SISTER ADURAGBEMI
PART 6
By Ojo Rhoda Ayanfeoluwa
Things went wrong when Baby Adura couldn’t walk at 3 years.
Prior to that time, Baby Adura was loved by everyone. She had an irresistible set of eyes that were very clear. People loved playing with her.
When she was a year and 8 months, many people expected her to have been crawling and struggling to walk a little.
“Mummy Adura, are you still carrying this damsel on your back?” One of her friend’s had asked.
The way Adura mum responded that day indicated that she badly needed help. A serious help from God.
“My dear, it is well. I believe my daughter will walk very soon. I can’t conpare her to other babies who have started walking.” She said.
Her response didn’t sit well in her friend’s mind.
People didn’t know the hell she passed through because of her daughter.
Adura’s mum moved from one hospital to another for her daughter’s condition.
They kept on telling her that nothing was wrong with her daughter’s leg, which kept her hope alive until she visited one hospital and was told that her daughter was lame.
Her world crumbled the moment she heard “lame”.
When she got home, she revealed everything the doctor had told her to her husband.
Tears dropped down from a full-grown man.
****
She thought God really answered prayers, and that was why her daughter was named “Aduragbemi”. But to her, God really disappointed her.
How could God give her a child who became a disgrace to her? She thought God silenced her mockers because of her barreness not knowing that her mockers were going to increase.
Her husband couldn’t believe her priceless jewel wasn’t going to walk at that age.
Imagine! Adura couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t walk on her own. She was always been fed.
There was a lady who gave birth to a son after a year Adura was born. To everyone’s greatest surprise, he began to walk when he clocked 22 months.
Funny enough, the mother of the son was one of those who mocked Adura mum.
“Can’t you consult the yeye God you claimed to have given you a child for solution? People like us who don’t believe God exists, gave birth successfully. This God you claim you are serving doesn’t exist. Stop giving yourself unnecessary hope. Just know at the back of your mind that you are quite unfortunate. It has been written that you will give birth to a lame.” The woman sarcastically said.
Fresh tears dropped immediately from her eyes.
Baby Sade was born after Adura clocked 4 years and 2 months.
Her husband’s joy knew no bound. She was also joyful that she could bring forth child. Although she decided to stop child bearing because of Adura’s condition, but later became pregnant.
The day her mother-in-law visited the family because of a new born baby welcomed into the family, joy turned into sadness for her mother.
Adura was always locked in a room in order to prevent people from asking further questions about her condition.
Funny enough, she wasn’t the clingy type. She stayed wherever she was asked to stay as long as her toys are with her.
Her mother-in-law asked after her grandchild, but she was told that her grandchild was sleeping.
“How can a little girl be sleeping for close to 12 hours?” she asked.
Little did she know that Adura was kept in a room. Adura’s mother visited Adura often, telling people she wanted to use the rest room.
At a point, she took excuse that she wanted to use the rest room with the intention of visiting her daughter. But, her mother-in-law followed her unknowingly to her.
Immediately she entered, her mother-in-law entered.
Shock was written on her face. She prayed that the ground should open its mouth and swallow her up in order to escape the wrath of her mother-in-law.
“Wonders shall never end!!!” her mother-in-law exclaimed as she walked to where her grand daughter was.
She carried her up and made her to stand on her toes while she held her hands, pulling her.
Adura just couldn’t move those legs.
“Ahhhhhh, Bolanle, you gave birth to a lame?” Mama shouted, shedding crocodile tears.
Adura’s mum was speechless. She ran out of words. Tears were flowing unhindered. Many thoughts ran through her mind.
Her mother-in-law ran to the sitting room to announce to people about the lame child in the room.
Some neighbors hissed like a snake.
“We are aware about her lame daughter. We pray this one too won’t be lame or deaf.” They said.
Adura’s father couldn’t tolerate what they were saying. He silenced them by giving them the insults of their lives. In fact, some left angrily.
*****
Baby Sade grew faster. She was loved by everyone. She was a beautiful damsel to behold.
The family’s joy knew no bound the moment Sade started to crawl.
At 25 months, she began to walk while her sister could neither crawl nor walk.
At a point, a young lady was brought from the village to assist in taking care of Adura because she just couldn’t do things on her own. She was being carried up and down.
Adura’s case drew her mother close to God. She believed God was going to work miracles. She woke up every morning expecting her daughter to be walking just like her little sister.
She became a prayer warrior. She ran to mountains for prayers. She carried Adura to prophets house, just for a miracle.
There was a time a prophet asked Adura’s mother to come with a keg of water. She did as instructed.
The prophet prayed on the water and instructed that Adura must be bathed with the water for 3 days. He promised that after 3 days, she would walk like every other humans do.
She really believed in the prophet.
Day 1, she still couldn’t walk.
Day 2, nothing happened.
She felt on the third day, her daughter would walk. Funny enough, she went to the market to get a beautiful sandal for her daughter incase she walks.
Day 3, nothing happened. Her mother kept on checking her daughter to see if she could walk.
On the fourth day, her hope were shattered. She cried out her eyes.
When it looked as if God wasn’t saying anything, she decided to consult gods.
To be continued.
ยฉ๏ธOjo Rhoda Ayanfeoluwa.
