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A JONI THAT SINGS

Anyone could tell he didn’t belong once he opened his mouth to sing the first line of the song “Kumbaya.” Apart from the unconscious cracks and the battle of staying on the key of C major, Joni was shaking with each breath exhaled. His legs wobbled, his hands waggled, and his eyes spoke the language of fear mixed with doubt. How shocking! He was introduced to the choir as a tenor singer from a sister church called Oasis. Unfortunately, this oasis had its lungs and throat all dried up.   Joni stopped singing from the looks on every face. By a corner, he saw the man playing the drums lift his eyebrows - not in wonder but a mechanism most people adopt to hold back laughter. The woman playing the bass guitar was looking down at nothing. As Joni’s eyes roved around the church, he saw an invisible congregation, all rising from their seats, eyes tight with laughter! The white walls were bloody-looking. Ah! Even the brown wooden cross on the altar resembled a negation. Joni felt the wo...
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UPON THE MOUNTAIN

 


UPON THE MOUNTAIN

 
“What would happen if you do not make this jump?” She asked herself while standing on one of the highest points of the Olumo Rock. She got to that point with the company of other tourists chatting their lives away and taking memorable pictures of one another. However, the majority of the crowd took the road more travelled by; the stairs that looked newly built to help the young and old. Here, a lift(s) will be a bad idea knowing the nature of our electricity system. We call it kpa na kpa na!

 Being the daring type, she decided to take the route less followed; the inner rocks.

She got past the shrine where the tour guard had explained they sacrificed animals to the gods who in turn protected tourists from any danger. Some rocks looked like humans turned into stones; they have been there for thousands of years. It was a marvel, all she wanted to do was to go further until she got to the highest point of the mountain. It would be one grand achievement and a boost to explore more parts and cultures of Nigeria. So, there must be an overcoming.

She garnered more confidence knowing that her brother was right in front of her. She felt protected and believed she could touch the skies until power changed hands.

“Wait for me Dabu, please I would need you to hold my hands to make this jump to the other rock. Please.” There was a separation between two rocks. One had to jump over to the next to carry on.

“Don’t worry, just jump. It is not so difficult. We will meet at the top soon and make sure you hurry.”

 You can call it "Super Story." Her young faith got shattered like a broken ceramic. She watched her brother leave her alone to decide or not to decide, to make the jump. Any mistake will send her to hell, sacrifices offered to the gods or not. She peeped down and oh how high it was. Her best bet was to retreat and join the moving train, which would mean going back down like a defeated lion.

“Sister, no fear. I go hold your hand and you go jump quick. But no look down o!” was the voice of a stranger turned angel sent to give her all the courage she needed to carry on. She takes his hand, lands strongly on her feet and gets to witness the beauty of God’s creation. The feeling of being on top of the world is certainly not a myth. Then her brother says: “ I told you it was not that difficult.”

 She recalls the story of a friend who had a dream about a valley and a mountain. He is in a valley with a friend. They are struggling to get to the top of the hill where other friends of theirs are already dining. Suddenly, a big bird comes to his rescue and takes him to join those already at the top. He spots his friend still struggling to make it up there and is obliged to go back down to help. In the end, they both reach the top and everyone is happy.

 There are times when your help will come from the strangest of places. It is normal to be disappointed at those we trust when they fail us. So whoever you are, have it in mind that your bird might be an old enemy or new acquaintance. The end of the matter will determine the beginning of your story.

 Don’t forget to be Honest!


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