Aiyegbogbon, Not a Member

Aiyégb?gb??n, Not a member…….

Fatherhood and the Pulpit.

And he died, a few days after the church conference

A conference that had over thirty ministers, apart form the numerous music ministers, comedians and many others.

It was shocking and harrowing because he was everywhere during the conference.

He was driving ministers to and from the church to their hotel rooms.

He was their plug for major administrative issues and other social activities such as shopping and sightseeing

Some of them were foreigners and others who were Nigerians who had never been to the state before now.

A few days to the end of the conference, I saw a tired and worn face. He was practically panting, breathing hard, as he came down the stairs.

“Bro Aiyégb?gb??n, I hope you are alright” He collapse into the sofa at the reception, holding his head in his hands. He was soaked in his sweat and his hands were visibly shaking.

“Bro, I have a bad headache and I have had this headache for about three days now, but I will be ok. Maybe the fasting is also adding to the pressure. This driving is one of the commitments I made to Daddy GO, as a support for the conference. I still have a few leave days left after the conference; I will rest before resuming work.

And yes indeed he rested. It was an eternal rest because that was the last time we discussed.

He died two days after the conference.

His wife wailed like a grieving dog. His children sat transfixed with their hands in between their legs, tears rolling down their cheeks. His aged mother sat at a corner, her eyes tightly shut, and her head resting on the wall - All gray, all wrinkled, all sad.

They lived in a modest one-bedroom apartment with all that they have which was barely anything. The church sent delegates to sympathize while friends and family hung around the corridors as there was hardly a place to sit. Bro Aiyégb?gb??n was selfless

And after few days, the church called a meeting. I was in the hall adjacent the meeting room, sorting some documents mummy GO gave to me. She was looking for the receipt of a particular Jeweler she met at the Gold Souk at Dubai.

"But Bro Aiyegbogbon was not a member of the church. His name is not in the church register. I was surprised to learn that from the report given to me by the secretary. Of course, there are statutory processes carried out in this type of unfortunate incident."

“But I don’t understand. My husband and me have been attending this church even before we had any of our three children, that is over eight years ago. And my husband started driving Daddy G.O every Sunday as a commitment to the ministry, a year after we joined church. I work in the children’s department as a teacher and also come on Saturdays to join the cleaning committee to tidy the church for Sunday service. I really do not understand”

“I know Sister Aiyégb?gb??n, I know all you do for the church. I know your husband did too, but unfortunately, neither your husband’s name nor yours is in the church register as members."

"Well maybe that’s an oversight. I am not sure anyone brought it to our notice. I know we filled a form when we came newly to church."

“Yes, we saw the forms, but truth is neither of you have been paying the church yearly dues There were no receipts to your names or do you have any proof of payment?

“Ha ha, Pastor, proof of payment ke? The church knows our situation. The little we have is what we use to take care of our children, rent and all. Infact, my husband does not collect a dime for driving Daddy GO . He is practically his PA every Sunday, also giving administrative supports to the ministry.”

“But Sister. , it does not take way the fact that both of you are not financial members of the church. The implication of this is that you cannot benefit from the allocated funds set aside to be given to grieving family by the church, except you pay the arears of church dues”

“I still don’t get sir” She lamented

"Look, the other implications apart from not benefitting from the church allocated funds is that the church cannot officially bury Bro Aiyégb?gb??n as its our tradition.It is against the church constitution. However, we will send one of the Pastor in-training to officiate the service during the final interment"

“But, I really don’t get this. You mean my Husband will not be buried appropriately? A church service will not be held in his honour?”

“Unfortunately Sister, Yes, we will not be able to conduct a service in church for him. It is the church policy and we can’t change it. It is clearly stated that non-financial members cannot enjoy these benefits."

She broke down, torrents of tears and heartbreaking cries rent the air. She held her head, the same way her husband did. My heart skipped several beats as she screamed. It was a painful cry that will pierce any heart..

“So when my husband was driving ministers all through the conference, you didn’t know he was not a member. When the GO approached my husband to help for a few weeks after his driver left and he accepted to work for the GO free of charge every Sunday, supporting the ministry, you didn’t check your register to ascertain his membership and validate his eligibility. Why didn’t you reject his offer?"

The Pastor sighed. But Sis. you were working in the vineyard for the God, for the gospel.....

"When I was working tirelessly in the children's church, volunteering for the cleaning committee, including coming to the house to help mummy GO with some chores, nobody pointed me out as a non-member, an alien. Nobody rejected my help. "

"Now my husband is dead, so dead and the first card you drew from the church's hat is non-membership. What happened to the long hours we spend in church supporting this ministry? What happened to all our talents used to serve the church? Are you saying all that counts for nothing?"

“Sister Aiyégb?gb??n, try and understand, Please even in the midst of all this, Daddy GO still ask me to give you a sum of 25,000 naira to cover the expenses. You know the church just finished the conference and we spent so much making it happen.”

She bursted into fits of laughter, she laughed and began to cry, shouting her husband's name as she did. She grabbed the pastor's hand, snatched the money, and flung it at him. She removed the wristband with the inscription of the church and threw it away. She also yanked off the church badge that has the inscription “Worker” as mandated for us to wear whenever we were coming to church.

She packed her slipper slapped them against each other to remove the sand and dust.

She placed it back on the floor, wore it, dragged her son and stormed out of the church.

I put my hand over my head with my mouth wide open. My hand went numb and cold. The keys of the new Mercedes Benz bought for mummy GO by the church for her 45th birthday slipped away from my fingers. I bent down and picked it as so many thoughts raced through my mind.

I walked into the church office, with the pile of receipts. Mummy GO’s secretary was there, her hands fingering the keyboards with the speed of light. I shook my head as I know she offers other services beyond this typing. She was typing other things in the office of Daddy, but what do I know....

“Please give the keys to mummy GO when she steps out” I dropped the piles of receipts on the table.

“Ha no o, Brother Pius, don’t go yet, Infact, mummy GO left an instruction that once you come, I should let her know. She wants to visit the nail studio. Did you find the Dubai receipt?"

I shook my head in pain. I suddenly became dizzy as every word struck the wrong chord in me. I dropped the keys on the table and began to walk away. I walked briskly, breaking into a race as her voice continued to trail my every step

“Brother Pius, wait now. Brother Pius what is the matter? Are you alright? Brother, broth…. Br…….” And the voice faded away and so was my service from that day.

I felt the strokes of air caressing my face, the large hands of the wind embracing me. The freedom to breathe, and think again, all I have lost since I was approached and got engaged.

Yes, my phone has not stopped ringing, but I think it will ring till eternity. I am in my house eating eba, okro soup with Titus fish. I watched as my wife well endowed backside moved to the rhythm of her step. She suddenly looked alluring and the bulge in front of my trousers testified to it.

I will spend the rest my leave days, daily drinking from the cistern of the wife of my youth. What is there not to enjoy in the rich bossom of my wife. Why will I go and "kee" myself? After all, I am also not a member.

Dayo Oladele-Ilori

Lagos

08022022