Friends And Closer Friend
The founder of Isokan town was an idol worshiper. What he believed in he passed on to his heirs. His children were following his footsteps without hesitations. This man was a great man in idolatry until his demise.
Isokan is a town occupying the center of Rewa region. If one is going to the north, or South or East or West of Rewa one cannot but pass through Isokan town. He occupies such a central position such that people wanted to be moving into the town. But for the idolatry being practiced by the people of the town, people were afraid of moving into the town coupled with the fact that the founder of the town, Okano, wield so much power, no one wants to dare him to move to the place.
However, after the death of Okano, people who were erstwhile afraid of moving to the town of Isokan were having a second thought.
The heir of Okano, Kana, who assumed the position of authority of leading the town of Isokan after his father’s demise did not do as his father did. He listened to the counsel of the elders who had worked with his father. Those elders have told him that for the town to become big, he needs to open the gate for other tribes and people to enter into the town.
Kana asked the elders to clarify what they mean by what they have said. “Did my father shut the door against other tribes and regions into entering this town when he was alive?” Kana asked from the elders at the elders meeting.
The elders replied him that his father did not shut the door against them directly but he did it indirectly by what he was doing, by the power he wields around. Everyone was afraid of him, his leadership and no one dares enter the town when he was alive, though people loved to from the interactions we had with some and from what we heard from the commoners in the town saying.
“If they were interested, why can’t they enter? Was my father so stern?” He inquired further.
It was not that your father was too stern but the religion we practiced, the idolatry we practiced and how your father practices it terrifies everyone such that they were thinking they may be harmed if they moved into our town. No one could blame them for that, because they have heard of some towns which practiced idolatry like us using people for sacrifices. That is why people do not want to pass the night in our town, and when anyone who is travelling sees that it is 13:00 hours such a one would not leave his town again because of fear, because if the unexpected happens and they have to get here late, they were not certain that they won’t come to any harm.
“Uhmn! Kana sighed. I never know such thing as this was happening during my father’s days, no one told me all of these despite ensuring that I become friends with the people, the commoners”, Kana said.
No one will tell you that Your Highness, because they do not know what would happen by telling you something like that, thus everyone hides what they have in their hearts and will be telling you sweet things, what you love to hear what would not put their lives at risk, the chiefs said.
“Okay. What do you think we can do to open the doors?” Kana asked the chiefs.
The chiefs told him that they need to remove some terrifying things that are pushing people away from the town, some of the open shrines should be taken off to the hidden places, the shrines in the market should be relocated to somewhere else.
Kana agreed with the people and most of the shrines located in the center of the town were relocated to the hidden places. The high priests of those shrines were not happy with what Kana did, but since he has the authority and above all is the leader over all. The leader in the town is believed to possess all the powers; he has power over witches, sorcerers, and other spirits. Thus, his order was agreed to and complied by, by all.
Soon the news spread abroad that Isokan town is wearing a new look. The fear in the minds of people is gradually being removed. People travelling through the town of Isokan gradually started passing the night in the town. Within a short period of time people started settling down in the town of Isokan.
The financial status of Isokan town started changing those who were erstwhile poor started leaving the poverty stage. Those who were largely dependants before were not again.
As this was happening the people who were moving into the town were also coming with their kind of religions. Soon enough the religions in the town became many, individual people continue to practice their religion without fear or favor because Kana has given the go ahead for this.
Six Friends
There were six children attending Power and Power Church with their parents in the town of Isokan. Their parents were immigrants into the town of Isokan. They migrated from different parts of the region of Rewa into the town of Isokan. It was when they got into the town of Isokan and they were attending the same church that they became friends.
The names of the children were Saso, Undey,Wyte, Digle, Owun and Mek. They were always happy when their parents took them to church; they always look forward to church days because they knew they will see one another. Four of these children were males while the remaining two were females.
Their parents were also very happy seeing them together.
Because their children have become friends, the parents’ friendship also grew.
