We arrived at mama Jade’s for the 60^th birthday of madam Ẹriọkan. Igbala who was with me said:

“In the next three years I’ll be doing this for my husband.”

“Isn’t that a blessing?” I responded.

Igbala: I don’t know. I’m still angry at you for stopping me from divorcing him. I mean, just think of it, he’ll be 60 and I’ll be 45!

“So?” I replied, “Enjoy it, God is good.”

Igbala: Easy for you to say, you don’t have to live with him.

“O just grow up. Enjoy your life no matter what.”

Igbala: Now my anger has returned, why couldn’t Agbara make it today eh? I’m stuck with you.

After laughing I replied, “Agbara is enjoying her marriage, something you have to learn to do. Also, you’re here because you don’t want to baby sit your grandchildren.”

Igbala: Thanks for bringing me back to reality. My kids must learn that mama has a life as well.

“Why don’t they ever leave your grandbabies alone with their dad?”

Igbala laughed then said; “The only thing he’ll do is make them watch TV and eat ice cream.”

“Seriously, if he spends more time with them, he’ll become interesting. Children have a way of bringing out the zest in adults. Let him chaperone one of these days and watch the effect on him. Soon you’ll be complaining that he is too active.”

Igbala: That won’t work, I already tried it. Kay is just not that type.

We entered the restaurant and I introduced Igbala to Oluwatogbẹkẹle, and Okiki my ministry partners for the night. They went by the name Iyinayọ (which meant joyful praise). Adeoye opened mama Jade’s office for us and we rehearsed.

On our way to the conference room where the party was being held, Igbala commented:

“Ade, I didn’t know you were so good at praising God like that. I was really inspired. Okay, I forgive you. I am not angry at you any more. I will trust God to help me work with Kay.”

“That’s sweet. If I had known that praise and worship would have that effect on you. I would have suggested it.”

Igbala: So tell me about the celebrant.

“I’ve told you all I know. Today is her 60^th birthday. She has two children, a boy and a girl like you, only her first born was a boy, not a girl, she and her husband shared the same birthday. Her husband died thirty years ago on the morning of their 30^th birthday. She is 60 years old today and she wants to praise God for keeping her hale, hearty and healthy. That’s all I know.”

Igbala: How did the husband die?

“I don’t know. My friend Jibafẹ is really the one who knows her. She was apparently one of the women that invested in Jibafẹ’s life. My praise-worship-poetry is Jibafẹ’s birthday gift to her.”

Igbala: I want to know the woman. Can you introduce me?

“I’ll ask Jibafẹ to introduce you, how about that?”

Igbala: Good. I saw something about her and I want to confirm if I’m just seeing things or if it is God showing me something.

“You still get your visions, you should go to prophecy school.”

Igbala: My plate is too full, where will I get the time for that?

“We always make time for priorities. If you want to perfect your spiritual gift, you’ll make it a priority.”

The ushers at the conference room showed us to our seats. I went through the agenda and just as I hoped, my ministration was not too far on the list, I like that, that means I could get home before 10.00pm.

Igbala: This is something! I want to be 60 years o, isn’t this lovely?

“It sure is.” I replied, “The decorations are super. Adeoye is managing this place really well. I’ve attended many functions here but this supersedes them all.”

Igbala: Ọbẹ to dun, owo lo pa (A tasty soup is expensive). I’m sure it must have cost a fortune.

“I don’t know, maybe I guess. Sixty only comes one in a lifetime.

Igbala: Ever thought of what you’ll do when you turn sixty?

“In terms of a birthday party?”

Igbala: No, just how life would be generally?

“O that, yes, I’ll still be enjoying God’s grace.”

Igbala: You’re sure you won’t become boring like Kay?

I smiled and started, “Igbala…,”

Igbala: Okay, I’m sorry. I was just being naughty.

One of the waiters served us some finger foods.

“I have to take it easy on these appetizers otherwise I will become full.”

Igbala: I have nothing to worry about, Kay doesn’t mind.

“So that’s something else you should be thankful for.”

Igbala: I should be thankful that he doesn’t care about my health or my weight, yes, thank you Jesus!

“You know what I mean, there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Igbala: Like what? Kay’s dull, that’s all, what’s more to it.

“Anyway, this is not the time or the place.”

Igbala: I wanted divorce, you said no. What else do you want to know?

“This is the last time I’ll speak on your divorce question. Just as people marry for godly reasons, people have to divorce for godly reasons. You don’t divorce because your spouse is boring or unattractive or some other ungodly reason like that.”

Igbala: Did I say he was unattractive?

“Another definition for boring is mental inattraction, get it?”

Igbala: Oh well, so what should I do, send him to mental stimulation school?

“I think you should send yourself. For all you know, you’re the one who’s actually boring.”

Igbala: Well excuse me, did I not complain that he took away my career dream?

“So go to school, there’s nothing stopping you.”

Igbala: I’m too old to study what I wanted when I was a teenager.

“I disagree. You’re never too old to pick up your dreams and achieve them.”

Igbala: I wanted to study medicine, I can’t start now!

“Says who?”

Igbala: At 42 years?

