Oloyede's Blog: True Stories

A dusty path had led me here

Across the Niger to the banks of Benue

Forgetting the miles and mountains behind

This travelling feet of mine now trample red strange soil

Down the cliff of this unknown I jumped

Obeying the clarion call

My bag across my shoulders

My dreams across my mind

Though I had forgotten how to smile

I can still hear the prayers of mothers

And feel the spirit of my fathers

Unto to you this foreign land I come

I've heard tales of you

Told by hunters and travellers

Behind the hearth of our grandmothers

And sometimes at the market square

They said you are that night tiger

That steals the head of the careless

You are also the morning angel

That bless the fortune of orphans

You are whom you chose to be to any

Each time I gaze at this green kaki

This symbol of intelligence

That reminds me of our crumbling nation

I wonder really which story to believe

What lot fate will allot me

I went with the noiseless wind from the west

Unannounced, unnoticed and unknown

The man you sent to bring me (driver)

Left me at the mercy of jackals at the crossroads

Remember I had no home in this place far from home

I watched a yonder tree

Wondered if that will be my bed for the cold night

I search the sky and saw darkness coming

But why is His phone not going through

I called and called but he could not hear

Is he lost like I am too?

I won't forgive this if the open field becomes my room tonight

And even in that uniform

The strangers passed in silence

Each minding his business

"O God, what have I done to deserve this?

The exile in a world with whistling hostilities

Is more than I can bear

I'm famished!

Hear there language

Like the rantings of frustrated stammerer

I'm hungry

My body aches for the want of rest

My eyes deemed for the want of sleep

Let this cup please pass me over"

Then my phone rang sending vibes through my veins

It was my new boss

The one to host me for the night

Not until two hours passed

Before he rode in on his motorcycle

That motorcycle must have served him for years

With its rickety appearance

And the wailing confusions in its sounds

I can almost hear it pleading for mercy

From a master already too big for its back yo carry

The cold breeze had plundered my flesh

Hunger had ravaged my bowel

Beyond the repairs of a bowl of yams

Yet he came with his expected toga of apologies

I know he will say I'm sorry

But what's that to me

Give me food and bed in a warm room

And let me kiss the night and dream of home

***************Story continues later*********

My Testimony of God's Faithfulness in 2017
© Olatuja Oloyede

This year like no other year in my life has been a year of testimony to God's faithful.

I graduated in January with a good grade (there was no course I had less than C from 100l to 400)

I travelled to Lagos to work. The same week I got there I got a job which I was among the highest paid staff although not handsomely paid. I got another job after some months where I was highly favoured by my employer. Her kindness was inspired by a force which could only be God. I was not the highest ranked staff there but I was the highest paid. Is that not God...?

My uncle and aunty with whom I stayed throughout in Lagos were source of tremendous blessings. I was treated like a king with utmost care which sometimes make me wonder if I deserve such attention.

O... I met too many people this year. Some from the places I worked, some from our church in Festac, some from the Street, some in Benue State, some even foreigners on social media. I keep getting messages even till yesterday how much some persons I've bounded with missed me.

Some lives have been a source of spiritual motivation to me. I've been among God's children a very troublesome breed but these ones consciously or unconsciously have motivated me to stay close to my savour.

I've seen God faithfulness at work everywhere. I saw the supernatural workings of God over lives. These though I will not mention in details have confirmed to me more than ever before that my God answers prayers. Yesterday, I gave a friend a book to read only to come back meeting him on his knees pleading for grace and asking for forgiveness of sins for about 2 hours or more in tears. Our God is indeed faithful.

Journey mercies everywhere. Don't say what am I looking for...I visited several States within this country. I was on 11 hours journey this month.

I got posted to Benue for NYSC where I made several good friends from many tribes. Judith, Obakam, Daniel, Segun, Emmanuel, Aromath, the guys from Winner's family house and others.

What more can I say? I've enjoyed sound health, answered prayers and open heaven. God I'm grateful.

Creative Arena was born this year where I've met many like minds and heart blowing poets. Hall of Truth has brought me closer to certain comrades in the faith and Creative Arena has brought like minded people in line with my passion.

