Mama and Papa to come out of their room, we talked more about my meeting with
the teenagers. He narrated the lessons he got from Papa’s ministration in a church he was invited to. We
were so engrossed in our discussion that we didn’t notice our mentors had come out of the room and
were watching us.

Papa asked me to see him in his study room when we return from church. I was still wondering what
Papa wanted to say to me this time when I received a message from Wale during service.

Hey Yemisi, Just thought you should know this. I told Papa I loved you very much and that I still felt led
to you. I think that’s what he wants to talk to you about.

If Papa asked me if I wanted to get back in a relationship with Wale, was I ready to say Yes? I knew I
wanted to get back with Wale but somewhere in my heart, there was still this image of the old Wale
that made me afraid.

***************

Papa D’s study was the biggest room in the house, or so I thought. I’d never entered my mentors
bedroom before so I couldn’t say specifically if it was bigger than the study.

Rolls of shelves lined one side of the room and close to the window was a high rolling chair. Many times
I’d seen Papa sitting there, praying. That spot was his ‘war room.’ At another side of the room was a
large polished table where Papa did most of his writing. Bibles and commentaries were arranged on one
side of the table. A clean grey furry sofa stood close to the entrance while on the other side of the
entrance were few white chairs stacked against the wall.

This was Papa’s sanctuary. At least every week, Papa had private discussions with me. I loved those
sessions but this time, I sensed it won’t be relaxing moments as usual.

When I entered, Papa was sitting on the sofa reading E.M Bounds’ book on Prayer. He closed the book
and tapped the empty space beside him.

‘Sit.’

‘How are you?’ Papa said. I burst into laughter.

‘What’s funny?’ Papa had a curious expression on his face.

‘Papa, we both know you didn’t call me here to ask about my welfare. Okay, I’m sorry I laughed. I’m
fine.’

Papa leaned forward, smiling. ‘Since you prefer that I go straight to the point, let me throw the
preliminaries aside. Is there any brother you are interested in? Someone you want to get into a
relationship with?’

I placed my head on the sofa and folded my hands. ‘Papa, I still think Wale and I can work things out. He
is a different person now and we have talked a lot about the past. There is a chance for us. I still love
him.’

Papa didn’t say anything for a while. He stood up from his chair and went out. He returned with Wale.

‘Pick two chairs over there.’ Papa said, pointing to the white chairs. When Mama entered, I knew this
meeting was going to be a serious one.

I got up from the sofa and settled into a chair beside Wale. Mama sat beside her husband. I was tensed
even before Papa opened his mouth to say anything.

Papa looked from me to Wale. ‘My wife and I have been watching the two of you for a while. We think
we have to make a quick move before things get messy again.’ Papa paused and glanced briefly at his
wife. ‘Apart from the normal perfunctory greetings, I don’t want to see both of you talking alone again.
This includes calls and whatsapp chats.’

Mama turned her attention at me. ‘No hangout. Don’t come and tell me you are going out with him to a
nearby eatery. I will not allow that.’

I looked at Wale. Had he told them about our plans to spend time away outside the house next week?
He smiled sadly and returned his attention to Mama who was still talking.

‘Both of you shouldn’t even be talking about relationship now. Concentrate on the spiritual training we
are giving to you. This is the time you need to develop yourself spiritually.’ Mama aid, sounding rather
harsh.

I was annoyed. When will my mentors ever understand boundaries? Why were they treating us like
horny teenagers? We were both of marriageable age for goodness sake.

Papa clapped his hands slowly. ‘We love you both and we are praying for you. God will perfect all that
concerns you. Please, stay with the instructions we have given you.’

I raised my hand. ‘After now, please can I have just one more call with Wale?’

Mum frowned. ‘Why? What do you want to tell him that you can’t say here?’

Papa touched Mama’s arm, while he addressed me. ‘Yemisi, It’s fine. You can go ahead and talk to him.’
I was still boiling with anger when the meeting ended. I couldn’t sit still in my room. If I was still staying
at Jide’s place, this wouldn’t be happening.

Nothing will destroy the love I have for Wale, I muttered.

I dialed Wale’s number. I didn’t even wait for him to speak before I started ranting.

‘Why are they doing this to us? It’s clear they are rubbing your past in your face. For goodness sake, we
are different now. Can’t they just forget the past and allpw us move on? Where’s the place of
forgiveness? I don’t like this!’

Wale sighed. ‘Yemisi, I don’t think they are deliberately coming at us for selfish purposes. I know Papa
loves us. I am very sure about that. I just think they are watching out for our emotions and don’t want us
to get hurt again.’

