© Ayo Omolayo
When I got home after the meeting, I narrated what happened to me to my Dad. He was shocked beyond words. But what he did was to ask me the one question that changed my life forever.
“Would you love to move in with mummy Toyin?” He asked.
My question was first of all how would that be possible? The great woman of God? Me, living in her house? It’s like a dream come true. But how would my father be able to achieve that.
I had to reveal the question in my heart and get to find out how dad would achieve it.
“Daddy! Would that be possible?”
“What would not be possible?”
“Staying with her like she was my own mother?”
He smiled and shook his head.
“All I want to hear from you is a yes! Leave the rest of the job to me. Do you want to move in with mummy Toyin or not?” He asked.
I could not reject this offer. If there was an opportunity to live under the same roof with that Jesus celebrity, then I won’t lose such a chance. I was ready to follow her everywhere she went as her errand girl. I want to be her armour bearer. The one carrying her bible for her and following her all over the world to ministrations.
I was ready to do this, so I gave dad my yes in capital letters.
“Good! The woman of God was a friend of mine on campus. That’s for your information. Infact, I was supposed to…..”, He said and paused.
“Let me leave the story that way”, he said with a sad face.
I was shocked by what my dad was saying. So dad knew her very well and never took me to visit her all these while? That’s so unfair.
“Daddy! So you knew her very well and you never made me visit her all these while?”
“I never knew you were one of her fans”, he said grinning.
I gave him a mild punch on the arm.
“You’re wicked!” I said in a playful annoyance.
He only laughed.
It was like a dream come true when I was face to face with the woman of God.
I introduced myself over and over again, but she struggled to remember me or the meeting where I got to meet her. It took a lot of persuasion before she was able to recall the meeting.
I also noticed she was excited to see my dad. But my dad was looking so sad as we talked. Whenever they looked at each other, my Dad looked like someone remorseful and full of guilt.
Hmmm! Something happened to them while they were on campus. Something daddy is not willing to tell me. I had my hopes high. I knew somehow with time, I would get the woman of God to tell me herself.
“Alright ma! Make this girl a slay queen! That was the last word my father said to her. Before leaving the house.
I turned and looked at him for the very last time and then looked at the woman of God sitting right in front of me.
“Welcome to the army barrack!” She said smiling.
My heart jumped at that. Army barrack? Was this a set up or what? Why would she call her house a barrack?
I guess with time, as you follow my story, you would understand why she called the house a barrack. It was a military training ground. With time you would find out why I called it so. I was completely lost in the fear of having to lion a completely new environment. But she was all I needed now.
In a few seconds, two teenage girls came down the stairs to meet us. She stood up and smiled.
“Juliet, meet Ella and Susan. These are my girls. You’re going to have fun getting to know them better. They are very friendly, so you don’t have to worry about them. They’ll do all they can to make this barrack comfortable for you. If at all people enter the barracks in order to live a comfortable life”, she said smiling to herself.
I looked at the girls and introduced myself to them.
Soon mummy stood up and left me with the girls.
“Hi! I’m Juliet! I said trying to give a good first impression.
“My friends call me Juliana. A character from my favourite Telemundo movie series, Red roses”.
You know that feeling when the people you are talking to have no idea of what you’re talking about but they’re just giving you a smile to make you feel compensated? That’s what I was getting here.
I felt I was talking to myself because their a look at them spelt out their ignorance.
“So what are your names please?” I asked, not ready to be discouraged.
“I’m Susan!” Said the one with fair complexion.
“Susan Adeola!” She added.
“Nice to meet you Susan! I’m Juliet Anderson!” I replied grinning.
“And you are?” I said turning to the one with dark complexion.
“I’m Ella! Ella Abayomi”, she replied.
“That’s a lovely name dear. Are you Pamella or Emmanuella or Cinderella? Which of them?” I asked, trying to make the introduction look exciting.
I’m not a dull person one bit. I’m an extrovert and a core sanguine. I love making friends and talking a lot. Sometimes I can be deliberately troublesome just to get a place lively.
“What’s Cinderella?” Ella asked.
I don’t understand ooo! You mean in this century someone doesn’t know what is Cinderella? I don’t get it! Is she pretending or is this real?
“Ella! Stop it!” Susan said and pinched her on the arm.
“Ouch! What was that for?” She winced, rubbing her hand over the place where the pain was inflicted.
“She’s not a cartoon girl! Infact she doesn’t watch television. Maybe once in a week”, Susan said smiling.
I felt like fainting. Did I hear well?
“Do you mean mummy doesn’t allow anyone watch TV in this house?” I asked because I was already scared.
How will I survive in this house without my television?
“No! Not at all! Anyone is free to use the television. Infact, you can turn it on whenever you like. It’s just that we have been to busy with a lot of activities that we barely have time to look at the TV”.
I quickly exhaled.
“You girls are trying sha! I wonder how a human being can survive without television”, I said and chuckled.
“Don’t worry! You would soon be initiated!” Ella said smiling.
“Initiated?” I asked with popped out eyes.
“You mean like a secret cult?” I asked.
“Ella!” Susan said and nudged her.
“What?”
“Calm down! She just arrived! Let’s welcome her first”, Susan said and walked over to me. She places her arm across my shoulder.
