Religious

Religious Fiction

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  Book 1

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  Book 2

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  Book 3

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  Book 4

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  Book 5

   

  

   

Extract

Pursuit of Faith

 Its Unavoidable pains

and Sure Triumph

Igwegbe Lawrence Emeka

emeka1_igwegbe@yahoo.com

“Faith grows only through suffering” Mark Driscol

Genesis 12 – 25

In all history time and generations, Abraham as an ordinary human was and is still the most outstanding and successful man in the application of Faith in the promises of the Almighty God. He showed the way to the ordinary man how to rely with Faith on the promises of God despite the sure pains and suffering associated with faith as regard the promises of the Almighty God. Talking about promises of God to Abraham directly, it is not in any way different from the general promise of God to all other humans as it is clearly stated in the holy Bible. Though Faith in itself is not in any way an exclusive trait of the would be successful Christians, People like Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, had an unflinching faith that with his non-violent but spiritual resistance of the Britons, the British would eventually leave the Indian soil for the Indians and that was exactly what happened. In fact virtually all that brought change to the world as it is now be they, a Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as at the time of the struggle may lack most things except the faith in their struggle and its outcome. Though living by Faith is not as easy as some may think. While living a life of Faith there are bound to be serious pains and sufferings don’t make any mistake about it.Using Abraham’s case the pains were so much that his wife Sarah had to ask her maid to go in with Abraham in order to have a hair to Abraham’s vast empire despite the fact she was fully aware of the great promises of God to her husband and Abraham himself was also fully aware of the great promises and still accede to the wife’s request!. Do not also forget the torture she had to go through in the hands of the maid once she succeeded in giving birth to a male child, Ishmael, until she got her husband’s permission to do away with the maid. Considering the case of Joseph, right from his childhood, he has film promise of the Almighty God that he was bound for a great future but almost immediately his pains and suffering started. First his brothers started the deep felt hatred and isolation until they come up with the idea to sell him into slavery. Imagine the pains Joseph went through being dragged all the way through the desert to Egypt. Imagine the pains he went through as regard the sure death sentence hanging over his head as regard Potiphar’s wife adultery saga. In fact he was minutes away from death until God intervened through the same Potiphar’s wife who pleaded he should not be executed though that did not save Joseph from the pains and agonies of a long prison term when he did not do anything until finally Joseph rose to stardom to become the Prime Minister of Egypt! One more outstanding case was that of Moses, this was a man being groomed to become the Pharaoh of Egypt the most powerful man on Earth in his own time, but has to forgo the incredible comfort associated with such an elevated position to the incredible suffering of building a brand new nation. Even in modern times those that take it upon themselves to give independence to their countries always do see more than hell in the hands of their masters so you can imagine the pains Moses had to go through to turn almost a homogeneous family into a nation! Imagine the pain of trekking through the desert to where he met the man with seven daughters, Jethro. He almost came to the end of his wits in suffering, thirst and fatigue until eventually he was credited with building a nation with God!

                                         “The brighter the light the deeper the

                                           Darkness that surrounds it” Pastor E. O Adeboye

                                      

                                          Reframing the Pastor’s quote;

                                         The brighter the light, the deeper the darkness

                                         That is threatening to blot it out.

In Acts of Apostles, Chapter 3 and4, you recall Peter and John heal a man, lame all his life near the temple gate. This great miracle amazed and attracted so many people that Peter and John took the opportunity to preach the gospel and over 5000 people gave their lives to Jesus- Light of Peter and John shining bright! However just a few hours later Peter and John were arrested and docked in prison- Darkness encroaching!

In fact, because of the enormous pains and sufferings associated with faith living so many go for the shortcuts and also have to bear the consequences of such short cuts. For the Christian; faith is at the core of possible successful Christian life and consequently to Salvation. It is so vital for a successful Christian living that lack or absence of it may eventually rob the Christian of the ultimate victory to salvation. It is simple; if you want to live a life of faith you have no choice but to bear the temporary pain and suffering first before you enjoy the bliss of reward of Faith. The same way if you want to live a life of constant short cuts you get the temporary bliss of such short cuts, but you have no escape as regard the longer lasting pains and suffering of its consequences and most likely lead to eternal suffering and pains.

