THE LEAP YEAR Ep 13

Episode 13.

Mr Yomi was rounding off as he picked his yellow keg by the bed side and gulped water.

"What brought me down to the prison?..." he sighed and continued. 

"After my second attempt to get into the University, I was finally admitted to study Business Administration and that was where I could say my excess freedom started."

I was glad I could finally leave home and all that was attached to it.

"As an undergraduate away from home, I could be a man and cater for so many things myself I thought. I didn't stay in the school's hostel, I made sure my parents got me an apartment outside the school; it was self-contained which gave me a large opportunity to accommodate different girls at different times. It eventually made me forget about Rose who had started the whole thing with me" 

"In my first year, I won as Mr Fresh in my department. I was counted as one of the big boys in my faculty too. It wasn't surprising as my father's name was already all over the state. It went even more viral in the school. The name Cole gave me access to anywhere at any time but little did I know that it has its limitation too." 

The first academic session went very smoothly. Remember I wasn't the very brilliant type but I remained a "little above an average" student. I made friends daily, meeting a lecturer wasn't a problem for me. I could approach them at any time as most of them knew my father. It wasn't difficult for them to lend me their ears. I was the centre of attraction of most persons.

"I met Busayo in my first year but I hated her very much because she will always be on my neck about giving my life to Christ and living for Him. Though I have tried severally to pray away my addiction but nothing was forthcoming, I gave up trying and opted for messing up the more with different ladies".

You can trust the University to be a place you will succeed with whatever decision you make especially negative ones.

Finding girls just for sex and no meaningful relationship wasn't an iota of difficult. The money was there too which made it super easy. It wasn't long before I got over Rose. I had more than enough to satisfy me. 

"In my third year, Busayo still hasn't given up on me. She will always come around to warn me about the danger ahead and how hell is real for sinners like me. Well, I wasn't new to hearing all these... it has been the sermons in church since childhood. Many nights, I will be sort of scared whenever the thought of heaven and hell crosses my mind but it will only work on me for that moment, once I sleep over it, I moved past it". 

"At 300level, I joined a group with the name "Loyal Brotherhood" our slogan was "together we stand". We were 10 in number at Loyal Brotherhood. We had our way with whatever we wanted. We were violent too, committing all kinds of atrocity. We became the most dreaded sect on campus. Before long, we started breaking into houses to steal even while in school. I wasn't actually doing this because I needed the money that much, but I had to join the crew. I can't leave them. It was an oath we made.

I continued with this life style, my parents were completely shut out from all these happenings.

With all these, I know you should guess right that my academic performance was getting worse by the day. It was greatly affected. Soon, I resulted to paying lecturers to waive some courses. 

At first we started on a very lighter note; big boys trending on campus, commanding respect from students, enjoying our youth and our days as undergraduates as we thought and I thought it wasn't going to be more than that but soon we kept trying out new things; going deep into immorality, taking drugs and on and on we went.

You hardly find me walking without a girl by my side, inasmuch as I knew they were around me  for my money and popularity too I didn't mind because I too needed their company at least for the moment so, it was a case of "rubbing each others back". I kept throwing money around like I own the central bank to the extent I was nicknamed YC money.

There was a girl I really loved among my fleet of girls but we couldn't just stop sleeping with each other. Moreover, there was no such plans of marriage for us at that time so, we kept being sex-partners. They labelled us "best couple" in the department as we always wear matching clothes and shoes everywhere and at almost everytime. But one fateful day, she told me of not seeing her period for 2 months that was when fear crawled in. Thinking of me becoming a father at this stage. It wasn't even to be imagined. I wasn't ready for such parenting responsibility. I told her bluntly she would opt for an abortion but she wouldn't accept. I had to result to pleading with her. I promised to take her to a good hospital to have a legal abortion as I thought her fears may be falling into the hands of quack doctors. I also promised to pay for all it will cost. All my pleas fell on deaf ears. 

I talked with one of her aunts to help me convince her to go for the abortion. I promised to marry her after graduation and then we can start having children but it can't just be now we were still in school, one more year to go. All efforts to get her to oblige proved abortive. I left her to her decisions but one thing I knew was that I wasn't ready and I wasn't going to be a father at that time.

