Three generations episode 40
TITLE: THREE GENERATION
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 40
Two months later, Nwanneka concluded her final examinations and defended her project. She was satisfied with her performance and celebrated with her coursemates. They all saw a different Nwanneka, she was like a breath of fresh air. She was friendly and joyful.
Her mother worked her youth service posting to Lagos so she could stay with Onyedika who was recuperating from his illness. Uloma had to resume work as she had been away for too long. Nwanneka went to Lagos six months after her last papers for her orientation camp.
After the orientation camp, Nwanneka went to her uncle’s house. When she saw Uncle Onyedika, she was shocked. He had never been a chubby person but never been a pack of bones. Auntie Uloma said he looked better than before.
‘You know how people get jealous when one person gets promoted twice in less than two years. They sent sickness to him. The doctors could not diagnose the ailment. It was only malaria and typhoid they kept seeing. After taking so many drugs, we decided to stop and go spiritual. That’s why your uncle can walk about and talk to you now”
“So, what did the pastor say?” Nwanneka asked looking at auntie Uloma who wasn’t much better than her husband; she looked drained, wore no jewellery and tied a scarf on her head.
“They said it was an evil arrow from his office. I know they are the ones; they don’t want him to resume at his new position. His boss has said if he doesn’t resume there, no one else will. Very soon, he will be strong enough to resume that office they don’t want him to resume”
“Are you sure all tests have been done?”
“We have done so many tests including HIV, he tested negative to them all. He is alive and we thank God”
“I think there is more to this. He has been sick for almost a year now and all I have heard is he is getting better but he doesn’t look well to me”
“Ask your mother, she will explain better”
That night, Nwanneka experienced a strange happening. For the very first time, she saw her father in the dream. He sat down beside her on the bed and tapped her awake. “Ada Anozie, nwa m huru na anya, Ada m nke ji eme onu, wake up.”
Nwanneka woke up and sat up. She was not afraid bur=t rather very surprised. She greeted her father and he smiled at her.
“My brother is about to undertake a journey which wasn’t pre-destined for him. He made a big mistake and those he hurt have decided he will die. It has been concluded and the process of his transition to the great beyond is what he is passing through”
Nwanneka began to cry when she heard her father’s words. Her spirit was equally disturbed when she saw her uncle. Why would uncle Onyedika die now?
“Father, who are those responsible? Can’t they have a change of heart? It will be unfair to auntie Uloma and her two children if this happens. It will kill papa and mama. What can we do to avert this?”
“Your mother knows who is responsible but she hasn’t been sensitive in the spirit and has enveloped herself in fear. Fear doesn’t allow her to receive messages. Tell her to take her bath three times at midnight and tie a white cloth to sleep. The person responsible will appear to her. Once she sees the person, she should not tell anyone but physically confront the person. The confrontation will stop the sharing of his body parts and give her time to find a solution. Once she knows the person, the solution will be given”
“Will uncle Onyedika die?”
“The ball is in your court to save him. Don’t listen to his wife, he has almost crossed over”
“Thank you, father. I will do as you have said with immediate effect”
“Ada m, let me tell you this; whenever you cry, know that something great is about to happen. You will experience extreme joy after severe pain. If you know this, mind how you sorrow; blame no one”
“Ok father” while she pondered on the words.
She was still pondering when she woke up from that dream. It felt so real that she searched for her father in the room but didn’t see him. She became scared with all he had told her. She was scared they might lose uncle Onyedika. She had to act fast.
At 5am, Nwanneka woke uncle Onyedika and auntie Uloma up. She told them she has to get to Port-Harcourt that day. She had an urgent message for her mother. They tried to persuade her to stay but she insisted. She was at the airport before 7 am and boarded a flight to Port-Harcourt.
When she arrived home, she went to her mother’s room, locked the door and narrated her encounter at night to her.
“Who did you say you saw?”
“My father, Anozie came to me”
“Anozie hasn’t come to me, why would he come to you?”
“Because you are afraid uncle Onyedika will die and your fear is clouding your reasoning and blocking your spiritual connection. Uncle Onyedika is at the brim of death, so do as instructed without fear and get to the bottom of this”
That night, Nwanneka stayed awake with her mother until midnight and made sure she did the ritual as instructed. They both went to bed. Nwakaego had a dream. She saw a mirror and in that mirror, the image of the person responsible for Onyedika’s predicament was shown and taken away. It was a flash but Nwakaego immediately knew who was behind it. She sat up by her bedside and wept. She suspected all along but she didn’t want to accuse an innocent person. She prayed that Onyedika makes it.