If the rule was not bent for Jesus Christ, I don’t see how it can be bent for our insignificant self. Jesus Christ had to bear the incalculable pains of insults, ridicule and death in the hands of His creatures, but he had the unflinching faith that the Father would see him through death to incalculable victory! That is how His name becomes the “THE NAME ABOVE EVERY OTHER NAMES!” Recall that His name was not above every other name until He has achieved victory over death on our behalf. His name was revealed shortly before His conception or rather at His conception but was elevated to an infinite high after He conquered death for all humanity. Luke 1 30-31(KJV) ‘And the Angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God And behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son and shall call his name JESUS.’ The name was elevated above every other name in Philippians 2: 8-10 ‘He was humbled and worked the part of obedience all the way to death- His death on the cross. For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave Him the name greater than any other name. And so in honor of the name of JESUS all beings in heaven, on the earth and in the world below will fall on their knees.’
Contrary to what some Pastors and some other preachers of the Gospel are trying to make their congregation believe that God would do whatever they ask exactly as they want it and at the time they want it; it may not be exactly so. Yes, there is the great privilege that born again Christians and other Christians may ask the Almighty God anything, believing they would get it and surely one would receive what was asked that is. if it is the will of God that you should have it and also at that time, but I am afraid that if it is not the will of God for you, you may receive your request and discover it is to your detriment after all though not in all cases. You may recall what King Hezekiah experienced when the Lord God extended his years by 15 years. King Hezekiah used his eye to witness atrocities of his children to the extent perhaps he would have wished that God had not extended his time. God might sometimes defer what you want or refuse to answer your request out rightly if He knows it won’t be for your good. Here are few Biblical examples, when Moses eventually left Egypt for fear of his life and moves across the desert for the preparation of the birth of a new nation, though he did not know it then do you think there is any amount of prayer he would have said that would make the desert disappear from his path to freedom at that his level of spiritual development or that thirst and fatigue should not worry him that would have been answered by God?

Is there any kind of ‘Fire Prayer’ that Job would have said to get out of his predicament when God chose instead to answer the request of Satan to torment him? Job as a mere man was not a party to the talk between God and Satan and was not even aware of the great boost the most High has boasted on his behalf. Prayers couldn’t have saved him the only thing that could; was faith that no matter how devastating whatever that was coming is; that God was capable of seeing him through.

