Thorns In My Boot

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 2

We lived in a two room mud house with wooden

doors and windows. Rusted and leaking Zinc as

roofing sheets. The roof is supported with old

and worn out Motor tyres and heavy stones to

hold it down during rain storms, there is

electricity in some parts of the Village but we

were not that privileged to own a meter let alone

tap electricity from the nearest neighbor that has

electricity, this is because we could not spare

the stipend to be paid monthly as NEPA bill.

Rumour also had it that my Mother could not

remarry due to the curse placed on her by her

late Father. My father’s tragic death was also

ascribed to be as a result of her ill luck and bad

omen. I was her only hope to tell the world that

she was not under any curse since I am still

alive. Thus she became a staunch member of

the Christ Apostolic Church and that

automatically makes me a member too.

I was the drummer Boy of the Church’s Choir

and I could sing and dance well too but my

mother did not encourage me singing outside of

the Church, it gave her bad memories even

though she confessed that she loved the way I

was the center of attraction when the church

members danced to the alter to give offering or

donations.

I would dance forward and backward and before

you know it the person in front of me on the

queue would be ten yards away while those

behind me would be stationary and waiting for

me to dance forward and allow them to move

forward, I don’t do this deliberately though but I

guessed it’s the spirit of dancing that runs in my

Father’s blood. If anyone complements me that I

dance like my Father, my mother was quick to

rebuke such and say “My Son dance like David

danced in the Bible”!

I graduated from Secondary School at the age of

eighteen at the Community Grammar School Esa-

Odo but my result was not fantastic. I got

passes in English and Mathematics, I got credit

passes in Yoruba and Christian religious

knowledge and I failed fine remaining subjects. I

had always known that the University was not for

me so I was not serious about reading hard to go

to one. I just wanted to round up my secondary

education and acquire the skill of Carpentry or

Brick laying. My only ambition then was to

rebuild our house, I never thought of leaving the

Village because in all my life I had never entered

a vehicle that traveled as far as thirty minutes.

So I attached myself to Baba Miko, his name is

actually Michael. He was the most popular Brick

layer in the Village and has built lots of houses in

the Village for People that live in the Cities and

only come home during holidays or festivals like

burial ceremonies of their relations or on Esa-

Odo day celebration. We started going to work

together so I could perfect on the skills I had

already acquired while growing up and indulging

in several menial jobs. I knew a little of

everything called work. I only needed experience

to become a specialist.

It was while working at the site of an Army

officer resident in Lagos but building a Duplex in

the village that I got wind of the news that the

Army was recruiting and interested Candidates

should go to the Barracks at Ede and obtain the

Recruitment Form.

I told Baba Miko I was interested and he allowed

me to travel to Ede the next day to obtain the

form. That was the first day I actually traveled

out of Esa- Odo. I went in the Company of

another Boy from Ijebu-Jesha that was a co

laborer, he knew his way around Ede.

I returned from Ede and joined Baba Miko at the

Site and with his assistance, we got the form

signed by our Kabiesi (Local Village head) Oba

Adewale Adesankan. I also went to Obokun local

Government Headquarters the next day to obtain

the signature of the Chairman as well as get my

certificate of origin letter.

After a week of running around and updating the

form, I went back to Ede to submit the form and

was surprised to see that the recruitment

screening exercise was starting same day. There

were so many youths present there with their

sports attire and file jackets containing copies of

their credentials. I hurriedly made copies of my

credentials at a kiosk nearby and ran towards

the office to see if I would be fortunate to

submit my form.

Na wetin? A Soldier asked me as I arrived at the

reception panting

Good morning Sir! I said: I want to submit my

form sir! I just dey travel come my village,

and I dey hear say na today the thing dey start!

Shut up! Give me the form! Oya go and join

others outside: the Soldier commanded.

I joined the crowd of youths well kitted in sports

attire and canvas shoes to match, I was wearing

a Buba and sokoto with a bath room Slippers, I

looked out of place.