“You’re welcome to this family Juliet Anderson”,
I like this girl Susan! She’s more friendly and easy to talk to compared to the other girl. I never knew Ella would be more easier to talk to than Susan. I was about to find out why.
“Thank you Miss Susan Adeola!” I said repeating her full name and we both burst into laughter.
“Come let me show you the entire house”,
She led me up the staircase, but I quickly paused and turned to look at Ella who was about to sit on the sofa.
“Ella! Aren’t you coming with us?”
“Three’s a crowd! You two can go ahead without me”.
“Why? Is it because we are both yellow and you are black in complexion?”
We all burst into laughter. I congratulated myself in my heart for making the place lively. Juliana! You’re such a genius!
To be honest, colour was not an issue with Ella! She was extremely beautiful. I mean it when I said beautiful. She was dark, but so beautiful! So also was Susan.
“You’re both fair in complexion! But that is not the reason why I am not going with you”, she said smiling.
“Come on! Admit it! You just don’t want us to stain you with our yellow skin. But please so allow us ooo! So that we can turn you from black to chocolate”, I said.
“Juliet! You’re so funny jare!” She said admist laughter.
“Please come with us na! Ejor (please)!” I said and walked up to meet her on the sofa.
“Okay!” She said and stood up!”
We took a tour around the house. The part of the house I loved so much was the kitchen. It was well loaded with food. And the best part was where I was told that we were free to enter the kitchen and eat whatever we want whenever we feel like.
I jumped at that. I was a foodie and wasn’t a shy type when it comes to shocking those around with the wonderful stomach I carry.
Consumer was my stage name or should I say, my eating name. I can chop and unchop. No go there oh! Those food in the kitchen shall hear my name and they shall tremble. They shall learn to fear the lady with the capital letter J.
Because I was coming back for them. Chai! Someone should clap for me jare! I’m so happy I came to this barrack. Wait oh! If this place is a place for enjoyment, why do they call it barrack?
I shrugged and continued smiling sheepishly. I didn’t know that thought was ringing a bell in my head.
Soon the girls showed me their rooms. They both had their personal room in the house. The only spare room left was the visitors room. That meant one thing. I had to pair with one of the girls.
I guess you already knew who I was going to share a room with? Tell me jare! I’m hearing someone saying Ella! Who said that? You’re lucky you ran away after saying it.
I packed my stuffs into Susan’s room and sat down on the bed. She began to help me arrange my stuffs. She unzipped my bag and began to hang my clothes in the wardrobe.
“So are you mummy’s daughter or you came here to live with her just like me?” I asked as we worked together.
“Mummy has only one biological child and many spiritual children. Ella is her only child. I’m an orphan! I lost my parents last year! Mummy took me to live with her when none of my family members came for me”, she answered.
“Geez! I’m so sorry about that?”
“It’s alright! I’m doing great!” She said and made a funny smile.
I laughed just to encourage her but I was still feeling her pain.
Well! Day one in mummy’s house was wonderful. Only that I was yet to meet the daddy of the house. While we were touring the house, mummy cane out dressed and told us she would be back in the evening tomorrow.
I guess she was off for a ministration. When I asked after her husband, they told me he travelled and won’t be back until two days. So it was just me and the girls.
Besides, dinner was great because we worked to prepare it together. We prayed together and went to bed. We spent the entire day together. It was so much fun.
I was still sleeping very early in the morning the next day when I felt a hand tapping me.
I ignored but the tapping was becoming too painful that I had to respond. I hated being interrupted when I’m asleep.
“What is it? I asked as soon as I discovered it was Susan.
“It’s 5am already! When are you going to observe your quiet time?”
“Quiet what?” I asked completely confused.
“Quiet time of course!”
“I don’t understand! What is quiet time?” I asked.
“Jesus is Lord! Tell me this is one of your jokes!” She said with a shocked expression.
“Seriously! I don’t know what it is”, I answered.
“My goodness! And in this house, no one is allowed to eat untill they have spent at least one hour praying. You must pray for at least one hour or else you won’t be allowed to eat in this house”.
I almost urinated on my body. Na wetin you talk? Talk am again make I hear! One wetin? The highest I have ever prayed on my own was ten minutes. That was the day I needed God to help me pass my junior WAEC exams. I really flopped in mathematics.
So I fasted that day and broke my fast by 8:30 am after praying for 10 minutes. That was a year ago. That was the last time I fasted, from 6am to 8:30am fasting. Wonderful fasting!
Wait oooo! You mean I wouldn’t eat untill I finish praying for one hour. I’m dead!
To be continued……..
Miss Juliet Anderson! We welcome you to the army barrack! Especially a barrack runned by the spiritual slay mama called Susan
You don die be that 🤣😂🤣😂🤣
You people should beg Susan to pity her small ooo! It’s not easy to pray for ten minutes.
Consumer was my stage name or should I say, my eating name. I can chop and unchop. No go there oh! Those food in the kitchen shall hear my name and they shall tremble. They shall learn to fear the lady with the capital letter J.
Because I was coming back for them. Chai! Someone should clap for me jare! I’m so happy I came to this barrack. Wait oh! If this place is a place for enjoyment, why do they call it barrack?
Oya come and eat 🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣
