Some time ago, I found myself reflecting on the trend of ‘Yahoo Boys’, idolatry and promiscuity, then I juxtaposed these lifestyles with the biblical story of Esau.

For a meal, Esau bargained his entire generation away. He used a day’s meal to change his destiny and that of his generations to come. In the same way, fraudulent people, especially those who use idolatry to manipulate circumstances in their favour, bargain the destinies of their children to achieve instant wealth today.

This generation grew up worrying about ancestral lifestyles and curses, and the constant attempt in breaking them, either by professing the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ or by conscious effort to not tow certain lines that their parents did, in order to separate their bloodline from those iniquities.

However, some persons are not interested in the breaking of ancestral curses or whatnot. Instead, they are procuring more of it for their children; while thinking they are providing wealth that would make the same children great. A very twisted mindset. From observation, I concluded that people who grew up seeing their parents consulting voodoo, prophets, dealing charms, and messed around with divinity and dark spirituality, tend to do the same as adults. They watched their parents cross that moral line, and they will do same eventually.

Clarence Kelland once said “My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it”

Your children will figure you out eventually; what you do to get the results that you display, and when they are faced with life’s uncertainties, they may do same, and the generational iniquity will continue until God shows His mercy.

Growing up, my dad was a distributor of brand-new motorcycles. One night, we got robbed. The robbers stole four motorcycles from our store. The news travelled fast. Friends, family and neighbours came to sympathise with my parents.

One day, this man from our village came to visit my dad. They called him ‘Old-Soldier’.

Old-Soldier was a retired army officer. He fought some wars and took a bullet to the leg that made him limp. In those days, we had a lot of respect for soldiers. They were pompous and always acted as if everywhere was the Barracks.

My dad and Old-Soldier sat at our veranda, and I was in the sitting room reading a romance novel. I heard their conversation from there.

I used to read a lot of romance novels in my early teens. It was magical 😊. I befriended one guy who was a Sales Boy at a mini-Bookstore in town and was reading novels for free. I would buy one novel and take a second one for free to read and return. Some I returned, some I didn’t.

Then, the Sales Boy took a liking in me and he asked me out. Thereafter, whenever I offered to pay for my novels of choice, he would refuse to collect money.

Looking back, I feel bad for the Bookstore Owner sha. Young love can be crazy and irresponsible. But I didn’t date the bookstore guy. I was in love with someone else and was waiting for my First Love to ask me out. It was funny. I was very sure he will ask me out, so I waited.

Practically, I don’t mind waiting for the things that I want. I believe if you have faith, you won’t make haste.

Time past. Eventually, I lost interest in romance novels and started reading motivational books, then graduated to philosophical books. With the romance interest gone, I stopped visiting that bookstore. Every now and then, I -upon-a wonder where that store guy is now and if he remembers his once-upon-a-time faithful customer.

Anyway, my dad was conversing with Old-Soldier. Their conversation was loud and random. I could hear them from the sitting room. I wasn’t eavesdropping. They were talking loud enough to be heard from where I sat.

Then Old-Soldier dropped his voice and began a conversation in low tone.

Tell you what? I don’t remember anything else they talked about until Old-Soldier dropped his voice. At that point, I got interested in their conversation.

Old-Soldier was advising my dad about a way to secure his store spiritually. He said he knew a powerful native doctor (aka babalawo) that can help my dad to protect his business from thieves, suggesting further that the process doesn’t require much. What was needed was a woman’s moneybag; the one market women tie around their waste with zippers to hold money, and the circumstance was that it must be the one that was forgotten/lost at the marketplace. He said it was difficult to find one like that, but that was the only hard part. The babalawo will do the rest.

While Old-Soldier was narrating, my dad was shaking his head and gesturing disapproval with his right hand, saying “no, no, no, no ……”, But Old-Soldier pressed on. He explained how it was not difficult and that the ritual is a small price to pay to protect the motorcycle store from robbers.

When he was done, my dad told him that he was not worried about what has been stolen from him, and that the God who provides for him will restore that which was stolen.

My dad proceeded to quote Psalm 20:7 which says “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”.

Then, Joel 2:25 which says “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten – the great locust and the young locust. Vs. 26 – “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed!”