Coming to the ultimate of all, if whatever we mere ordinary humans ask of the Almighty God would be granted you can imagine how fast it would be answered when Jesus Christ as an ordinary human being would. He was here for a most critical, strategic and unprecedented assignment at all times and space. At the heat of it, if He had asked directly that God should cancel the excruciating pain, insults ridicule and death facing him do you think that the Almighty God would have answered such a prayer? I don’t think He would; but it was instructive that even though Jesus Christ came close to praying such a prayer but he refrained. Father if it is possible for this cup to pass me let it pass me, but nevertheless let your will be done! “Abba Father, all things are possible to thee, remove his cup from me yet not what I but what though willet” Mark 14: 82. Well as God was boasting about Abraham, did you think that Abraham didn’t pray that God should give him children instantly after the Lord promised him of being the Father of many nations? Even if Abraham didn’t pray that prayer his wife definitely prayed it many times and when she clearly got tired of praying she did resign to fate and directing the maid to go in with the husband in order to have an heir for vast Abraham’s empire. It wasn’t impossible for God to grant Abraham’s request instantly, but if He has; how could we say today that Abraham was faithful to Almighty God?! If you are still in doubt that the opportunity to exercise faith is preceded by pains, I hope you recall that if any Christian for one reason or the other fails to make the rapture(1Corin 15:51-58 and 1 Thess 4: 13-17) the only way the Christian may possibly make heaven is through serious faith! The reason is not far fetched refusal to take the mark of the beast would mean being deprived of all means of comfortable living if not arrested and severe torture by the authorities and that would involve enormous pains! Make no mistake about it. Finally, don’t have any illusion that because you have exercised faith to overcome a particular challenge that you have for once and for all time finished with the issue of challenges! Far from it, your exercise of faith to overcome a challenge is only like a bank deposit, which you would draw from when a brand new challenge rears its head up. Do not be surprised that when you overcome a challenge by your exercise of faith, you may even have to deal with a stiffer challenge because just like in the anatomical growth, the broader your shoulder the heavier the load you may have to carry. The bigger your faith, the bigger the challenge you may have to face, but each challenge you overcome with faith would undoubtedly broaden your faith shoulder to enable you deal with stiffer challenges! Since pain precede all opportunities for you to exercise your faith; you should do well to build an inner resistance or stubbornness not to be embarrassed in any way by the actual manifestations of the pains. You lost your job or your business collapsed, as a result of it you now have to face the ‘embarrassment’ of not being able to pay your children’s school fees. People now have to embarrass you with the question why your children are not in school. They are also going to gossip about your seemly misfortune; or as a result you have sold your two cars to keep the family afloat temporary and now you have to be facing the continuous question from people, instead of asking you about your children or your family they now chose to be asking you how about your cars, or you have to move out of the duplex you and your family are accustomed with to a tiny mini flat that barely contained half of your load leaving the lest outside to be dealt with by the sun, or that you have sold your mansion and have to be now ‘insulted’ by a landlord in a rented apartment. You may be a married couple and have not got any child what so ever and years are piling on top of each other and yet it is not certain when a little one may call you ‘daddy or mummy’ People now openly call your wife ‘barren’ at the slightest misunderstanding. Your wife is now under pressure from your family that she is responsible for your childlessness and as a result, she should leave so that you can marry another woman and a host of other discomforts, pains, and insults. You do not have to give in to these discomforts, pains and ridicules for any reason what so ever. In any of these challenging circumstances all you need to do is to do your critical thinking on how best to meet the challenge and do exactly what you have arrived at no matter how demeaning people around may think it. If your children have been in high profile schools do not keep the children at home if you have an opportunity to temporarily put the children in a public school because of what people may say. Just do what you have to do and keep your faith up that the Lord is capable of anything and everything. What is more, when eventually your faith has lifted you up as it surely would, you once again readjust to your accustomed lifestyle or even something much better nobody would remember that you had ever had any challenge whatsoever in fact, those who newly meet, you may even think that you have always been rich or that you have never had the challenge as regard having a child and this is same for all other types of challenges no matter how severe they are! This book is Faith living from the perspective of an ordinary everyday Christian like yourself not a pastor or an ordained man of God. I am sharing my experiences and that of others that I have heard about or read about for you to have more understanding how this Faith thing works for the ordinary everyday Christian and how vital it is for us if we are hoping to achieve the ultimate victory of salvation. Why am I particular about salvation? It is because, to me that is the only substance to this our existence on Earth. Have a look at our existence here: a child is born, he is fed by his mother until he or she comes of age, finishes his or her schooling get work earn some money perhaps becomes rich. He eats good food buys fine cars build great mansions though he can only stay in one room at a time, ride in one car at a time, there after he marries and raises yet another set of his own children sooner or later he dies leaving everything and the children continues again and there after they die too and the children continues that is if there is any and there after they too die! All foods, eating no matter how rich or poor is for the comfort of the body, if you use several air-conditioned and luxury cars; live in most comfortable houses, can have all the men or women on earth all is for the comfort of the body if only the body could endure for ever or that there is no soul or that at death the soul just disappears, then the desperation to get rich at all cost perhaps would have worth it but alas after a short time perhaps as long as one hundred years the same well taken care body dies and rot away! What is more, if our purpose on earth is to help God to develop the earth before the Lord comes even that is vanity because it is clearly stated in the Revelations that the old heaven and earth would pass away and cease to exist and then a new heaven and earth would come into being! What hope does this circle offer the human person? That leaves the only concrete hope as salvation!

