I Am Not Odejimi - My Evolution Episode 10

I neglected my Christian faith like a useless trash can. I became someone who would give God conditions. If you do this, I will stop such habit. I've allowed myself to be tossed greatly by the devil and as it mattered, I've completely lost my faith. This wasn't the way I was taught and brought up. This I know. And even in this trying time, my father just mentioned a little of life examples. I wonder where he heard those from.

I had fallen asleep when I heard a bang on the door. I only had to tighten my seatbelt like one who was inclined when the plane is set for take off.
There came another bang and this time came louder propelled with a stronger force.
I struggled out of the bed like a child not wanting to go to school.
I headed straight to the door and it was my mother. She asked me what I would love to eat and get it prepared.
Still rubbing my eyes and getting myself stable I ordered for anything I couldn't even remember vividly.

Minutes later, it was done and there came another bang on the door. I reluctantly stood up but this time not delayed because I've been prepared for what's coming the next round.
As I stood up from my bed, I reached for both the door and the food. Got a basin and was set for the battle.
She knew I was famished as she prepared my favourite. I washed my hand thoroughly and dipped it into the iyan.

Just then I received a tap on my right arm.

"So it was a dream all through?"

As the usual African father would conclude, it's a spiritual attack. After I narrated what the dream was.

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Days later, I set myself on some things I wouldn't do anymore. And with the help of my true self and commitment, I was able to meet up with my habit goals.

"My friend! What's his name sef?" A panting voice cried behind me.

I turned to see if it was me after all, I wasn't the only visible guy walking in that period.
As I looked back, it was my previous colleague at the palm wine joint. As usual, dressed in my aso oke.
He asked to know why I haven't been present at the joint as usual.

"Do you always mark register? Why must I be there always?" I answered in an irritating manner.

"Haba! If anyone amongst us has offended you let us know. And I personally..." I cut him off

"See Ige. Nobody offended me. Not at all. I just decided not to come over there. Been busy on the farm."

"Oh! I see" nodding his head.

"Yes! You see"

I told him I will be paying visits once a while. Just had to let him go cos he's the basketmouth type. If he isn't satisfied, he won't let go of me.

Where was I headed to? Nowhere. I was a wanderer at that time and taking a left turn, I saw the same car I saw the other day. I walked past it and I saw a lady, a guy and two elderly people all seated on a cane chair. I greeted the elderly people seated and was about taking two steps before I heard aso oke.

That was the name I was given in varsity obviously due to my attire. At first, I thought it was the elderly people because their farm isn't far from ours. I turned back and answered with a forceful smile while wondering how they came accross that name.

"Please come" this I heard clearly. This time it didn't sound like an elderly voice. At first I was reluctant.
I dragged my feet towards their direction before I was amazed by the fading remeberance of the face I saw.
I pretended while trying to remember where and when I saw that face.

"AgbaAkin right?"

"Yes ma! You are very correct."

I suddenly became the correspondent to a faded questionnaire.
Finally I was able to gather all event and recollect who it was.
But I was ashamed. Why was I? Was I meant to be ashamed?

Been the brilliant type in school, the modest and all sort of good qualities, I should have been the least of who will still be at home job hunting.

"Abi. Ki ni mo fe se? What will I do?"

Kemi Miss campus. She always go along with entourage. I mean her friends. That's because wherever and whenever she walked past, guys would always beckon her. And whenever she's beckoned, she will politely decline their request. So the entourage will also use that as an added advantage for themselves.

She reached for her card in her bag and I promised to call her.

We bade the final bye. That's not the final bye though.

" So Kemi will be getting married soon." I said to myself staring at the gold and shiny business card.

That position I met her doesn't look more or lesser than an introduction. They guy had brought her to his parents. And the ring on her middle finger said it all.

"Anyways" I shrugged and walked back taking the short route back home.

I called as promised the follwong morning. And her secretary answered the phone. I was then transferred to her.
We spoke for hours asking after everybody. Those contacts she has and I don't have and vice versa.
She even confessed that she once had a crush on me back then in school. But she's way passed that now. She made mention of I would only greet her as normal friend.
Well, we weren't more than that too. After all the introduction and remembrance, she asked

"Why haven't you tried Lagos here. Things are cheaper, affordable and even accomodating"

"Me? Lagos? Where would I even stay? I don't have anybody there at all." I answered back childishly.

