THE ABOMINATION

Episode 5

Before we left Toyin’s place, I managed to brief her. She was mute in disbelieve. We got home and Kassim was nowhere to be found. He abandoned the poor girl at home to nurse her pain all alone.

My feeling towards Ope was mixed, a feeling of pity for her and a feeling of jealousy for sharing my man with me. We waited till 7pm but Kassim never showed up. We left back to Toyin’s place that night. Her husband’s flight was scheduled to arrive Abuja by 6pm and he would pick a chartered taxi to Lokoja that evening. How will he feel when he comes and see me in their house? I don’t want to create problem for Toyin because they are living in harmony with her husband. They have just two children and David was already in boarding school while Tola schools in Lagos with her father.

Toyin’s husband worked with a big telecommunication company in Lagos as a legal adviser. He only comes to Lokoja by weekend and returns on Monday with the first flight. Toyin too is a lawyer, they met at the law school and they have been married for thirteen years.

Toyin, let me go and lodge in a hotel, I don’t want your husband to meet me here, I pleaded with her.I already told him you are here and he’s eager to meet you. Did you tell him what happened between me and my husband? Yes of course, you expect me to lie to him? I have never lied to my husband and I don’t intend to ever lie to him. This is one secret that have helped us live together in harmony since we
got married. When he comes he will intervene and use his masculine wisdom to address the matter. I felt ashamed of myself because I have been lying to my husband and he also have been lying to me. We had caught each other lying to each other on many occasions. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Toyin what happened? How will I be able to face her husband when he comes?

When he finally arrived, it was late and he only came to say hi with Toyin. When I saw the way they held themselves romantically I had an urge to cry but I let them out before I bursted into tears. While I was struggling with my tears, I noticed a beep on my phone, it was Kassim. He sent me a text apologizing for what happened in the morning. “My dear I’m sorry for what happened in the morning, it was the
devil who pushed me. I know I have offended you but I still love you”. I took my phone and deleted the message in anger. Love my foot!

The following morning, I called my mother-in-law to inform her that I was no longer in her son’s house due to irreconcilable differences and the need to advice Ope to return home. She tried to asked me what happened but I insisted only Kassim or Ope will tell her. The following day she was on the road to Lokoja. Kassim and family are from Ajase close to Omu-Aran in Kwara state. When she arrived she called me to come to the house. She also called Kassim to come but he refused.

She begged me to return home but I refused. How can I stay with a man who abused his sister right in my presence? Would I be
happy living with him again? How will the wound he created be healed? What can erase that memory of what I saw that day?

It was obvious Kassim will not come, it’s getting late ma and I need to go, I told mama. Nneka you can’t go anywhere, this is your house, she said as she held me and her tears swept me off my feet. I broke down in tears, Ope joined us as we all wept like someone just died for us.

The tears we shed that day wouldn’t be greater if Kassim was dead. I was tempted to stay back because of mama’s tears and pleas but I was adamant. If I stay back, who will encourage me and keep my mind off the ugly situation like Toyin will do? I pretended I wanted to use the toilet and sneaked out. Mama had stayed three days but Kassim was yet to show up.

To be Continued….

THE ABOMINATION

Episode 4

I was to attend a burial ceremony along with Toyin that Saturday. I left home very early to beat the traffic that normally builds up on Saturdays because of weddings and other events.

I made my way back home because I forgot the gift we planned to present to Mrs Victoria, our friend who lost her father. On reaching home, I was shocked to notice the central door was locked. Why will Kassim and his sister lock
themselves up less than an hour after I left home? Or have they both gone out? Non of them mentioned any plan of an outing this morning. I became curious why the door was locked but I remembered I had my spare keys in my bag. I quickly opened my bag and brought out my bunch of keys and got the central door opened.

In a jiffy I was in our bedroom but no sign of Kassim in there. I headed to the guest room and what I saw left me in shocked and dumbfounded. Kassim, my own husband was molesting his own biological sister right in our house. The poor girl was struggling under him and begging him not to do it to her again. I stood there for over a minute before my husband could realize I was around.

I felt like stabbing him to death but there was no any object I could use around. When he realised I had been standing for sometimes watching them, he tried to put on his boxer as he begged me to understand that it was not what I think. I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything, my lips were heavier than rock, my tears were ticker than usual. I ran back to our bedroom and picked few of my things and ran out of the house. He didn’t stop me because of fear of what I could do.

I headed straight to Toyin’s place and she was angry I came late. She noticed I didn’t reply everything she said and she came out from her room to check why I was mute. What are you doing with this box? She asked looking at my face, then realized I was weeping. She came close and hugged me to her chest, what happened Nneka? She asked me calmly.

