The Catechist

Episode 1

THE GENESIS

“I will come to your house in the evening for the assignment ” Yemi said as he went to his house direction.

“okay i will be waiting for you “i replied yemi as i headed to my house direction in my brown-white shirt and my faint ashes shorts school uniform.

well my name Ekundayo Ajayi (Gabriel )though my parents didn’t name me that,but later on you will get to know how i came up with the name. I was born in 1954 making me 20years of age, i hail from Ekiti state in Ekiti east local government of the state. (if you are from Ekiti you will know the local government ).
i was the only child of my parents, my mom suffered alot of miscarriage for six years before she eventually gave birth to me that is how my name was called EKUNDAYO. My dad was once an hunter before he eventually joined the Nigerian army in 1959.Though my dad only went to primary school because there is nobody to sponsor him so he had to withdraw and concentrate on his hunting job.my dad was helped by one of his uncle who was then a colonel to be recruited into the Nigerian army, my dad kept every thing away from us throughout the process .until one day around 4pm in the evening beaming with smile. It was then he broke the news to me and my mom. we were gutted when he broke the news,for my mom it seems like some force want to snatch her husband away from her. But my dad assured us that he will be visiting us every six months.

“i promise you my dear wife”my dad said before he left that faithful morning to Lagos

My dad kept his promise by visiting us every six months. Any time he visits,our house is always jammed pack with friends family and well wishers and my dad who was very famous will always come with a lot of goody things when he comes visiting. My dad keeps visiting until that day very sad day when my father’s colleague was sent from kaduna to announced to us that my father was among the gallant soldiers who lost their lives in Fratricidal civil war caused by diplomatic blunder on the part of the two friends (GOWON&OJUKWU).The four years put the whole country in pandemonium. At home in my town we used to listen to the radio how millions of lives and properties were lost also how the two friends went to aburi in Ghana to settle there quarrel with the then Ghana head general Ankrah. but i never dreamt that my father will lost his life during the war. i still remember that day(march 27 1968) .ever since then my mom who was a trader (yam seller)has been in charge of my father’s property. my father’s family were so nice with my mom that they released everything to her but advised her to maintain it very well.

i quickly gone over the incident. six months time i will be writing my waec thanks to my mother who has already paid for it. i so much love my mom in fact i can do anything for her just to be happy. I was the librarian boy in my school then. To tell you the truth i am a brilliant boy cool and humble. i was one of the youngest students in my class then. my mates keep telling me i was lucky. well am lucky, My achievements were many both in the state and outside the state .i won many laurel and accolades for my school.
hmmmmmmmmmmmm little did i know the tragedy that awaits
at home

☆☆

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Few houses to our house i sighted a lot of people outside our house, standing in groups discussing

“what is going on there?” i ask no One in particular. I moved closer, now i could see everybody clearly but i notice they were all carrying sad and mourning face.but the one that caught my attention was mummy kemi, our neighbor she was crying bitterly.Millions evil thoughts ran through my mind .has any bad thing happened to her but actually if anything to her she would not be crying outside our house

“No God forbid ” i silently pray that no evil thing should happen to my mom. From nowhere a strange wind blew into my direction given me a bad feeling. I was afraid with anxiety and fear on my face. Mummy kemi sighted me,she ran to meet me where i was standing,she quickly wiped her tears. But i could see it clearly on her face.

“mummy why are you crying and what is happening here? ”

“nothing Ekundayo just follow me ”
I followed her.one woman who was one of my mom age mate cried out loud immediately she saw me coming.Her statement caught my attention

“Aah why this woman? Why she has suffered alot”

My saliva dry immediately,i released my hand from mummy kemi grips as i ran straight to our house.

On getting inside i met many of our family members in the sitting room weeping.

” you are welcome my son have your seat ” our family head said but my mind was nowhere but just to see my mom.without listening to family head order,i head straight to my mom room but