The deed episode 21 – 22

THE DEED…..

EPISODE 21

As Baba Dayo and his crew got to the church, the healing service had begun. They were taken to a corner to stay for service. They would see the man of God after the service. Dayo was laid on a mat on the floor. He was still drowsy from the sedation. Baba Dayo could hear his heartbeat and it was very fast. He was worried that Dayo could die from over medication. The prayers commenced and he joined them. He prayed his heart out. He was tired of getting himself entangled in things he never thought he could get involved in just to get a solution. The solution involved taking people’s lives which he was uncomfortable with. Why did innocent people have to die so a wicked person can live? He knew if Dayo died he will go to hell fire so he wanted him to recover and give his life and change. He hoped he would be a better person after this ordeal.

As he closed his eyes and was speaking to God, someone came to him and held his hands. The hands that held his were very cold. He tried to open his eyes but he couldn’t. He heard a soft voice speak to him. “What do you want my child?”

“My son is very ill and I fear he might not make it. We have gone to places seeking solution but we could not get anyone that does not involve taking the life of another. I do not support that.”

“You know your son’s hands are stained with sin. Many have been hurt by him. Some cursed him but one went the extra mile to get him punished.”

“I am aware sir.”

“What do you want me to do for you now?”

“I want him to be given a second chance. I want him to recover and right all his wrongs.”

“Some wrongs can never be made right. You cried unto me from last night until this very moment. You called out from the depths of your heart. You came here hungry for salvation not just for your son but also for yourself. Your son will recover but, he will not recover his manhood. The only time he can ever do that is if he genuinely gives his life to me and I can see he has then he will have his manhood back.”

Baba Dayo held on tightly to those hands and said, “Thank you, thank you.”

“Take your son from here. He needs to see his son. Let the boy lay his hands on him and he will begin to recover.”

“What of the person he offended who did this to him?”

“He will be forgiven and that is when his healing will be complete.”

Baba Dayo was ecstatic. He had received what he so desired from God; Dayo’s deliverance and repentance. It was not enough for Dayo to be healed but also for him to realize his mistakes and turn away from them.

He felt the hands leave him and he was able to open his eyes. When he did, everyone was staring at him. The music had stopped, the prayers had ceased and the pastor was with the rest of the congregation looking at him. Baba Dayo went to meet the pastor and said

“Thank you sir. Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for my brother?” the pastor asked obviously surprised. Baba Dayo noticed that the voice that spoke with him before and the one speaking now were very different. The voice that spoke earlier was soft and gentle while the voice speaking to him was deep and a bit coarse.

“You met me while I was praying. You held my hand and said, “Son what is it you want?” I told you all my problem and you assured me that my son has been delivered and saved. You told me what to do.”

Members of the congregation broke out in praise and shouts of joy. Baba Dayo was surprised at their reaction. He noticed the aides he came with were also on their feet praying and worsh¡pping. There was a confused look on their faces and it became worse when the pastor spoke.

“You just had a divine encounter with God. You came with supplication to God and he visited you. My dear brother, whatever brought you here has been resolved. Come with me and tell me everything.”

They boarded the next available flight to Lagos. To everyone’s amazement, Dayo did not wake up until they got to Lagos. Even when he woke up, he was surprisingly calm. Baba Dayo did not waste any time.

At the gate, he asked the security to tell Iya Labake that Dayo was here to see her. The security man allowed them in. Labake and her mother were shocked to see Dayo; he was a ghost of himself. Baba Dayo spoke to them.

“Iya Labake, thank you for allowing us in. You kept saying that we should bring Dayo here but we didn’t understand what you were saying. This is Dayo. I have brought him in this condition so you will know the gravity of the situation.”

“Hmmm. I have seen him and I understand the situation. What do you want now?”

“I want him to meet his son.”

“I will never agree for my grandson to carry sacrifice for anyone oh.”

