The Stolen Heart

The Stolen Heart

There was a young girl, IpinnuOluwa and a young boy, Toluwalasẹ in the street of Fisilẹ in a village of Iyanu. Their houses were not far from each other... Since there is no Secondary school in this village, the children of this village have to trek to the neighbouring town which is about 7 miles to attend Secondary School. This they do on daily basis, but some of these pupils whose parents are living above average do rent rooms for their children in that town, so that they will be able to concentrate on their studies.

Ipinnu and Tolu as they were popularly called by their age mates, were age mates because they graduated out of Primary School the same time, and luckily enough, they also got admitted to the secondary school in the neighbouring town at the same time.

During their Junior Class One, they were going to School together on a daily basis. However, when they got to Junior Class 3, Tolu's father decided to get for him an apartment close to school like others from the town, but the parents of Ipinnu did not because they said their child is a female and they wouldn’t want to expose her to dangers of boys and dubious men in another town, so, they didn’t get a room for her in that town like Tolu’s parents did.

Interestingly, Ipinnu and Tolu had develop feelings of love for each other during those times they used to trek to school together, but they thought they were too young for that kind of relationship at their age.

When they crossed to Senior Class, Tolu felt well, it is time for him to “break the speaker”, so he announced to Ipinnu his love for her, but Ipinnu feared her parents greatly and declined his offer. Days roll into weeks, weeks into months, session in and out and they finished from Secondary School, with Ipinnu still on her point, “I am still young for this kind of relationship”.

Before they graduated however, during the harvest festival in Tolu's parents church, which Ipinnu also graced with her parents because the people of the village do things in common just to ensure that the town developed. A prophet of the church while praying said Tolu and Ipinnu were ordained to be husband and wife and that their union will liberate so many people within the village. This saying by the man of God was heard by everyone in the program that day and they stored what they heard concerning them in their memories, hoping and they do not relent in praying that nothing happens to them so that they would be delivered from their troubles and anguish as a people in the village.

When those people who heard the message that day saw that the children of yesteryears are growing up, they keep believing that their days of deliverance draweth nigh because they know God cannot lie, when he says something through his people such would come to pass.

However, after they finished from the Secondary School, Ipinnu decided that she wont further her academics, so she started business within the village.

Tolu however left for the center with the hope of furthering his academics, but things did not go down well with him there. After about five years of fruitlessness in searching for admission into institution of higher learning but all to no avail, she also ventured into business as did Ipinnu in their village years back.

Ipinnu's business had grown in the village, everyone likes her, prefers her to other business men and women within the village, but she was yet single.

Ipinnu used to remember the words of prophecy that was uttered concerning them years back and she was waiting for Tolu to come home and take her away in marriage, so that the wills of God concerning their lives would be fulfilled. She was ready for Tolu, she was ready for love, but Tolu was nowhere to be found.

Tolu however finds it hard as a starter in the business in the town where he is. After another 10 years of struggling, he started making impact in his chosen area of business.

In the town where Tolu was as a business man, there is a lady whose shop was close to Tolu’s, she was into some catering business, her business is also thriving and improving by the day. Tolu and this lady eventually got close to each other, within time, their closeness grew into love relationship and they eventually got married later.

After their marriage, God blessed them with four children, two males two females. However, something terrible happened to this family during their 8th year wedding anniversary because this woman passed on peacefully while sleeping.

Tolu was greatly hit by this incident because he loved the lady richly, he loved her with his entirety, and he knew that the lady loves him with all she’s got when she was yet alive as she demonstrated this because she satisfied Tolu with all she has, nothing was reserved in her physical possessions and material possessions with which she did not satisfy Tolu with.

Some years after the burial of this lady, Tolu was admonished be friends and people to take someone else in marriage because he is yet young, the children are young, but their many pleas fell on the side of Tolu’s ear that is affected by otitis media. He did not listen to what they told him, he continued to live his life like that, continued to take care of his children and ensuring that his business grows.

In making sure that the business of his wife does not die with her, there is a lady, called Yanah, who has been working with his wife before she died, that lady loves his late wife seriously, he employs the lady and makes her the executive officer of his wife’s business, while he only supervises her when the need be.

As the Yanah proves herself to be a faithful lady, Tolu hardly supervises her again, he left her with the job asking her to keep doing it as she knows it would be better.

Tolu’s wife’s business too did not suffer after her death. There are people who walk to Yanah to tell her that she should defraud the business and leave for another town to go and start her own with what she has made from the illegal deals, but Yanah turned them down saying, whatsoever God has in plan for her would not come through illegal dealings, that she would wait for her own time, “God’s time is always the best, comforting and refreshing”, she echoed to them.