Then a battle arose in my mind on what to tell Toyin. Toyin can’t withstand the bad news but what will I tell her if I don’t tell her the truth? Toyin will surely get Kassim arrested if she knows the truth. While I laid on her chest my mind traveled so far planning suitable lie I will tell my friend. You know I am your friend and you can confide in me, tell me what happened, Toyin begged me. I want to sleep, I want to be
left alone now, I pleaded with Toyin.

She walked me to the children’s room and helped me to the bed. She looked round the room and removed every harmful objects that I could use in harming myself and went away with them. Ten minutes later she came to check on me but I was still awake sobbing.

She peeped and whispered, “don’t kill yourself, I am here for you”. That day we couldn’t go for that burial ceremony again. I began to connect happenings since Ope came to our house. How she was lively and became moody suddenly. The statement I over heard from Ope ” brother, so you have not stopped this evil”, the hostility, the isolation etc.

Was this the evil Ope was referring to that day? Was she hostile to her brother because he has done this to her before? Why was she locking herself up even when we were at home? Why was my mother-in-law always calling to ask after Ope almost everyday since she came?
These thoughts began to tear my head apart. I was practically losing my mind and I know it’s time to confide in Toyin before I run mad.

Why should I even leave the house without addressing this evil and abomination committed by my husband? I will go back and face Kassim point blank, let him explain to me what just happened now. I wished all these were dreams. But I need a witness, I will go with Toyin, I made up my mind. At about 4pm I called Toyin, dress up, we are going to my house together, I said. Within five minutes she was ready. I left my things in her house because I knew I will come back. I can’t sleep under the same roof with the beast. The journey to the revelation to the abomination that caged my marriage for ten years has just began.



Hang on for the Next Episode...

THE ABOMINATION

Episode 3

Days became weeks and weeks became months, no one talked about what baba told us. We resumed our normal life until Ope came visiting. Ope is the younger sister of Kassim who came to seek for admission into Kogi State University, Ayangba.

Ope had made several attempts to secure admission into University of Ilorin but was unsuccessful. Toyin’s father was a senior lecturer in KSU and he had helped many of our friends relations to get admission. Kassim advised Ope to come down to Lokoja so we can help her speak to Toyin to speak to her father.

Ope’s visit was the beginning of revelations to the abomination that caged my marriage for over ten years. Ope’s parent must have released her to us with the mindset that Kassim is now born again and may have overcome his unspeakable weakness. The first two weeks of Ope’s stay was blissful. At least I
got someone we could gist together and play games together. Ope was lovely and friendly but very hostile to her brother. Her hostility toward Kassim was my first worry but I couldn’t approach any of them to explain the reason behind the hostility.

I was coming back from work one day and I overheard Ope shouting, “Brother, so you have not stopped this evil”?. I should have stayed back a bit to hear which evil Ope was referring to but they both pretended and composed themselves when I barged in on them. I managed to ask ” what’s going on here?” But non of them responded, so I decided to let it go, after all they are brother and sister and they
can sort themselves out.

I left them in the sitting room and headed to the bedroom. In the night, I tried asking Kassim what they were talking about that warranted that statement I heard from Ope but he waved it off with a romantic kiss that made me forget to ask further Ope’s admission didn’t click on time and I thought that must be the reason for her recent emotional changes. She became so moody and isolated this time unlike when she came newly. I really understood because I have been there before and I knew how it felt. I left her alone after much attempt to make her cheer up.

Ope began to lock herself up even when we were around. She will hardly come out for dinner or do her regular chores. I told Kassim to let us buy Kogi State Polytechnic form for Ope instead of her missing this year again but he refused. But can’t you see she’s losing her mind over this admission stuff? I argued. There is still one admission list that will be coming out next week, I believe her name will be there, Kassim was optimistic.

The life brought into my home by Ope became a shadow suddenly. I returned to my loneliness as usual because my husband is not the talking type. We can be together in the house for several hours and he won’t say anything. Most times, he only talks when I initiate it. His answers to my questions are always in words and phrase, “yes”, “no”, “okay”, “alright”, “I will”, “Go ahead” etc. I can be so irritated sometimes hence I spent more time with Toyin.

Why did Ope suddenly become moody?
Was it just because she couldn’t get admission or there is more to it? The event that broke the Carmel’s back is in episode four…..



Next Episode, coming soon….

