WORDS OF PARENTS

By:
Ajukura, Fidelis O.
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
13th July, 2023

Children, in every human culture or society are expected to honour their parents. This commandment stem from the troubles parents go through in raising their children. For some parents, especially mothers, the trouble begins from conception to adulthood. The duties or roles of parents in the lives of their children are limitless. This is why tension and disagreements often times ensue between parents and their sons and daughters in-law.

A young man called Ojadi had been having running battle with his father over his decision to marry a girl whom the family considers unfit for him. In those days, parents and close family relations played a significant role in determining who their children should marry. Ojadi, having completed his standard six decided to bring home his girlfriend and a former classmate, Margaret popularly known as 'Magi'. Magi was a light complexioned and beautiful girl from the next village. In what started like a joke, Ojadi, to the envy of other boys in the school won the heart of Magi. Their relationship started when they were in standard 5 but was inconspicuous. Towards the end of their school, Ojadi and Magi have become love birds; their story was all over town. However, many people resented the relationship because it was considered immoral for a boy and a girl to be friends.

One evening when Elemenya, Ojadi's father was returning from his elder sister's house, he saw his son, Ojadi cuddling and kissing a girl under an almond tree close to their house. Without uttering a word, he went and waited for Ojadi to return home. Very late in the night when Ojadi returned home staggering like a plantain leaf after soaking himself in alcohol, his father invited him to his room and without delay asked, 'where are you coming from this night?'
'A friend's house' Ojadi replied flatly.
'Who's that your friend?'
'You don't know him'
'...or her?' Elemenya interjected.
Shocked, Ojadi's eyes opened wide and almost fell out from their socket. 'What do you mean papa?' Ojadi queried.
'So you have become so shameless that you can sleep with a woman in the full glare of the public? By the way, who is that shameless girl I saw you caressing under the almond tree and where is she from?'
Ojadi, roaring like a lion warned his father not to call that girl shameless 'that girl you're referring to as shameless is my wife, I have already concluded arrangement to marry her'
His father let out a serious laugh.
'Is that the way they marry?' His father mocked him. 'If you know what is good for you, don't bring that harlot anywhere close to my house, do you hear me?'.

Few months after the exchange, Ojadi got a job in the wharf as a clerical officer. One weekend when he visited home, he told his father about his plan to get married. Excited about the news, his father asked 'Who is the girl? What's her father's name?' Before Ojadi could finish mentioning the name of the girl's father, Elemenya, like a thunder shouted at Ojadi to keep quiet. 'You can't marry that harlot! Magi the daughter of Osiogu a known thief and wizard? No way!' Elemenya said shaking his head.
'How did you know Magi?' Ojadi asked.
'I have my eyes and ears to the ground' his father boasted. Inundated by anger, Ojadi, shouting at the top of his voice vowed to his father to pay back all the money that has been spent in raising him so that he can be free to live his life the way he wants it. As he continued shouting, his taciturn and reticent mother came to tell him to calm down and stop making such reckless utterances but he refused to listen to her. By the time the quarrel had died down, he went to the bathroom behind their compound to take a shower. By the time he returned to his room, an awful smell greeted him. Without wasting time, his nose located the source of the odour. On his well dressed bed was a mounded feces his father had deposited on his bed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'Feces? On my bed?' he questioned.
'Yes! You have not seen anything yet. Get ready to payback all the troubles...this is just the beginning...' Elemenya yelled. Angry and about to react, a small but still voice whispered to him that his father is right - 'nobody repays his parents for bringing him up. If you can return your school fees, money for food etc what about the sleeplessness they suffered in raising you? What about the urine, feces and vomit you bathed them with? More over' the voice continued 'you know deep down in your heart that Magi is lazy and covetous, her family background is terrible. Her father is not only a sorcerer, he's also a thief. Few years ago, he was almost lynched by angry mob when he was caught harvesting cassava in another person's farm'. By the time the voice stopped talking to him, he realized that the words of parents are indeed words of wisdom and power. He also realized that no amount of money can compare with what parents go through in raising their children, he knelt down and begged his parents to forgive his impudence.

Children, often times are led to believe that they're grown ups and, for that reason can take care of themselves. What they do not know is that 'what the parents or elders see siting down, the children may not be able to see it even if they climb the tallest tree'. Age and life's experience make them better judge. Many people today find themselves in a messy situation because they failed to pay attention to their parents advise or warning.

May God help children to honour and listen to the counsel of their parents!