AYOMIDE
Part 6
“You should go to sleep my dear. It’s past 1a.m and you haven’t closed your eyes. What is the problem?”
For the past 2 hours she has been praying and was surprised to see her husband staring at the ceiling.
“Are you not worry Adenike?” He said sitting up.
” Worry? About what my dear?
“We don’t have any child to call our own yet you don’t appear worried. You’re always calm and happy”
Sis Adenike kept quiet for long before responding.
” I shouldn’t be sad or sorrowful because I don’t have a child. Will my tears bring me any child? I am not the one that gives Children. At His own time, He will give me my own. Kola, when worry and depression hit, I quickly run to God so that I will not be swallowed. I think you should run to Him too or you will be consumed”
” 11years my love! I have turned to a laughing stock in the church. People make describe us with our childlessness. Do you know I struggle to go to church? Aaaaah! Sis Tolani has four kids now and God has not given me even one. Titi my younger sister that got married last year has her child now. O Lord what offence have we committed”
Sis Adenike took her husband’s hands in hers and placed them on her stomach.
“You are my crown and my very own prophet. You’re the one God gave me and we will carry our children. I am not afraid because in the history of man, God has not failed yet and He won’t start with me. I choose to stand firm because the God who answered Sarah and Hannah will answer me”
She placed his hands on her stomach.
” Your hands are on my stomach. Decree on my stomach and let it be established”
That night bro Kola prayed for Adenike like a wounded lion.
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It was a thing of joy when pastor Ezekiel paid them an August visit.
“God has remembered you bro Kola and sis Adenike. He delivered his message.
She praised and thanked God for His mercies.
“Soon I will be a father” bro Kola told his wife joyfully.
It was indeed a message of relief from Pastor Ezekiel.
Two, three, four and five months after Pastor Ezekiel’s prophecy, no sign of pregnancy. Bro Kola was worried. He Wondered why God was delaying. Meanwhile, sis Adenike had been sick. She couldn’t even lift herself from the bed, let alone eat.
“Are you sure you’re not pregnant” Adenike’s elder sister would ask.
“No sister mi. I have never missed my period not even this month.”
Everybody was worried about her condition. Today she’s strong and tomorrow she’s weak. It was just like that for sis Adenike until she slumped one afternoon.
“Your wife is pregnant” the doctor told the worried Kola.
“She can’t be doctor. Only last week, her period ended.”
“She’s 7 months gone sir.
“What?” What are you saying doctor. Her stomach is not big. But you always tell me she’s not pregnant doctor. ”
Well sir, I can’t explain it myself. All the test I carried out never gave me any positive results. Last week I did scan but I never found any child in her wo-mb.”
When Kola broke the news to Adenike, though weak, she was happy.
The moment it was confirmed that sis Adenike was pregnant, her stomach started bulging out. Everyone started noticing that sis Adenike was pregnant. She became energized and strong. She was able to go to work and do other things. Kola took good care of her.
When her baby girl was born, alot of people were surprised. Her stomach wasn’t that big, they said. One said, I only just noticed last week and today she had given birth. For bro Kola and his wife, no amount of gossip could cut their joy short.
AYOMIDE
Part 7
Kola’s baby girl was named AYOMIDE which means MY JOY HAS COME. Her birth was the talk of the community for a long time. Her birth brou-ght revival to those who thought God has forgotten them. Hope was resto-red to the hopeless. If God could still remember the Oluwafikayo after 11years of marriage, surely God would remember them and grant their request. Bro Kola became rejuvenated.
“If God can do it for me, He will do yours for you. Don’t be discouraged by the situation of things. Are you looking up to God for marital settlement, financial breakthrou-gh, job, promotion, Children and even healing? Please count on God. He will not fail you if you depend on Him” bro Kola said encouraging to those who visited him and his wife at home.
Sis Adenike was always joyful. With the birth of her child, she felt complete as a woman. While she pamper daughter, her husband in turn Pampers her. Whatever she nee-ded, her husband provided.
At an early age, it was known to bro Kola and his wife that Ayomide wasn’t an ordinary child. She talked and acted as if she was an adult.
“There’s a man in white always following you to work. Don’t you know? she would ask
“I don’t Ayo. Tell me more about him”
“He is standing here right with us now” she said moving close to the dinning room.
