PART 3
“ MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”
©?Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde
Oba, Ope and Ola went with Miss Johnson to her house and they had the best
meal of their lives. They were served hot custard with Fresh Fish pepper
soup.
“Of a truth, God is a good God,” Ola thought silently. As she continued with
her meal she took the time to look around the house, this was her dream, to
be a wealthy woman, she knew someday she would be as rich as this woman.
She looked around trying to get more details about the woman, there was no
family portrait, it was her picture that filled the whole house. Ola kept
turning around to see if she could see another picture…
“ Looking for something?” Miss Johnson said from where she sat
“ Not really ma, I was just admiring your pictures…” Ola said half of the
truth…
“ And?” Miss Johnson asked
“ Why don’t you have the pictures of the other members of your family here
ma?” Ope blurted out. Ope was a person of few words, but times when she
decided to talk, it was straight to the point…
Oba and Ola looked at Ope strangely, with the expression that said, what she
just said was uncalled for…
“ Oh that!, I am not married, or better still I have never been married, I have
a disorder that can not make me get pregnant, it is called PCOS meaning
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). it is a hormonal disorder, it causes
infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone
(androgen) levels. The ovaries develop numerous small collections of fluid
and fail to regularly release eggs, thereby making me Infertile…So I decided
to remain single than face the trauma of getting married and waiting
endlessly for a child..” Miss Johnson said with a smile and continued with
the book she was reading.
The trio could not eat anymore as the words they just heard hit them really
hard…
“ How Ironic life was! This woman had enough money to cater for 10 kids in
this house but unfortunately she has none, meanwhile, their own father had
3 kids and could not feed even 1” Oba wondered silently
“ What’s happening?” Miss Johnson asked.. “Don’t tell me you are feeling
bad, come off it, God has been good to me and I am glad. Not having kids is
not the end of the world. I have channelled my energy to helping motherless
children. They need me and I need them. I pay the school fees of 10 university
students, 25 secondary school students and 54 Nursery and Primary school
students. Isn’t that much more than I can ever ask from God… Besides, God
has decided to add 3 more to my list. He brought you to me…, So eat up and
let’s discuss.” Miss Johnson said and continued with her reading…
Oba was dazed at the level of faith the woman had. He had only read this
level of faith in the Bible.
“This PCOS she was referring to must be like the disease the woman with the
issue of blood in the Bible had… Excessive menstruation or no menstruation
at all…Hmmm, but God can heal her!” Oba thought silently
“This woman must be a true warrior,” Ola thought silently
Ope on the other hand suddenly felt compassion and had tears in her eyes.
After their meal, Miss Johnson sat with them in the living room asking them
about what their individual visions were…
“ I want to go into politics, I believe that someday I will be the governor of
my state…” Oba said
“ I want to work with my hands and make money… I love to do business” Ola
said
“ I love singing, I love arts generally, I love to write, sing, play instruments,
Draw, make movies and all that… My vision is to be on the big screen!” Ope
said with high enthusiasm. Whenever Ope spoke about Art, her face would
always light up…
“ Very good dreams I must say, but you know you need education and
training to achieve this?”
“ Yes ma, and that has been our limitation,” Oba said…
“ What if I am willing to help, would you accept my offer of help?”
The trio looked at each other surprisingly, amazed at the level of humility the
woman had. They were also shocked at how God was set to help them in such
a short time…
Miss Johnson fulfilled her promise and got them into private universities
after they had written all the necessary examinations. This was two years
after they had met her. Within those two years, they had learnt different
vocations. Miss Johnson insisted they each learn a craft. Oba became an
apprentice at a Mechanic Workshop, Ola started working at Miss Johnson’s
store as the supervisor, while Ope went to a Music school.
After two years of living with Miss Johnson, they each got admitted into the
university to study the course of their choice. Oba went ahead to study
Political Science, While Ola went ahead to study Business Administration
and Ope went for Mass communication.
Trouble however reared up its ugly head when Miss Johnson’s case became
critical and She was diagnosed with Cancer of the Uterine lining.
The trio realized their hopes were about to be dashed, as they had just gotten
into their second year in the university, and Miss Johnson was the only one
they had…
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