Nwanneka wanted to know who she saw but she refused to inform her. She instead left that morning to publicly confront the person after dropping Nwanneka off at the airport. Of course, the person denied because of the manner of approach Nwakaego used. Nwakaego declared there, “If Onyedika dies, I will not spare you or any member of your family. If Onyedika dies, just know that your father won’t have a linage, it will stop with him. If you want to dare me, let anything happen to Onyedika and watch your family members drop dead”
She left there for home and as she was told, she kept it a secret. She prayed fervently for his healing. Even though she had done as instructed, she was still not convinced Onyedika won’t die.
Onyedika began to get better. He put on a little weight and could drive a short distance. Nwanneka had resumed her posting at NIMASA. Every morning, uncle Onyedika dropped her off at the bus stop for her to take a cab to work.
Auntie Uloma was happy with his progress when she came visiting over the weekends. She appreciated Nwanneka who took good care of her uncle. Before long, he was able to resume work. Nwanneka insisted on getting a driver to move him to and from work so he wouldn’t be stressed.
She was at work one morning when a neighbour who was ‘toasting’ her called her on the office line. She received the call and then he said her uncle slumped and became unconscious. He slumped in the bathroom. It was the commotion it generated that made them investigate and they found him in the bathroom. He was rushed to LUTH Ididi araba which was closest to the house.
Nwanneka quickly took permission and left. She went to a nearby NITEL phone booth and called her mother to inform her. Then she rushed to the hospital. The neighbours were still there waiting for a family member to arrive. She went to see her uncle and couldn’t believe the state he was in.
“But papa Nwanneka, you assured me he will not die if we follow instructions. We have done all you said we should do and he was recovering, why then is he in a coma? What must have gone wrong? Is this the pain you were talking about? I don’t want this pain. Auntie Uloma is a shadow of herself. The children need their father. Father Lord save uncle Onyedika. Wherever this is coming from, let it go back to the senders. What offence has he committed that death is the only penalty? I need to know”
As she spoke out loud over her uncle, an elderly woman caring for her equally sick husband kept responding to her prayers with Amen and other affirmations. She turned to look at her and also prayed for the woman’s husband and other patients in the ward. She went from bed to bed praying for them and speaking healing to them. Their caregivers responded to the prayers. When she was exhausted, she went outside.
Nwakaego, after hearing Onyedika was unconscious, dressed up and drove to meet the person responsible. She stood there in the office of the person involved and declared death on members of the family. She was no longer scared but determined to get her pound of flesh. “I give you three days and three prominent family members will be in the morgue for trying me. Let us see who wins this battle”
The accused was just smiling and finally told Nwakaego, “You will watch him die a slow and painful death and there is nothing you can do about it. You don’t scare me. Tell Uloma she can have his carcass; nothing is left of him”
“What punishment did you mete out to yourself for your stupidity? How would you be with a married man for more than a year and still he didn’t divorce his wife or attempt to marry you? You are the architect of your own misfortune. He hurt you and he assured me he has asked for your forgiveness. Killing him won’t change the fact you were dumped. It will only reduce your chances of ever being a wife. Once it gets out you killed Onyedika to revenge his ills towards you; which man will marry a vindictive person? I know Onyedika won’t die. He has suffered for what he put you through, that is enough for him. Killing him will be an overkill”
“His death is the only thing that can bring me pleasure. His sickness didn’t give me that much pleasure. Seeing Uloma suffer will be my greatest happiness.”
“We shall see who wins in the end”
Nwanneka sat by her uncle’s side while waiting for auntie Uloma to arrive. She didn’t have any money to attend to the medical demands. Luckily, Uloma showed up. She came with some pastors who began to pray immediately they arrived.
Nwanneka went outside to wait so the bed would not be crowded. As she sat down on a half wall outside, the elderly woman who responded to her prayers came to meet her. She smiled at her but Nwanneka was too exhausted and confused to return the smile.
“Beloved, he will not die. Tell your aunty to send those pastors away, they have been marked. They should leave immediately. There is a Hausa settlement around here. Go there and ask for the Muslim cleric there. Tell him your predicament, he will come with you here. Once he prays for him, he will recover”
“But my uncle isn’t a Muslim”
“No pastor can help him. This was sent to him and what they did was to ensure no pastor’s prayer will be heard. Even if you go traditional, they will tell you he is gone. But, the only religion they believed you will never go to is Islam. That is where the deliverance lies. It must be a Muslim cleric in that settlement. He just came to Lagos and he isn’t corrupt. He will do the prayers for you. If your uncle doesn’t walk out of here in a few days, curse me”
Nwanneka thought about it. There was no harm in trying. But why was she helping her when her husband was also critically ill. So she asked her, “What about your husband? Can’t you help him?”