“Let the Medical schools make that decision. I know someone who started at 45 years, last time I checked, you were still younger.

Igbala: Ade, are you serious?

“Yes I am. The limitations are just in your mind.”

Igbala: You’ve given me something to think about.

Okiki commented about the background music and I agreed with her. The music, an instrumental, was soothing; I could fall asleep with the sound of those strings filling my head. I think I must have dozed off, for the “Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome,” greeting of the emcee woke me up.

I checked my watch; it was almost eight O’ clock. The program was supposed to start at 7:30pm, trust Yorubas and their Yoruba time. Jibafẹ that got me into this was not even here yet, well, she was usually late anyways.

The emcee continued, “Thank you all for gracing the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Motọlani Gbadamọsi aka madam Ẹriọkan. Today is really a glorious day. My name is Feyitọka Ọbade. I’ll be your host this evening. We are very grateful to God for his faithfulness, for His mercies, for His goodness, for His grace, for His divine favor, for His loving kindness. To God be all the glory, the praise, the honor and the exaltation. We tender apologies for starting late. I truly hope that we are all forgiving regarding Yoruba time, I tell my friends that it is in the DNA of Yorubas to be late.”

Everyone laughed. The emcee continued, “Seriously, we do not plan to begin late, but things happen and time just slips by. We particularly apologize to our non-Yoruba friends who have come to rejoice with us. We trust that you enjoyed the appetizers and the lovely music. We shall now begin with a word of prayer. I call on Pastor TiOluwanimi (Tolu) AnuAde to give us the invocation.”

That was a pleasant surprise, I didn’t know that Tolu was there. I checked the program again and realized that the program only had the celebrant’s name and what was planned. We had to depend on the emcee for who did what.

Pastor Tolu received the microphone and requested that every one bow their heads for the invocation. Then she did what she was anointed to do. She lifted up the name of Adonai (God the Father) and Yeshua (God the Son) and the Ruach haKodesh (God the Holy Spirit) filled the conference room. When she returned to her seat, I felt she had done my job. I was there to give God praise in a Yoruba poetry fashion called ewi. The purpose was for all to magnify God for His goodness and greatness. Well, Tolu did that with her prayer.

The emcee continued, “We shall be changing the program a little bit. We’ll go ahead and have dinner now since the restaurant’s rule is that dinner be served by 8.00pm and afterwards we’ll continue. Please use this time to get to know five people you’ve never met before, memorize their first names, vocation and birthday months. I have a prize for the person that remembers the most of the new acquaintances.”

So we had dinner and I met five new people: Person one, a non-Yoruba lady, her name was Cookie, she was a public administrator and her birth month was March, so I wished her happy birthday. Person two, a non-Yoruba man, his name was Nkenna, he was a telecommunications specialist, his birth month was January, I wished him happy birthday in arrears, person three, a non-Yoruba elderly man, his name was Rufus, he was an Engineer, his birth month was May, person four, a Yoruba girl, her name was Dunni, she was a nursing assistant, her birth month was December, person five, a non-Yoruba boy, his name was Fanta, he was an accountant, his birth month was February, I wished him happy birthday in arrears. 

Jibafẹ finally arrived with her family. As she was ushered to our table, she apologized for arriving late explaining that she was feeling under the weather. “I must have caught something or maybe it’s the weather change.”

I celebrated her arrival and redirected her to declare and keep proclaiming that by the stripes of Jesus, she was healed. Jibafẹ introduced me to Damari, the new addition to her family. Damari was a striper she had taken in. I was always impressed by the generosity of Jibafẹ. She had raised three sons who had made her a grandmother, now she had adopted an ex-striper who needed a place to stay. Some people were just endowed with super mothering skills, Jibafẹ was one of them. I introduced Jibafẹ and her family to Igbala. I took some time to fellowship with Aṣabi, Jibafẹ’s niece and was encouraged by profession of the bond developing between her and Damari. God truly knew how to answer prayers, Aṣabi’s need was fulfilled by the presence of Damari.

Mama Jade and Zachary’s entrance distracted me and I excused myself to greet them. On return, I saw that Jibafẹ and Igbala were chatting away. Jagun and I kept a conversation going until Jibafẹ sighed again.

Jibafẹ: I’m feeling whoozy again.

Jagun: Pẹlẹ (sorry) dear, drink some water.

Jibafẹ drank water and stopped eating. Pushing the food away she said “This food is too good for me to throw it up.”

Aṣabi: Ẹ pẹlẹ ma. Ko ma lọ jẹ asasi, nitori pe ẹ jẹ kin lọ sabo, awọn ẹmi buruku yẹn lo ma jẹ. (Sorry ma, it may be a spiritual attack because you did not let me go for shelter, it might be those evil spirits).

Jagun laughed.

Derbrah writes courtesy of Agape for All Ministries. Author retains copyright.

Jadesọla’s restaurant is a drama ministry of the Yoruba Christian Women (YCW), an international faith-based non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. Similarity of names and stories are coincidental. Feel free to copy for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires permission. For more information on YCW write Jesutoyin Ajikẹ-King (toyinking@yahoo.com).

Robot  # 1 | 03.04.2009 06:29

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