Tolu visits his village occasionally but whenever he does, he would arrive in the evening time, and would leave the town very early the following day before day breaks.

His parents were usually marvelled at his movements into the village, asking themselves why he did not want to stay within the village for hours, not even to play with them, because they hardly have time to discuss whenever he arrives.

All that he keeps telling them was that he cannot stay longer because of his business, because ten people cannot be like the owner of the business.

He continued like this for years even after his wife’s death without any mind of marrying another woman, and whenever his parents also raise up the issue, he would reply them that what else does he want in life? God has blessed him through his late wife with four wonderful children, males and females. “What else do I want? Nothing.” He will reply his parents.

When his parents discovered that his heart has been made up on not remarrying, they also left talking to him about remarrying.

People of the village who are still alive and who were at the venue of the declaration of God’s word to Tolu and Ipinnu did raise the matter with Tolu’s parents at a time of the need to talk with their son to be married to Ipinnu so that the village would be saved.

This they were doing before he got married, after his marriage they stopped pressurizing his parents until they heard that his wife has died. When they heard this, they raise the issue with Tolu’s parents again because Ipinnu is yet single and that was when Tolu’s parents mount pressure on him again, but he was not moved by all they were saying.

When they discovered this, they left him alone, having it in mind that if it be the will of God that they be married it would happen.

The Found Heart

Ipinnu's business in their village, the village of Iyanu continued to grow, such that she has chains of businesses within the village. Through out the Local Government under which her village belongs, Ipinnu's fame rose. She was one of the most successful business woman, if not the most successful business woman, within the 800 miles radius of the village where she lives in. Out of all the business women within the state under which her village belongs, Ipinnu cannot be brushed aside even though she lives in the village, where the headquarters of her business is located.

Everyone marvels at such grace that has been bestowed on her by God. through her business, many of her people, the villages became liberated such that those who never dreamt of building a house within the village started building houses, those who couldn’t afford sending their children to school could send their children to school, because the economic status of many inhabitants of the village have changed, which led to increase status of the village. She was greatly loved by her kiths and kins within and without for the deliverance God has used her for within the village. Sadly, to say though that despite all these blessings that God has blessed Ipinnu with, she was yet single, she was yet to be crowned, she has not hubby and this used to pain her give her restless, no thanks to Tolu who has defied all to take up someone else in marriage.

Her mother continued to run from pillars to posts, praying for her daughter so that she gets a hubby, but all of the efforts of hers proved abortive. Soon people's tongue began to wag as they started saying, her blessings wasn’t ordinary, how could God bless someone like that and in that way? How could she have been blessed like that even within our confines, within our locality without her getting out of the territories of this village for once? Have you seen such happening? Where did you see a similar feat being performed? There ought to be examples, and or references to refer to, they continued to say, she must have done some diabolical means that was yet to be revealed to us, who even knows maybe that is why she is yet to be married, she possibly has traded her marital life for her wealth. These and many more were people saying about Ipinnu.

At a time when Ipinnu’s parents couldn’t contain what they were hearing about their daughter again, they had to call her to ask her to be sincere with them, because the truth be told, they had done all that they thought they could do to ensure that she has a crown, that she sees someone to approach her and be married to her, but all they have done did not yield any result as such they also started toeing the paths of the slanderers to have another thought about their daughter.

Ipinnu was surprised when her parents raised the issue with her, and she asked them that having been living with them for years, not leaving them even when others were living in other towns during their secondary school days, they yet couldn’t believe her. She told them that is it easy for someone to change suddenly? Even if it is easy for people to change suddenly, she couldn’t have change like that.

She took them through the memory lane of how she started the business and their contributory roles to the business when she started and that she has not for once hidden from them the progress of the business until she left their house.

She let them know that the transformation that comes to her business happens when the information technologists introduced internet facilities into their village. When others were skeptical about embracing the innovation, she embraced it, and the dividends of embracing it was what they all are seeing but nothing else.

Me, Ipinnu, while embracing it was not sure of what would be the outcome of embracing it then, but all that is in my mind while embracing it was that I wouldn’t lose more than the initial capital that I have invested into the deals and any further introductions through gimmick I wouldn’t subscribe to it. That was what was in my mind during the investment, and this happens to be the foundation of my turn around, for I was placed on the world map by those people and any new thing that would come into the village I would be the first point of contact, and since I was doing them well, it graduated from this village to outside this village.

Her parents told her that they remembered all of these, but they have been disturbed and that their ears have been full of words from denigrators who have associated your wealth and fame to the reason why you couldn’t be married. It is because we cannot contain this any longer that is why we decide to call you that you should be sincere with us, if you do anything surreptitious that you should let us know so that we shall know what other steps to take to get you out of your inability to secure a husband.

