Save The Last Breath

By Tolulope Williams

Save the last breath is a book full of insight on African beliefs, religions and future events.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publiseer Publishing
• Release date: Aug 30, 2017

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DEDICATION

Thanks to the Almighty God for the initiative behind this book. To my very good friend and brother in Nigeria here Isaac Daodu I also say a big thank you for your support and resources made available for the editing of the book. Without Israel Oluwafemi Omotunde my book wouldn’t have taken its simple but beautiful cover concept. Thank you so much. To all my readers out there, my parents, I say a big thank you for the success of this project. Without you there won’t be success.

(Together Everybody Achieves More) TEAM.

CHAPTER ONE

The long awaited pastime of the youngsters finally came – it was time for grandpa’s thrilling stories. As far as Olusegun Jayeoba was concerned, the eleven-year-old only had a wonderful moment in his life, when he had exceeding joy and happiness, every other moment never felt better than when his grandfather mounted the podium of his thrillers and rib cracking stories. He had arrived early from school as usual, and it was a tedious day, as he moved from one house chore to the other, from cooking, to fetching water, washing his clothes, doing his homework and setting his books for the following days activities, and to crown it all he would prepare the two rooms out of the three bedroomed flat apartment of his grandfather to host the children that wouldn’t be capable of going home at the dead of the night after grandpa’s stories.

Grandpa at eighty – five, was quite old and full of years and was known to be the eldest person alive in the whole of Amuwo-Odofin. However, despite being shrank due to age, certain features were peculiar about him and that made the people of Amuwo-Odofin have the belief that truly he was of a different breed among all humans. He was the only one at the village who had all his children and even his wife died before him, and hence several rumors flew in the air all about him. Some were of the opinion that he had probably been involved in a shady deal with the gods of the land and he was being punished for that; others said that all that befell him was an act of God. Fortunately, grandpa would not believe that all these things could be happening; despite being close to the true and living God. He had spent twenty – five years touring every hook and cranny of Nigeria as a missionary, to the spread the gospel, help the less privileged, restore the hope of the hopeless. He remembered vividly how the people of northern Nigeria had wept their eyes sore when they realized that he had to leave back home on transfer; they had never had such a compassionate missionary in their entire lives.

On that hot afternoon, after a three - day journey, in one of the most uncomfortable vehicles he had ever boarded in history, he couldn’t afford the money to board even the economy class of the luxurious that plied the north back then. He found his place among the cows and compact load in between which he was sandwiched. The truck had only two seats which were properly enclosed for the driver and his servants; known popularly as motor boys. The rest of the truck was a rectangular housing made of thin logs of wood, covered with thin sheets of tarpaulin. As they approached the north, the deserts hot wind almost got his skin roasted, and the dust had settled on his face despite being covered even almost to the teeth. He had developed blisters all over and to that effect he used shea butter as a means of remedy. The extreme cold night winds were outrageous, blood ceased to flow through the veins. He only hoped for a safe landing at the terminal where he would be received. Eventually his hopes became a reality when they arrived at the terminal and he found other buses parked, he followed the description of his friend who was meant to actually pick him up at the terminal but had some classes to attend at that moment. Communication was a major hurdle for him, everyone he had turned to for direction doused him in their Hausa language; even the students he had felt will understand a little bit of English language had failed him. Eventually he met a pretty young lady, he guessed she’d be sixteen or there about. She had piercings all over nose and ears, she wore a dress that revealed a great deal of cleavage with several patterned ink on her. Kaduna as a state in the north western part of Nigeria is dominated majorly by the Hausas. And one can only get the best of the people if you had a better understanding.

However, he considered himself very lucky to attract this teens attention, as she cast a look of amazement on the stranger. The Hausas knew anyone who is not from their nativity and they were always careful about whom they related with. Howbeit, the girl spoke fluid English with such a wonderful accent that never left the memory of the young man, and she gave easy directions to birnin gwari, where kutemeshi street was located; and that was the residence of his longtime friend at amuwo odofin. It was a cozy home, made of fire bricks and the compound

was considerably large. Just according to the custom of missionaries; they believed in planting trees and so he wasn’t surprised that his friends compound was filled with various trees and the breeze that welcomed him into the compound was sleep inducing. He found a young and pretty woman relaxing under one of the trees at an angle of about 45˚ to the right hand of the entrance. He was amused that the sense of arrangement of his friend was just as it was back in those days at amuwo odofin and Benjamin Jayeoba had learned that aspect about him. He accosted the lady under the tree, he hoped that the lady wouldn’t be a Hausa oriented person; because a closer look at her suggested that she was a Hausa, but he didn’t fail to notice the arrangement of the tribal marks in her face which gave him a clear indication that she must be from Oyo State, South West, Nigeria. Good afternoon ma’am he greeted bowing politely; ekasan o, e ma wole o (meaning good afternoon and take care in the Yoruba dialect) Ben was so happy he had now found who even understood his dialect very well. The hijab (a veil the Hausas commonly used to wrap their head) on her had really concealed a great deal of beauty from her, and though she was a Christian and actually from Oyo State, South West Nigeria as he had speculated, she and her husband – his own good friend had to follow the principle that says that when you live in Rome, then you have to be a Roman. Adenike Bamiloye was very cultured and she was filled with pity when Ben introduced himself and stated his mission.