"Well you're very correct. You have no one but now you have me"

I laughed at her slight joke which I didn't tak seriously and we talked for a few minutes as we ended the conversation.
Meanwhile, she had arranged for someone to come pick me up at the village. What for? I wouldn't know too.

She called me a day before I was to leave the village that someone will be in the village and she will need my address.

"That was a short period. How would I get my things done?" Was what I saidWhat do I actually need to get in my metallic box? How many clothes do I have?

I found my way one way into Lagos. Lagos ythey say is a no man's land. A place where everyone does what he feels works for him. I guess that's why she said very accomodating.
Hours later, we arrived Lagos. I can't say how but I know this driver did some magics with the steering.

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I could remember when my lecturer will say "when you eventually become who you are, the first person you will remember is yourself. Before any other person"

I never believed him. Not at all. For what? I'm not selfish!

I Am Not Odejimi - My Evolution

I couldn't have gotten any answer better than myself. At this point, frustration became a close ally than a foe. Some days, I will sit just at home and go to the farm. And some other days I will just go to the palm wine shop and while away my time there. I am not even a palm wine lover but as you know, a villager has no option that was my case.

Many times would I come home half drunk and just want to sleep and then the nagging just starts. Will you just continue this way? And then the most irritating statement follows. "Why can't you just be like Odejimi?"

I've been keeping calm so I don't talk back. And in the African culture, talking back at your parents is a huge disrespect.

"My son! He shouted. You know Ajoke? Where is she now. What is she doing? Where does she reside now? What about her parents?" Of course I won't give answers because the questionnaire will give answers.

"She has elevated. Her parents now have the second largest building in this small community that we are in. Why don't you just be like her"

To think of it, it wasn't my fault. It's not like I haven't tried looking for job around corners. I've done and redone all I know is the necessity. I'm just yet to be called and notified. No one is saying anything. This I have explained and reestablished to my folks. Oh yeah! Folks. That's what I call them now. Quite a good number of years in the city did a little refining on me.

They feel I am not doing enough. Change is a constant thing and it's inevitable to all humans. After all, they've done their best by imposing on me to study Mechanical engineering. They feel the only way to succeed in life or rather have those luxuries is to study Mechanical engineering. And be like Odejimi. Each time, Odejimi became a case study used more often than a practical lecturer would have.

They succeeded that's because I never had a mind of my own. My father did all he could and I followed what he said.

It hurts me that I couldn't stand my ground and whenever I did, there was this sudden fear of the unknown. I respect my father so much and I wouldn't want to disrespect him in any form. I remember when he said I should go for that course, I told him I would rather do another thing. That another thing was what I don't know. And since I didn't know what it was, I had no option that to concur to his. I wouldn't have been a good lawyer. That's for sure cos I won't have enough evidence to prove my client innocent.

Having my views projected out while growing as a teenager was difficult. Naturally, I am a very gentle and easy going dude and wouldn't look for someone's trouble. I guess that's the attribute ladies saw in me that they would always flock around me.
Being the only child, I was catered for well enough at least to their standard. To where and what they could afford in their own seamless way. I never lacked in my own small world of fame.

That became a little barrier for me. A little barrier because I could understand sometimes whenever I needed some major materials, I know their situation. So I wouldn't want to bother them at all. Rather, it added one more bar to my motivation.
Probably, if I was the son of the rich, I would have stood my ground firmly always and anytime. That's just few out of the many teenage difficulties I faced.

I set out for the day as I would always do and was not in any mood to go job hunting. My most detested place in the village became my favourite.
I'm not doing all this because I'm the first person on earth to experience such delay. But for my aging mother. She's lying down there all day and my eyes can't stop the tears that would channel out. She has done more than enough for me till she couldn't do anymore.
And now that it's my time to do exceedingly for her, it's just not working.

"What a wicked world" I would always say gasping out the gas. Does palm wine have gas? Well it did in my own time.

Where I was seated was where I saw a hug car moving towards the palm store slowly. The gallops and hiccups on the road made it look like the car was on a festival dance. Myself and other palm wine colleagues even made jest of the situation.
The level at which my eyes were diminishing were astonishing. I never knew the moving animal had stopped as the occupants got out. I only saw a lady whose hand was at an angle of 45 degrees with a black and huge bag at the intersection. She didn't alight from the usual driver's place but this time the opposite.

It was none of my business as I stood myself up and went home to sleep. I passed through the back side so as to avoid any form of interrogation which has now become a norm.

The surprising part of this is....