I am sincere with you my parents, that I know nothing about all that the people are saying. I want you to know that I do hear what they are saying too, because some of my members of staff do tell me what they heard people say about me here and there, not even within the people of this village alone but those outside this village were not left out, because none could fathom the sudden change, the accelerated growth in my business, to be sincere with you I cannot fathom it either other than when I received messages through the internete that I have been enlisted in this and that, I shall receive so and so consignment and after the delivery of the consignment I would go and pay the money into their accounts and it would turn to gold in my hands within the village and outside because those people will tell others from other places to go to Iyanu village if they need such and such thing because they have representatives there. That is all I know. Apart from that, I know nothing, neither do I even know any diabolical house within or without this village because I haven’t been brought up in that way, you have not brought me up in that way. Till now, I am still following the path of God, the path of Jesus that you have shown me since my early days. She conclusively replies her parents.

Well if that is the case, Ipinnu’s father replied, I am contented with what our daughter has said, what I can say now is, let anyone continue to say whatsoever they like, I will stay with my daughter within rain and sun and would continue to pray for your success and that God put to shame those defamers.

Her mother also supported what her father said and told her that God would continue to multiply her as they shall keep on praying for her and that they know that she would one day smile in Jesus name.

This was how the parents of Ipinnu was won back to her, because they had almost been swept off by the slanderers talks.

It is true that Ipinnu knew nothing about what the people were saying about her progress and wealth and fame. No one knows maybe God was converting her parents and her prayers to increasing her fame, wealth and progress. While she was crying of no hubby, when she sometimes even wishes that the progress of her business be slowed down a bit so that husband enters her life, it was after such prayers that other doors of opportunities would be opened unto her from above and far. Through her foreigners located their village and people come to their village as if the village is a tourist center. It was when she noticed that anytime she wishes the business be stalled that the business progress that was when she started saying let thine will be done oh Lord on this business.

Her parents discussed with her siblings too to tell them what their resolutions were on their sister and that they should be defending her anytime.

Her parents gave birth to nine children, three males and six females. Ipinnu was the eldest child of her parents.

When Ipinnu knew that there is nothing that she could do to change the people’s perspective, position and believe about her, she thence left everything into the hands of God, the true judge to vindicate her because she knows that though lie may go around for decades, but on a single day, the truth would catch up with it and when the truth catches up with lies, then liars would be put to shame. It is when the truth comes into the open that she would become vindicated and she knows that soon enough that would happen to her.

Apart from what people were, saying about her, they were also of the mind that she was not moved by her situation, for if she has been moved, some reasoned she would have left what she was doing and head for the mountain to wait at the presence of the Lord for months because her condition calls for such to be done, because anyone who would eat honey from the rock would not be examining the axe’s sharp end.

She abandoned herself to the Lord knowing that irrespective of what one does, one cannot please human beings.

She always remembers the words of prophecy spoken concerning her decades back, but the second person who shares the prophecy with her, who is Tolu has been married. She cannot fathom what was wrong, was it that the prophet was lying or was it that the prophecy was not for Tolu, maybe it is someone else who appeared in the form of Tolu to the prophet in the revelation. This word of prophecy used to baffle her. She thinks Tolu does not remember the prophecy again for assuming he remembers the prophecy like she does, he wouldn’t have gone and marry someone else.

She finds herself in a dilemma position because some of the prophecy has come to pass. The aspect that is every hour coming to pass is the issue of her being a source of deliverance for her people. This has been true so far, because so many of the people living in their village, indigenes and strangers, have been delivered from poverty by working for her. This deliverance she foresees has to do with the financial status of her people but the other part which says this deliverance would involve her and Tolu has not come near fulfilment at all.

Sometimes she would blame herself for what happened, maybe she should have gone ahead with him when he made the proposal, but that is a bygone issue, thinking about that would continue to leave her in a state of dilemma for she wouldn’t be able to move ahead.

And since she has done what she did can’t God use his power to make things, the revelation fall into the right place for her? She used to think like that. “Or should I go and become a second wife in his house? What of if he doesn’t want to marry two wives?” This was part of her thought.

After a while she decides to toe another part, and it was that she would also go ahead and be involved with anyone who proposes to her, a guy whom she has ascertained to be of good behavior.

After making this resolution it was sad to discover that those who approached her never stayed long in her life. Weeks after they started seeing each other they would leave her. The person who stayed long with her spent 6 months before calling it quit with her and the relationship and moving out with another person, most junior person to Ipinnu.