That is the only thing that would ensure the survival of the soul for all time since the body is irretrievably lost. Come to think of it, I strongly believe that the weed out in heaven after Lucifer’s astonishing rebellion is what is to be reenacted here on earth. The same way the angels in heaven exercised their free will to choose whether to follow the Almighty God or Lucifer, we are going to use our free will to choose whether to follow the Almighty God or follow wickedness and Satan but weed out will follow undoubtedly. After this final weed out, the process is completed and the kingdom of God would have been fully established as God has purposed it. I believe that is our purpose here! Though all names and all places mentioned in this novel do not exist or are fictitious uses but all experiences are true. These experiences are arranged in good literal sequence to give you the enjoyment of smooth reading. Apart from the literal enjoyment of this work the book would have achieved its main aim if it helps you either as a Christian or a human person to have a true faith -living. There are millions of Christians in Africa and perhaps across the globe that have not come to terms that they could live their lives without charms. In some local communities in Igbo land the common slogan is that if a Christian in his white dress going to church and comes outside in his compound and sees some charms he would go back into his room and remove his white and put on a red dress and come out to deal with the charm! Whatever that means, but my understanding is that the average African Christians in those villages do not believe that God is more than capable to deal with all their challenges including dealing with charms placed by their enemies. No herbalist, juju man, charm, cultist witch or a combination of all of them is capable of stopping the promise of the Almighty God to you.(Roman 8: 38-39) How could they possibly do this? If it were possible for this to happen in any way what so ever, it means that whoever is capable of, this is then able to withstand the awesome presence and furry of the Almighty God to the extent of thwarting His purpose, but we all know that no one either in heaven or on earth or below the earth is that is capable of withstanding the Consuming fire! Anybody attempting to stand between you and the promise of the promise of the Almighty God is the same as an ignorant little child trying to stop a fully loaded bullet train at the top speed! Look at another analogy; a loving, caring father wants to give a gift to his little child and just from elsewhere another child appears perhaps the child of an enemy and attempts to prevent the caring father from presenting the gift to his own son; what do you think the caring father would do? Of course he would whip the naughty intruding child out of sight and present his gift to his son as simple as that (Hebrew 8:17). So stop believing that some witches or charms are capable of stopping you or capable of tampering with your destiny and let no Pastor convince you of such possibilities. They can’t and will not attempt it, it is suicide for whoever may want to attempt to thwart the purpose of God for you! If however, you are having some challenges, they are most likely normal life challenges which everyone must brace up to deal with. Another analogy; A father is going to produce the school fees of his child as well as any other support the child would require during the school, but there is no way the father can, in addition to these responsibilities put himself to be in the position of his child to sweat out the sure serious sweat associated with learning. The child is going to sweat it out himself no matter how loving and caring his father is and not only that the father is expecting the child to reciprocate his generous gesture by doing well in the exams but doing well in exams means serious sweating and burning of candles! Even if for any reason your enemies have their way seemly to create some challenges for you, it is simply that God allowed it for some beneficial purpose for you later and that is where you should be wise and constantly exercise faith. “And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble” 2nd Corinthians 4:17

Finally the more reasons why you should never have any kind of fear whatsoever about any herbalist, juju men, occult man or even demons are this: where were herbalists, juju men, occult men and demons when the foundation of earth was being laid? They were simply created as everyone else and if anything they are the people or beings that have lost all privileges since they have exercised their choice by choosing evil! The devil was simply lying in the temptations of our Lord Jesus when he claimed that he owns the kingdoms of earth and that our Lord Jesus should worship him so that he could give the kingdoms of earth to Him! It was either the devil was lying or tried to defraud our Lord Jesus or both since defrauding someone means someone giving another the, victim, nothing for something! Perhaps devil felt our Lord Jesus does not know who He was because He had come in the form of mere man. Otherwise how on earth could you claim to give someone what He has always owned!? “Through Him God made all things, not anything in all creations was made without Him” John 1: 1-5 Secondly, we have been charged in Isaiah that we should not fear any mortal man. What this meant in its totality is that you should not fear whatever mortal man could come up with including what Satan could want to use them to accomplish! Isaiah 51:12 I can proudly tell you that I have never had a charm and will never have a charm because he who is me is greater than he who is in the world. The Lord God also promised that He would give up an entire nation to save my life. He will save yours also only believe and be faithful. Ignore the temporary pain, insults backbiting, slander and others and keep marching on to the ultimate victory!

Dedications

This work is dedicated to our Lord JESUS CHRIST for being there for me in the critical years of my experiences and is ever here for me of which if He was not this work wouldn’t have been possible.

