“Good goood morning sir.” He stuttered, whereas greeting the person he noticed sitting within the church premises.
“Yes, good morning. How may I help you.” He requested as he scanned him head to toe.”
“I’m Olakunle sir, I noticed the signal outdoors saying there’s a gap for the job of a safety guard.”
“Ehe.” He replied still looking at him disdainfully.
“I used to be considering sir, if I could be given the job.”
“Hmmm! Really?”
“Forget my appears sir, I can do the job. I’m a graduate from the University of Maiduguri, I’ve a B.Sc in Chemical Engineering.”
“All that is not needed. Are you a Christian?” He asked.
“Yes sir.”
“Are you a member of this church?”
“No sir, however I’m a very good Christian and I move to church usually.”
“That alone has disqualified you, I do not assume you may be given the job.”
“Please sir, I really want this job. Please assist me.”
“That is just not my choice to make, the Bishop has the ultimate say.”
“Okay sir, please let me see him, I consider he’ll take pity on me and provides me the job.”
“You aren’t a member of this church, what makes you assume he’ll take you?”
“Let me strive my luck sir. Please.”
“Well, no hurt in attempting. Come with me.”
Olakunle followed him to the Bishop’s office and asked him to sit down and wait, while he goes inside the Bishop’s office to speak with him.
While he waited, his wife kept flashing him. He sent her a text message;
“Ifemi, I’ll name you again please. I’m at a job interview.”
After what seemed like forever, he was called into the Bishop’s office.
“Good morning sir.” He greeted as he bowed.
“You are welcome younger man, have a sit.”
“Thank you sir.” He said as he took his sit.”
“Joshua, my secretary told me you are here for the job of the Church’s security guard.”
“Yes sir, I am sir. I can do the job well sir, like I told him, I am a graduate sir, I have a second class upper division in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious University of Maiduguri. Give me a trial sir, and you won’t regret it.”
“That’s interesting.” The Bishop stated smiling.”
“Thank you sir.”
“Are you a born once more Christian?”
“I strive my greatest Sir.”
“That doesn’t reply my query. Do you might have a private relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?”
“No sir. But I attend church usually.”
“Close your eyes, let me lead you to Christ.”
The Bishop prayed with him and preached the Bible with him for over thirty minutes. During the sermon, his phone kept ringing, but he kept rejecting it.
“You could need to take that decision, as a result of I observed that caller has been attempting to succeed in you non cease.” The Bishop said, as he ended his sermon.
“It’s my spouse sir, I’ll name her later.”
“It’s nice, you possibly can name her now.”
Olakunle called his wife back, as soon as she picked, the sound of the children crying was loud in the background.
“Where are you Ifemi?” His wife asked.
“At the Church the place I went to hunt for a job.”
“Oh, it is a church? That’s good then, I do know they may rent you.”
“You’ve been calling non cease, and why are the youngsters crying?”
“Ifemi, . We have not eaten since right this moment. They are hungry. I soaked the final garri in the home for them but it surely’s not sufficient. I’ve been consuming water myself since morning. Dayo has been complaining of abdomen ache too, however I do know it is the starvation. Please get us bread when coming again.”
“Ok, Ifemi. I’ll strive. Bye.”
“I’m sorry sir. That was my spouse.”
“Oh, that is nice. As pathetic as your scenario is, I’m sorry, we won’t rent you.”
“But why sir?”
“The opening is accessible strictly for church members who’ve attended this church for at the very least 5 years. We cannot simply make use of non members once we equally have members who want this job too.”
“Sir, I really want this job, if not for something, to have the ability to put meals on the desk for my household sir. Please have mercy.”
“I can not, that is the Church’s coverage. I’m sorry, you could move now.”
Olakunle begged and begged but he was denied the job. Joshua, the man he had met earlier, came to drag him out of the Bishop’s office.
On reaching outside, he pleaded with Joshua to at least help him with some noodles because he saw over fifty cartons of them packed close to the Church’s gate.
“Young man, that is additionally for church members, I can not provide you with, please depart.”
“Okay, can I’ve some cash please for transportation?”
Joshua dipped his hands in his pocket and handed him #500 note.
“Please, you possibly can move now.”
