In the year 2000, we were all at home preparing for the visit of our maternal grandfather, Mom had gone to market to get his favourite food stuffs because grandfather was a picky-eater, myself and my sister tidied up the guest room, laid the bed with a beautiful bedspread, he does not like dirt, a very neat man to the core. We rushed back to the kitchen to help Mom prepare our delicacy (Amala, gbegiri, and ewedu with assorted meat and fresh fish). Grandfather loves fresh fish because where he lived was a place with a fish depot. The meal was delicious, but we were all waiting for Grandfather before we could eat. Eating with him was the best time because you will enjoy your meal with so much ease and laughter.
We were all waiting when the news came that my maternal grandfather was nowhere to be found. These days before mobile phones, I still remember vividly how we used to make calls at the Nigerian Telecommunication company close to us. The news was so touching that Mom couldn’t stop screaming, shouting, and crying all at once. We were all speechless and completely dumbfounded. He was around 60 years old at the time, how he went missing was still a mystery till today🤔
Grandfather had been with Mom's elder sister for a whole week before he left for a church program in Ogun state. He was not too old to move around, he often visited all his children from time to time, and attending church programs far away was not something he started late. My maternal grandfather was a very jovial, friendly, and accommodating man who never joked with his children or grandchildren. Grandfather could be very funny, cracking jokes and telling us stories. The way he joked, played, and pampered us with so much care was something we all wished would never end. Morning devotion became interesting and full of laughter whenever he was around and that is something we can never forget about him.
He left his first child’s house to attend a church program, and he was coming to visit us, but he never got to us. He was kidnapped on the way, and we couldn’t reach him. No one knew his whereabouts. They searched and searched everywhere for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Will I say that was his destiny? Mom and her siblings went to so many places in searching for their father, countless times at the police stations, TV and Radio stations were not left out, visions kept saying grandfather was alive somewhere but in captivity, and no one could trace that till everyone got tired. Till now, we know nothing about his whereabouts. Even if he wasn’t missing, he could have been dead by now.
It has been 25 years since his disappearance, we miss the morning devotion turned into prayer mountains so much, and all the memories we share as your granddaughter cannot be forgotten in this lifetime. Wherever you are grandfather, rest in perfect peace🙏
The images used are sourced.
Thank you for reading through 🥰