THE FOREVER KIND OF LOVE – a novel (28)
by : Pastor Taiwo Iredele Odubiyi
Cont’d
Dayo greeted them. He didn’t see Mercy. But of course, she would be at work, he told himself. He was looking forward to seeing her again though.
Abbey emerged from his room. The teenage boy was almost as tall as his father. When he saw Dayo, he came over and greeted him.
Dayo gave him a light punch in the arm and said, “You now have two brothers to teach how to play football, right?”
Abbey smiled and said “Yes.”
“Where’s Bola?”
“I think she’s in the bathroom.” Abbey said.
Dayo stayed in the living room. An elderly woman who looked very much like Ibie’s mother came out of one of the rooms. When Dayo heard someone call her Lizzy’s mother, he knew she was Ibie’s aunt.
Femi came to meet Dayo where he sat and Dayo stood to talk to him. When he told Femi about Sunny, Femi said they’d discuss it better on Monday when he would come to the office.
At about three, Dayo decided to go and sit outside under the canopy. There, he found that more people had arrived. Femi’s Personal Assistant, Daniel arrived. They greeted each other before he went inside the house.
At about three-thirty, Dayo saw his mother enter the compound. He got up and went to meet her. After greeting her, he accompanied her inside the house to see Femi and Ibie. His mother gave an addressed envelope that contained some cash to Ibie and Femi, and they thanked her.
Dayo and his mother returned outside, sat at a table and chatted while they watched as more people arrived.
“Has Daddy called you?” Dayo wanted to know. His father was supposed to return from Enugu that day.
“Yes. He’s on his way back. He’ll probably get home around nine or ten.” She said and checked her watch. “I will leave when it’s seven-thirty.”
Grace and Albert arrived and Dayo told his mother, “That’s Pastor Ibie’s daughter with her husband.”
He got up and went to greet them before they went inside the house.
Some minutes after, a couple in their fifties arrived. They were being followed by two men and a woman.
Dayo told his mother, “That’s the General Overseer of their church with his wife.”
The five people went inside the house.
When two people came under the canopy and began to distribute the programme for the ceremony, Dayo wondered if Mercy would come at all. He hoped she would.
By three-fifty five, there were about a hundred people seated.
“Naming ceremonies are a big deal in this part of the world.” Dayo commented.
“Of course.”
Just then, the front door of the house opened and people began to come out. Then, the photographer and a man carrying a video recorder came out. They were followed by a woman holding the hand of Femi’s grandmother. The fathers of Femi and Ibie, and Femi’s children were next. And then, the General Overseer, his wife and their ministers appeared. They were followed by Femi and Ibie, their mothers who were carrying the twins, and Lizzy’s mother.
“Wow!” Dayo’s mother exclaimed, smiling. “The woman looks beautiful!”
Femi wore a simple white lace buba and sokoto. The buba was a shirt with a loose fitting neck that reached halfway down his thighs while the sokoto was the trousers. The cap on his head was red and silver.
The iro and buba which Ibie wore was a dazzling red Organza lace that had silver sequins. The buba was a blouse with a loose neck and long wide sleeves while the iro was a wrapper which she wrapped round and tied at the back. Her headgear and ipele were red and silver sego damask. The ipele which was a shawl was held loosely round her waist with her left hand. Her jewelleries were gold while her shoe and bag were also red with silver. Her makeup had been skilfully applied.
As Ibie walked beside her husband, she felt great, strong, and happy.
The General Overseer, his wife and their ministers were led by a woman to a place right in front. Three long tables had been set side by side on a row and covered with a fine white damask cloth. A microphone and a big Bible were on it. Ten white chairs were set there. The ministers sat down, facing the crowd.
Femi and Ibie, their parents, grandmother, and Lizzy’s mother were also taken to assigned places in front.
A pastor in Femi’s parish stood on a side in front with a paper and microphone in his hands. Serving as the MC, he called five pastors including Jaye and Lizzy to come forward to join the ministers seated in front.
Choristers from Femi’s parish were seated on a side in front in their yellow on black uniform.
At four-ten, the crowd was asked to stand and the ceremony commenced with opening prayer by one of the ministers in front. Only Femi’s grandmother, Ibie, and the two grandmothers carrying the twins remained seated.
This was followed by praise and worship which lasted about ten minutes. Afterward, the people were asked to sit. Lizzy got up to read some scriptures. After this, the crowd was asked to stand again to sing the first hymn.
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet Thy tributes bring!
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise the everlasting King!
They sang the five stanzas of the hymn and then sat down.
The General Overseer remained standing. He prayed briefly, and then delivered a message he titled ‘The Purpose of Life’ which lasted about twenty minutes.
When he asked for the names for the babies, Femi gave him a slip of paper. He looked at it and laughed. Femi also laughed.
“Wow! These children are blessed!” The G.O. announced.
Some people laughed.
He asked Femi to read the names out for people to hear. Femi stood up and the serving MC gave the microphone in his hand to him.
Smiling, Femi said, “The one being carried by my mother came out first and these are his names: James, Oluwatosin.”
There were twenty names in all including Benin names.
Then he read the names of the second boy being carried by Ibie’s mother, “John, Oluwatobi.”
He also had twenty names.
Afterward, the General Overseer continued with the ceremony. He asked for the twins to be given to him, one in each of his arms. With one of the ministers holding the microphone close to his mouth, the G.O. named the children, and prayed for them.
When he finished, the twins were taken from him. He then anointed and prayed for Femi, Ibie, their children, parents, and Femi’s grandmother.
After this, offerings were taken for the babies, and then it was time for Ibie to speak.
The moment she stood, people began to clap. She was smiling. When they stopped, she raised a song and immediately, the choristers rose to their feet and joined in.
Faithful, faithful, faithful is our God,
Faithful, faithful, faithful is our God,
Faithful, faithful, faithful is our God,
Faithful, faithful, faithful is our God,
I’m reaping the harvest God promised me,
Take back what the devil stole from me,
And I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all,
Yes, I rejoice today, for I shall recover it all.
(To be continued )
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