Lift your hands and begin to worship him, Uduak implored the congregation as she was leading in worship during their church’s Friday midweek service. Minister Uduak, you will be the one to lead the praise session on Friday during our covenant service, her choir mistress had announced at the closure of that Monday evening choir rehearsal. She was known to wield an unusual grace that made people eager not just to worship God but also to weep and prostrate before Him during worship; that is why she has always been the preferred praise and worship leader among the choristers.
The song ministration had begun, and the congregation, as usual, were singing along. Suddenly, Uduak sensed a halt; no one was picking up the next song that she dropped. It was only the musical instruments that played along while she sang. Could it be the church is not familiar with this tune? She thought to herself, but it was the popular "Obinasom" song by Mercy Chinwo that every church member knew and used to sing along each time I raised it, another thought evoked.
She was about raising the next song when a sudden commotion broke out from the congregation and she still did not know why they didn't sing along with her. Rapturous claps were coming from the single ladies' section of the church, with some of them clapping their hands over their mouths in shock.
As she turned to the musical instruments section of the church in wonderment as to why the instrumentalists suddenly struck the melodious chords of Love Love by Moses Bliss which was a no match for the service, she was jolted back to reality when she saw Sam on a one-knee proposal pose with a diamond ring glittering inside its box that he held in his hands, his face radiating with a smile.
As though Sam's pose was not enough to explain why her ministration was interrupted, the pulpit was already decorated with a red embroidery design that read, will you marry me?
Although Uduak and Sam have been in a relationship for a year now, she was taken unawares by his public proposal because she can't remember when both of them settled on their decision to get married to each other before this public display.
Everyone's face, including the older men and women who held conservative views against the modern way of marriage proposal, was beaming with a smile. Nobody complained that they were disconnected from God.
She did not recover herself when Sam exclaimed, will you marry me? His smile became wider and wider, exposing his beautiful dentition and his diastema. A grave silence descended upon the church.
Everyone, including the newcomers, knew Bro Sam, who had been the most committed brother in the entire congregation. His zealousness, coupled with his jovial nature, had endeared him to so many hearts in the church. He had recently picked up the church bible school form, which will make him become a pastor immediately after he graduates from the bible college. Perhaps, these were the reasons many church members deemed them compatible in their relationship. Who else would have been a perfect match for Minister Uduak if not our beloved Bro Sam? Those who wished they finally marry themselves would always say.
Tears began to roll down her cheeks as her eyes roved round the church. Everyone in the church was cheering her on and beckoning her to accept Sam's proposal. Say yes, the single sisters said unanimously as her eyes ran through their bevy. Her eyes met with that of her parents as she looked towards the direction where they were seated; though they were a few meters away from each other, she was sure that her mom had already given her consent because she was smiling all through. She looked at her Pastor and immediately remembered that he had jokingly told her many times that she would never come near him if she would turn down Sam's marriage proposal any day he was going to propose. She knew how serious her pastor was, though he would often pass the message as a joke.
Her eyes were now fixed on Sam, who was still in a one-knee position. As she looked on, she began to call to mind the real Sam that no one else knew except herself. The Sam who would always threaten to beat her over a slight mistake. Sam, the same guy who used to seize her phone and would keep it for as long as he wanted whenever he caught her speaking to another man on a phone call, even when he was nothing more than an acquaintance, church member, or colleague at her place of work.
She looked on, still trying to find her voice while shaking her head disapprovingly. Sam, I'm sorry. We can't do the forever journey together, She screamed as she dropped the microphone and walked away.