PART 18

“ MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”

©?Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde

25 years had passed and all the past sorrows had been forgotten…
Ola was married to Micheal from her University and Sunmibare was having
her graduation ceremony that beautiful morning. Ola stood in front of her
bedroom mirror with tears flowing as she flashed her mind back to how
wonderful the journey had been…
25 years earlier…
After Sukki had prayed for Ola on the hospital bed, not only did she regain
consciousness, but she recovered her voice.
Ola on waking up started talking, she was elated. Ope and Oba’s joy knew no
bounds as they started proclaiming blessings on the strange pastor who had
prayed for Ola. They had forgotten Sunkanmi’s name so they casually told
Ola, it was a random pastor.
Sunmibare as a baby was a beauty to behold. She was CUTE.
Ola decided to keep Sunmibare. She only called Mrs. Banke to inform her she
had given birth…
“ Are you the one speaking to me?” Mrs. Banke had asked
“ Yes ma, After I gave birth to Sunmibare, I fell into a coma. I was told a
pastor had come to pray for me. So, On waking up, my voice was restored.”
“ Halleluya! I am happy to hear from you, so, the baby…?” Mrs. Banke had
asked
“ That’s why I called, I have decided to keep her and raise her up… I am sorry
ma…”
It’s okay… She is your daughter”.
Mrs. Banke had dropped the call. She had wept sore. She had nursed high
hopes that Ola would give her the child after delivery. That was why she had
maintained a close relationship with her for the 8 months before her delivery.
Though they didn’t see face to face, they communicated through chats.

Ola had taken Sunmibare and her siblings to her apartment for the first time.
In the course of the eight months, Ola had worked faithfully with her
Landlady, which made her landlady to place her on a monthly salary. It was
her landlady who had taken her to the clinic and when the labor was
becoming painful, she had encouraged Ola to inform her siblings about the
situation of things…
The landlady on Ola’s return had taken over the responsibility of helping her
with Sunmibare.
For two years, Ola had served the landlady, before the landlady relocated to
Ghana to go stay with one of her children who was established there. Before
the Landlady left, she had called Ola to her room…
“ Kikiolaoluwa, you came into my life and made a lonely old woman like me
lively once again. Thank you so much, but Aderonke, my daughter in Ghana
wants me to come over to her place. She said she doesn’t like the idea of me
stressing myself in my old age. She wants me to come over so she can take
good care of me, especially my legs…”
“ Ha! Maami “ Ola had said in disappointment. Her new Landlady had
become a mother to her…
“ Yes, Kikiolaoluwa, but I have something I want to give you… You have
served me well, so I want you to take over the Egg business. Right now, the
business worths N1.2 million naira. I know you don’t have up to that, but if
you can gather up to N500, 000. I will sell it to you….”
Ola only had N324,000 with her as she was the one who was helping her
siblings through school. At that point, Oba and Ope were writing their final
exams. Through Ola’s work with the Landlady, She had helped Oba and Ope
complete their fees. She was the one who took care of their feeding and other
fees. She also had to take care of Sunmibare. She, therefore, had only
N324,000.
The N324,000 was actually an accumulation of funds from different sources;
her personal savings from the salary the landlady had been giving her for
close to 2 years, tips from appreciative customers, the landlady’s children
and most importantly from Micheal…

After Ola had given birth to Sunmibare, the news reached the school as some
students had seen Ola in the market strapping Sunmibare to her back.
Different rumours kept flying in the school, some speculated she was
married, others said she was into prostitution.
Micheal had approached Ope for the truth about what happened, he believed
a selfless girl like Ola could not go into pr0stitution. Rather than tell Micheal
the truth, Ope gave Micheal Ola’s number.
Micheal had contacted Ola and Ola knowing how he had helped in the past
invited him over to the Landlady’s Egg shop. Ola narrated all she had been
through and afterward, a genuine friendship started.
When the Landlady demanded N500,000, she knew it was only Micheal she
could call on. Micheal had helped her pay up the balance.
That was the beginning of Ola’s Sucess story, despite all she had been
through…
Ope on the Otherhand, had pursued her music career with strong
determination. Ola became her sponsor. Ola who had become very wealthy
through her business pumped in money into Ope’s music career. After 10
years, Ope had become a household name. However, she was into
mainstream music, which Ola was not particularly happy with… She showed too much nvdity in her videos, thanks to her Husband, Lucky who was her
manager.

Ope had changed her name to “ Sexy Sasha”. She was always topping the
charts with her music as Ope was very hardworking. She gave her music zeal
and hard work.
Oba, on the other hand, had also turned out successful, he had gone into
politics and after 20 years of active politics, he became one of the youngest
Senators in the country, not forgetting he was a local government chairman
for 8 years, and the Governor of their state for 4 years, before recently
becoming a senator.
God had indeed helped the trio.
As Ola stood in front of her mirror, she quietly said…
“ Thank you, Lord, for the Journey”
Micheal walked up behind her…
“ You are beautiful my love, you don’t have to spend all the time in front of
the mirror…” Micheal had said
Ola smiled and said, “ I am not checking out my beauty, I am just checking
out that small helpless girl who God has helped to this point!”
“ Well, thank God, but you will need to keep checking her out because she
hasn’t become the best she was made to be… I still see great things coming
out from her. Right now, she ranks 7th richest woman in Nigeria, she still
needs to hit THE RICHEST WOMAN IN AFRICA…”
Tears flowed from Ola’s eyes as she didn’t know why God decided to bless
her with Micheal. He had been the best thing that happened to her. After she
had bought the egg business from her landlady, he had pumped money into
the business for her…He was the only son of a wealthy businessman.
They had gotten married after 3 years of being friends and they had 3 other
kids together.
“My doctor will be unhappy with us if we are late for her graduation “ Micheal
was saying. He was referring To Sunmibare. Sunmibare was graduating from
the university with a First Class honours in Medical Science.
“ Big mummy 1, Big mummy 2 said you should come to the living room in a
hurry” Oba’s son had rushed into Ola’s room…
Oba’s son, Josiah referred to Ola as Big mummy 1, while Ope as Big mummy
2…
Ope and Oba with their respective immediate families were seated in the
living room all dressed to go for Sunmibare’s graduation. As Ola walked into
the living room, Ope said…
“ Ola, this is the pastor, that prayed for you at the hospital when you lost your
voice, he is the new pastor who came in from Las Vegas to establish his
church in Nigeria…” Ope said pointing to a handsome looking pastor on the
screen…
Ola froze to the spot…
Sukki!

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