Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 6
Before the Crowd dispersed that night, our house
was filled with variety of food stuff brought by
the Villagers to assist my Mother in taking care
of her guest, me.
I went to greet the Kabiesi that night; I went still
dressed in my Military regalia. He was so happy
and proud of me, he felt honoured that I paid him
homage with the Army Uniform. My Village is a
small one and I do not know any serving Military
personnel that hail from my Village, my people
are scared of the Army and Soldiers generally.
Before I got returned home that night, Kabiesi
had sent a bag of rice and some tubers of Yams
to my mother.
It was a different me that wentto the Village, I
seldom talked and People thought I had become
mean and ruthless. My Friendskept distance
from me as they do not know what they may say
or do that would unleash the supposed inate
beast in me. But it was just me, the fresh
experience from the depot had made me to see
life differently, life is a battle field and not a
Market place as some people say, but I was not
mean, I have never been, I was just cautious, I
observe my environment and listened more than I
talked.
Mama started talking about marriage but I
reminded her that I was just nineteen years old,
she had forgotten. She now sees the Man I have
turned into instead of the Boy I really am. She
started calling me Oko mi (My Husband) instead
of Ojo my name, also her name in the Village
changed from “Iya oloju kan” to “Mama Soja” (A
Soldiers Mother). She received a lot of Visitors
during my five days stay in the Village, she had
suddenly become popular, and who visits my
Mother at home before? She had no friends! No
one associates with the Pauper. Now, those that
owed her money for services she rendered to
them years back readily paid up! I know my
People, I was the reason.
Mama began to eat well; she ate three times
daily throughout my stay. Baba Miko suddenly
assumed the position of my Father, he had being
of great assistance to Mama during my absence
and so when I came home, he was the only one
that was bold enough to talk to me like the Child
he used to know, I owe him gratitude. He
furnished me with information on things going on
in the Village; he was also revered for being the
God Father of a Soldier. Mama told me that Baba
Miko uses my personality to threaten his debtors
and any ensuing opposition.
On the fourth day in the Village, the Kabiesi
invited me for an evening stroll, we strolled
together, I was dressed in my Army branded
Sportswear, a track suite on Canvas, I did not
have Clothes to wear save for the military attire I
got from the depot, my old Clothes in the Village
were all under sized. Together we went down to
a drinking spot close to the Dam build on the
popular Osun river that flowed through my
Village, some of his Chiefs and friends were
there already and I was given a warm reception.
They asked me several questions as we palm
wine and gnawed at smoked Grass cutter meat
in peppered sauce, I laughed as I attempted to
answer most of their fallacious and ridiculous
questions about the Army and her Soldiers, I was
able to clarify many of the wrong impressions
they had about the Army.
In all, I gained respect! I brought back respect
and honour to the name of my Father, a name he
had soaked in Palm wine. Whenever I walked
down the street, I hear Children hailing me,
waving and shouting “Morning Sir!” I waved back
at them; even the Girls began to smile at me and
seek for opportunity for acquaintance, but was a
totally different scenario ten months ago. I now
dine and wine with the likes of Kabiesi and titled
men in the Village, I was just a common private
Soldier!
Kabiesi gave me a hectare of Land to do
whatever pleases me with; I told him I would
love to farm on it for now pending when I am
fully settled in the Army.
I was to come back and pick my mother to
Enugu after I must have collected my bulk money
and furnish my home in the Barracks. But that
was not to be, it never happened, the world was
not done with us yet
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