I Am Not Odejimi -My Revolution Episode 8

"You remember Odejimi right? The big and famous guy that has almost everything right? Anyways why am I reminding you?" She said bent forward towards me.

"... You can never be like him. That's because your background is totally different from his. What do you know about him? And as a matter of fact, he sponsored me all through my education and he's still" snapping her fingers.

Darn! This girl has changed totally from the one I knew in the village. Little wonder I was surprised I saw her in this same school and flashing back vividly, I never for once saw her attend any of the schools in the community.

Now, I don't know neither do I have any idea what charm she has used on him. But I'm rest assured that charm is very potent. She has guts to even claim she is dating him?
Then what about the "bling bling" guy she's parading on campus? Just for a show off.

This I thought and I laughed out loud. Leaving her confused why I bloated out with such laughter. Probably, that made her so angry and she stumped out of my sight.
This laughter ushered me to where I left Rachael.
Her calmness all the while I was with Ajoke was priceless. Instead, she joined me in laughing.

"What was that?" She inquired

"Don't mind her"

I narrated everything to her and at the end, she sighed.

She offered we go to the restaurant cos she's famished. "You're always hungry" I said punching her lightly.

"Why are you always thinking?"

"I think because I need to"

Good! That's an inevitable something. She said laughing.

"So in other words you're a big time food muncho"
Smiling was the response she gave back.

I was just getting to know the sudden companion of mine that I never planned for. If there's anything she compelled me to do, that's will be my attire. She loves my Aso Oke more than anything. I remember her pay for the sew when I just got my hands on some fresh Aso Oke.

"I just love it. You are always superb whenever you are in it. And don't let anyone tell you you ain't good in it."

"Besides, has anyone ever told you how serious and matured looking you always look when you wear your attire?"

Not as anyone told me that. They only admire the style and give compliments. "You are actually the first to say so and I'm just hearing it right now. That's how intriguing it is"

School life has not been too easy. Just as life isn't one with bed of roses. You have tests, announced and unannouced. Students just unanimously decide to be naught. And then comes award nights and all other social activities that have been caved out by a special architecture just so they speed up your distraction rate.

You just have to "clenz your vocuz" in FalzTheBahdGuy's voice.

Yes, I know she has always taught me on self confidence but my course of study isn't giving me that ability to. I've always dreamt of a good life where my parents need not to struggle anymore. Then that's what I call "life is a bed of roses".

Mechanical engineering is a very fine course which I admit and a very good job to attain. No doubt.
But do I always have fun with it? It's a different thing to have passion and not have fun while serving your passion. I've thrived very hard and finally I graduated with a very good grade.

And after that comes the reality. Camp was fun or so I must say. I could remember while I was coming back from the parade, taking the narrow and lonely path, I was stumbled upon like a lion that catches its prey in an unprecedent move.

"The next time you have to say hi to my babe, it's that day you will..." The threats were like that. And I received them to the extent I was even the one threatning them.

I'm ladies guy. For what exactly and by what standard did I suddenly become ladies guy? I really don't know. But all I can deduce is that I've suddenly grown to be this refined man with beards and charisma. Yes! That's an attribute I can solely be proud of.

I can also dress to kill. This sudden rapid growth I can't explain. Never to forget my usual attire.
I've always been myself and that's what Racheal hammerred on me while in School.

We lost contact and I went on to the social media where I know I can reach her. No replies to my messages.

After my diligent service to my country, I began job hunting. And then while in the village, my father who was proud of me suggested I wait till the next Odejimi's visit.

All intended waits and visits to his father's was futile. Promises kept on rolling like drums of water and they kept failing like network test.
It's then and there I knew what pressure I just incurred on myself.

I heard life saying "Welcome my sir. You're just about to enter phase 2 of the usual challenge sir. What chapter will you like to play?"

I was so perplexed and disturbed. Not for any reason but for my dying mother. Her expectations were so high. Come to think of it, why have I not been called by any company even if it's just a missed call on my cell. I started giving up. It wasn't easy.

Two days later, I was at the farm as usual and I saw one who if I've met ordianrily by the roadside, I wouldn't by any chance recognise her.

Ajoke has suddenly become an oyimbo. She greeted from a very luxury car. I stood there amazed by the sudden transformation. After 2 minutes of interaction, I bade her bye. I couldn't stand the insult she was indirectly hurling at me.

"Was it my fault? Or was this a phase I needed to scale through?" Questions that needed rapt answers.