The missionary school has just begun in the town and their parents enrolled them into the missionary school. After they finished their primary school, they left for secondary school. There were five secondary schools in the town of Isokan, one was owned by missionary, another one by the Isokan government while the rest three were jointly owned by communities that makes up Rewa region.
Wyte, who is one of the females, went to the missionary secondary school. Sosa, Undey and Digle were admitted into the Isokan secondary school. Owum and Mek went to other schools, the one jointly owned by the Rewa region.
Having advanced in age, they left the children group in the church and were enrolled into the choir of the church. During this time their friendship continued to grow because they share some things about themselves, the knowledge of what was learn in their respective schools were shared among one another. They really care for themselves and they were hoping that they will be one of those people who will bring the needful transformations into the chuch with time, when they finished their education.
What their parents were seeing, how they care for each other genuinely and sincerely, their parents loved and some of them had been wishing they will be married to each other. Only time can say this, one of them who have that thought said to her husband after seeing them playing together one weekend before they left for the choir practice.
Hardly can a day passed by without them asking after each other. The females’ parents houses are close to each other, but the males houses are very far from each other as well as far from the females houses. But despite this, the males would still find themselves and will take a long walk to the ladies street just to greet them.
Their final examination in the secondary school is drawing near and they all determined to make it big in the examination so that they will be able to further their academics. To achieve this, they started preparing for the examination together, they chose a common place for themselves to be reading which was their church.
They will all arrive at the church around 11:00 hours and would start reading together, what is not clear to one would be asked from the other person. They prepared hard for the examination.
Gap Created
When they sat for the examination, it was unfortunate that two of them, Owum and Digle did not make all their papers, while the rest of them made their papers.
A gap has been created by this, while the four of them started thinking about moving ahead, the other two was thinking of how they will make their papers.
Undey and Saso got admitted into Rewa Polytechnic while Mek got admitted into University of Rewa. Wyte did not secure admission into any of the higher institution and she could not secure admission until 4 years later.
By this time, Owum and Digle had made their secondary school papers and were also seeking for admission.
Despite academic gap, they still keep in touch with one another. It was during this time that they started developing feelings for themselves.
Saso and Undey were not interested in the ladies. They told the other two guys, Owum and Digle this, so that they could forge ahead with them if they are interested in them.
The Interest
When they heard this, Owum and Digle told Saso and Undey whom they were interested in. Owum said he is interested in Mek while Digle said he is interested in Wyte. That is good Saso said, we do not need to be talking to any of you to leave a sister for another. What matters now is you approaching them and telling them your mind at your own pace.
Undey adds that from now thenceforth, you may not be seeing us regularly as before because we shall soon finish and we need to look for how to get our lives together.
We understand Owum said, but we won’t want you to distance yourself from us, for we may sometimes need your advise on some things.
It is not that we shall leave you outrightly, in as much as we are still in Isokan town you will still be seeing us.
The Separation
Saso and Undey graduated from polytechnic and leave the town of Isokan for another town. As they were leaving the town of Isokan, so were Owum and Digle, they were also offered admission by Universities very far from Isokan town. Having been trying to get to University of Isokan for long, but all to no avail and they secure admission at a very distant place, they did not hesitate to grasp the opportunity and they left Isokan town.
Before they leave for their respective institutions, Owum went to Mek to tell her his mind, while Digle also told Wyte his mind.
Both ladies despite knowing these guys from childhood stage did not agree to their proposals.
The guys left for their respective institutions while the ladies were in Isokan town. However, despite this they kept communicating with the ladies through letters.
Erroneous Notion
Out of these six friends, Mek and Owum were very close. Due to their closeness, many people have been thinking that they were already seeing each other, because they were not family members and they could be close like that if not that something is between them.
When people started asking about Owum from Mek, she had to tell those who used to ask him from her that they should not ask of him from her again because she was as they were to him.
The people could not believe her saying this and they asked her that is she not into relationship with him? She replied that there was nothing like that between them, that they were close when they were children and in secondary schools.