When she asked any of the guys whom they have been seeing each other why the person wants to leave her, many were their responses to her. One of them said, “God says you are not my wife”, another one says, “my prophet says you are possessed by demons and if I be married to you those demons would kill me”, yet another one says, “my parents say, I would become your slave because you are too rich and influential in the society”. On and on like these are the excuses given by those people who have been seeing her before uttered when they wanted to severe the relationship with her.

Her pleas fell to their deaf ears as they would leave her.

After this she decides to do another thing and it was trying to woo men herself, after all people say there is nothing bad in it. She said to herself as she started looking for good ones, but all those she got were those who would ask for favor from her before they be involved with her. After granting them the favor they asked for they would then say that they wanted to have sexual intercourse with her before they would continue.

But she wouldn’t allow for this, because in their land it is a taboo for such to happen before marriage apart from this she has also made a covenant with herself that it is after the person that she would be married to pay her dowry that she would allow the person to have sex with her.

She does not want to break this covenant because of what she is passing through.

It becomes obvious to her after all these attempts that she needs to maintain herself and leave those people, wherever her spouse is one day God would bring him to her and if that never happens so be if after all there are ladies who have dedicated themselves to the service of the Lord and they do not know any man from their birth until they die. “I will be one of them”, she said to herself, as she decides to face her business wholly. After this resolution, things continued to soar higher for her, the business keeps growing.

However, Tolu on the other hand because he was living in the center of their country, he after the demise of his wife decided to concentrate fully on his business and within a short time, his business started expanding and his fame started increasing, because God has visited him afresh on his business. Despite this, Tolu wasn’t thinking about another woman, he wasn’t thinking about re-marrying, “not in this world again”, he would say to his friends and anyone who comes to tell him about re-marrying.

Whenever Tolu visits his village, Iyanu village, Ipinnu would only hear of his visit after he has left the village.

When Ipinnu heard of his wife’s death, Ipinnu got to where he was living and wrote on the condolence register, but she was unable to see him one on one because of the visitors he had.

Because she was unable to see him one on one, Ipinnu decides that whenever he comes to the village she would go and see him to register her condolences physically. Therefore, Ipinnu used to target whenever he will visit their village, because she knows when he comes around, not one could forbid her from seeing him.

She sets some of her staff to be monitoring him, but after they told her that he is around, early the following morning when she is planning to go and visit him, what she would hear again is that he has left the village.

At a certain juncture she begins to feel that Tolu was deliberately avoiding her.

This continued for months until Ipinnu left the thought of paying him a visit again. Visiting him on the demise of his wife would seem like re-opening the wound that has been healed she thought to herself and did not bother herself again.

On a certain day of the week, Thursday precisely, Tolu grew restless in the centre where he was, nothing interest him. He couldn’t have a sound sleep, the following day he couldn’t sleep at all. This worrying development makes him to say he will leave the center for his village to go and see his parents and spend the weekend with them, “when I die, I won’t be buried here, I will be carried to my village to be buried there, why won’t I now start building some relationship with some of my people in the village whom I have lost contacts with”.

He thought this over and decides that it is the right thing to do. He called his Senior Manager and told him that he wants to take leave and would spend some days at his village with his children. Coincidentally, his children were on holiday when this incident happened, and the thought cropped up in his mind.

When he told his children that they would be going home to spend sometimes with their grandparents, the children were happy because they used to enjoy how their grandparents used to treat them.

After making the needful handing over unto his Senior Manager, telling him that what he couldn’t handle he shouldn’t bother to call him, but he should pencil those down until his arrival, for he wants a complete rest with his family at his village he left the center for his village the following day.

He took his children out on shopping the day prior to their leaving the center and they buy those things which they think they would not be able to get in their village easily. He knows that many of the things they would get there, but he doesn’t want to assume too much so that he wouldn’t have reasons to return to the center before the set day in his heart to spend in the village.

Very early the following morning he left with the driver and the children for the village of Iyanu.

When they arrived home in the afternoon, his parents cannot but ask him what the problems were because it has been long that he arrived home in the afternoon like that, they cannot remember when he did arrive home during that period of the day last.

He told them that there is no problem that he has come home to play with them, to spend his leave with them, instead of traveling to another country with his children to spend his holiday there, he has decided that he would come to his village to receive natural air, play around and see the developments on going in the nooks and crannies of his village.

To avoid that he won’t leave before the set time, he instructed his driver to return to the center with his car and told him when he should come and pick him and his children, “I want to have a full rest”, he said to his driver as the driver returned to the town with his car after offloading all the packages they brought to the village into the house.

His parents cannot but be glad about this development, thinking that what has come over their son?

Some people who know how he used to leave the village early thought well, he would leave the first thing at the cock crew the following day, but they were mistaken because he did not leave the village.