He hesitated. ‘We’ve never really spent time seeking God concerning what we want to get into. Yeah,
we are cool with each other but only God knows what’s ahead. Let’s just be grateful we have people to
call us to order. I think about you every night Yemisi. I really care about you but feelings can’t sustain a
marriage. We need to know if God is in this so we don’t get bitten a second time.’

Those words quenched the anger in my heart. I felt ashamed of myself. The outburst was unnecessary.
Wasn’t it my mentors who’d come to my rescue when things had become sour with Wale?

‘Thank you Wale.’ I told him I’d apologize to Mama. It was wrong for me to have stormed out of that
meeting the way I did.

I had just ended the call with Wale when Mama D rushed into my room, laughing and dancing. She held
my waist.

‘Adesuwa has given birth to a baby boy.’

Mama. That woman would never stop to amaze me. One minute, we would be having a hot
disagreement and the next time, she’d be laughing with me as if it never happened. It was one attribute
I prayed to God daily: for a heart like Mama’s that forgave easily.

‘Get dressed. I’m leaving for the hospital in thirty minutes.’ Mama said.

Three mentees showed up in the house when we got ready to leave. Two ladies and one man. I had
never met them before but I was not surprised to see them anyway. That’s how Mama’s house was.
People appeared unannounced at the house at anytime of the day.

Wale smiled as I walked past him to the car. Who wouldn’t want a man like this? He had gone to hell
and back and returned a different man.

‘Let’s go!’ Mama barked at me at the same time dishing out instructions to Kudirat on what to prepare
for dinner.
When we got to the express road, I turned to Mama D.

‘Mummy, I’m sorry for acting disrespectfully at the meeting this evening.’

She glanced briefly at me. ‘ Ehn..Omo mi …You have no idea how much I love Wale. I love you too. Right
now, there are wounds that must heal. There is a growth process to be followed. You are stepping into
full ministry in a short time. Yemisi, ministry is no child’s play. You should be agonizing in prayers and
birthing things forth. If God says Wale is your husband, who are we to stop it? But all these emotional
gummy-gummy that both of you have started playing, we won’t take it.’

‘Thank you Mama.’ I said.

I sat back enjoying Bola Are’s collection playing on the stereo and allowing my mind drift to different
things.

Ayomide. He had not called me since the morning he left. I overheard Papa saying they had arrived
safely at their destination.

Why has he not called me? Has he quickly forgotten about me?

To be continued....

Ife Grace

This is the diary of a Nigerian Christian Girl- Season 1 Episode 19

***************

Adesuwa’s baby is beautiful.

I wished I was the one sitting with my legs stretched out on the hospital bed, having my child culled up
in my bosom, sucking hungrily.

Adesuwa looked radiant even though she also seemed tired. The three women – Mama D, Abigail’s
mother and Adesuwa’s mother – began to chat at once saying words like ‘ Jesu seun o ’ ‘ Ayo a kari o .’
‘ Olorun a bawa wo o .’

Abigail was talking quietly to the new mother. When she saw me, she stretched out her hands to hug me.

‘Yemisi baby!’ Abigail said.

I rolled my eyes and pushed her hand away. ‘Who is your baby?’ I turned to Adesuwa and danced on my
feet. ‘Latest mother in the house.’

Adesuwa smiled. ‘Miss Yemisi, I’m so happy you are here.’

Abigail held my neck with her hands. ‘How dare you ignore me?’

I pinched her arm. She cringed in pain and released my neck.

‘What was that for?’ Abigail said, slapping me on my back. I returned the slap. She hit me again.

I hit her back. ‘Why didn’t you tell me she was going into labour today?’

Abigail slapped my face and when I wanted to slap her back, she held my hand mid-way. Adesuwa was
watching us and giggling. I struggled to pull my hand away but she held on tightly.

‘I’ll pinch you again.’

Abigail finally let go of my hand. ‘I don’t know what you are learning in Mama’s house. In your
discipleship meetings, didn’t Mama teach you to say thank you when someone slaps you?’

I pointed a finger at her. ‘You know what I would have done if we were alone in this room. I would have
beaten shege out of your body. Why did I have to hear this news from Mama, eh!’

She wrapped her hand around my waist. ‘ Ma binu . I wanted to call you when we left for the hospital
this morning, but mum didn’t want you to panic. I tried calling again later this afternoon, but your line
was busy. I’m sure you were talking with a man.’

Wale. She must have called while I was still talking to Wale.

‘Miss Yemisi. Labour is painful. God! I felt like I was going to die.’ Adesuwa said.

