It was a very sad and pitiable story. It was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration to people of the world everywhere. It was a day people were transiting from one location to another, visitng and being visited. It was a supposed to be day where people meriment and thank the lord for the fruits of their hard work. It was December 25th, the almighty Christmas day.
To the family of a friend, they wish that day never came. I’ve known this family for a very long time. They were not of the financially complacent class. Things have always been difficult for them. On many occassions, friends have supported them with finances and food dtuffs so they could have something to eat. Others have given them moral support, believing everything will be fine soonest. This hardship was as a result of the man of the house, the bread winner and provider, their father, kicking the bucket very early, while the family was still young. The father had just stopped their mother from working, before his demise.
Things were so rough that even while the mother hoped in getting assistance from her church, she was being reminded by her religious leader of owing her tithes and have also not contributed her share of the money the church was to use to buy a Bus. She explained her despodent situation to her so called MAN OF GOD, he never cared. Thanks to a benevolent church member who gave her some money to start up a small scale business. She did start up the business, selling pepper in the market to fend for four (4) children, who where still in their secondary and primary school.
With her pepper business, she was able to see them through secondary education. She asked others to patiently wait for their eldest brother, who was a friend of mine, to finish his University education before they could start seeking admission, so he could assist her in seeing them through the University, and they being loyal kids accepted without any arguments or grumblings. Seeing him through the University wasn’t easy, that at a point, my dear friend wanted to drop out of school because he could no longer pay his school fee and buy books needed. Well meaning friends encouraged him to push on, assisting him by making contributions for him to buy his books. Even one of the friends thought him a skill and he in time supported himself with the skill until we all graduated. I could remember the tears of joy that filled his eyes when we had our graduation party. His mother was so proud of him and everybody who knew his sad story warmly commended the mother for her determination and industriousness.
We had finished our National Youth Service Corp and no job yet. Things became rough again for the family that the mother had to sell a plot of land, the only one their dad left behind. He inherited it from his own father. After seling the land, arrangements were made and my dear friend traveled to Europe. He got there successfully and within a short time, got a job and started making money. Things became better for the family again and this time for good, it seemed. He had sent money to the mother to send his younger ones to School, buy a plot of land and started a building project. Everyone was very happy. His progress spiralled greatly and i was very proud of him. We would talk and he would tell me of his plans to make his mother happy, giving her all the best things in life so she could never remember the days of humble begginings.
Three (3) years had passed and he had achieved greatly;built a house, got a car and was planning his marriage to a nigerian girl he met in Europe. He came back to nigeria this year, December 21th, with his fiancee for their marriage and we were all looking forward to that special day.
It was December 25th, on that special but turned-out-to-be sad day that he wanted to drive to the supermarket to buy some drinks to entertain friends and relatives who would be visiting, according to his mother, that the worst happened. He was driving in the right lane. Nobody knew what happened or how it happened. The only thing I saw when i arrived the scene after receiving the distress call was his Car, under a parked trailer and his almost lifeless body, rushed to the hospital. I immediately took my heels to the hospital but unfortunately my dear friend, the one who suffered and later blessed by God, was already dead.
It was a day of sadness and many tears. It was a day of melancholy. It was asserted that the family had a hand in his death, knowing he would be great and raise the family to stardom. But nobody has any proofs. Others concluded he must have been drunk. But i called it an unexpected or unforeseen occurrence.
It crushed and still crushes my heart to know that just after four (4) days he arrived from Europe, he was no more. I can only imagine how his fiancée, other friends home and abroad are still feeling right now. But especially his mother who suffered for him. She had not spoken any word for one week now and people are still trying to console her. I pray God give his family the fortitude to bear the lose.
Prayer, fervent prayer is what we need in all our endeavours. God has the power to guide us and even protects from dangerous situation, at times even unknowing to us. In my next article, i will tell you about different situations, where God had protected and guided family members and friends from occurrences that would have cost their life and maybe valuables, Proofs that God really exists and answers prayers. Until then continue to apply caution in everything you do and always remember to pray to God, because he is the hearer of prayer.