THE ABOMINATION

Episode 2

Toyin took us to her pastor at Felele, an outskirt of the town. Good morning sir, this is Nneka and her husband, the one I spoke to you about. We greeted the pastor at the same time. He was an elderly man in his 60s but he was still full of life. He greeted us and asked us to narrate our challenges. I took the stage because my husband is an extrovert and he hardly give details. While I was talking the pastor kept shaking his head in pity

After all my stories, he said the next thing was confession of our sins. I knew we were going to have problem with that because I doubt if my husband would want the old man to hear what we did with Prophet Ade. I raised my head and starred at my husband and he turned his face away, then I got the signal. The old man was patiently waiting for us to confess our sins. I was the one who broke the silence.

Sir we are all liars, we keep malice sometimes, we skip our tithe most times and other sins we do daily unconsciously. The man sighed loudly and began to speak in tongues. I was not wayward but I knew I have committed an abortion before and I have never told my husband about it. Not even Toyin knew anything about the abortion. It was a secret I had kept for a long time. Could that be the source of our childlessness baba wants us to confess? But how can God block my womb for just one abortion yet I have seen many who lived a dirty lives with several abortions who have good marriage and wonderful children today. This can’t be the reason, I waved the thoughts away. Baba insisted he won’t pray for us if we don’t confess the main sin that had rendered us childless. I excused my husband, is there anything you know that we need to confess? Nothing more than what I have told
you before, he replied.

We went back to baba, sir we have thought and flashed back but can’t remember anything we did that we have not confessed. He didn’t argue with us but refused to pray for us, not even a word of prayer. As we drove back home my husband did not utter a word as he drove. I turned from the front seat and looked at Toyin, I thought you said your pastor is powerful and he could help us? Yes, she replied. He had helped many other people and the testimonies are everywhere. Deaconess Adeola waited for fifteen years before she met with papa and today she has been blessed with two boys. Dr Ogun and his wife had no child when they joined our church five years ago but today they have a son. I believe your case won’t be different. The same God who did for Deaconess Adeola and Dr Ogun will do it for you. She encouraged us.

When we got home that night we barely talked to each other over the issue. I didn’t want Kassim to ask me if I have something I haven’t confessed. I have told him everything about my paste except for the abortion. I really don’t want him to know about the abortion because his reaction maybe devastating. Kassim is a very jealous man who cannot withstand knowing his wife was ever impregnated by someone he knew. I have confessed to God and he has forgiven me, I can’t open the old wound again. God is merciful and he will not let my sins of many years to be remembered.

Kassim’s silence and indifference over what Toyin’s pastor told us worried me a lot but “he that comes to equity must come with clean hands”. I can’t accuse him when I myself is guilty. For one week, none of us said anything about it. Should I go back to baba behind my husband to confess my abortion? What if he insisted I must do the confession before my husband? I can’t stay another year without having my own baby. I need to carry my own child soon. I will summon courage today and talk to Kassim over what baba said. Maybe he has something he’s hiding, he too must confess it but what could it be?



To be continued….

PANDEMICS AND THE WORLD... 

In the past week, I have learnt interesting facts about Pandemics and what it does to the world and even Nigeria. Funny facts like Garri became a staple food in Nigeria because of a Pandemic #THREAD

There are effects from 2 Pandemics that fascinate me the most and I will share.

1) BLACK DEATH (Bubonic Plague): 1346-1353, 

The plague claimed about 75 – 200 million lives & resulted in a huge change in the dynamics of the world, specifically Europe but Nigeria wasn't left out

Effects on Nigeria

i) The plague destroyed Ile-Ife's Glass industry

Ife's glass was unique from other types of glass produced in the world & it's postulated that knowledge of glass production in Ife was regulated by a limited number of individuals who passed due to the plague.

ii) Another interesting idea postulated is that the practice of burying a dead Elite (King) with servants stopped after the Black plague as a result of labor shortage and it had become socially costly.

Effects of the Black plague on the World 

a) What we refer to as Middle class now was a result of the impact the plague had on serfdom. So basically the plague created the Middle Class.

b) Start of English as the world's lingua franca.

English replaced Latin as the principal language of elites in Britain because the now middle class (former Serfs) mostly didn't know Latin, this was later followed with Britain girdling the world & English becoming its language

c) It transformed the Hospital from a charity endeavor where condemned sick people die to a place where the sick actually go for treatment

d) It caused the spread of the printing press & information

e)Labor shortage led to labor-saving technology & better farming productivity

2) FLU PANDEMIC (Spanish Flu - It has no relation to Spain): 1918 and 1920

This plague killed a lot of the world’s healthy young adult population, ending the lives of 20 – 50 million people.