I was about asking her to give me details of her labour experience when the women stopped their
private chat and turned their attention to us. Soon, they were sharing funny experiences of their
pregnancy and child birth days.

My eyes went to the child in Adesuwa’s arms. How many pregnant teenagers receive the kind of love
Adesuwa had been showered with? These women had made the delivery easy for her. They had given
her the support she needed to transit to a normal life.

Adesuwa’s mother took the child from her daughter and before long, the teenage girl slept off. Abigail
said she had gist for me. We sneaked out of the room and went to the reception.

Abigail couldn’t contain her excitement. ‘Can you remember the last time we spoke, I told you my youth
president grouped us into committees for the preparation of the youth convention? I also told you I was
made the assistant leader of the committee.’

I nodded. ‘Yes I remember.’

‘Yemisi, hmmm.’ Abigail sighed. ‘The committee members had a meeting where we brainstormed on
ideas and after the meeting, my leader called me aside and said he wanted both of us to put the
suggestions into workable plans. Babe, that’s how we had a long call that led to other discussions. Oh
boy! That guy literally spat out the things I’ve been nursing in my heart.’

I laughed. ‘It’s about time we had another brother on the stage. Thank God! What’s his name?’

‘Ibrahim.’

My eyes widened. ‘Ibra what? Where for goodness sake is he from?’

‘Kastina. He’s been coming to my church for almost seven years now. His mum was the third wife of one
Alhaji and after she got saved, she moved down with her kids to Lagos. He has two sisters. Hadiza and
Khadijat. One works in the children department, the other is in the choir.’

‘Ibrahim.’ I muttered underneath my breath.

‘You know how I am with guys. Victor was the only guy I ever thought I’d marry. The short time I’ve
spent with Ibrahim is just changing everything. I’m like, God, I have been in the same church with this
guy for years, how did I not see this?’

Sincerely, I was happy to hear this from Abigail. I have never met a more stubborn and rigid lady like my
friend. All the years she held on to Victor even when the guy was not interested in her, she never for
once gave any other man her attention. I remember about four guys or even more who pleaded with me
to talk to my friend. In fact for more than two years, one of the guys stayed in pursuit until he got tired.

What did I not say to Abigail? Even her mother couldn’t change her mind. We talked and advised and
cajoled. Babe just looked at us and said she wasn’t making a move until she heard God.

Oya, take the suitors to God abi? At least just give them a chance.

Abigail refused. The only leading she’d received was for Victor. She was not making any move until God
pointed her in another direction.

Now to hear that she was already considering brother Ibrahim from Kastina. I felt like jumping up and
dancing around.

Again, I was afraid for my friend. What if this guy was just being friendly? The last thing I wanted was for
my friend to cuddle another ‘ghost’ who knew nothing about how she felt.

‘Do you think he is interested in you? I know you guys have been talking but you can’t just assume he
wants to be in a relationship with you.’

Abigail smiled. ‘He has informed my Pastor about his intention.’

My eyes widened. ‘Sharp brother! He does not want to waste time at all.’
‘I guess he made that move after one night we spoke for five hours. Yemisi, me like this, talk to a brother
for five hours. I’ve already told him I need time to pray more about this. It just seem too real to be true. I
can’t explain the peace I feel right now. .’

I raised my hands in thanksgiving. ‘Thank you Jesus. I can’t wait to meet this Ibrahim to give him a firm
handshake. Finally…’

I told Abigail about Wale and how I wanted the relationship to work. The response Abigail gave me did
not leave my heart.

‘I know Wale is a changed man now.’ Abigail started. ‘I’m not saying, God can’t lead you to him. But
there is a question we are not asking here. Why do you want to get back in a relationship with him? Are
you sure you are not doing this out of pity? Wale has gone through a lot, yes. You saw the scars. But
really, is that not what is fueling your interest? Babe, you need to let the Word dissect the intent of your
heart. It’s important we do marriage with a right motive.’

I kept thinking of those words as I left the hospital with Mama. Why did I really want to marry Wale?
When I searched for a reason, what I kept seeing was Wale wandering around the supermarket, Wale
with scars on his back, the promise I made to stay with him no matter what happened. Somewhere in
my heart, I felt it was my duty to take care of him. Was that a good reason to get married?

‘Are you okay?’ Mama asked me as we pulled into traffic.

‘I’m fine ma.’ I replied. I wished I could talk to her about how I felt but she might get upset that I was still
holding on to Wale. I closed my eyes and prayed silently.

Jesus, I am your daughter. I have clarity concerning this. Help me see the truth. If I’m going the wrong
path, please call me to order.

I prayed until we got home and by then, my mind was calm and the anxiety had cleared off.