“Iya Labake, didn’t you observe that I came alone? You knew the solution and told us repeatedly but because it was so simple we chose not to believe. Everything will be sorted out here. I just need Remi, his son, to pray for him and nothing more.” This caused her to smile. She turned to her daughter Labake who was still confused by the whole scenario and said

“God’s ways are not our ways. Call Remi. Call him to meet his father.”

“Remi? Why should Remi meet him?”

“Because Remi wants to meet his father and his father will start getting better after he sees Remi.”

“I am not convinced Mami. They could hypnotise him and take him to the shrine.”

Baba Dayo understood her fears. “Do you see Iya Dayo here? Do you see the baba here? I made a mistake listening to them before. I won’t do such; never. I just want Dayo and Remi to meet. I want to meet my grandson too.”

Labake went upstairs to call Remi. Remi had been like a robot in the house. He hærdly communicated with anyone since he had been confined to his room each time they had visitors. He only spoke with his cousins who no longer call because he is no more fun. He was moody and downcast always. His deepest hurt was Celine betraying like that. She had not stopped sending him messages explaining to him but he just couldn’t get himself to listen to her or read her explanations. He felt his life was completely ruined and actually contemplated going back. Still in thoughts, his mother knocked on the door and called out to him. He opened the door to answer her.

“Remi, you wanted to meet your father right? Well, he is here now. You might be disappointed when you see him; he is in a very sorry state but you are part of his healing process. Come downstairs and see him.”

Remi didn’t wait for a reply, he rushed out of the room. As he stepped into the sitting room, he beheld a man sitting down looking very unkempt and lost. He knew instantly that he was his father. He walked up to him and held his hands. The aides were scared he will react but they were shocked when Dayo looked up at the boy and for the first time in a long time, he smiled when he beheld the boy. He removed his hands from the boy’s grasp and touched his face. Remi broke down in tears while his father stroked his face.

Iya Labake expected this to happen. Tears were in Labake’s eyes as she watched them. She looked at Baba Dayo and said, “Remi, this is your grandfather.” He greeted him but was more focused on his father.

“Iya Labake, can Remi just say a word of prayer for his father? He should just forgive him and pray for his recovery.”

“Remi, are you willing to that? Forgive your father and pray for him?” his grandmother asked.

“I have forgiven him grandma. I can pray for him. He is going to be fine.” Remi responded.

“I know he will be fine now you have met him. Your genuine love for a man who doesn’t deserve it is very admirable. Your father offended you many years ago and now you are the one that will save him.”

Remi began to pray for his father. The words just flowed from him. Remi hadn’t being brought up in a very strict religious way. His mother lost interest in church because of her experience. She brought up her son to make his own decisions. He also wasn’t religious. So, it was shocking hearing him pray. The prayer lasted for about 30 mins before he ended it. As he concluded, everyone was shocked to hear Amen from Dayo. His deliverance had begun.

Baba came with bad news for Iya Dayo and her family. As he came in that morning, he asked after other members of the family but was informed that Baba Dayo had taken off before she could even inform him while Fila was giving terrible attitude.

“I don’t think I can continue to help anymore. The woman you are dealing with has said her grandson and your granddaughter cannot be used for the assignment that will restore your son. There is nothing I can do unless you are willing to carry the sacrifice for your son.”

“What are you saying Baba? How can that woman dictate for you what you would do? Who is she to challenge you? What concerns her with my granddaughter?”

“Don’t say that oh. The covering she has is very superior to the one I have. Immediately I saw her, I recognized it. I had to give her her due respect. Since she has instructed, there is little or nothing I can do about it unless you are willing to sacrifice yourself for your son.”

“Use the girl. Dayo has a son and can have more children when he recovers. Shebi it is three years? A lot can be achieved by then. I have just this life to live.”

“Didn’t you hear what I said initially? Iya Labake said…”

“You want to use my daughter and save yourself? A stranger is the one fighting for her while you plot evil against your own granddaughter. How did we offend you? Wealth and riches are more important to you than human lives. You will suffer for this.” Fila jumped in.

“Fila, I have asked after you. I wanted us to have this meeting as a family but I was told you didn’t respond.”