“Look at him here” he said
“Ayomide, I can’t see anyone ooo”
“That means you are blind daddy. Even mum can’t see the three men following her everywhere. I saw them even standing outside mum’s shop. They were calling people to come and buy things from her shop. I saw that aunty Nnena sold many things for mum yesterday.”
Bro. Kola as a Christian un-derstood what was happening but he was afraid because he felt she was too young for such. Often times, she would wake her parents in the dead of the night to pray.
” Why are you sleeping when bad and ugly looking people are about to do bad things to people in the street?” she would tell her parents. “Be very hot dad. You are mum are lazy these days. Let’s pray now.”
They would hold hands and pray.
“There’s a hand that one’s to carry aunty Dara’s baby. Let’s pray so that fire will burn the hand” she would say it in a childish way. Aunty Dara is a neighbor in the compound who just delivered a baby boy.
This was the lifestyle of Ayomide. On the road, in the church and even in any gathering, her spiritual eyes would open and she would begin to see things. For Ayo, there was no difference between the physical and spiritual realm. Because she was young, she began to say things to her parents and to whomever it concerns.
Her parents felt she was too young to be saying things like that. They were afraid people may mistake her for a mad person or they will hate her. Whatever she says come to pas-s. They tried to discourage her. They told her that no matter how important the message is, she must learn to keep them to herself.
” I am a messenger of God” she would tell her parents with tears. ” I must say things that I see or someone will get into trouble”
” Keep the message to yourself Ayo. You may put us in trouble. Good Children listen and obey their parents. You must obey us” they warned her.
” I am obedient father. It’s not good that I should disobey God. He is my father too.”
“Ayo” Kola held her by her shoulders “we want what is best for you. We don’t want people to see you as a possess child.”
“Alright”
Ayomide stopped saying what she was seeing. When they’re too heavy for her young heart to carry, she would tell her parents. She avoided people because when she see someone, her eyes would open and she would begin to see things and what that person is pas-sing throu-gh.
Bro Kola and his wife made sure their daughter was properly brou-ght up. They didn’t forget the prophecy about her. They did everything to bring her in the ways of God. Ones in a week, they place her on a fast. Ones a month, they hold family vigil, every day, they ensure she study the Bible. Ayo doesn’t play with her quiet time. She would tell her parents, “God is waiting for me in my room now, can I go now” One would hear her talking in her room as if there’s a physical person there. Her parents stood firm for her. Her books were selected. TV programmes were selected too. Whatever that will corrupt her eyes and thought or as-sault her imagination were removed from the scene. Ayomide wasn’t just beautiful but intelligent.
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Years after Ayo was born, sis Adenike *because pregnant again. Her joy knew no bounds. So many nights, Ayo would wake her parents to pray but they were always tired. If sis Adenike manages to wake up, she would struggle throu-ghprayers. Most times, bro Kola would tell her not to b* other with prayers that he knew because of the pregnancy she was tired.
One Saturday, when they were preparing to go out for an occasion, Ayo told them she wasn’t going with them. She told her mum to stay back at home.
“Why?” Kola asked.
“Something tells me something bad wants to happen and I am scared. I want to watch mum. Please let her stay at home with me.”
Adenike walked to Ayo and held her hands in hers.
“Omo mi, nothing will happen to me. I know you are expecting your brother to be born so that you will pamper him. Don’t worry, I will be fine.”
“Ayo, your mum will be fine as long as she’s with me.”
“I am not going. I will stay with the nanny. Let’s pray before you step out”
“Common! We’re late and you know we spent almost two hours praying this morning.” Kola told her
” But you told me prayer is never enough dad”
“I know I said it but we’re late now” We will see you later. Be a good girl.”
They hurried out of the house. Ayo didn’t play or watch television. She was worried. She sat in the balcony starring into Oblivion, wondering why her parents doesn’t like listening to her. She sat there till afternoon waiting for her parents to return. She told the nanny she wasn’t eating lunch because she wasn’t hungry.
It was late before bro Kola returned without his wife. He explained to Ayo that his wife was admitted in the hospital because she lost her pregnancy.
“How?” Ayo cried
“Your mum started coughing non stop when she started eating they food that was served. I rushed her to the hospital but it too late. She was bleeding and blood gushing from her nose too.”
” You and mum don’t listen”
Ayomide ran into her room with tears falling from her face.
Tbc