Papa was having a bible study in the living room with some of his mentees. Mama and I joined them and
as my eyes caught Wale listening intently to Papa, I knew in my heart that he was not the one.

It was as if a scale had dropped from my eyes. This was not my man. My lips re-echoed my thoughts and
then the fear returned. How do I tell him without breaking his heart?

I didn’t concentrate all through the bible study. Even when I sat in the dining room to eat dinner, I was
still struggling with the thoughts. Will Mama agree to tell him on my behalf? I already knew the answer
to that. Mama will never do that.

‘Are you sure you are fine?’ Mama asked again.

I flashed her a smile. ‘Yes I am.’

I prayed more that night, hoping to hear a different response. Instead, it became stronger in my heart
that Wale wasn’t the guy.
So, who for goodness sake was this person? I kept praying until I slept off on the floor.

I had a dream that night.

I was in a hall filled with people. I could see Ebun sitting somewhere in the congregation. The head of
the Zion Teens was seated somewhere at the front. Some of the guys who had stayed with Ayo in
Mama’s house were present. On the podium, the founder of the Zion Missions, Elder Makinde, a man in
his fifties, held a microphone. I’d not met him in person but I’d seen his picture several times.

In the dream, I walked behind a man who held my hand and led me towards the podium. There was a
wedding ring on my finger. It was clear that the man was my husband. We got to the front of the
podium and knelt down. The founder of the Zion Missionsrayed for us.

I woke up, annoyed.

I tried to sleep back so I could see the face of the brother. But sleep didn’t come. I tried and tried again.
Who could this person be?

Rest in me and wait patiently for me.

‘God, at least just reveal the face of this brother.’ I prayed quietly. ‘I promise I’ll wait for as long as you
want me to. I just want to see his face.’

When I slept back, I saw that I was sitting under a tree with some teenagers sharing God’s word with
them. No brother showed up.

I remained on the bed, daydreaming of the brother without a face. Maybe I’d meet him at my training
sessions. Maybe he was also a worker at the Zion Teens.

I sighed in frustration when I remembered the training was still three months away. I was so eager to
meet this person.

Mama’s voice pushed me out of my thoughts. I didn’t know when she entered my room. She sat on my
bed.

‘It’s almost eight o’clock and you are still on the bed. That’s unusual. What is the matter?’

I finally told her how I felt about Wale and the dream I had. I told her I wanted to meet the man I’d seen
in the dream.’

‘Yemisi, calm down. God has already told you what you should be doing now. Rest and wait. Put the
dream aside and keep doing what you have been called to do. When it’s time, God will bring the right
person.’

I slid my feet into my slippers. ‘Do you think I should tell Wale about not being led to him?’

‘Yes.’ Mama said as we walked out of the room together.

I was too scared to talk to him. I keep postponing until almost two weeks when I finally took the courage
to tell him what I sensed God was saying. That morning, I stood on the veranda waiting for him to return
from his usual prayer walk.

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My heart skipped when I heard the gate opened. He was smiling as he bounced towards the house.

‘Daughter of the most high.’ Wale said. ‘Hope you slept well.’

‘Wale, can we talk?’ I said quickly before I lost the courage and change my mind. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve taken
permission from Mama. She says it’s fine.’

He stared at me for a while and together we went to the spot where he had pulled his shirt and showed
me his scars. I didn’t know how to start.

‘Okay, Wale, I’ve been praying about us.’ I hesitated. Lord, help me through this. ‘You asked for another
chance. I really want it but God is not giving me a go-ahead.’

When Wale didn’t say anything, I became worried. ‘I have prayed. I mean I struggled but still I heard the
same thing.’

Wale let out a deep breath. ‘I told Papa exactly what you just said. I told him I didn’t know how to tell
you that we weren’t meant to be in a relationship. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.’

My hand flew to my mouth. ‘What! To think I’ve been so worried of how to say this to you.’

He smiled. ‘I told God to put us both on the same page.’

I bent my head and chuckled, ‘This God ehn.’

‘Your husband is close Yemisi.’ Wale said. ‘I was praying for you this morning and I sense very strongly
that God would have you stay focused on the assignment before you. There is no need to be anxious or
worried. He is sorting things out.’

‘Thank you Wale. God has been speaking in that light too. But what about you? Have you sensed any
leading to anyone?’

Wale rubbed his knees. ‘I’m not sure I’ll be married till the next three to four years. There is a lot of
training and work I have to do. Right now, God is prompting me to pick a master’s degree form and just
when I wondered how I was going to pay my way through it, Papa called me to his room to tell me about
a professor friend of his who needed a part-time research assistant. I’ll be seeing him next week.’

