SON OF MAN: Baba Agba Part 2 – Tosin Ezekiel
Have you ever seen a spirit? Do you know what it’s like to have a spirit around you or talking to you? I’ll show you how.
If you’ve been following my stories, you’ll know that my father was a ‘Babalawo,’ and he died two days before my final university exam. My father wanted me to be the next person to take his place and carry on the family masquerade.
My uncles gave me an empty calabash to get some water from the shrine in order to perform the ritual. I threw away the calabash and ran away, but I got lost and ended up in the forbidden forest. Unfortunately, my father’s spirit followed me into the forbidden forest.
While sitting under the tree in the dark and lonely night, I saw my father’s spirit before me, along with all my ancestors, my great…and great…grandfather.
I was dizzy but awake, and I could hear them. They informed me that I had been chosen as the next Baba agba. The person carrying the masquerade was called Baba Agba.
“Look!” exclaimed my father’s spirit, within a minute of my looking, they showed me all the powers that would be available to me if I became the next “Baba agba”
I saw eleven spirits who were going to work with the next Baba agba.
The first spirit was a dancing spirit, he danced so quickly, and then my father said, “With that spirit walking with you, great musicians, pastors, musicians and politicians will visit you to become popular.”
The second spirit was a very swift spirit, it was so fast like a flash of light. My father told me the spirit could make me travel through the air and nobody would see me.
The third and fourth spirits appeared like angry boys, my father told me I could send them on errands especially when it was dark.
He told of the sixth to the eleventh spirits, but the last one was terrifying; he appeared with a small plank in his hand. I expected my father to say something, but he remained silent.
I’m not sure if I was sleeping under the tree or awake, but I spoke in response. I was already intrigued by the entire situation. What kind of power would I have? I felt the powers and honour were more important than anything else.
After all, I didn’t know who the Son Of Man was, and he might not be able to give me such power.
“What spirit is this?” I inquired about the last spirit with a plank.
But none could answer me. My father was quiet and all his ancestors were mute.
Within me, I felt it might be death, the spirit of death, so I asked, “What will be my end after all these, will I die too, where will I go.”
I saw my father was shocked by the question. He looked at his father and replied, “You will join us.”
I shouted no! No! I don’t want to join you.
‘You will join us’ my father and grandfather replied roaring and laughing.
I shouted no, “I won’t!”
Before I knew it, all of them on the line, my father, grandfather, great-grandfather, up to the tenth generation, echoed it, “You will join us.”
The noise was so real that I became conscious but I could still see them. The only thing I could do was to turn back as I couldn’t go forward.
I had wanted to become Baba agba after seeing all the powers and spirits, but if I would die and join my ancestors, of what use is the power?
I wanted to run but I couldn’t because they were in my front, and if I turned back, I would be lost forest in the forbidden forest. I knew one must not look back in the forbidden forest.
Then I remembered the Son Of Man, I said “Son of Man, help me, be with me.”
Then it was like I heard a still small voice from behind, “I am right behind you.”
The voice was so real and comforting that I thought of looking back, but no, I remembered I would be lost.
I then had two options: to move forward and accept to be the next Baba agba or turn back to see if the son of man was real, he might be able to save me.
I closed my eyes, breathed in and out. Suddenly, I looked back! I even thought I would die, but guess who I saw!
I saw Him, he was the most handsome person I’d ever seen, His hair was as white as wool, and his eyes were like a dove and gentle. When I gazed at His eyes, I felt like I was under a blanket feeling warm. Is this the son of man, He appeared so lovely and gentle.
He touched my mouth and within some seconds, he showed me what He wanted to do with my life.
With boldness, I kept walking home Before I could reach home, it was getting to daybreak.
As I sighed my compound, fear gripped me again, “How do I go home?”
I stood on the road that led to my compound, I was in thought, “Should I go and tell them what I saw or run away? But my uncles, they will kill me…”
I had thrown away the last empty calabash for fetching water at the shrine and they said, if it got broken, they would need three virgins for sacrifice or three pregnant women.
I stood in fear, “Should I go home while they kill innocent virgins and pregnant women or run away before they kill me?”
#OpraDre SON OF MAN SON OF MAN SON OF MAN
To be continued next post…