“He is gone already; he just wants to devour as much as he can before he finally leaves. Each time my children spend money on him, it is replenished a hundredfold. He is wondering how that happens. I advised my kids to spend on his treatment and watch them become billionaires. He wants to leave them impoverished out of wickedness but he doesn’t know I am the one behind their success. The more they show love and kindness to him, the more they prosper”
Nwanneka was astounded by her reply. The elderly woman smiled at her and said, “Get the pastors out quickly and get that man’
Nwanneka found the settlement and requested to see the Muslim cleric. The man couldn’t speak English so an interpreter was brought. Nwanneka told the man everything and asked him to please do prayers for the sick on her uncle. The man asked if she was a Muslim. She confessed she wasn’t but believed her uncle’s healing would come from him.
The cleric went in,side, did some prayers, came back out and was ready to go with her just like that. Nwanneka began to have hope. She didn’t believe he would go with her when she told him she wasn’t a Muslim but now he had agreed to follow her. It meant there was hope.
When they got to the emergency, Nwakaego had arrived. Nwanneka was so happy to see her. Then she introduced the cleric to them and told them he was going to pray for uncle Onyedika. Uloma refused. “My husband is a Christian, a born again Christian at that and will remain so even in death. The pastors have prayed for him and they have assured me he will stand up soon”
“Wouldn’t he wake up first before standing up? See, if you want your husband to live, allow me to do what I was instructed to do. If you stand in my way, it means you want him dead. Take a decision” Nwanneka replied her.
“Nwanneka, I can’t believe you are saying this? Where is your faith? Mama Nwanneka tell your daughter what she wants to do is wrong. Her uncle will never forgive her if he finds out”
Nwakaego looked at her daughter. She knew Nwanneka wouldn’t do this without conviction. She decided to support her. “Uloma, come let us give them space. All we want is for Onyedika to recover. All the test he did have all come out negative again. It is important we try other unconventional means to see if they would work. Come with me let us talk outside” She led Uloma away for Nwanneka to do the work. She even bribed the nurses to allow them to do whatever they wanted to do.
The cleric and his assistants pushed the bed out. They walked around the bed seven times reciting prayers. Then he stopped and they prayed for another thirty minutes. Other patients and their caregivers watched with keen interest. At exactly 7pm, the prayers stopped. The cleric asked Nwanneka to call uncle Onyedika’s wife. Nwakaego and Uloma met with him outside the ward.
The interpreter stated, “Give my boy money to buy a ram. We will kill it at midnight. At that time, bath your husband on the bed. Once he is bathed he will fully recover”
“Ram, what do you need ram for?” Uloma asked.
Nwakaego asked how much it was and gave them the money. She thanked them. They promised to return in the morning.
Uloma ranted, “How can to agree to do rituals for Onyedika? I am a born again Christian; tongue-speaking, spirit-filled Christian, I will not partake in any midnight ritual”
“Then I will do it. I will bath Onyedika myself. Nwanneka will join me. I am not taking any chances nor would I look down on anyone. Onyedika has to wake up. Desperate times require desperate measures. You can go home; we will take it from here” Nwakaego answered her.
‘God forbid you bath my husband. I will be here but will not partake in the ritual.” Uloma insisted.
‘You will be bundled out of here. You know what I am capable of. Onyedika must not die. You are partially the cause of his current predicament. Your pastors have no idea who is responsible but I know who and the person has confirmed it. Do what Nwanneka says otherwise wear your mantle of widowhood happily. Obi and Papa are not aware of this current illness. If he dies, you know hat will happen; the blame will be placed on you”
Uloma’s countenance changed on hearing this. She was interested in knowing who was behind her husband’s predicament but Nwakaego wasn’t releasing any information. She felt defeated. She sat down beside Onyedika and wondered if this was the end. She looked at her beloved husband and cried in her soul for help. She knew she had to do what she was told otherwise she would be blamed if something goes wrong.
At midnight, she bathed her husband as instructed. After bathing him, he sneezed three times, opened his eyes very briefly and was off again. Uloma couldn’t believe her eyes. Was she dreaming? Did Onyedika just open his eyes? She decided to keep quiet and watch him. As she watched him, she fell asleep. Nwanneka and Nwakaego slept in the car outside in case they were needed.
Uloma woke up to someone tapping her. She raised her upper body and stretched thinking it was the nurses for the morning routine of giving hot water for his bath but she didn’t see any nurse, they were at their station asleep, she turned towards the bed and lying there was Onyedika wide awake.