The book is also dedicated to the following special persons. They were used greatly by the Lord to make my load much lighter:

• Capt. NWANA OBIOHA
• Engr. Mrs. Adebimpe Nwana
• CHUKS EKPUNOBI (NWACHINAMELU)
• JIMI ABODERIN
• ENGR. FREEDOM MADUIKE
• MAZI PAUL NGBANWA
• Chief P.C. MADUKA (KSM)
• CHIEF  EMMANUEL M. OFFOR (KSM)
• Chief Polinus I. ILOEGBU (KSJI)
• PASTOR OYEYEMI ADEBAYO (GOOD SHEPHERD)
• Dr. Mrs. O. A. Oyeyemi
• PASTOR OPATA FELIX (FERSCOAT)
• MAZI OBASI OGAN
• MR. FRANKLIN NECHI
• Pst. Godwin Elily
• Mazi UGO Mgbemene
• MRS. EDITH UZOKA
• MR. BEN UGORJI
• MR VICTOR ELILY
• Mazi Umemba Brendan
• Alh. Yusuf Abiodun Sulaiman
• Engr. Usiagwu Benson
• Mazi Emma Ezeh.
• Engr. Ben Ezeobi
• MR. FRANCIS OKECHUKWU
• Kingsley Obuvie
• BRO. CHRISTIAN
• Alh. A. A. Adeniji
• Deacon OLUMIDE AREGBESOLA
• Chief Okafor (Winco Foam)
• MAZI. UWAEKWE PAUL (Stainless)
• MR OMOIKE-EHIGIE EMMANUEL
• Prof. EDWIN IJEOMA
• Chief Anthony Ughagwu
• Mazi  Okechukwu Udokoro
• PST. TOKUNBO OLOFIN
• DR. NDIO ETHOP
• MR. JOSEPH NWAGBO
• Y.A. Yakubu
• Deacon LAWRENCE FREGENE
• Mazi Emeka Destiny Nsofor
• Mazi Iwunwa Cletus
• Bar Matthew ONAH
• Mazi Chima Nwana
• Engr Patrick Akerele
• Mazi Victor Alisa
• Mazi Chibuzor Nwabudo Chibuzor
• Engr Lemoha Paul
• Engr. Austin Uwudia
• MR. TOBENNA EGBONU
• Mr. OYEBODE SUNDAY JOHN
• Mr. Festus Terry Evbakhare
• MR. ALEX OLISE
• Mrs. Perpetua O. OLUSOLA
• Mr. James Awolola
• Udezuligb Dominic Ejike
• Mr Tajudeen Ajibola
• Alh Ajibola S. O. B.
• Chief Lucas Olarekan
• Dr. Chris Oriaku
• Mr. Omotuyole Benson
• Mr. Bayo Tiamiyu
• Martina Opara (Ms.)
• Mazi Azubike Ebosie
• Mazi Ejikeme Ike
• Mr. Henry Aigbe

Finally the work is dedicated to my wife, Mrs. Georgina Igwegbe, she has been wonderful; my sons Michael Igwegbe, Gabriel Igwegbe and my little girl Kelechi Mary Igwegbe. All of you have been great source of inspiration to me.

Acknowledgement

I really do appreciate the immense help of the wonderful, grammarly.com http://www.grammarly.com. It was a wonderful help.

“Just because we don’t see a reason for evil and suffering doesn’t

Mean there is not a reason for it considering the story of Joseph

and the amazing conclusion in Genesis 50:20-“You intend to harm

me but God intends it for good to accomplish what is now being

done the saving of many lives.” There are countless other stories,

where suffering was not good. But with time and perspective, some

see the good that resulted from the pain and tragedy in their lives.” -

                                  Tim KELLER

                           