My mouth opened in surprise. ‘Wow!’

‘One of Papa’s mentees wants me to facilitate some classes in real estate for his online business
academy. You know real estate is all I did after school. The pay is cool. There is also ministry to learn,
evangelistic outreaches to plan. Marriage is so not in my schedule for now. I know when it’s time God
will bring her.’

He winked at me. ‘We shall come for your wedding. I’m not going to eat rice o. I want amala and gbegiri
with plenty shaki.’

I laughed. We talked about other things until it was almost dark. After we returned to the main house, I
went straight into the room and fell on my knees.

‘Lord, you keep in perfect peace whose heart is stayed on you. I trust my future into your hands. Help
me Lord to stay focused on what you’ll have me do this season. Oh yes! My heart is at peace trusting the
Lord.’

My phone beeped. Reluctantly, I took it from under my pillow. It was a text message from Ayomide.

Hi Yemisi, sorry I’ve not called. Hope you are good? I’ll reach you soon.

I hissed and threw my phone to the bed and continued with my prayers.

‘God, please when are you going to lead me to this brother? Why is it so difficult for me to get clarity in
this area? Is there something I’m not getting right? Oh Lord!’

Yemisi, keep your focus on what I’ve called you to do, the man will meet you on your way.

Those words were clear in my spirit. The man would meet me while I’m busy with my Father’s
assignment

**************************

I travelled home with Yewande and her kids for Akin’s wedding. Yeah, my brother is a big boy. The guy
has created a niche for himself in the agricultural sector. The last time mum came to Lagos, she told me
he’d been selected for a nine month training in Netherlands and she had insisted on having the wedding
before he leaves the country.

The taxi dropped us in front of my parent’s house. I was annoyed to see our open compound crowded
with people.

‘What are they all doing here? For goodness sake, the wedding is still a week away.’ I said to my sister as
we pulled our belongings out of the trunk.

Yewande grinned. ‘This week is going to be fun!’

I noticed a three legged pot standing on pieces of firewood at one corner of the house. Two young
women with wrapper tied around their chest were squatting and using torn carton papers to fan the fire
from the wood. Some of my cousin were playing football at the back of the house. Some girls played
‘ten-ten’ close to Akin’s car.
The moment they noticed our arrival, shouts of joy rang everywhere. My cousins were all over us,
clapping and dancing. One of my favourite cousins heard the shout and ran out of the kitchen with a
small tuber of yam in one hand and a knife in another. When she charged at me, I shouted at her to put
the knife down.

I grew up here with all of these people. They slept in my house and I did in theirs. The bond between my
dad’s siblings had spread to their kids and grandkids. We were one big family. My mother’s extended
family was the opposite. Mum and her siblings rarely saw eye to eye. It was no surprise that she became
closer to my father’s sisters than she did with her own blood relations.

The only thing that bothered me about dad’s family was my cousin sisters who never saw beyond
marriage. As far as they were concerned, getting married and having children was the definition of life
for them. How do you finish secondary school and the only thing you can think about is marriage?

Anyway, I was not surprised when later that evening, three of them surrounded me, their faces full of
pity.

‘Yemisi, kilo nsele. Where’s your boyfriend?’ One of them asked.

‘Hope you are not doing like all these Lagos people that want to make plenty money before they marry.
Egbon, ko le pay eh o . It’s not good at all.’ Another one added

‘Time is going o. We are your sisters and we have to tell you the truth.’ The third one said. She pointed
to her son playing with some of his cousins. ‘My son is eight years old and just look at me, at twenty-
eight, I still dey kampe!’

My other cousin slapped her playfully. ‘Awon fine chic. Omo to fine. Omo to set.’

She turned 360 degree slowly with her hands on her waist. The other two ladies chanted praises at her.
She stopped in front of me.

‘I have four children and the last of them has started school already. When I go to the market to sell my
wares, I have rest of mind. Do this thing now that you have the strength’ She responded in yoruba.

‘Be deceiving yourself, another boy is coming. You will soon tell us that you are pregnant.’ One of my
cousins said to her.

She snapped her fingers over her head. ‘ Eleda mi ko ! I reject it in Jesus name. Baby keh ? If Baba Ade
wants more children, he should go somewhere else. Not this body.’

I stood there irritated as they gabbled here and there in yoruba. When I couldn’t stand their chatters, I
quietly moved away from them. You won’t believe that between the time I left my cousins till I got to my
parent’s room, five of my aunts had asked me what was wrong with me.