While my dad was quoting Bible verses, Old-Soldier was nodding his head in agreement. Then, my dad told him the story of David and the Amalekites that raided their towns and stole their properties, wives and children. David in distraught, enquired from the Lord if he should go after the Amalekites. God answered him saying

“Pursue them. You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” – 1 Samuel 30.

Old-Soldier, after receiving a lengthy sermon from my dad said he was also a Christian, but he just uses some of these ‘things’ to support himself. My dad told him that God doesn’t need any help. And that when Uzzah tried to support the Arc of the Covenant from falling, he was instantly struck dead on the spot. See 1 Samuel 6.

There is nothing too difficult for God to do. God can help you. He will fight for you; you need only to be still – Exodus 14:14.

Clip Art – The Chastisement of Uzzah

Another visitor came in to greet my dad. My dad and Old-Soldier ended their conversation on a lighter note and Old-Soldier left.

Now, let me tell you what happened to Old-Soldier.

One day, Old-Soldier harvested a bunch of plantain from his backyard plantation (like the one in the picture A below). It was the best he had ever harvested. He placed it outside, near his outdoor kitchen. He was happy with it and wanted his wife to use it to cook Ukodo for him. Ukodo is a one-pot Delta delicacy made with either goat or cow meat, yam, plantain and spices. He went into shower. When he came out again, the plantain was gone.

Aaaahhh! Old-Soldier was furious. He was angry and bitter. He started cursing whoever stole his plantain. The whole neighbourhood heard him yelling and screaming. By dusk, he was tired of cursing out loud and he quieted down. Unbeknownst to all, Old-Soldier didn’t stop there. He went to his powerful native doctor to curse the thief who stole the plantain. He told the babalawo to curse the thief and whoever eats the plantain.

Some days later, someone came to sell plantain to Old-Soldier. The plantain was in bunches as in picture B above. Old-Soldier liked the plantain, so he bought them. He finally used the plantain to cook the Ukodo that he desired.

A week later, Old-Soldier fell sick.

The ailment overwhelmed him, so he went again to his powerful native doctor to fortify himself. The native doctor told him that there was big trouble.

Whatagwan baba?

Baba said it’s like you ate the plantain that I cursed o 😂

Aaaahhh! The thief stole Old-Soldier’s plantain and resold it to him, and Old-Soldier, after eating the Ukodo that was made with the plantain, inherited his own curse.

Damn! Old-Soldier was fucked.

Scripture says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” And that “Vengeance is mine” says the Lord. “I WILL REPAY” – Romans 12:19b.

The Babalawo said for the curse to be averted, Old-Soldier should bring 400,000naira.

For plantain that he harvested freely and repurchased from the thief for less than 20,000naira 😰

Old-Soldier was saving in a local system known as ‘contribution’ at that time. He requested for the money for health purposes. Paid the Native Doctor, and they did a ritual for him to avert the curse.

But few days later, Old-Soldier died.

This story came out when the wife and children were looking for money to bury him. Old-Soldier used up all his savings in the attempt to avert the curse he placed. Same curse that still killed him.

He tried to play the game that the devil rigged from the beginning.

Now, Old-Soldier is dead and gone to his grave. Huuummm haaaaa! gone to his grave.

You know, there is a way God does His things. My dad’s motorcycles were later recovered by the Police and given back to him after the robbers were sentenced to 9years each in prison. When the motorcycles were recovered, my dad told the Police that he has prayed for the thieves and forgiven them, and that they should be released. But the Nigerian Police said the matter was between the state and the thieves, with my dad as witness and the motorcycles as evidence. The trial took almost 2years.

Listen, the agenda of the devil is to steal, kill, and destroy. There is an alternative you must forego to get things from the devil. But Jesus paid the price for you on the cross free off charge. He overcame sin, satan, and the grave. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and that by His stripes we are healed.

All you need do is to take your trials and tribulations to the Cross of Calvary and nail them to it.

Today, evaluate the type of father that you are and decide on the type you would like to be. Are you the ‘Old-Soldier’ type or my Daddy’s type?

People’s focus today tends to be an appraisal for financial provisions only. While this is valid…. scripture says if the Lord shepherds you, you shall lack nothing! – Psalm 23.

Integrity, content of character, spiritual uprightness, authenticity, wisdom to be the head of the family that God gave you. Ask for these things. Work on these areas.

Don’t be like Old-Soldier. Don’t be a victim of yourself.

Forget about the thief in the street…. What about the thief in your heart?

Happy Father’s Day! 💕