And all this while, I've been talking about myself. How about what God has done for my family and friends. The seas they've crossed, the yokes that were broken, the lands that were taken, and the grace that abound.

I hope we can find a thousand reason to thank the Almighty as we advance into the new year. Happy New Year in advance.
2018 loading in a bit

This year like no other year in my life has been a year of testimony to God's faithful.

I graduated in January with a good grade (there was no course I had less than C from 100l to 400)

My uncle and aunty with whom I stayed throughout in Lagos were source of tremendous blessings. I was treated like a king with utmost care which sometimes make me wonder if I deserve such attention.

Journey mercies everywhere. Don't say what am I looking for...I visited several States within this country. I was on 11 hours journey this month.

I got posted to Benue for NYSC where I made several good friends from many tribes. Judith, Obakam, Daniel, Segun, Emmanuel, Aromath, the guys from Winner's family house and others.

What more can I say? I've enjoyed sound health, answered prayers and open heaven. God I'm grateful.

I hope we can find a thousand reason to thank the Almighty as we advance into the new year. Happy New Year in advance.
2018 loading in a bit

Excerpts From the book I never wrote [Non-Fiction, usage of names are real]

Unlike other days, I had chosen to trek the long distance to use one of the lecture theaters in school for my evening class, the last semester examination had started some days ago, it has now become a culture for students to fill every available spots inside the campus. Traditional I am of the type that prefers to sit back at home to read during examination time, visiting the library only when my ever noisy neighbors chose to start their trade of annoying banters, of which i was a part of, so it's only fair for me to have my share of the disturbance, but I needed to study for my Greek examination the next morning.

Wole,my very close friend had volunteered to follow me to school for the evening study session, and I did not refused him, for it's very rare seeing him paying any serious attention to evening classes, for he would prefer to have his all night reading session, so I was glad I saved him from freezing himself out there in the cold at night for our lecture theaters was no save haven.
.

Due to the magnitude of the course, which I was to write the next day and the unavailability of electricity in the town, we had both opted to stay two extra hours reading inside the school, so we devoured every pages like an hungry lion, leaving none for others. When we realized that we had stayed far too long, we packed our books, laptops and phones, stuffing them into our bags as we left the school premises, hoping to get back to our hostel before 12 am.
.

Just as the wind bellowed calmly and the leaves dancing in harmony, the star were already finding their way beneath the clouds flanking the crescent shaped moon. We drifted with empty stomach, along the narrow path that led to our hostel, with only few houses in sight, for all that was around us was a thick bush, we were already smelling home, when we stumbled to the midst of a group of guys, and we need no guide to tell us that they were cultists, I thought of running away as fast as my legs could carry me, but then I thought of my bag, which was as heavy as a milestone and my friend wole, who was as short as a midget,besides it's too dark if me to run, for my glasses would do so little helping me navigate the turns. They surrounded surrounded us like little children surrounding the food seller's stall, and demanded that we tell if we were spies, we lacked the strengths to give a reply for instead of hearing their shouts at us, we heard our stomachs crying for food, and our body demanding for warmth. Wole was no where to be found for his shortness made him invincible, their mouth smelt of alcohol and i knew it's pointless arguing with them, expecting the worse, just as a slap was about to find a waiting abode on the terrace of my face, one of them screamed, "leave them alone, seems I know this one in glasses", pointing to my shirt which had "nifes"printed on it. He told the rest of his gang that we used to attend classes together, which left me baffled, for I couldn't seem to place him.

And like a freed bird I walked calmly away from them, while wole was already miles ahead, thanking my stars, wole broke the silence, "MARCUS! So that guy think he could slap you right? "
.

I looked at him, lost of words, and I thought deep within, if he had slapped me, what would you have done midget?
We continued our journey, with me promising myself never to stay that late in school again.

.
IG- Oluwamarc
Amudipe Marcus

Excerpts From the book I never wrote [Non-Fiction, usage of names are real]

And like a freed bird I walked calmly away from them, while wole was already miles ahead, thanking my stars, wole broke the silence, "MARCUS! So that guy think he could slap you right? "
.

.
IG- Oluwamarc
Amudipe Marcus

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