The following day, the people see him around talking and laughing with his parents, relatives and siblings outside the house. The sleep he has found difficult to sleep for some days back he is sleeping peacefully in the village with his children.

His children are happily playing with his parents and other children within the neighbourhood. While his parents would take the children to different places of interest, including their farms to see how things are being done and would bring back. The children are happy seeing different things that they used to see on the television in reality in the village.

Soon some of the things they brought home finished and he sends some of his people to go and buy others for his children. He was happy that many of those things in the center are now available in his village.

He started walking around the village in company of his relatives as they were showing him some places of interest. At some places he would talk with some youths asking them what they are doing, what they intend doing, and counseling them.

At some places, when he sees the pitiable condition of some of the families, he would ask his relatives what he could do for those people, are they worthy people who could be assisted? His relatives would supply the needful answers, and, on those answers, he started working covertly.

Some of those families he would give money secretly without anyone knowing, while for some he would give their children employment and for some he promised to start sponsoring their education if they could continue to perform brilliantly.

As he continued to do this, he started receiving visitors in his father’s compound every day, as people would come to greet him for one thing or another.

As he was doing this, his children were busy with their grandparents, his parents were also happy that they could be playing with his children because before now, he wouldn’t allow them to, they would have left the village.

Stolen Heart Found

As he continued to see the village, then he got to Ipinnu’s big business store. He entered the store to see things for himself and buy some things home for his people.

As he was about to leave the big store that day, Ipinnu arrived. When they saw each other, Ipinnu’s heart started beating fast, her mind was talking to her, “this is my love of yesteryears, this is my first love, but I denied him”, as she was thinking about him, Tolu was also assessing her, “this is the lady I have first love, this is the lady I would have been married to, but God did not sanction it until I left the village” looking at her from head to toe, “even at her age, she is yet cute and lovely, she is yet radiantly looking, there is no iota of village life on her, it is very true that God has blessed Ipinnu”, his mind races fast too as he continues to think about her.

Just then, Ipinnu broke the silence.

“Ẹ karọ sir” (Good morning sir)

“Good morning ma. It has been a long time”, Tolu replied, still accessing the paragon of beauty standing before him.

Walking closer to him, “I hope this is not too late to say”,

“What is that?”

“It is the unexpected development that happened to your spouse sir”

“Oh! I see!!”

“I tried my best seeing you when the incident happened, but I couldn’t because of so many visitors at your place then”

“That is true. It’s me who ought to apologize to you, because your messages were delivered by my members of staff, but because of the numbers of friends and relatives who were thronging my place to visit me, I couldn’t leave my house for a while, I eventually turned that time to a period of rest from all activities known and unknown. I am sorry for not getting across to you ma”, he said while still assessing her, saying internally that this is my first love, she is yet beautiful as ever, compared to women of her age. That apart, despite living in the village, she is still beautiful as he continued, “and when I eventually resumed activities, I tried my best reaching out to all who came to my office or house to commiserate with me on the demise of my love and I think my message ought to have gotten to you too” he conclusively said.

“Uhm! I don’t think I get any message as related to that”, Ipinnu replied, “for if I have, I would likely have called back”

“That is serious!” Looking straight into her eyeballs, “Don’t you leave behind your contacts when you visited?” he asked her again still in bewilderment of what could have happened that she was unable to be reached after visiting his place, as he was doing this he also continued with his assessment for he still couldn’t fathom the beauty before him, it has been a while that he has seen someone as beautiful as she is, he was thinking that was she how she was beautiful when they were together decades back, and he recalled that she was beautiful then too, because then assuming there were beauty contests in their schools then, she would have won it all through when she was in primary school as well as when they got to secondary school. Even in secondary school where they had to mix with people from other villages, she was still the most beautiful one among all the girls in the school, such that a female teacher looked at Ipinnu one day and said that assuming she was a male teacher, she would have done anything and everything to make sure that she be married to her, even if she has wife at home she would have divorced the wife to be married to her, because she was astonishingly beautiful.

All the students who heard the female teacher saying that, that year couldn’t agree less and we were saying if a female teacher could talk about how beautiful a teenage girl is in the open like her, it then means that others, mostly male teachers in the school would have been talking about her beauty in absence. Not to talk about her peers. Then there was nothing like beauty contest in our area and the village unlike now that beauty contests now bring money and fame to some people. Assuming there was something like this then, it is certain that she would have won the contest repeatedly, back to back.

Some people within the town where we went for secondary school used to say they do not know the planet from which she has come from, she obviously did not come from the same planet like others, they would say, while some would say her beauty she must have gotten from the morning star, because it was the morning star that they read in the bible that exhibits such array of beauty that made him proud which leads to him being ostracized from the heavenly places alongside with those who believed in him. Some however argued differently saying, since the morning star cannot create human beings, her beauty originated from the Lord, but what happens was that God did an overtime work on her while creating her, they said.