"A month later, we(the Loyal Brotherhood) planned to carry out an operation. We had long had this plan but we kept looking for a convenient time. I got a call that day "9:30pm same venue" the voice at the other end had said. I knew it was coming. Our plans had long being ready. we've strategized, all information was at our desk. We only needed to hear 'It's time' so we strike. 

What kind of operation was that?? the captain asked

"The operation..." Mr Yomi smiled.

We were to visit one of our lecturers that night. I believe you understand now.

I'll still explain. This lecturer stepped on our toe. He betrayed us and it was time for him to get paid. He was one of the lecturers we paid to get a good grade even when we wrote little or nothing. We do it for other lecturers too and they coorperated. 

We've heard stories about this particular lecturer though it wasn't our concern. We went to him and told him what we wanted we threatened him to avoid him opposing and he agreed. We gave him the money and left only for result to be pasted and we all saw something different. We were fiercely angry. It has never happened it was a slap to LB's face. So, we decided to pay him a visit and give him whatever present we had for him.

"I met Busayo during the day, I didn't have time to sit and listen to her talks so, she handed me one church tracts. I didn't bother to read it, I took it and kept it at my back pocket. Immediately, I left her. On getting home, I didn't bother to change my cloth before jumping on my bed and I slept off" 

"I had set my alarm clock to 9pm to avoid over sleeping and to afford me time to meet up with the others before 9:30pm. I quickly put on my black hood and shade when the alarm rang. The trouser I was wearing was black already, so I didn't bother to change it. I dashed out to join them".

Little did we know that the lecturer had gotten information about our coming that night, police and the area security officers had been on standby. We entered the lecturer's compound and took positions as agreed. we haven't spent more than 5 minutes before the police burst in on us, everyone started seeking a way of escape, I tried to jump the fence but I couldn't; someone had helped me earlier, now there was no one to help. I found a hiding place at the corner of the uncompleted boys quarters of the house. As I bent there in hiding from the police, the tract fell off my pocket, I picked it and glanced through the topic which reads "Christ is calling you today, will you answer?".

It imprinted a reasonable meaning to me at that moment and I started crying and pleading for forgiveness. I asked God for mercy and promised that if he could save me that night, I will forever serve him but it was too late. I was caught in my hiding, 6 others were caught while trying to escape. The remaining 3 fled. The school rusticated us and handed us to the police. Investigation begun and it revealed we've been operating for so long.

"My father's name couldn't save me that day. So, I found my identity in the cell here."

Before I stop let me add that my mother was fully restored. Well it wasn't easy but God knew best. The news of my rustication and arrest was too much for her to bear; she had a high blood pressure. She fainted when the news was told her and that was how she landed in the hospital. It took days before she became stable and responded to treatment. Well it finally ended with a partial stroke. The right part of her body was dead hand and leg. We feared total stroke or even death but thank God it didn't go that bad. After she was discharged from the hospital, she was brought home and Dr Bako, the family doctor continued from there.

She had an encounter with God through a street evangelism team and God gave her another chance. And the good news there is that she is completely healed of the stroke now. The last time she visited, she was super healthy. 

"After mom's restoration, Yinka told dad and mom all that has happened. It saddened them to know all that had happened under their nose without them knowing. Dad revisited the case with bro Andrew and the church took necessary actions. Rose was sent packing, Saka still had his job but he had to leave the staff apartment at our house. Yinka started a new life in Christ and same did I too here in prison. 

Thank God I got my family back-Whole and new. They were all present at the court the day my judgement was passed. I was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and I have 2 more years to go.

"My parents came apologizing. Thank God we are all good now only that I had to pay for my sins and that's why I'm still here" He said smiling.

I can't wait to end this term and go back home to my family.

"In all God forgave us and gave us a new beginning... So, no matter what you may have done wrong forgive yourself and accept God's forgiveness so you can start anew."

Mr Yomi rounded off his talk with asking if anyone in the room is willing to dedicate or rededicate their lives to Christ. Almost everyone was willing, they knelt down and Mr Yomi led them to Christ including the captain.

It was a revival-filled moment for virtually all of them. They all gave him a hug.

"Thanks for sharing your story" the captain said. "Indeed everyone has a story to tell" another inmate added.

"You, you have been here for few weeks now, I think we will like to hear what brought you down here" the captain said to the last new inmate that was sent to the cell.

"Don't worry, next weekend should be free I will talk about how I got here" he said.

"That will be fine" the captain said and switched off the light.. they all retired for the night.

Watch out for what next?