“Baba, leave the children alone and use this woman. If she refuses, just as you wanted to force my child to come back from abroad and carry sacrifice for her irresponsible father; use that same force on her. Let her not know what she is doing until she carries the ebo.”

“Is it me you are talking to? Are you ok upstairs? Look at this stupid girl making noise in my ears. Why not bring your own mother to be used? Anyway, I lack words to tell you now.”

Baba could see he would make no headway with both of them quarrelling; he walked out of the house and left them to exchange words. He wondered how Dayo and his father cope with both women. He has told Iya Dayo that he has hands off the case and shouldn’t be consulted on it anymore.

Dayo was taken back to the psychiatric hospital. He was very calm but his father didn’t want to take chances. He shared a bit of his experience with officers on duty and left.

He was happy. God visited him in a very miraculous way and he had also delivered his son. Dayo looked different in his eyes. He recorded the moment Remi saw his father and all that happened. He hoped to share with Iya Dayo and Fila when the time was right. He was also going to preserve it for when Dayo is completely sane so he could watch how they reunited.

It was already late when he drove into the compound. Getting close to the door he could hear raised voices. He was tired of these women; very tired. He resolved to go back to his own house and get his sanity back.

“You are an evil woman. You think I don’t know you did this to my son? I know what you can do and all you have been doing. It will backfire on you.” Iya Dayo was s¢ræming at the top of her voice.

“Who took her son to Ifa priest? Who has been consulting babalawo to control her son? Even Baba Dayo is not safe with you. Only God knows the jazz you used on him to subdue him. See pot calling kettle black!”

Baba Dayo walked past them to his room, packed up his things and then walked past them to the door and to the car. They were still quarrelling and didn’t observe what was going on. He drove to his house. He had called ahead of time to ask for a meal to be prepared for him. He was home and he was happy. He needed to spend more time in prayer and bible study. Everything was working out well and he strongly believed in that encounter. That encounter brought him peace.

 

THE DEED……

EPISODE 22

Remi found it difficult to let his father go. There was something propelling him to hold on. He felt overwhelmed with strong emotions. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him. Immediately they left, he held on to his mother and wept.

“Are you ok my dear son?” his mother asked while she hugged him lovingly.

“Why am I feeling this way mum? Why am I feeling like this? He raped you mum and almost killed us but I have this strong affection towards him.”

“I don’t know too, son.”

“I know why.” His grandmother responded, “His spirit called out to yours for forgiveness and your spirit accepted it and did the needful. Forgiveness isn’t easy but you have proved a point today. You have proved that anyone can be forgiven for their mistakes regardless of what it is.”

“But Maami, after everything Dayo did to us, will he go scot-free?”

“Labake, did you see his condition? Do you wish to be in the same situation as him? He is experiencing his punishment. Do you think it was only you he hurt? He has hurt many people. He is lucky his father quickly did what he was supposed to do, if not, Dayo would have died in some days’ time.”

“I have forgiven him grandma; I don’t want him dead,” Remi responded.

“I know baby. He will live. Trust your grandma. Since you want him in your life then he will survive.”

In his excitement, Remi sent a message to Celine about finding his father. Since they were on the mission together, he felt she deserved to know. This was the first communication since he sent that nasty message. She had sent him countless messages but never responded to any of them. She was excited. She informed Funmi.

Funmi was angry. Her aunt and her family went to see Remi’s family without informing her after all she did for them. They never revealed the progress they had made on the issue. She had wondered why she was being treated like an outsider. She was supposed to be there during the reunion because she was the first to discover that Dayo had a son. She called Iya Dayo and expressed her disappointment.

“What are you saying? I told you the last time we were there that the woman was proving difficult. How did Dayo see his son? There is no way that will happen without me present.”

“The information was from a very reliable source. Remi has been reunited with his father. I have the chat where Remi said it hoha.” Funmi responded.