‘What’s the matter?’ ‘What’s wrong?’ ‘What is the problem?’

For goodness sake, how does my not being in a relationship translate to a problem? One of my aunts
said, she heard what happened between me and Wale andbecause all men were stupid like that. Did
they even know that Wale was ready to dump me for another lady because of green card?

An older cousin said, I wouldn’t find a man who did not cheat and I had better come to terms with that
truth.

One even had the guts to say that when her husband shouts and orders her around, it was an evidence
of his manhood. I was so disgusted as I hurried to my parents’ room. I was about to start ranting when I
entered the room to find my sister shouting at my mother.

‘Why will you tell my aunts about my family? Why?’

My mother didn’t answer her. She sat on the bed and continued to fold the aso-oke and lace she
planned to use for the wedding. Dad was on the bed, his hands lay weak by his side.

‘Mummy, It’s not fair. This is my life. Everybody now knows that my husband has refused to let me go to
Benin. Did they need that information?’

My mother stopped what she was doing and looked at her daughter. ‘At least I didn’t tell them what
your husband is doing in Benin . ’

‘Whatever! They don’t have a right to know about my life without my permission. I don’t need any self-
pity glances from them. Is their family perfect? They are just low life people who do nothing but pop out
babies. They can’t even hold an intelligent conversation.’

I glanced at my sister with an expression that says, ‘so how are they different from you?’

Mum stood up. ‘You don’t talk about our family like that, Yewande. I know everything that goes on in
their families. We don’t keep secrets from each other. We pray together. We cry together. I didn’t do
anything wrong.’ My mother walked slowly to her box. ‘In fact, just go away from my room if you don’t
have anything reasonable to say.’

Yewande stormed out of the room. I sat on the edge of the bed and touched my father’s legs. He gave
me a weak smile. Mum was obviously still seething and I wondered if this was the best time to tell her
about my resignation from Pavilion.

‘ Abi , are you here to shout at me too?’ My mother turned slightly towards me as she placed the clothes
in her box. Mum and her clothes sha. She can arrange that box like hundred times a day.

Mum looked at me, angry. ‘ Ba egbon e soro. She should not be talking to me like that!’

I went to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. ‘ E ma binu ma. Don’t be angry. Just forgive her.’

Mum pulled my hand away as if my hand on her skin irritated her. ‘We told her not to marry that man
but she insisted. She brought this upon herself.’
I stared at my mother, shocked. What was my mother saying? She had been bugging my sister to bring a
man home from the time she got her NYSC posting letter to Nasarawa. It was true my mother didn’t like
him but she hadn’t objected.

‘Why are you looking at me like that!’

I moved away from her. ‘Nothing. I’ll just go and help out with dinner.’

Later that week, I told my parents about leaving Pavilion for a mission agency. The first question Mum
asked me was ‘how much is the pay?’

I told her once I join the team fully, I’d be paid thirty thousand naira monthly. My mother started
shouting at the top of her voice.

‘Yemisi, you left a job that paid you three hundred thousand naira for thirty thousand. Omo yin, Ooo
gbon! You don’t have sense. Ni bo lo fi opolo e si? Are you okay at all?’

‘Mummy, that’s what God wants me to do. I want to serve God.’

My mother almost slapped me. She left her room and I knew she had gone to report me to my aunts. I
sat on their bed, frustrated. Dad was still in the same position and this time his gaze was fixed on me. I
climbed the bed, wrapped my hands around him and placed my head on his chest.

Dad had not said a word since I got there. I wanted him to say something. I wanted to hear his voice. I
raised my head and touched his cheeks tenderly.

‘Dad, you are healed in Jesus name. Every organ in your body functions to the perfection God ordained
them to function.’

Dad nodded his head slowly. I placed my head on his chest while tears trickled down my face.

An emergency meeting was called that night. Four of my father’s sisters sat in the small living room
while Yewande and Akin stood at a corner with some of my cousins. My aunties started to talk one after
the other. One told the story of a woman who was beaten to death by her evangelist husband. Another
one said the former Pastor of her church raped the house help for years even though his wife knew
about it. One said, her neighour’s brother, a missionary, died of poverty. They were just making so much
effort to discourage me.

Mum looked sternly at me. ‘Have you heard what everybody has said? When you return to Lagos, look
for another job! Stop the-‘

She was interrupted by the eldest sibling of my father. ‘Leave her to do what she wants. If she wants to
serve the Lord, He will take care of her.’ The old woman said in Yoruba.

