[PRELOGUE]

ADELOBA screamed as soon as he saw the JAMB Admission Letter.
It read

'Dear Adeloba Adegoke Jerry'
_You have been offered admission to study A 4 years Degree Course in the department Of Pharmacology at University Of Ibadan_

He cross checked the letter well to be sure he saw it well and then asked the cyber cafe attendant to print the letter out so he can show his parents.As soon as possible,he was on his way jostling home whistling with gladness.So his two years trial of writing JAMB has finally paid off.So he will soon be an undergraduate.He just could not wait to break the news to his small circle of friends and the church.Their endless prayers have been answered,God so faithful.

He soon got home and went straight to the kitchen at the backyard of their dilapidated house,he knew his parent were there.
''Mum!!Mum!!he called as soon as he saw them afar off.His father was busy struggling to tune his old shaggy radio to a channel and his mum was peeling off the peels of yam.
They both looked up suspending their engagement at the moment.
"Yes ógíní(what is it)"His mum replied,she was already smiling like she was expectant of the good news.Her cute dimples bumped at the sides of her cheek.She was beautiful,yes very beautiful despite been in her late fifties.
His mother was from the south east,a place called Ama Óyi in Anambra state.Though he have not been there once but he was told.
His mother once told him that she was an orphan living in the small hut of her late parents in the hamlet of Ama Oyi about twenty five years ago to be precise where she met her husband a corper who was sent to serve at Ama Óyi.She was attending the only local school in the village where Niyi her husband was posted to as a teacher then.
It was actually a long story but fate brought them together because there was oppositions from extended family that almost separated them.They claimed Ibos do not give their daughters to ndí ófé mmànú as they called the South Westerners (yorubas).

Deacon Adeniyi Adegoke(Niyi) for short hails from Ibarapa in Oyo State is a serving clergyman at Alimosho Lagos.He owns a church called Refiners Ministries International a very big church at Alimosho.
Though with the status of the church and calibers of people who worship at the Assembly,Deacon Niyi was to be an influential and rich clergy but been the mysterious man,he was a modest man and wasn't as wealthy as he was supposed to.

Back to present,Adeloba came closer,his face shone like polished bronze,his dark Vaseline face fitted his height and packs.He was truly handsome,no wonder ladies at church trooped for him.
"I gained admission to study Pharmacology at University Of Ibadan"He announced handing over the letter to his father who immediately opened it to check.He glanced at it in two minutes and looked up smiling radiantly.
"Congratulations son"He said and hugged him.
His mother too skimmed the piece of paper with smiles in her face,she soon got up to Dance her usual ógéné dance for about a minutes before she grabbed him and hugged him soothingly.
"So finally..I will soon become mama pharmacologist eh"She sounded like a broken record,joy written all over her.
"I won't let you and dad down.I promise"Adeloba replied.
"Have you told the church about it?"She asked.
"I just got the letter some minutes ago"
"You need to let them know"
"how about Phil,Kayode and Derah your friends"
"dad we all gained admission.though not the same course and the same university"
"Ohh..I see"Deacon Niyi cleared his throat and returned to his radio tuning.
"Phil gained admission at University Of Calabar to study Linguistics,Kayode gained admission at Lagos State University,Ojo to study Accountancy while Derah will be going to Ekiti State University to study Applied Physics.They all saw their admission before mine.They motivated me to check mine mum"Adeloba kept blabbing happily.
"So all of you will soon leave the church?Who will play the keyboards,guitar,drums and Saxophone"His mum asked though she never used a serious tone.
"God will look for people to continue his work on earth.No man is indispensable".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He came to reality as soon as his parent bade him goodbye after checking him in the school hostel and paying some necessary bills.His parents words of advises and admonition kept ringing in his head.He vowed not to disappoint them.He won't,he affirmed

TRYING TO WRITE ON NAIRALAND IS NOT THAT EASY.
THIS HAD MADE A LOT OF WRITERS STOP HALF WAY.
PLEASE DEAR READERS,TRY TO APPRECIATE US BY COMMENTING MOTIVATING WORD

I WILL NEED FIVE MOTIVATIONS TO CONTINUE

Following

Ann2012:
Following

Madam you get 2 bedroom apartment for nairaland?
Why be say u dey dey everywhere?
Anyways me self dey behind you for the queue.

silverlinen:

Madam you get 2 bedroom apartment for nairaland?
Why be say u dey dey everywhere?
Anyways me self dey behind you for the queue.

Na duplex I get oooo. Lolz

Ann2012:


Na duplex I get oooo. Lolz

Lolz...shey make i move in ni?

silverlinen:

Lolz...shey make i move in ni?

No qualms

CHAPTER ONE
(HUMBLE BEGINNING)

THE Service had just closed at Refiners Ministries International.The service was a huge success as many lives were touched evidently.The testimonies were overflowing and God name was glorified.
Deacon Adegoke Niyi who was the host and leading pastor at Alimosho,Lagos was highly elated that God had really established all he promised to do in the In-house Crusade.

