By Ojo Oluwasegun
After four Months
(Bro. Ayo and Sister Nifemi have just been joined together as husband and wife. The wedding just ended and the couple is seen hand-in-hand in a native uniform attire. They enter Bro. Ayo’s apartment smiling. Sister Nifemi sits on one of the cushion chairs. She is tired. Bro. Ayo draws her to her feet)
Bro. Ayo: (Draws Nifemi to her feet) Beautiful bride, let us offer thanksgiving prayers to God before you retire into the chair.
(Sister Nifemi stands up reluctantly as Bro. Ayo starts to pray)
God, we thank you for the success of this wedding. As we start this new family, God, start with us, build with us……
(As Ayo prays with zeal, Sister Nifemi opens her eyes looking at Bro. Ayo with pity but she says ‘Amen’ aloud intermittently so that Ayo will not notice her nonchalant attitude to prayers).
Sister Nifemi: ( With her eyes opened) Amen!
Bro. Ayo: (Continues to pray) Every power that may want to destroy this marriage shall be consumed by fire in Jesus’ name. (Sister Nifemi did not say ‘Amen’) Help us oh Lord. May we not be put to shame in Jesus’ name.
Sister Nifemi: Amen
Ayo: We thank you because you will embark on this marital journey with us in Jesus’ name.
Nifemi: Amen! Amen!! Amen!!! (Nifemi shouted a deceitful amen)
A week after
(In the house of Ayo and Nifemi, Ayo is seen soliloquizing)
Ayo: I am not comfortable with this strange voice I hear every night since we got wedded. When I wake up to see the person speaking, I always see nobody.
(Nifemi comes in from an outing)
Nifemi: I am back dear! Why are you talking to yourself? Who are you discussing with?
Ayo: Welcome dear. I am ruminating over the strange voice I always hear every night. You said you have never heard it but it is real. I am seriously not comfortable with it.
Nifemi: (Hisses unperturbed) Is that all? I am sure it is the spirit of fear in you that is making you to hear strange voice every night. I want to believe that you need deliverance. You had better open up to the pastor so that he can organize deliverance session for you.
Ayo: Sister Nifemi, this is not the time for jokes. I am serious. I want to suggest that we wake up by midnight today to pray. I know we shall be victorious in Jesus’ name.
Nifemi: (Reluctantly) Amen o. but you will excuse me this night. I am worn out. You can go ahead and take the prayers on our behalf. you are the head and priest of the family. Kindly stand in the gap for us. I want to sleep well tonight. See you later.
(Nifemi walks into the bedroom. Ayo looks at her with surprise as she goes in. Ayo is lost in thought. He later speaks out).
Ayo: Hun-un! Is this the wife I married? But Sister Nifemi was not like this before we married. She loved singing and praying.
But she has relented lately. Hope she is not been influenced by her colleagues at work? May God take control o because I am afraid o. I don’t want to regret this marriage o. Well, I will take the prayers alone and I know victory will come in Jesus’ name. (Ayo also enters the bedroom)
Who or what is responsible for the strange voice? Did Ayo later pray that night and what happened next?
Read on!
EPISODE 4
In Ayo and Nifemi’s bedroom, the couple are sleeping on the bed. Nifemi sleeps putting her legs on the wall beside the bed. A strange sound and voice of women rent the air. It is like some people are holding a night meeting.
OLORI’S VOICE (the head of the group is heard) A JOURNEY OF NO RETURN
Olori’s Voice: I greet you greet members of this cult. You are all welcome
Voice of members: (Chorusely) Ye-e—-es. Ha! Ha!! Ha!!!
(Suddenly, an ANGEL come in, he wakes Ayo. Ayo sees the angel. He wants to scream. The Angel covers his mouth. The angel uses his hand to instruct him to face his wife and listen. Ayo looks towards his wife, He hears a voice. It is the voice of Olori).
Olori’s voice: Hun-un! ‘Burning Pepper’, how far have you gone on your assignment on Ayo your short-time husband?
