'Be Merciful to those on Earth, so that the One above the Heavens will be Merciful unto you'.

Once upon a time...

*Let me share a story that might motivate us to act*

In a distant land where people lived in peace and harmony, surrounded by lovely natural sights and blessed with a moderate climate, there lived our main character number one. Let us take her name to be Atinuke.

Atinuke was the popular 'iya alakara', the one who fried bean cakes for sale in the little village. She was very friendly and had a large heart. Many indeed liked her, which earn her a sizeable number of regular customers.

Our main Character two is a mentally challenged young man in his early twenties, who could also pass for a regular customer of Atinuke's, except he never had money to buy food like the others. I suggest we call him Akanni.

However, Atinuke voluntarily made it a point of duty to give him some balls of 'Akara' and a wrap of 'eko'(hard pap) for free whenever he came calling, whistling his usual tune on the virtue of doing good.

The take and collect relationship between Atinuke and Akanni was one many of the villagers were well familiar with. It was not thereby surprising that light rumors went round the village that there was probably something fettish in their union.

On this particular day, sales was just going as normal under the largest tree in the village centre, which provided cover for Atinuke's business, but something was obviously amiss. Hmmmn!

It was gradually nearing that time when Atinuke was going to clear up and call it a day, yet Akanni had not come for his 'regular'. Atinuke was understandably concerned. What could be wrong? Had he taking ill of fallen into some kind of danger? She had no idea if he even had a proper home, where he lived.

Notwithstanding, she had kept aside his 'package' in the hope that he eventually would still turn up. It was now time to set on the journey home; she just had to put away the last piece of utensil and proceed to rejoin her family. Then...

She heard faint whistling. Another came again almost immediately, though a bit louder. Then followed what seemed to be a whisper. Atinuke looked up and around, trying to locate the source of the sound. When the voice called again, almost in a whisper, she saw the figure of the 'whisperer' leaning on another tree few metres away.
The moon provided enough light for her to see his face.

It was Akanni who beckoned to her to 'come' again, with a hand gesture to illustrate what he wanted. Atinuke was taken aback. Akanni had a terrified look on his face and it was obvious to Atinuke that he wouldn't move from his position, except she went to answer his call.

She had taken a few steps to meet him when she remembered the food she had kept for him. She went back for it and was just approaching the tree Akanni leaned on when the loud thud was heard.
It was a very loud noise, that one could be sure the villagers would be trooping out of their homes in a short while...


...In twos and threes, it wasn't long before a crowd of villagers had formed around the spot where the large tree had been mysteriously uprooted from the ground and had fallen to crumble whatever was in its part. Soon after, the question rang in the air, 'Where is Atinuke?'...

There was a general sigh of relief after Atinuke narrated to the crowd how she had miraculously escaped being crushed by the tree. Some balls of 'Akara' and 'Eko' were her saving grace. Her first daughter's wedding was only some weeks away and the death of the Matriach of the home at that time would only have been more than tragic.

In the midst of all the noise generated as a result of the small talks going on among the yet to be dispersed crowd of eyewitnesses, a respected village elder had remarked in a loud voice that caught the attention of all gathered there: "Ojo ore la n mo, aa o m'ojo esan". This literally means "One can hardly tell of the Day he will be rewarded for the good done". Hmmmnn!

As the Holy Book succintly puts it "Is there any reward for good other than good?" (Suratul Rahman, Qur'an 55:60).

---Story credit: 24/12/2013 edition of 'Omoluabi' program, a 5 minute yoruba program aired daily on Unique FM 103.1MHz, Ilesa, Osun State, that focuses on preaching good morals to its listeners... Modified for your reading pleasure by the poster.

I decided to share this story not because i want to be praised as a 'good story-teller' or because I want you to tell me how beautiful the story is.

I shared the story because I know of an 'Akanni' that is hopeful of a God-sent 'Atinuke' to help alleviate her current travails.

As you celebrate and rejoice over your 'successful passage' into the year 2014, there is a widow with her four children out there on the pavement of a good samaritan's house in Egan, Igando area of Lagos state.

Wonder what she is doing there with her little children?

Just this morning, the quit notice they were served in an apartment they were squatting in expired.

Let me take it from the beginning...

Until several weeks back, Mrs. Mujidat lived with her husband and Children in their home in Egan. They lived fairly comfortably.

Their situation changed when fire gutted their rented apartment. In a bid to rescue the situation, the father of the house sustained burn injuries and eventually died shortly after. This is where the journey of this woman into widowhood and the difficulties attached started.

With God's Mercy and petty help from those who cared and their resident community, they have managed to survive until now.
But, as even I have experienced firsthand, when trouble befalls one, it is then you know you are alone in this world. Gradually, everyone that you previously looked up to will go back to 'minding their own business'.

Unfortunately, she is an orphan and has no sibling(s) who could have helped. Eventually, it's a dead end for her and her little ones presently.

I came across this woman when I went for the early morning prayers about three weeks ago on a visit to a relative living in that area. The small community in that Mosque had taking up her case and eventually only came up with a meagre sum to help keep the family afloat, with a promise to still keep supporting with whatever they can.

I had taken interest in her situation because I knew begging from place to place will only provide temporary solutions. In fact, she had stated she was hoping to start petty-trading if she could raise the money for it. Unfortunately, it has not been easy getting the required sum, as feeding is not even guaranteed for them.

I have spoken to people and written to others on her behalf. I have referred her to one or two charity bodies I know and she has written to some of them as well of her own accord. Sadly, there hasn't been feedback from some, while others say they have their hands full and some even offered to help, but can't guarantee how soon they can process such aid.

Bottomline is the poor widow is still out there on the someone's corridor, hoping against hopelessness for a miracle to happen.

I could have just passed, and simply wished her well, as I have some troubles of my own that has rendered me incapacitated to help them materially, but the thought of a widow and her four little children sleeping in an uncompleted building in a Lagos environment someone promised to help them find is too heart-breaking for me to ignore.

I hereby have brought her case before fellow Nigerians, just maybe someone or some people like Atinuke are out there to come to their aid or suggest a plausible way forward.

I have heard some respond to this issue that 'May God help her and fashion a way out'. I can't but share their optimism, but I also strongly hold unto this philosophy that the reason why you have that extra #50 on you is because God will not come down Himself to feed that poor homeless orphan child roaming about your neighbourhood.

I really hope someone shares this philosophy too...

SAVE SOME SOULS... an SSS message!


---I appeal that this be put on frontpage, in the hope that it will reach those willing to give God glory, through helping this homeless family for seeing this day. Thank you and God bless!

Not sure I get the point of the story but if you are talking about help, you can contact the nairaland charity group on nairalandcharity@gmail.com

Cases are subject to verification

pickabeau1: Not sure I get the point of the story but if you are talking about help, you can contact the nairaland charity group on nairalandcharity@gmail.com

Cases are subject to verification

Thank you and God bless