As people continue to say this, others while adding credence to the fact that they believed it is God who created her and give her such beauty say, she is level headed, not proud, neither arrogant, very respectful and hardworking, those who are from the devil hardly have that kind of behavior they would say.

These thoughts continue to run through his mind as he was talking with Ipinnu, “God in his magnanimity does bestow beauty on some people such that even until they die, they would be glowing, hardly could anyone guess her age rightly, because most of the ladies of her agemates are would be considered her mummy when they stand side by side, and as she is now, some people who do not know her would say she is in her early twenties, in the meanwhile, I am older than her by just 20 months” he continues to think about her as she said,

“I think I left my contacts behind, because there is a column to be filled to that effect in the condolence register opened for your late wife, uhm, never mind, it may be network palaver.”

“Uhm mm”, pointing a finger to her, he says, “I think you are right in saying this”

“I have said whenever you are around, in the village I will see you to specially talk to you and maybe offer some words of consolations to you, because losing someone who has been close to one’s heart wouldn’t be easy…”

“Uhm!” He sighed

“I even ensure that I assigned some of my staff to ensure that they tell immediately they see someone like you entering the town…”

“Is that so?”

“Oh yea! And they used to tell me when they catch a glimpse of you around the town, but by the time I gathered myself together to come to your place, the next news I would hear about you is that you have left for the center again”

“That is true, I hardly stay around whenever I come to village since my wife’s demise, because of the children, I do not want to leave them with the maids alone, I want to be overseeing their welfare, because so many news we hear these days about the malfeasance of the maids while taken care of their master’s children.”

“Oh!” raising her finger up, “you are very right in that, we are in a terrible times” she added.

“Due to this, I don’t stay long whenever I come, such that my parents at a point get annoyed with me for not spending hours with them, I have to repeatedly apologise to them telling them that the children of nowadays are not like us, they need proper care and attention and since their mother cannot be there for them at that stage, I should be there for them if I do not want to regret it in the future”

“That is it oh”

“It takes time before the understood with me, but I thank God that now, they have understood and are reasoning with me”

“That is good of them. Some parents yet wouldn’t” she said handling over her handbag to one of the staff to take it to her office.

“You know our parents now, they are well nurtured and when you clearly explain things to them, they will understand”, he says.

While, talking, Ipinnu calls one of her staff to bring chairs for them so that they would sit at a corner to continue their discussion, but Tolu asks her not to bother, that it is part of exercise for him and that he believes that she has just arrived office, she may need to tidy up some things some other times they would see each other and talk more, maybe when he comes visiting her again. Ipinnu agrees with him and they continued with their talk, walking outside the store to talk,

“Well, as I was saying before, I have left the thought of seeing you soon, since all the attempts made have failed”

“Uhm! You should” Tolu said interrupting her.

“It is however my orayer that “Jesu ko ni jẹ ki ari iru rẹ mọ” (Jesus would not allow us to experience such terrible thing again in life) Ipinnu said, while she also started flashing back her mind to their days together, she brought back to her mind those days, when they would be walking together to school, and when they used to walk together to their secondary school in the other village. She started remembering how they used to run together, when he would pluck mangoes from the tree and she would take it and he would start pursuing her, and she would be dodging him, until he catches up with her, as they would both fell down panting on the grass. They would then eat the fruits together and would afterwards start walking home.

He wouldn’t allow anything to touch her, when any of the boys in the school wanted to harass her before they do, he would have arisen to the occasion. Having known them together, guys in their secondary school hardly come near her again, he was her shield and protection in the school.

There was a small stream on the road to the school, they will stay there, swim there, swim in the water, even though she does not like swimming as he does, but he would stylishly pull her into the stream to swim with him. She remembered how they used to catch fingerlings in the water her mind races to those times. During the church as there was a singular church in their village then unlike now, that many churches are springing up in the village.

During the service, they were always together, running in the church after church hours when their parents wait for meetings, sometimes throwing things at each other while people caution them to beware that they are in the church premises and they need to respect God’s house. But do they know what it means to respect the house of God then? Children would always be children, and as the psychologists used to say, if they do not do what they were doing at that age then, it would result in psychological crisis, developmental crisis which they would have to pay back in the future. We don’t know that then as the children of today too don’t know that there is a place where they ought not to play. This and other thoughts keep coming to her heart too, as they were talking, and she started saying that he is also charming, bright, intelligent and handsome. “Uhm! “Ibi ori ba dani si langbe”, (it is where head says one would live that one lives in) she said to herself. “We obviously have missed ourselves, and maybe after his wife’s demise now, maybe the vision of yesteryears of the prophet would come to fulfilment who can say”

“Uhm! Amin o”, Tolu responded, as he also continues in his heart to imagine her being by him. She is my first love ever, we were always happy being by each other’s side. I had thought we shall forever be by each other’s side, in each other’s arms, but it didn’t happen. I couldn’t make it happen despite my efforts. I do not think it is my fault, at least I tried my best and did made known my intention to her, but she turned it down”

“If I may ask sir”

“What is it?”

