Emeka Was My Best Friend – Praises Chidera Obiora
So when I was 5 years old my mother had a best friend whom we always visited every Sunday evening.
She was married to a Pastor and had a son named Emeka. Emeka was my best friend. We had lots of memories together while growing up. The last I had seen him was on his 7th birthday before they finally left Jos for Kogi state.
So today my mother informed me that they were coming to town after leaving Jos for over twenty years. I was excited. I asked if Emeka will be coming too and she said yes.
I decided to visit them.
I wasn’t even sure they will recognize me. But to my surprise, when my mother’s friend saw me she jumped up and embraced me.
I asked of Emeka and she told me he was inside.
Then I saw Emeka dragging his feet and walking out with twisted hands and bended knees. Tongue out, neck bent, with saliva dripping out of his opened mouth.
He was now an imbecile.
He couldn’t recognize me. He walked past me and told his mother he was going out to play ball.
This guy should be around 31 years now.
I kept looking at him.
“That is Emeka now o. He changed ba?”
“Yes, ma. He wasn’t like this when we were children. What happened?”
“It is a long story my dear. I haven’t even told your mother because she will shout.”
“What happened?”
“You know Emeka’s father is a Pastor na.”
“Yes, ma.”
She heaved a sigh.
And began.
“Emeka’s father went to the mountain to pray for the growth of his church and for power to run his ministry. We were just in the early days of ministry. He spent 40days there and eventually returned on the 41st day. Emeka was the first to see him. My husband went to his drawer, pulled out money, and gave it to Emeka to buy him garri so he could eat the soup that was remaining. Emeka lost the money and returned like that. No money, no garri. Out of anger and the pain of hunger, the father shouted at him. “You imbecile, will you get back and bring my money? Fool.”
“Ah! ….”
“Emeka went back in search of the money. Nut when he returned, he didn’t return normal as he had left. Slowly and steadily my son began to transform. From the innocent child that he was, he became an imbecile.”
“Ah! He should have renounced it na.”
“He tried. He prayed. But nothing changed.”
“How about Uncle? Where is he?”
“He hung himself and died. He left me a note that God has forsaken him. He couldn’t live with the guilt knowing that his words out of anger, had turned his son into what he didn’t pray for him to be. Papa Emeka is dead. The flood chased us from our side, and I decided to come and stay at my younger sister’s house. She is out of the country now.”
My name is Praises Chidera Obiora and I am the best at what I do.
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