Effects on Nigeria

i) The reason why Garri is a major staple food is attributed to the Spanish Flu. This title was taken from Yam, which was more labor-intensive and in shortage during the flu, this resulted in the partial displacement of yam & the enduring adoption of cassava..

..as a quasi-staple food which was less preferred at that time.

ii) It also resulted in the death of 255,663 in the more populated Southern Nigeria (Pop - 9,075,560) and 199, 325 deaths in the less populated Northern Nigeria (8,615,376.

iii) Another important fact is that what we refer to as indigenous Churches became very active during this period with the founding of the Aladura movement (Praying people) which started in the heat of the Flu in 1918, this became a safe refuge to several people with the Flu.

The movement gave birth to 2 important categories of churches in present-day Nigeria,

A) Aladura Pentecostals (CAC is referred to as the precursor of Aladura Pentecostalism) 

B) Aladura Spiritualist (sometimes referred to as White Garment churches)

*The 1918 Aladura movement is different from the Church of the Lord popularly called Aladura (1925).

iv) People of the Muslim faith were also encouraged to drink water in which Qu'ranic passages had been soaked in as a prophylactic to cure the Flu.

Effects on the World

a) People began to see life as fragile and the future uncertain, this was most common in the USA and was a gateway to the period we refer to as the "Roaring Twenties".

b) There was major growth in American urban cities, as people left rural areas. This created a reliance on technology, creating an innovation boom. Electricity! Telephones! Radios! Taking Pictures! Automobiles! A new day brought a new idea & people were ready to spend

c) Starting in the 1920s, many countries created or re-organized their health ministries and embraced the concept of socialized medicine – what we call National Health Insurance now.

d) An international bureau for fighting epidemics was also created in Vienna, Austria — this was a forerunner of today’s World Health Organization

*SIDE NOTE: Historians say the 1918 pandemic hastened the end of the First World War since both sides lost so many troops to the disease in the final months of the conflict.

So what major ground-breaking changes will this Pandemic (COVID-19) cause? 

Time will tell... 

Sources: 

1)https://t.co/s6R9wD0qIu

2)https://t.co/K69ll1ndOc

3)https://t.co/yCa8C3LLUe

4)https://t.co/meb3DMK1sR

5) https://t.co/XhPyIikLNz

6)https://t.co/AsQZOgBhN4

7)https://t.co/0xJLBBkDFy

8) Various Veritable Online Sources

© Joshua Ayo Omomia

THE ABOMINATION

EPISODE 1

Many a times people go through life’s challenges without knowing the source of their problem.

This was the case of my husband, Kashim Olabisi.

We were married for ten years without an issue. We had done many tests and sought for all manner of medical help to no avail. We even did IVF twice but they both failed. The second IVF we did in the US that failed was the first failure in Dr James Daniel’s career. All medical reports pointed to the fact that we were both medically fit to have children but none came after ten years.

Beside childlessness, we had loads of problems in our marriage. My marriage with Kashim was like hell loosed on us. We attempted many spiritualists and prayer houses but we couldn’t get help. Our search
for a baby led us into many abominable things and almost stole our salvation from us. The frustration, humiliation and anxiety was unspeakable. It was so bad that one of the prophets we went to had to sleep with me right in the presence of my husband and then asked my husband to do same thereafter.

Assuring us that his sperm will prepare the ground for my husband’s own to fertilize my egg to enable me conceive. That month, I didn’t get pregnant and he advised we have to repeat the process all over.

Words cannot explain the pain and shame I went through, having sex with a man I didn’t love in the presence of my husband just because I wanted a child. It will be difficult to believe the second process didn’t give the desired result and we had to do it again. This time for one week non stop. I was having sex with two men at the same time, one after the other in front of each other for eight days.

Toyin my friend, was my saviour who aborted the fourth attempt. We had scheduled to meet with Prophet Adelaja for two weeks on the same process when I confided in Toyin. What? Toyin screamed.

Are you out of your senses, Nneka? How can you accept to do this dirty thing because you wanted a child? Don’t you know only God gives children and his time is the best? But why? Why? Why? She asked and bursted into bitter tears. This time you are not going back to that wicked and heartless prophet again. In fact, I will get him arrested and make sure he rots in jail. We looked at each other and cried bitterly.

Toyin knew what I had been through all these years while trusting God for a child.
Please, Toyin you can’t arrest the man. You want everyone to know what had happened between us?