Chapter one

Campus Cult

Gilbert Pepple woke up with a start in his hostel room in the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, UNEC. He realized he had over slept because tomorrow morning his campus fellowship of the Global Pentecostal Fellowship would be going with chartered luxury bus to the University of Lagos for a big all Nigeria Universities crusade. He needs to run around and do his little preparation, get his clothes and supply properly packed. He always hated hasty preparations because the risk of forgetting something vital has been ever present and always more expensive than an early preparation. Wait a minute, he thought to himself; Gilbert Pepple a born again Christian preparing for a major crusade! He now recalled how this happened, In his first year he was not the noticeable type on campus despite his good looks and height to compliment, I mean to major cult groups at UNEC because no major sign of wealth was around him, however following the substantial wealth which landed into the family as a result of his father’s landing of a major contract in Abuja which was just a few hundred of thousand short of N 1 billion the fortune of the family changed dramatically. So also is Gilbert’s life on campus. No matter what you try you can’t possibly hide wealth more so if a dashing young and handsome man Gilbert Pepple type is involved. Among noticeable changes in his campus life include a brand new Volkswagen Gulf, a twenty inch flat screen television, an Aiwa state of art radio, a solid laptop and of course a lot of proper fitting dresses, shoes, perfumes and an exclusive class citizen’s wrist-watch; costing him N48,000., black barley hand set. Who wouldn’t observe this kind of change where average students on campus do what is known as 001 or 100, or 001 and even the “1” is not even a real dish, but the popular special bean cake transported from up North of Nigeria called “Okpa”! Who would blame the fine girls on campus trying seriously to get his attention everywhere he turns and why not he is with the ward and as additional compliment, he got the build and handsome like the Nigeria actor Desmond Elliot but far more fair than Desmond Elliot and what is more he was all for such attention and took it upon himself to make sure the girls are never disappointed. However, he was not only noticed by the girls, the various cult groups on campus, unfortunately, also noticed him. He became aware of this; one faithful afternoon after his Parasitology lectures, he was rushing to go and take a quick nap before he leaves in the evening for one of his babe’s party outside the campus, one of his legs already inside his golf. In his hurry he didn’t observe a guy that didn’t look much taller than the Nigerian actor Osita Iheme but dressed up in a three piece suit and mirror shinned Italian shoes to match leaning on a slightly battered but in good shape e-class Mercedes Benz. The campus Gossip newspaper writes this young man had been doing a four year course for over 6 years already and it didn’t seem as if he is in any kind of hurry to complete the four year course even in the next three years. He is the son of Chief Odogwu a well known fraudster who is now making major waves in politics in his state. He is the assemblyman representing one of the constituencies in his state for three terms now. The smartly dressed young man named Laz Odogwu has to his credit as one of the guys who raped the daughter of the Chief Judge of one of the South East states. All the others involved in the rape were instantly rusticated from UNEC but Laz Odogwu’s father used his influence to get his son just one year suspension from UNEC. While Gilbert Pepple was just about to move his impressive flame into his golf he was given a little, but film tap on his hunched shoulder; he was slightly irritated when he turned with a start to look across the head of the one that tapped him who, despite his rather small height fixed his eyes on Gilberts eyes as if he is determined to burn an everlasting hole in it. Gilbert instantly recognized him, though Gilbert is a dashing young man; he has since his year one taken great care to stay clear of this group. Gilbert asked the young man

“What are you up to Laz?”

 Laz in reply laughed and said, “Chill Gilbert nothing is shaking, but it would interest you, you are privileged; because the godfathers did decide that you must belong!”

Gilbert understands without any further explanation what Laz actually imply, but for some reason he detested the Godfathers and all the other cultists, but he is also aware of their modus opalandi, if they fix their eyes on you; but he needs to compose himself and present at least a bold pose in order to buy time to figure out how to deal with this so called godfathers cult group. He posed a question to Laz Odogwu “What do you mean by ‘Belong’?”

In reply, Laz turned and spoke over his shoulder; “Go the godfathers will get back to you.” Gilbert waited for some time and took in the meaning of this godfathers getting back to him, but managed to say, “I don’t know what the hell you are talking about!”

That was to the empty air because Laz has already entered his battered e-class Benz and drove off with a screech of tires. Gilbert completed his entry into his golf, but sat down awhile and pondered for a couple of minutes before he too inserted his computer chip powered key into his ignition and engaged the willing engine and drove back to his hostel.