“Thank you sir, God bless you sir. This is greater than sufficient. Thank you. Olakunle stated as he left.”
He had #250 extra in his pocket, so in total, he had #750. He decided to branch a small market on his way home. He got two cups of rice, half cup of beans and other small ingredients.
This will at least last us tonight, tomorrow will take care of itself. He thought to himself.
He had nothing left on him for transportation, so he walked home. It was quite a distance to his house.
He decided to call his wife.
“Hello, Ifemi. Thank goodness you referred to as. Dayo has been vomiting, he’s crying profusely additionally. I’ve gone to Tobi’s chemist, however he refused to take care of us due to the cash we’re owing him. I’m confused.”
“I’m on my manner, rush him to the hospital close to the home, I’m coming.”
Olakunle began racing home, he tried crossing the road and didn’t see the incoming vehicle, which almost knocked him down. It was a taxi driver.
“Oga, shey you no dey see ni?”
“I’m sorry sir, I used to be misplaced in thought.” He said, crying as he tried to gather the rice and beans which poured in the coal tar.
The driver seeing that Olakunle was crying, took pity on him.”
“Oga, come. Come enter motor make I drop you where you dey go. Leave the rice and beans. Sand don enter am.”
“Olakunle jumped into the car on hearing that.”
“Why grown up man like you come dey cry for road.”
“It’s a long story sir, my son is at the hospital. Please, just take me there.”
The driver raced to the hospital. On reaching there, Olakunle noticed his spouse sitted on the reception crying, with Dayo virtually lifeless in her arms.
“Ifemi, they refused to attend to us, because of money.”
It’s okay, Ifemi, do not cry, he’ll be nice.”
“Don’t inform that Olakunle, our son is dying.”
“Calm down madam, how a lot are they asking you to deposit!” The driver asked.
“Fifteen thousand naira sir, the place do they anticipate us to get that sort of cash from?”
“I will likely be proper again.” The driver said and went out.
He returned shortly with twenty five thousand naira and handed it to Olakunle.
“Please, make the required funds, so he could be attended to, this boy would not look good in any respect.”
Olakunle, speechless, stood looking at the man, mouth wide opened.
“Oga, move pay na.” He screamed at him.
Minutes later, Dayo was attended to. He was given drips and injections. According to the Doctor, Dayo was suffering from serious malnutrition. He assured them that he’d be fine.
The driver excused himself, and went outside.
He returned with three big nylon bags, and handed it to Mrs Olakunle.
“Here madam, please handle this.”
Inside were provisions, toiletries, beverages, bottle water, and food from the eatery.
She fell on her knees, crying and thanking him.”
“It’s nothing madam, please get up.”
Olakunle, got here in with their second son Olamide, seeing what the driving force had purchased for them, laid flat on the bottom thanking the person too.
He begged them to cease being dramatic.
“This is nothing, I am only doing what I ought to do, lend a helping hand to a fellow human. Please stop acting like I have done something extra ordinary.”
The driver was with them until night, he begged to take his depart so he can get again to work.
They each thanked him very nicely, Olakunle determined to see him off to automotive whereas his spouse bade him farewell.
“Oga, what’s your name please.”
“Oh, I am Usman.”
“I am Olakunle, Thank you very much for today.”
“It’s nothing.” He dipped his hand in his pocket and gave him additional ten thousand naira.
“This should be enough to offset his remaining bills. But if it’s not enough, you have my number. Call me.
Olakunle was dumbfounded. Tears rolling from his eyes.
“But why sir?”
“Why what?” Usman asked surprised.
“Why are you serving to me? You barely know me.”
“Because it is the best factor to do.” Usman said laughing.
“Are you a Christian?”
“Why’s that essential? Must I be a Christian or Muslim to assist a fellow human being? Forget that factor man. It’s *”HUMANITY OVER RELIGION”* for me. Take care, I gotta move.”
He zoomed off, while Olakunle stood there, crying profusely. Wondering why a whole church Bishop couldn’t help him, but an ordinary taxi driver who didn’t bother to ask him his religion, church or even State of Origin.
“Ifemi, certainly, I’ve met an Angel right this moment, within the type of a taxi driver.” He stated as he confirmed his spouse the additional cash Usman gave him.