“I hope there is no problem, because you do not use to stay long when you come around, but now, you have stayed longer than before, not only that you walk around the town, and people have been talking about your presence here and there” she said interrupting his thoughts.

“Oh! Yeah! All is well. No wahala. l just decide that there is need for me to enjoy village life with my children.”

“Eh! That is good. Splendid! Glorious! Do you see anyone to take you around?” She asks interestingly

“Oh! Yes! There are pockets of relatives around who are taking me around the village, though I do not think I need them because I am also a bonafide son of this village, but they yet decide to be walking with me anyway, and I think they have been doing a great job since they have been walking me around the town of late”, he said as he told his relative to go home that he would meet up with him at home.

After saying this the person takes a bow, greets Ipinnu and Tolu and left for home while he continues to talk with Ipinnu.

“Oh! That is good of them. I am sure you would have seen that this is not the former village that you once known when we were young, things have changed”, she said

“That is true. So many developments here and there by the citizens of the village. I am intrigued. I thank God for the changes, and I think I need to thank you too, for putting up such a big store as this in this place, not many people would have done that”

“I never thought something like this would happen honestly”, looking at her store again, “but I thank God”

“Yeah! In everything we need to thank God”

“Since you said you are still around the town, can I make a request sire?" Ipinnu asked, moving a bit closer to Tolu.

“Oh! A request?"

Ipinnu nodded in approval, lovingly

“Though years have passed that we see each other like this last, but a friend is yet a friend, and you know that I cannot turn down a friend’s request. You are free to make your request, but I hope such request doesn’t involve blood oh”, Tolu jocularly said.

“Blood kẹ? Okuta ana, ana na ni. (Stones of yesterday are still stones) I haven’t changed a bit. I know people used to say wealth, position used to change people, but as for me, I have not changed.

“That is good of you. What is the request?” Tolu asked, putting his hands behind him and bending forward his torso.

“This is my plea and my request”

“Should I come back tomorrow, because that was what queen Esther told Ahasuerus” Tolu said smiling.

“Uhm mm! You have not forgotten the Christian Religious Knowledge of those days too? That is good. Well, I have not so said, what my petition is, is that, I hope you wouldn’t mind if I ask you that we should enter my store again so that I take you to my office and we have more time to chat together there in a more relaxed mood, Ipinnu finally asked, while some of her staff who are not busy watch what was happening between her and the man, their customer.

“Alright! That wouldn’t be bad after all, neither is it an outrageous request. I think that would give us ample time to reflect on the past and…”

Ipinnu uses her left hand to pull his right hand, while the sales personnel at the entrance on seeing their mistress leaves the entrance while they were greeting her right and left, "ẹ karọ ma, ẹ karọ sir”, ladies genuflecting, while guys bend their torso.

“Thanks. How were your nights? I hope your families are doing good people?” she asks them barely looking at where they are as she pulls along Tolu.

“Thanks ma. Our families are doing good ma” as they continued with their works. One of them opened her office door for them. Immediately they were out of their sights, they started talking about the man and their mistress.

After entering her office, she leaves his hand, walks to sit on a couch and asks him to sit by her side, “so, this is my shop and here we are in my office. It is all by God's grace, not as if I am wiser than others.”

“Oh yeah! All praise to God”, Tolu said, as they sat by each other on the couch.

“Sire! I hope you would oblige me if I pray for some seconds before starting the day’s work”, Ipinnu said

“Nope. I why would I? I am also a Christian I hope you can still recall that”

“Yes, I know. Okay. Shall we pray then?” They prayed together.

“As we were saying outside before, I know your relatives have been taking you around the town, but I wouldn’t mind if you and I would walk around together or maybe we drive around with my car”, while talking she places her hand on an office bell and a lady entered. “Sire? What can I offer you this morning? Wine? Or hot tea with slices of bread?" Ipinnu asked.

"I don’t think I need any”

“Oh! Sire?! No, I won’t take that from you sire.” Rubbing her palms on her thighs, “I used to take Lipton tea in the morning, but I wouldn’t want to force my taste on you that is why I am asking you for what you would like to take sire”, looking at him again, she said, “I ask again sire, what would thou want me give thee”

Amused remained silent

“I will take your silence to mean that you have approved whatsoever I offered you this morning.”