                                                           

                                                           

                                                            

                                                           

                                                         

                               Where reasons are given, we don’t need faiths

                               Were only darkness surrounds us, we have no means

                               of seeing, except by faith

                               Elisabeth Elliot

                                                     

Chapter Two

                                                           Duped

Mr. Jim Ogedegbe at his desk was staring for a couple of minutes at the cheap looking envelope lying on his desk. Though the envelop looks cheap, but the letter inside is not cheap by any means in fact it is ominous and a sure financial and business disaster for Mr. Ogedegbe. It is his last day in office as regional manager of one of the biggest first generation Banks in Nigeria. Mr. Ogedegbe has a meteoric career and rise, he had a first class  in accounting at the University of Pittsburgh and came down to Nigeria blazed through ICAN and immediately had his first job as trainee manager with Liver Brothers with a brand new vehicle and a great salary to match. While he was yet to clock a year and six months in the company; he got another job in an oil company with a car and a beautiful house and even a greater pay. In no time he has built two houses one in Lagos and another in his home town and gotten married to his heart-throb, former Miss Sarah Ojo and already have two lovely children one boy and a girl. The wife in order to take good care of the children has been teaching in one of the top notch  schools near their home with the hope of having her own private school in due time. While Mr. Ogedegbe was enjoying himself in the oil company, it was shocking to him that the highly thriving oil company would be sold to other interests. Being a senior manager in the oil company he knew what this transfer of ownership would mean to his position but he hoped that it would not affect him but that was not to be; because in less than a month after the transfer of ownership all the senior managers of the oil company were relieved of their jobs but luckily for Mr. Ogedegbe he almost immediately got a job in this his present bank as branch manager and rose to a regional manager and what was more the future was as bright as ever. He couldn’t believe that he would be down the hill so fast to the extent of being sacked by the bank hence the cheap looking envelope on his desk. He once again picked the envelope with his left hand and stared at it with utter disbelief and shock. He could only say to himself “God!” he dropped the envelope again and continued with his final handover preparations. Things like hand over note, separating of private files from office files. Flipping through company files to shred any useless correspondences, this alone would take at least two whole hours of his pensive time. At intervals he would utter the word “Shit!” or “Oh God!” Once he finished sorting of files and shredding of unnecessary documents, he now switched over to more difficult job of deleting unwanted files and folders on the computer and then storing of personal information on his flash drive. While he was almost near to the end of this exercise, his former secretary sashayed into his office to commensurate with him, “Good afternoon boss” she said, “Sir, I am really sorry for this rather unfortunate situation” Jim Ogedegbe responded absent mindedly, “Never mind, my dear, things like this some times happen, I will over come it but all the same thanks for you concern” The secretary not knowing how else  to convey her regrets to the former boss said, “I am really sorry sir.” She said and carefully opened the office door and closed it behind her. When the secretary left, Mr. Jim Ogedegbe stopped what he was doing briefly and continued starring at the envelope and mildly hammered his hands on his desk a few times and muttering, “Damn! Damn!” There after he completed his work and collected his final emolument from the human resource manager who is naturally the undertaker in this type of situation. The so called final emolument is his entitlement less any indebtedness to the bank and since his final emolument is far less than what the bank lost through his action, his final emolument which is just a mere sheet of paper showing negative amount of about 1.5 million Naira which means that he is still owing his bank N1.5 million.. Though the bank would have ordered his arrest and perhaps charging him to court for misappropriation but luckily for him the bank chose not to press charges on him and all together has written off the said amount because Mr. Ogedegbe has been extremely reliable and a workaholic. In fact it is because of the way he served the bank that made them to spare him of this further agony. Though at this very moment that is not what is occupying the mind of Mr. Ogedegbe. He first has to go home and break this sad news to the wife and children though it is not going to be easy for him. While he was driving home in his private car having been striped of his official cars and driver, he was humming inside like a high tension electric wire, but some how he managed to keep the car on the road reasonably well. He was some how surprised when he reached home to discover that every where was locked and he was just about to ask the house guard why the wife and children were not around when a car honked outside the gate and it was the wife and the children and the house guard quickly opened the door for them to come in. Mr. Ogedegbe was just about to ask the wife where they have been to when he noticed how stiff and protruded her mouth was and without any sign of her normal joviality; it was only his children that chorused almost together “Good afternoon Daddy” and Mr. Ogedegbe replied “Good afternoon my children.”  The wife passed him to access the door to the living room without even the slightest show that the husband was there. Mr. Ogedegbe shrugged and followed the family into the living room It is only the children and the house help that were there putting on the Air conditioners , the Televisions and lights and other gadgets they may decide to play with. Mr. Ogedegbe went upstairs to their bedroom where madam was in the final stage of undressing for the already belated home chores. Mr. Ogedegbe sat down on the far edge of the bed and his hands were just about loosing the rope on his shoes when the wife, face towards the wardrobe, asked him “Honey why didn’t you come for the inter house sports as you solemnly promised that you would make out a little time to come?” It was only then that Mr. Ogedegbe remembered the inter house sport and hence the reason for the wife’s anger and he said, “Oh! Sweetheart, I completely forgot and I am truly sorry I was not there as I promised believe me I am truly sorry.” Standing up, to apologize, to the wife;