She jumped to her feet and ushered her husband’s friend who was now looking exhausted from the perilous journey he had been through into the four-bedroom flat which was covered in tiles all through. For a hot region such as Kaduna, that was the most befitting structure any human can live comfortably in, ceramics are poor conductors of heat and therefore during the hot afternoon, the Bamiloye’s enjoyed the comfort of their ever chilled home. She took her guest to the visitor’s room where he changed and showered, after about twenty minutes he reluctantly left the bathtub, the rush of the cold water down his preheated body was so enchanting. And getting to the dining table he met of rice and another bowl that contained the stew with assorted meat. He was dead hungry but he didn’t want to appear to be a glutton, and he was also not accustomed to pretense; even his dear friend knew that. So he took a great amount of the meal which he devoured hungrily in minutes and he flushed it with two glasses of the chilled blended juice that was presented to him. Adenike suggested that he needed to sleep before the evening when his friend would return from lectures as an ambassador and missionary of the state. At 4:00pm, Ben hit the bed and he slept such that his host was consoled by the fact that he was still breathing. He must be very tired, Daniel Bamiloye feeling concerned as he spread the sheets over his friend who was sprawled like a lazy dog. What time did he arrive? He said as he held his wife lovingly by the waist and kissed her lips; think it was around 2:30pm; I was outside actually reading my bible and I didn’t have my wrist watch with me; and immediately I entertained him and he fell asleep about three hours ago, she narrated resting her head on her husband’s chest as he fondled her bosoms.

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Adenike and Moses were both very fond of each other, even as a married couple just as they were in their courtship days back at Lagos. They were both born into Christian homes and were raised by the missionaries who gave them quality education so their intelligence wouldn’t be wasted. At grade II Moses was already a competitive rival of his Standard I seniors in Mathematics and English language. Though Adenike was more of an average student, she was highly devoted in the things of God. And Moses Bamiloye and many others were astonished at an event that they would never forget for the rest of their lives, as a matter of fact even Ben who had been stubborn about the salvation and always questioned the existence of God was deeply convinced that truly there was a God who worked signs and wonders. It was break period and Steven Fatoba; very notorious and known for pranking the missionaries got one the cool headed Nuns very infuriated and while she chased the rude boy desperately to have him punished for his offence; he fell of the stairs and broke his neck bones even unto death. The poor lady burst into tears, confused and her skin had reddened. What was she going to tell the school principal had happened? How was she going to tell the boy’s parents that the only child they had in old age is dead?

Adenike was on her way to the dormitory to see her boyfriend before break was over, because that was the only time that they had to see each other when she noticed that the crowd had against the small framed Miss Teresa and were read to get her stoned for the death of the boy. She rushed into their midst and pleaded that the woman be spared and they all agreed ranting, only on one condition would we heed your plea; if this boy is brought back to life, then we would let her be, but if not then she would be thought a great deal of a lesson and she would be a deterrent to the others; yea! They all chorused. Then touching the boy, she said don’t worry at all the boy is only asleep. we are not here to be mocked please don’t get us angrier than we already are, they said, really infuriated so much that their anger could boil a stone if given the chance. Adenike laid her hands on the little boy, and within seconds of praying the boy sneezed and he came back to life. Everyone was dumbfounded for over thirty minutes, the unimaginable had just happened and even the missionary, and Miss Teresa was ashamed that her faith hadn’t been strong enough to accomplish exactly what this girl had done. And from that moment on after a check at the hospital that the broken neck which initially had pieces of the bones sticking out of the flesh was completely restored, everyone glorified the name of the Lord and that ended cultism and other criminal activities in the school. Benjamin Jayeoba surrendered his life to the Lord, and the one who was known for being a bully and a miscreant at school became gentle and cultured. Almost all the students were baptized in the Holy Ghost as they all spoke in tongues and the afflicted was set free, it was a precious reviving again.

Adenike had now become plump and more matured looking that Benjamin couldn’t even recognize her. Though he was outspoken during college days, he never associated with the people of God until that very day when incident happened. And he never had the opportunity to be close to her, because although ben had repented of all his evil ways, his evil past still caught up with him. The members of his gang were angry that their number one leader had been converted into Christianity and a new life in Christ; he was framed up in an armed robbery attack and then locked up before allowing him free on bail. He remembered how God had used him in the prison to convert his prison mates and how he had assured that Christ would set them free despite their heinous crimes. Many years after college, at Ile Ife, Benjamin on a missionary tour became stranded, at Mayfair town, a pick pocket had robbed him of the little money he had on him to transport him back home, unknown to him he had already boarded the cab that was to take him to the bus stop nearest to his residence and he couldn’t find his wallet. Every effort to pacify the cab driver became abortive, as a young man approached the scene to know what the bone of contention was. As ben raised to look at the one who was interest in the issue, the stranger was quick to recognize him, but he couldn’t recognize the stranger because he was now fine and younger than he looked back then in the prison, his huge beards back then had now been shaved and his square cut face was now prominent, he wore a low cut that gave him that handsome feature. I bet the way you are looking at me that you don’t recognize me at all, said the stranger flashing a set of white teeth. Durotoye settled the cab driver and he went on his way raining abuses on Benjamin who wasn’t even attentive to him any longer.

CHAPTER TWO

Ben screamed for joy as Durotoye introduced himself as that inmate that was condemned to death several years ago and how he had vowed that if the Lord saved him just as Ben had proclaimed then that he would spend the rest of his life for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as you can see Ben I am alive and out of prison despite being condemned to death; and now I am fulfilling my vow unto the Lord in preaching the gospel to all nations telling them of how God delivered him and how God can deliver from every situation no matter how hard it may be. Ben had been impactful on people’s lives but his own life had always been on the drain for reasons he couldn’t decipher himself.

He eventually got married to college girlfriend Kemi Awoyeye, whose parents were wealthy and yet they took the time to discipline their only daughter and child. The Awoyeyes belong to the class of Christians who believe in training their child in the way she should go, and this was very helpful to Kemi. Despite the strictness of her father, Kemi would go out on picnics and camping with her parents at the beach. Kemi was also given the freewill to go out on her own with adequate information