Iya Dayo was shocked. She went to the hospital thinking Dayo was no more there but met him there. She saw there was a great improvement in her son. He could recognize her and have a conversation although he spoke slowly, carefully picking his words. A nurse met and congratulated her.

“Thank God for your son Ma. He is getting better. Since he came from the outing with your husband; he transformed. He is no more violent and restless. This is a big testimony.”

Iya Dayo sensed this was her husband’s handiwork. She rushed to their house. She had called after he moved out and he informed her he couldn’t bear to be in the house with her and her quarrelsome nature. He needed a break. “So he used this break to do things behind my back”. She was very upset about it. As she got into the house, she barged into his bedroom in rage.

“Iya Dayo, what is wrong?”

“You took my son to that witch’s house without telling me? Why would you do that? You took my son away from the hospital without telling me. What gives you the right to do so?”

“Iya Dayo, get out of my room and shut the door after you.”

“Baba Dayo, are you talking to me?”

“Do not make me stand up from here and push you out of this room. Leave my room and shut the door after you.”

“What is going on here? Everyone now talks to me anyhow. I am asking you a question and you are threatening me. What is wrong with you?”

Baba Dayo stood up from his bed, pushed his wife out of his room and locked his door. Iya Dayo was in a state of shock as she was shoved out of the room. What had gotten into her husband? Why was he acting like this?

Baba Dayo was done. He was not ready for her wahala. He had allowed her to have her way too often that it had gotten into her head. In all sincerity, he had made mistakes. Whenever she caught him, he dumped the lady in question. This continued for years before he was retrenched and everything went downhill from there. She had to manage the family with profit from her business which he set up for her. He was not able to get a very good job. The job he got could only cover part of the school fees and house rent. She changed from then on. She reminded him at every opportunity, his mistakes and taunted him on what the girls were doing now without him. Because he knew he was wrong, he didn’t fight her. She turned the children against him and as time went on, anything she said was law. He wanted to mend his ways so he allowed her have a field day.

Dayo was a womanizer and heartbreaker. He wanted him to settle down in time but he refused. When he met Fila who was much younger than him, he wasn’t happy. He had advised Dayo not to marry Fila because he could see obviously he was marrying her for the family’s connection but his mother encouraged him. Even when he made the mistake with Labake, his mother stood by him giving him full support to get her to terminate the pregnancy. He never supported it. He knew that no family would want their daughter’s life ruined by staying back home because her husband had a child with another. It was a matter of time and he would have been forgiven. But, he needed to be in the good books of his in-laws because of fame and fortune. He was ready to commit murder for that. Now, look at all that happened. He got the fame, he got the fortune but lost far more than that. Having money without manhood does it make sense? Now Fila will let the whole world know her husband is not “man enough”. No man wants anyone to know he doesn’t satisfy his partner talk less of knowing he can’t get it up. It would devastate Dayo who had an overactive s–xual life. But if he repents, God will pardon and restore unto him what has been taken.

Iya Dayo was in shock about what just happened. She called baba and told him. Baba advised her to humbly call her husband and get information from him. As per his assistance, he had told her he was not interested in helping them anymore. He didn’t want his life cut short because he was trying to assist them. Iya Dayo felt lost. Who would she turn to now? Funmi was mad at her already. Fila was misbehaving. She decided to allow Baba Dayo calm down and then ask him about it again. She quickly informed Fila.

Fila went to the hospital to check on Dayo. She was quite impressed with his recovery. She couldn’t wait for him to recover so she could serve him the divorce notice and move on with her life. She was still young and had years ahead of her. For over sixteen years, she had an almost s–xless life. She was not ready to continue with an impotent man. She had told the baba her plans and he had asked her to do whatever she pleased.

She was shocked when she got the message from Iya Dayo about taking Dayo to Labake and her mother. Why would baba Dayo do that? Why didn’t he carry them along? It is possible Iya Dayo’s overbearing attitude made him do it without their consent. Well, he is also their son, who was she to argue with them? But she needed to know what transpired and why Dayo and his father were welcomed. Baba Dayo was not responding to her. Why was he acting this way?