I am held bound by the wonderful experience my Ground Mother,Madam Iyono Ajogo bequeathed to me. A sound life nurtured by the way of nature. She is pragmatic,bold and down -to-earth. Instead of pampering as other grannies do. She was frank enough to tell me to always go with her to the farm to drink the down dew, as we were sneaking through the wet ears of grass by the farm paths at dawn. She was telling me, 'Fande' , the derogatory pronoun of Friday. I loved that sound as it echoes through all the fabrics of my being. All my marrow resound the tone like thunder claps. She always say "Land has a language, listen to understand." "Child," she said, "the land is a living, breathing entity. It has a rhythm, a heartbeat that we must learn to listen to and respect." Claws Of Time, is a simple narrative, from one of her various pre occupations, farming. She was a trader, a herbalist and she has indulged so many women in her clime. The tribe she cultivated. She was highly honoured and respected in the community. Through my granny, I was always full headed for every task. I began to see in the farm the interconnectedness of all things, how every creature and plant was inextricably linked, each one relying on the others for survival. She brightened my horizon of viewing things on a new pedestals. "This is a dung beetle," she said, holding it cupped in her palm. Making me see value in all things. She said,"It plays a crucial role in the health of our soil, breaking down organic matter and returning nutrients to the earth." This is my story of growing up under a firm granny, ain't I not lucky? She was a star. May her rest be blessed. Thank you, Mother Iyono Ajogo. © El-yadirf Adokauhil.
Chapter 1
I slinged my mini hoe, strapped across my neck with a denizen rope, and followed behind my aged Grand-Mom to the distant farm.
As we made our way, I excused myself to avoid my bowel by the side of the road.
There, I noticed a dung beetle rolling a large pile of past excrement; it was surprisingly big for its size. I was amazed and wondered at the sight.
Before I knew it, Mother had gone far ahead, and I moaned and moaned, trying to catch up.
Along the way, I saw what appeared to be monkey-looking rats, with stripe marks across their bodies.
And then, a long rope-like creature came chasing after them.
The creeping thing tried to catch the rat, and I took to my heels, moaning "Mother!" again and again.
The roads seemed to be swallowing each other, twisting and turning, with 'T' and 'Y' junctions leading to other farms.
You can't see a rabbit cross your path, as that would be an omen, nor a chameleon - there were so many such inconceivables along the way.
Eventually, I caught up with Mother, my steps heavy with exertion.
I gawf and inane-ly laughed, though she thought I would say a word.
I "shakara" her, expectantly, but a long silence ensued before we finally reached the farm.
As I aged along, I was full of questions - so many unanswered queries. I became dubious, and struggled to believe.
I swallowed the saliva of pains, beleaguered. Many things created stomach and nerve pains.
You never know how ignorance has breached - information is everything:
The earth's hauled and beaten
Pounded and dug
Sometimes blood spills
It quakes in tremors
The wound the earth bears,yet
It never stops to flow, her fruits keeps the world going
In her pain all creatures gain
The earth never one day exacerbates her integrity
Despite man's misuse of her bounties.
From this moment, I found solace in nature.
We attain our intricate vibrancy from the abode of nature and all that we are are lent to us.
Just free of charge, in the ethos of glory, also echoing our dependence on nature.
It's a fact, we live and move and have our being in nature. Nature is our home, our haven and our hell if we trample on its 'adder.'
Achadu, my maternal grandfather, did say one day, " live your life earnestly in the guidance of nature"
The old man used to invoke the power of thunder on thieves, if they refused to repent.
Such times, a sudden gathering of dark clouds, followed by drizzling mist.
Surprisingly, the sky would belge a lightning spark, it would deliver a thunderbolt on the culprit.
The culprit will be roasted like meat in dark ash. As always nasty to behold.
The farm became the best place to inundate the ability to be part of nature.
It seems western education was a distraction, because the ability to know who you are shelved.
A Tribute to manity is rare with all its triumphs and tribulations, has long been the subject of fascination and contemplation. From the earliest civilization to the modern era, mankind has consistently strived to unravel the mysteries of existence, leaving indelible marks on the tapestry of time.Within this profound context, we embark on a journey to pay homage to the essence of our being and celebrate the incredible achievements of humanity. Projecting Man as a symbol of the struggles, tribulation and the successes we have traversed in this existence..The pages are not limited to the many undulating steps to achieving our goals in pitfalls and rising, and suggestions to always stay our gaze to better humanity in greatness and capacity. In this little eBook titled “A Tribute To Man,” we delve into the very core of what makes us human. We explore the multifaceted aspects of our existence in a short narrative spurring us to strength with seductive headings; From our intellectual prowess and creative expressions to our resilience in the face of adversity. Through a collection of motivational stories, reflections and insights, we aim to capture the essence of our shared human experiences. © El-yadirf Adokauhil.
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Cathryn, an orphan with no family ties to Grayson, regarded him only as family. He, however, valued her as a precious jewel. From their very first encounter, Cathryn's destiny was intertwined with his. Once lonely and desiring affection, she was ensnared by his love, unable to break free. Eventually, she managed to escape his emotional clutches. Shockingly, she had fallen for someone else. Grayson confronted her sharply. "How could you feel for another?" Unable to meet his eyes, she whispered, "You're family. I can't..." Looking down, he pressed further. "You can't, or you wouldn’t dare?"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”