Still amazed and tickled

“Silence is said to mean tacit approval” she said as she ordered her sales personnel to go and make hot Lipton tea for them and get them fresh sliced bread. As the sales personnel was leaving the office, she called her back, “please do not make the tea, what you will do is go and boil water for me, and bring me the ingredients for making tea, bring Lipton, Green tea, milk, sugar and honey and fresh sliced bread for me, I will make the tea for us in this room before him”

“Okay ma” she said, genuflecting and then leaves the office with the office door gently closed behind her.

“You are an amazing woman.” Looking at how well arranged her office is, looking at the wall she saw some plaques of awards conspicuously displayed on her wall, both local, national and international awards.

“Thanks for the compliments sire”

“As I was saying I would want you and I to walk through the town again and if you would like to ride in my car so that you see the growth and expansion of our town now”

“Uhm”

“Or what do you say to that sire?”

“That wouldn’t be bad” he stands up walks to where the plaques are hung and started asking, “where were you given this and where were you given that?”

She also stands up and started telling him where and when she received the awards.

“God is really helping you in this town oh”

“Thanks a bunch sire. It is God all the way. If anyone tells me that I will be what I become now, I would argue with the person”

“Uhm” Tolu interruptedly said.

“You know after we finished secondary school, my mind becomes weary of education and I told my mother, that I do not wish to continue with academics. My parents initially thought something has come over me, because my results were good, and they thought maybe I wanted to go and marry. They therefore started talking to me, persuading me that I should reconsider my decision, after several talk and they discovered that my mind has been made up, they leave me and support my ambition, and that was it”

“God has a way of talking to his own”

“That is it. I never knew it was by the leading of God, I just decided that I would go into business, that is all.” They walked back to where they were sited and she continues, “so, I wish to take you around maybe you will see a reason to come and invest in our new town” as they were talking, there was a knock on the door, and she asks the person at the door to enter. She opens the door, takes the tray from the floor and enters with the tea materials.

“Please drop it on this center table” after dropping it, she makes a gesture to make the tea, but Ipinnu stops her and asks her to leave. After the lady has left them, she stands to make the tea for them, asking if she wants honey to be added to the tea or sugar, but as for her, she uses honey for her tea.

Tolu asks her to add honey to it as hers.

After making the tea, she opened the sliced bread and put some of it on the serving plate. And they started eating and talking.

Before they finished eating, he has agreed that he would see some places with her. After they finished eating, Ipinnu drove him to some parts of the town, and as they were going on, they keep talking.

After seeing some interesting places, she drove him back to his house while she returns to her office.

As from this day people have started talking about their connection and movements. Those who still brought to their hearts the words of prophecy of the man were patiently waiting maybe this is the time for the fulfilment of the prophecy.

As from this time, they started seeing each other, calling each other and talking to each other on the social media.

When Tolu wanted to leave Iyanu town, it seems as if he shouldn’t leave, but he must because of his business. It was when they started growing in love that Tolu said to himself, it maybe because of Ipinnu that God brought sleeplessness on him, because of her, God has brought him back to his village, because it is time before the Lord to fulfill the prophecy.

His children love Ipinnu, because she used to treat them like their mother.

When Tolu was returning, she accompanied her to the boundary of the town, in his vehicle with the driver, while her own driver follows his car. At the boundary they parked and talked for minutes before parting.

Ipinnu would not immediately leave the place until his car was out of sight. Then, she entered her car and was driven back to her place. Minute per minute she would contact him to know how the journey is going.

At the weekend of when he left, Ipinnu traveled to the center to meet him, and there they also played like never. By now people cannot talk again, people started saying, God deliberately preserved Ipinnu for Tolu, they had been ordained as husband and wife from heaven they say and that was why Ipinnu couldn’t find someone to be married to, for assuming she has like Tolu, maybe the promise wouldn’t come to pass.

Ipinnu was going to 44 years when she married Tolu, they rushed their child birth, as she also gave birth to three sons.

They formed a joint company which was called “God of Fulfillment Group of Companies”. Under this name were their respective companies as they continue to manage their individual companies under the name. however, the joint company was chaired by Tolu while Ipinnu was the assistant.

Through the Joint company, many other people within Iyanu village become liberated and everyone could say of a truth that though the prophecy spoken by the man was for a time and time, though it be tarried, they should wait for it.

Happily were they living afterwards, as the chains of the business keep rising. They were among those who were named in the richest people in the world, and if they added their wealth together, they found out that they were the fifth richest couple in the world.

The Stolen Heart was afterwards found.