“Ulo, please I want to ease myself, help me call the nurses to remove the drip”
Uloma cleaned her eyes to be sure she was seeing and hearing correctly. She shook her head severally and when she confirmed Onyedika was awake, she ran to call the nurses. One of them came with her, she removed the drip and Onyedika took steps to the bathroom. Uloma wanted to hold him but the nurse told her to calm down, she will go with him. Onyedika walked to the toilet and walked back aided by the nurse.
“Madam, let him rest some more to gather his strength. You can go out and cleanup”
A dazed Uloma looked strangely at her husband who was also wondering where he was and what happened to him of which the nurse was talking to him as Uloma walked out. Why was Uloma shocked? The last time Onyedika collapsed, he was unconscious for five days even though she was with him and was rushed to the hospital immediately. The other time, it was seven days. This was nothing short of a miracle. Or was it?
She was scared. She was afraid Onyedika had woken up to leave her eventually. She had watched patients recover and the next thing they are gone. She didn’t want that to happen. She went to call Nwakaego and Nwanneka.
She knocked on the window which woke them up. “He has woken up. Onyedika is awake. I thought I was seeing things when he opened his eyes last night but he is fully awake now. He walked to the toilet to ease himself. Onyedika didn’t walk for days the last time, how come he walked today? Mama Nwanneka, I hope this is not the end”
“This is the beginning. This is good news; I am so happy to hear this. Let’s go in,side and see him.”
They walked into the ward. The nurse was still with Onyedika administering some drugs to him. “His vital signs are very encouraging. The consultant requested some additional tests to be done. I will take the samples now and once the lab opens; I will submit them. I will talk to them so the result will be ready before the consultant comes by noon.”
Nwakaego thanked the nurse and put ‘something’ in her pocket. She came back and took the samples that early in the morning. She gave them a few minutes to visit with Onyedika and then leave until 8am.
“What happened?” Onyedika asked.
“You collapsed. You fell in the bathroom. It was Simon that found you and called Nwanneka, if not, we would have been telling a different story” Uloma replied to him.
“How many days have I been out?”
“Just yesterday. It’s like a miracle. God has proved himself here today. I have to get the pastors…” Nwakaego cleared her throat which stopped Uloma. She went quiet.
“Uncle, we have tried pastors and you haven’t been fully recovered. I was advised to try a Muslim cleric and now you are back on your feet. He will be here later this morning to pray for you. Hopefully, you will be discharged before the week runs out”
“I don’t care who prays for me right now. I am famished; I want to eat something urgently.”
“Onyedika, you are hungry?” Uloma asked quite surprised because the reason he was so thin was because he had no appetite for food. Since he initially fell ill, he had consumed so many multivitamins and appetite boosters but none worked. He was forced to eat. But now, on his own, he was asking for food.
‘Uncle Onyedika, you can eat bread and tea while I rush back home to make gari and warm the okro soup auntie Uloma made for you before she went back. I will come back immediately. Mum, come with me to freshen up so auntie Uloma can be relieved of her duty to also freshen up when we return”
“I will freshen up here, I am not leaving his side for a minute”
“Nothing will happen to him; I promise you. Anyway, you can stay while I make food for all of us”
Nwanneka left with Nwakaego. They had their baths and also made food. They ate at home and packaged food for the two in the hospital. They didn’t talk about the sudden change in Onyedika. They were also worried Uloma might be right but, they held firm to their belief.
Nwanneka saw the Muslim clerics when they got to the hospital. They had arrived very early. She told him what happened this morning and they gave praise to Allah.
“Our work here is almost completed. We have another round of prayer before 8 am and after that, he will be completely healed. The prayer will involve returning the attack back to the person who sent it unless he or she comes out to confess. This is the final one. Then, you will give alms to 10 female beggars. You will give them money, sugar and kolanut. Tell them to mention his name and pray that he will live long in good health and prosperity”
Nwanneka went to inform her mother, auntie Uloma and uncle Onyedika who was eating garri and soup by himself. Auntie Uloma was not comfortable having them around but Onyedika asked them to come in. Nwakaego had to bribe the nurses to allow them to come in for prayers.
The prayer ended at exactly 8 am. The Muslim cleric repeated the instruction he gave Nwanneka outside and then made to leave.
Nwakaego brought out money from her bag to give them. The cleric rejected it. He took only N200 from the money. Prayed for Nwanneka and then left.
Uncle Onyedika was discharged three days later. Nwanneka went to thank the elderly woman who advised her on what to do. “Your uncle is healed because of the love you have for him. I told him to protect you as much as he can. You have stood as a daughter to him and he will stand as a father to you. Death has been averted all because of you. Never forget who you are and what you are capable of. You will need this in life’s journey”
tbc