One of those who heard this told Owum to propose to Mek because they love their relationship and believe good friends will make good home if they could be married to each other.
When this man said this unto Owum, Owum told the person that he had proposed to her but she did not consent, she was proving hard to get, since he cannot withstood her hanky-panky he had to let her go and has been going out with someone else where he was schooling.
This man went to Mek behind Owum to talk to Mek that lasting marriages are built by good friends, that she should consider Owum to be married to. Mek told the man that Owum failed to define his relationship with her, and since she is expecting him to make the move but which he did not make, she does not see how they could come together.
When Mek said this the man told her that “but Owum said she proposed to you and you were playing hard to get to him”.
“Do not mind him” Mek said, he did not define what he wanted from me, maybe he has turned his visiting me to mean proposal I cannot say. The man could not say anything other than letting her go.
However this man briefed Owum of what Mek said and Owum told the man not to disturb himself on her, because he has found a lady where he is studying.
Digle kept on reminding Wyte through his many letters to her that she should consider him. Wyte would not bulge because she wants to be stablished academically. One fateful day, while Digle, Wyte and Owum were together in Isokan after their break from their respective Universities, they were reliving their on-campus experiences with themselves and suddenly Owum changed the topic to love issue, and started talking to Wyte of the need to re-consider her stance about his friend’s proposal, that he really want them to be together. He cannot utter a word without making mentioning of you Owum told Wyte, he loves you deeply and would make you happy always if you can be married to him.
Wyte told Owum that he would not want a man to break her heart because she sees so many heart that have been shattered by some guys on campus, “my heart is a fragile one, more fragile than theirs and I cannot withstand a heart being broken by anyone” she said.
I assure you he won’t do something like that unto you. We have grown up together we know our weaknesses and strengths and if you care to know many of us have been formed from our secondary school days before we get to universities, it is few things that universities or Polytechnics add to humans personality, majority of it have been formed before getting into those higher institutions and I want to assure you that Digle that you know before has not changed much, and he prioritize your matter, he values you more than anything in the world, just give him a chance to prove himself. It is when you give him chance that you will really know what I am talking about. I also want you to know that when you give him a chance and you start something worthwhile, that is when you will become closer friends than before, I know you have been friends before, but to know him more, something needs to tie you together a stronger tie than the initial knot that has bonded us together.
Wyte did not know what to say again. She told him that she heard what Owum said and she agreed. That was how Wyte and Digle started their relationship.
The Closer Friend
People who have been thinking that something like this ought to happen between two of the six friends were happy that Digle and Wyte started dating.
One day, Digle, Wyte, Mek and Owum met at Undey’s place for they all heard that Undey came home to visit his parent and they went there to greet him. When they were discussing Mek made some utterances to Digle which others did not pay specific attention to because they are males, but Wyte took it personal and told Mek to stop such utterance to her fiancé. Mek replied her that she was playing with Digle, “after all we have been friends since our childhood days” she added.
“Yeah, we have been friends since our childhood days, but then our lives have not been defined, we do not know who is who and what is for who among us then, but now, that we have known who is who and who is for what, we should stop uttering foul statements, and if you must offer any foul words not to my love, because out of all of us here, I am the closest friend to him”, Wyte said.
“I am sorry such a statement won’t be repeated again” Mek said.
“Apology accepted”, Wyte said and they continued to discuss. The guys in the place did not really know what happened what the statement she uttered was, not as if they were not listening but they did not attach much seriousness to it as Wyte did. Not long after this, Mek asked for permission to leave the place and she was seen to the bus stop.
When they got back in, it was then Wyte started telling them that Mek has been found of looking down on people, and she has been telling her that she must not do that to her fiance when she gets engaged. Fortunately today I to let her know in case she has forgotten than Digle is mine and also that what I told her I am serious about she said.
That is good Undey said, it is women who can defend their spouses before other women and men would do the same if some men are underrating their spouses before them. It is good as you have done, now everyone now knows that you are the closest friend to Digle, not even his parents neither any of us is as close to him as you are now.
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