A lot of guest ministers Pst P.Olawande,Pst Chigozie Wisdom,Pst Kingsley Ike,and Pst Lawrence Oyor were present.Music Ministers like GUC,Kaestrings,Victor Praise and David Dam from Koinonia Abuja graced the occasions too.The applause of the organized program encouraged Deacon Adegoke.
As usual,the donations realised from the programme was all given to charity.
To cap it all,Deacon Adegoke was a philanthropist,a giver to a fault.At times,his family frowns at most of his extensive gestures.

He was a humble,a man of character and modest man,despite his huge congregation yet he was not exuberant,flaunty and extravagant.In fact he wasn't living the ostentatious and luxury lifestyles expected of him.His lifestyle was highly emulative.
He was blessed with two children,Adeloba and Rotimi who were both boys.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(TWENTY TWO YEARS AGO)
She had expected his usual 'darling' or 'sweety' style of announcing his arrival from work daily but it did not come.She heard his Volkswagen Beetle came into the compound so prepared for his usuals but it did not come,instead all she heard was a slam of the door so she left the kitchen to meet him at the sitting room.
There she met him;his young face was sullen and the cuteness had disappeared as worry took its toll on his face.She knew all was not well at all.
"Darling what's wrong"She asked.
He looked at her and ignored her instead he faced the roof slightly hitting his foot on the floor.
She came closer,sat beside him and hold him by the neck after giving him a slight peck on the cheek.
"What happened darling"She asked again persuasively.
He pushed a folded though neat envelope to her palm.She paused for a while and then opened it.It was a letter of retrenchment.She was shocked.He just got the job about seven months ago vividly after their marriage and now he was fired.
He worked as An Assistant Finance Officer At The Local Treasury At Alausa,where he was paid Three hundred naira which was barely enough to feed,that was the reason she decided to pick up the teaching job close to their house where they paid her One Thousand and this was how they lived meagerly and now THIS.A sack letter.
"How..I don't understand..why this?did you steal their money?did you offended your boss?"There was a lot of questions reeling out from her.
"I don't know..I just got to office this morning when my boss called me and paid me fully even though the month haven't ended yet.Then while I was going home,he invited me to his office and unhappily gave me tho letter.He said the Treasury was about to liquidate due to the heavy debt it accrues so they offered up its shares for sale and a private firm bought all of its shares and they wanted to lay off sixty percent of its working unit to be able to recover"He explained.
"Chineke mee(my God)..why must it be you?God why us"She screamed.
Adegoke looked at her in pity and hugged her in encouragement.
"We will get over this..have you forgotten the vision I saw two months ago where God asked me to currently leave my job and that he had a better place for me?"
"Yes I can recall"
"I disobeyed.So God threw me out of the job himself"
"So is that his plan?So we can go hungry?Nad die?"
"No..God plans for us is good and not of evil.I later discovered I was the only one fired out of the job for no reason..the rest were reconsidered and reinstated into their jobs after some deliberation..don't you think God hand is in this"
"Hmm....."

After much encouragement and prayers,Adegoke decided to sell his car to start up a cyber cafe in front of their house,he used the money he realized from the sales to buy the equipment needed.
He also gave his wife some capital to start up baking of pastries and snacks which she supplied to schools including the one she taught.She also sold some in display glasses after school hours at her husband cyber cafe.
So this easy they provided their daily needs and had some more to save.

They were having their good time one evening when a harsh knock clenched the door,Adaeze went to open the door and was immediately shoved aside roughly.It was her mother in law,Adegoke's mother.Her eyes were threatening fire and brimstones and she was indeed ready to devour.
As soon as Adegoke saw her,he got up surprised.
"Maami..Good morning.You did not tell me you are coming and this early"he managed to speak.
"Will shut up.Gbé énú ósí soún(Keep your mouth shut) Idiot. Wéré (mad person).Why have you decided to ignore me and your father call to come to the village and take a new wife since the witch you kept at home can't bear you children"She attacked verbally.She loosened her head tie and tied it on her waist ready to devour.
"Mama..I can't do that to my wife na"
"Which wife ehnn Adegoke"
"Adaeze of course"
"God punish you and Adaeze together.I strongly disagreed your marriage with this foolish ómó ígbó(Igbo girl).I did not even know she was a fellow man like you"
"Stop saying hurting words maami.its barely two years of our marriage,its never too late"
"Adegoke,you are our only child,our child of old age,we want to see our children before we die.Am sixty five,your father is Seventy..we are close to the grave and you still want us to wait?"
"Stop this!,he ordered and move closer to Adaeze and clutched her tight,she was already crying.
"Witch ohh...witch ohh..you have eaten all your womb and unborn children..that is why you have no parent..omo àlé(bastard)"This old woman sang wickedly.She was truly a sadist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as she woke up,she saw some nurses working and cleaning her up.She tried sitting up but was forced to lay still by the nurses.
"Where is my baby"she asked.
"He is fine..just be calm you will soon see him"
"Is he a boy?"
"Yes. A baby boy"
"I want to see him"She ordered.
They brought her child in Shawl and she wept tears of Joy.
About some minutes later,well wishers led by her husband came to see her and the baby in the ward.Her husband was all smiles and beside him was his mother who was grinning from ear to ear like a fool.
As soon as she got to her bed,she apologized for all her maltreatment she meted to Adaeze and they reconciled.
Mummy Adegoke was happiest of all well wishers.