You would obviously make me and my husband a laughing stock. Please drop the idea of arresting him, I begged Toyin. She quickly adjusted her emotion and reasoned with me. You are right Nneka but that man must not go unpunished. Do you know how many other women he must have molested like you?

He must pay for his evil acts. She rained curses on him in her bitterness. But how we both agreed with my husband to do such an abomination is yet a mystery to me. I will take you to my pastor tomorrow for prayer and counseling. You may also need to carry out some medical checks on yourself. I just hope he hasn’t infected you with dangerous diseases! It will never be well with him in Jesus name. This man will not know peace, his children and children’s children will pay for his evil deeds. I hate him, Toyin boiled. She picked her phone and called her pastor, booking an appointment with him. I will be coming with my friend, Nneka. Tomorrow was like a year to me, I wished we could start going immediately.

But how am I going to tell my husband that we are not seeing Prophet Ade but Toyin’s pastor? I began to think how to convince my husband.



To be continued…..

Thunder Balogun

The legendary Teslimi Akanni Balogun aka 'Thunder'(1927-72): He was Born in Lagos to Oseni Balogun a star Cricketer of the 1920's. 

In the 40's and 50's he played for several Lagos clubs such as Apapa, Marine, Railway, Pan Bank and Dynamic. With these clubs, he won the Governor's Challenge Cup a record five times in seven Finals. Balogun was nicknamed 'Thunder Balogun' because of his silky skills and lethal shot.

In 1955, he went to England as an apprentice Printer and later signed for Peterborough United becoming the first African professional to play in the UK. Whilst in the UK he played for Queens Park Rangers popularly called QPR, Holbeach United and Skegness.

He was very well known. He was a member of the UK Tourists and Balogun’s team-mate at Railways for many years. He, Balogun, Peter Anieke, Sokari Dokubo and Anosike were the legendary‘Urion line’ - the most lethal strike force in Nigerian a Football at the time. Urion was the Railways coach. This was at one time the most successful team in Nigerian FA Cup history, before WNDC/IICC emerged.

He was the first African to qualify as a professional Football Coach. He coached Nigeria's team at the Mexico Olympics in 1968. Balogun died peacefully in his sleep in Ibadan aged only 45.

A Stadium in Lagos is named after him and there is a Teslimi Balogun Foundation set up in his honour.

The "Thunder Balogun" (L), playing for Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) in 1956. He was one of the first Nigerians to play in England.

Happy Birthday to one of the LEGEND in the game of football... Happy Birthday to the greatest crosser Nigeria ever had... Happy Birthday to the GREATEST №7 in Nigeria football history... Happy Birthday to African Cup Of Nation Winner, UEFA Champions League Winner, Netherlands Eredivisie Winner...

Happy Birthday Finidi George...
Long Life And Prosperity...

People are fake.
You . Need. To . Know. This.

It's not because they don't write on social media or because they say things they can't do. It's just because, people are fake.

Invincibility doesn't erode fakeness.
Quietness doesn't erase fakeness.
Plenty people with no integrity.

That is why I really don't give a hoot about people and whatever they think.

Those ones who have holy water they drink and sprinkle at home too think traditionalist are their problems.

Those ones who buy WHITE handkerchief from their pastors and pay for anointing oil too think traditionalist are evil.

The funny set of people are those who believe in prophetic visions and laying of hands yet, they snort when they hear herbal medicine.

Okay, your problem isn't that you are uneducated, your problem is simply that "You are inferior". You are so inferior that you will buy a China product over locally made product. Your problem is so deep that you don't see anything good from your own soil.

Your bondage isn't physical. It's mental.
Your chains aren't visible on your neck.
They are imprinted on your brain and transmitted by your heart.

You are enslaved.

Apologies...

Those who married men who were imperfect, men who never raised hands to beat you, who never cheated on you but because they had some nasty, irritating attitudes that got you really upset and when you told your advisers, they said you should divorce him.

Those of you who left your home because your husband never cared, he was not romantic, he wasn't paying bills, he was not taking you on vacation, he was rigid, never dressed well, gave you bad sex , was stingy etc.

Please, those people that said you should leave, have they sent you lockdown allowance? Did they check up on you after you left him? Are they still checking up on you? Have they paid your bills? Are they there for you now?

See ehn, if it doesn't involve life, infidelity or violence, think am well before you pack and go. Go and check it very well, those people who champion "pack and go" won't drop one shishi for you when the chips are down. Sometimes they drop once and that is it.

Nobody wey no fit change.
Those people too aren't perfect. When you roll with them for a while, you will see all the yamayama in their lives too.

I just said I should tell you.

© Bíbí Ire