That ended the meeting. I mean nobody objected, not even my mother. It was always like that. Once
Mama Ijebu spoke, no one dared argue with her. I wanted to run to hug her but I restrained myself.
My mum kept snapping at me at any slight provocation. She kept saying that they trained us to support
the family but my sister and I were now irresponsible children. We didn’t care about them and only my
brother was making sense with his farm business. She said if she had known she’d not have wasted her
money after our secondary school education. We’d have ended up selling fish or tomatoes in the market
like my cousins.

I tried not to get angry and to prevent that, I stayed out of her way.

Two days before Akin’s wedding, Simeon called and said while he was praying, God told him I needed
some money. He sent me a hundred thousand naira. Immediately, I went to the bank and withdrew the
money.

The night after the wedding, I handed my mother an envelope. Reluctantly, she opened it. When she
saw the one thousand naira notes in the envelope, she gasped and stared at me.

‘Where did you get this from? I thought you said you’ve left your job.’

‘You can be sure I didn’t steal it.’

‘I’m not saying you stole it. Owo re …But how?’

I touched my mother’s shoulder. ‘God takes care of his own and you can be sure I’ll take care of you.’

Mum’s attitude changed after that day.

*******

Time ran so fast. Even when Andrew called to inform me that the training had been moved to December,
it still didn’t slow anything down.

I spent a lot of time with Ebun learning to bake cake and small chops. Yeah, that was part of the
instructions I received after I returned from my brother’s wedding. I didn’t even know Ebun was skillfull
in those areas. I thought she only knew how to make cookies and spring rolls. She taught me how to
make bags, throw pillows, liquid soap and disinfectants.

‘I have trained lots of girls in the North with this.’ Ebun said. ‘Skills like these are always useful on the
mission field.’

I was so busy that I didn’t even have time to think about getting into a relationship. Yeah, once in a while,
I brooded over it but tasks snapped me out of those thoughts. There was just so much to do. Apart from
the skill acquisition programs, I had retreats with Ebun, personal retreat for myself, a three week
rigorous online coaching class to attend, online discipleship meetings with my Cornerstone College
students, prayers with Mama, private meetings with Papa. I’d never been busy like that in my life.

Even Wale got really busy too. We hardly saw and when we did, we talked for long about ministry,
career and our walk with God.
I was happy with my life even though I was expecting to meet my guy at the training center. I had
different pictures in my head. Maybe he’d be a new member like me, a banker maybe, who had obeyed
instructions to leave the job and join the mission. Could he be one of the facilitators? Like I stated earlier,
those thoughts didn’t stay long in my head, because there was so much to do.

Two days before my trip to Osogbo, I made muffins and throw pillows for Simeon and Ebun as a thank
you gift for helping me step into the fulfilment of God for my life.

I was almost in tears as I presented the gift to them. I would miss them for the months I’d be away. I
wasn’t even sure I’d have the opportunity to see them again when I return to get the rest of my things.
Andrew had said there were outreaches already lined out for the coming year.

I was a soldier waiting to be posted wherever God would need my service. We had a nice time that
afternoon. Simeon took us to a nice restaurant. We got ice-cream, barbeque, rice… I ate until my
stomach couldn’t take in any more food.

When we finally parted, I was crying. Ebun cried too.

‘Thank you for everything.’ I said to Ebun before hugging her husband.

‘If you need anything, we are just a call away.’ Simeon said.

I nodded. ‘Greet everyone at Pavilion Agency especially Jide.’

‘Sure.’ He said.

I couldn’t stop crying in the cab Simeon ordered took me home. I thought of the new life ahead and
what I was going to encounter. There would be more tears to shed when Abigail and Mama D drives me
to the park on my departure day.

God, I trust you. I know you have the best in mind for me. Help me to always stay at the center of your
will.

************

When I returned from Simeon’s place, I stepped into my room to see that my clothes had been ironed
and neatly folded on the ironing table. I stood there speechless, looking at Mama’s mentees who had
occupied the room with me for some months now. They were grinning from ear to ear.

‘Thank you so much. You guys are amazing.’ I said as I hugged them.

Mama D entered the room, her eyes moving from one part of the room to the other.

‘Somebody is getting ready for the work of the ministry.’

I smiled. ‘Mum, you won’t believe this. They ironed my clothes. I was already thinking of how I would do
that tonight.’
Mama D winked at them. ‘I gave birth to correct children.’ She faced me. ‘Someone is waiting for you in
Papa’s study.’

I looked at her, puzzled. ‘Who?’

‘Go and find out.’ She responded.

I looked from the mentees to my mentor and hurried out of the room. As I entered the study, a man was
sitting on the sofa, bent over a book.

The dream I had where I knelt down with a man in front of the founder of Zion Missions returned.