“IT is Ok, my darling though it beats me how you could have forgotten” says the wife. Jim having seen that the wife Sarah has reasonably calmed down now asked her to come and sit down and hear what he was going to say. Whilst his wife sat down and Jim was about to break the sad news; their eight year old daughter, Janet ran in and jumped unto the dads laps and looked into his eyes.

“Papa, why didn’t you come for the inter house sport, we missed you and you were not there to see me compete in the relays and I won. Mama didn’t I?” She said.

“You won. My dear and it was really very exciting” says the mother.

“I am sorry, my dear, I was just telling your mother that it completely escaped my memory; but I will make up for it the best I can. We will be at Mr. Biggs for a moderate treat in the late evening and how about that?” Jim said.

“Ok dad I will look forward to that” Janet said jumping down his dads lap and hurrying away to break the good news to her elder brother and also sensing that the dad wants to talk to her mum. Immediately the child left the room Jim handed the cheap looking envelop to his wife.

“What is this?” enquired Sarah and opening the envelope then brought out the letter and read. She read slowly but without any change in her countenance till she has read the last word of the sack letter o her husband. Jim too kept quiet while his wife was reading and after the wife has finished reading she too kept quiet for some moments. She suddenly stood up and bent her head low to look into the husband’s eye.

“You are a first class material. This is just one job lost you go and get another one perhaps even a better one or what do you think?” She asked. As the husband kept quiet, she added “How did it happen?”

“You remember the deal that concerned my sole distributorship of ZAP Clippers in Africa and Middle East I signed with Zap Corporation last month?” said Jim

“That reminds me you said that it was by last week the consignment was supposed to have come in so what has it  got to do with this development?” the wife asked 

“You do not in any way have expected me to have raised a whopping 75 million Naira from my salary I took some money from the bank of course and un-officially.” Jim said. “Did I hear you say 75 million Naira I thought you sad it was N30 million?” Sarah responded surprised.

“Well it was actually N75 million. I was just afraid that if you know the level of the investment you would have objected and perhaps discourage me from going ahead but I am now wishing I had” Jim admitted.

“I didn’t exactly know what you severance allowance was but my guess is that it could at most clear one quarter of the N75 million not anything farer than this so the bank must have let you go because you promised to pay them up when your consignment arrives. Is that it?” Sarah continued her probing.

“Not exactly, which one do I take first? The consignment is not coming in after all, honey we have been duped! We have been duped!” Jim broke down in tears. The wife was aghast and completely shocked to say the least.

“But you were in the company’s head quarter in Seoul to complete this deal in person.” “The so called company head office was just a set up I now discovered that it was a disused factory the fraudsters temporary acquired and then did minor  renovations to defraud me and perhaps some others to account for the money they spent on ‘staff’ and renovation and movement of equipments etc.” Jim replied, using his handkerchief to clean the tears in his eyes and blow his nose. The wife now also crying managed to stand up to go and peep through the corridor perhaps any of the children was eavesdropping, Having made sure locked the door before any of the children would burst into the bedroom. She came back and sat down just slightly away from Jim. 

“Does the bank know all these and still left you to be free while nearly 45 million of their money is with you?” Jim knows that his wife being too smart would in time get the whole details of what the family is actually facing and more over it was too late to keep any details from the wife. He bent his head partly in agony and partly to avoid the wife’s eye.

“I mortgaged the two houses in Lagos in addition to the money I took from the bank!” Jim blurted out.

“What? You mean we have no roof on our head as you are speaking now!? Why Jim? Why did you do this to us?” calling the husband, for the first time, with his real name; and started to cry profusely. Jim stood up to clear his face one more time he also cleared the wife’s eye.

“Don’t cry again, it is enough. It is certainly going to be tough but I am going to do all within me to move us out of this danger to a more comfortable position with God on my side.”

 “What are you going to do Jim?”

 

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