Nifemi: (Speaks out with eyes closed) Ha! Ha!! Ha!!! I greet you Olori and my colleagues in the cult. As you know, myself and the meat which my trap has gotten, that is Ayo have gone to the altar. We got wedded some months ago. As promised, I will use him as a stepping stone to the downfall of his church. I will render him impotent. I will honour him with sickness. I will turn his business into ashes. Olori and my dear colleagus, it will interest you to know that I have collected the power of prayer from him. In fact, I allow him to go to church occasionally. Presently, I have perfected plans to poison his brain . I am also planning to destroy his properties and then crown it all with AIDS that will send him to the world beyond in our kingdom. I mean hell!! Yes! At least he was the one that said it was the Holy Spirit that showed me to him. Liar! He did not confess that it was my captivating voice and beauty that enticed him. I will render him useless before I kill him.
(Ayo is no longer comfortable with what he is hearing from Nifemi. He wants to shout. He moves towards Nifemi. But the Angel draws him back and gives sign to him not to talk. Fear and sorrow are already written on Ayo’s face. He is sweating profusely. The voice of Olori is heard)
Olori: Well done ‘Burning Pepper’. Be fast with the work because you will soon be sent to another family.
(Ayo still wants to cry out but the angel stops him. The angel takes him back to the bed and signals to him to sleep. Ayo sleeps reluctantly. The angel disappears. Later, Nifemi turns and put her legs on the bed. She opens her eyes, looks round the bedroom, looks at Ayo who pretends if he is sleeping. She adjust herself and sleeps. As she sleeps, Ayo speaks out).Ayo: ( Beats Nifemi on the soulder) Sister Nifemi!!! Ha! So your name is ‘Burning Pepper? So you are not abnormal human being? Ha! It never occurred to me that I married a witch. You are planning to kill me. Ha! God has exposed your evil plans. You will not succeed in these devilish plans on me in Jesus’ name.
Nifemi: (Face Ayo. Her eyeballs change) Hen-hen! So you have heard all that we discussed at the meeting? If that is the case, every intending utterance of the pig stays within the pig. It must not say it out. Therefore, you must not tell anybody what you saw or heard. If you dare tell it to anybody, you will be pronounced dead.
I don’t know why you are now shouting. Were you not the one that received me from God? You said it was during seven days marathon fast on the mountain that the Holy Spirit told you I am your wife. Shameless liar! You know it was not God, but self that took over your senses. You know it was sight deceit. Hen! Continue to enjoy all that are attached to sight deceit. Ha! Ha!! Ha!!! O ya, sleep. You must not forget to keep our secret, secret. Anything that eyes see, mouth must not utter it, or else…!
Ayo: (Stands up and laughs scornfully. He looks at Nifemi with disdain).
You are not serious. Who will keep your secret, secret? No secret. Listen and listen well, I will tell the whole world that you are a witch. Every member of the church will be informed that you are devil's agent. Ha! Your secret is exposed. Witch! Witch!! Witch!!! (He claps on her head mockingly)
Nifemi: Hen-hen! So, you have decided to be broadcasting it abi? Hen! Sebi it is because you can talk. By the time you become dumb, you will know that I am not an easy being.
(Nifemi looks towards the sky, her eye balls change. She looks towards Ayo with the rolling eye balls. She moves near him and talks). The barking of dog cannot be interpreted in words (She touches Ayo’s mouth) let your voice cease. Any utterance of yours will be like a barking dog.
(Ayo tries to talk but instead of utterances, he starts to bark).
Ayo: (Barking like a dog) Gbo! Gbo!! Gbo!!! Hu! Hu!! Hu!!!
Nifemi: (Laughs scornfully) That is good. See, I have just started with you. I did not plan to make you dumb, you caused it. O ya sleep. Good night.
(Ayo sleeps reluctantly. Nifemi is ruminating on the happenings in her hear).
But how did this foolish man know happenings in the cult? It is not possible for any living creature to hear or see what goes on in our meetings or even wake-up during the hours of our meeting. I am surprised. But it served him right. I will show him that I am ‘Burning Pepper’
(Ayo too is ruminating on the happenings in his heart)
Ayo: (Ruminating inwardly) I am finished! I am in soup. Ha! Who am I going to cry to? God, save me! Ha! I am in trouble.
To be continued...