The face.

This was the man.

I knew it for sure.

It was as if I was in a moment when an unveiling was to be done. The man raised his head and looked at
me.

I gasped and covered my mouth. ‘Oh my God! Ayo!’

He grinned and came to me. My hands were trembling. I couldn’t move from the spot where I was. I
couldn’t believe the images playing in my head.

Ayo led me to the sofa and sat beside me. ‘Yemisi, I’m sorry for the silence. Papa wanted me to stop
communicating with you for a while until I was convinced of what I’d told him.’

‘What did you tell him?’ I already knew the answer to the question. My heart was already telling me
what it was he wanted to say. I stayed quiet and listened.

‘Yemisi, I believe you are my wife. I know in my heart that we have a mission together and…’ He paused
and sighed. ‘I’m convinced about us.’

When he stopped talking, I couldn’t say anything for a while. Everything was making sense. It was as if
the angels were standing behind me clapping and singing.

‘I’m kicking off training in two days.’ I said, finally.

‘I know. Whenever you are done praying about it, Let me know your response.’

We sat there in silence and I was so overwhelmed by my emotions that I had to excuse myself from the
study. I was bursting with excitement and when I slept, I saw that I was standing before the mirror,
rehearsing my wedding dance steps. Abigail was sitting on the bed, clapping as I danced.

********
PRESENT DAY.

Ayomide and I have been married a year and six months. Today is the last day of the Zion Mission
Stewards Conference in Jos. Elder Makinde called both of us to the altar and commissioned us to take
over the work in Ghana. It was exactly as I had seen before I got married to Ayo.

Interestingly, from the first week of our marriage, we had known we would be sent to Ghana, we just
didn’t know when. We had been prepared for it. We’d also seen that we’d be returning to Nigeria to
organize secondary school fellowships across Lagos. We don’t know when that would happen. We knew
a lot of things but we are careful to be sensitive to God’s timing.

So right now, I’m sitting in our hotel room. The conference is over and we’ll be travelling back home
tomorrow. I’ll have to break the news to Mama and Papa..

and yeah…Mama and Papa are still in Lagos raising more disciples. I have found a way to push Yewande
to them. Her husband is still hooked up with that woman in Benin.

Abigail is married. Babe is in Lagos with her husband.

My parents are doing well. I’m particularly happy with the progress of my father’s health. God is faithful!
Dad has started walking again. The day he spoke to me on the phone, I cried with joy. He is insisting on
returning to the farm. Mum doesn’t want it but Akin has assured my mother that he’ll always watch out
for dad.

The love my mother has for my husband, I don’t understand. I’m beginning to think she loves him more
than she loves me.

I heard from Adesuwa last week. She just got admission into the University of Ibadan. She is studying
Psychology. That was surprising for me though because since I knew her, she’d always wanted to study
medicine. Before she filled her JAMB form, she’d said this to me,

‘Miss Yemisi, I know exactly what God wants me to do. When I’m done with my first degree in
Psychology, I will travel out of this country to do my MSc in Clinical Pyschology. I’ll also run a course in
Guidance and Counselling.’

Did I tell you she had distinctions in all the subjects she took in her West African Certificate Examination?
I still remember visiting her before I started my training at Zion Teens. I met her sitting on the veranda
weeping. She didn’t want to be in the same class with her juniors in SS3 and her father was insisting she
returned to Cornerstone College. The Principal had pleaded to have her back in his school. After nursing
the child for some months, she handed the boy over to her mother and moved into the boarding house.

Ebun is pregnant. She told me when we met on the first day of the conference. I almost screamed.
Simeon will be a father soon. At least, her mother would stop pressurizing her.
My Cornerstone college disciples are doing so well. I am amazed at their spiritual progress. Few weeks
ago, Dotun’s best friend informed me that he had been me that he appointed the assistant bible study
co-ordinator of his campus fellowship. My eyes welled up in tears when he said;

‘Aunty Yemisi, I wish Dotun was still alive, maybe we’d be serving God together.’

He also told me about an urge to start a prayer group with some of the Cornerstone College disciples for
depressed teenagers. I’m so excited at what God is doing with those students. Some of them are
scattered across universities in Nigeria.

I’d have to send a message to them once I return home from the conference. I’ll miss all my family in
Nigeria but then the work of God must go on.

I have to stop now. Jason is crying again. Chei! My son loves food ehn…

THE END

I believe you were all blessed by the story. Remember to say a word of prayer for the author Ife Grace
that God should give her more anointing and inspiration. And remember me too that posted it bro Ayo
Omolayo ( Not Ayomide)