The Untold Tales of a Native Doctor (FINAL PART).

Bàbá continued, "She hopped in and I drove straight home. Till we got home, she didn't utter a word. When we got home, I entertained her.
Then she began to speak,
'You can call me Abebi. I like you and I would love to be your wife.'
Knowing fully well she isn't natural human, I agreed but she gave a condition, "On no circumstances must you abuse my fur" I agreed.

"Also she warned me never to engage in tedious works again, so I should stop working. She said she wants to start trading. She wants to sell cooked food to be precise.
My mother whom I know to be very prone to anger and lousy was the first I informed about Abebi and she agreed never to abuse her fur.

"Opposite our building, I prepared space for her. You know rice isn't a common food back then. So, she sells rice and beans. Her food was like no other in the whole community. She wakes up late in the morning, finish the house chores, before she goes to market to get what she wants to cook. And before sunset, she had finished selling a bag of rice and beans. Her mysterious ways , no one could define.

"At the the end of the day, she gives all profits she made to me, all I do is to just sit at home or play ayo game with some friends that are idle.

"At her place where she sells, some other trader envy her success. They tried many ways to despise her. So many times, she finds ètùtù in front of shop such as charms, dead goats wrapped with red garment.
She warned me never to touch anything of such; she would just roll it with stick out of her space, burn it and continued her trade.

"After trying so many times but was unable to conquered by her enemies, they went to report her to my mother. Having heard the false story, mother appeared like fire. From distance, her voice was so loud, showing the direction where she was coming from.

'How dare she disturb people in the vicinity,kini burúkú birun lara bi ti inoki_ ( furry like that of gorilla)'. I could hear her voice clearly, so I ran as fast I could hoping Abebi didn't hear. I saw her rushing toward the house, I ran after Abebi. Just a step ahead of me, she entered into room and she disappeared with all her belongings."Bàbá said with sobbing voice, my dad and I looked at each other with surprise.

"After her disappearance, I suffered. My wife and children were bathing in hunger. I couldn't work because she warned me never to. So, I decided if I could just leave the village for another maybe her spell won't reached me. My family and I set for about  two villages after my village, and I started work. I cleared bush for farmers and earn my wages. I successfully did the first day, the second day but on the third day, I was about to start working on field and a very big storm so clear and concise, appeared from the sky.

A male voice echoed from
it, saying, 'Haven't I warned you not to engage in hard work, èlétí kún ni ọ́ you are very stubborn. Close your eyes!' the voice bellowed at me which I did for some seconds and ask me to open them.

"To my surprise, bushy land of about an hectare had been cleared, very neat and tidy. The voice warned me never to disobey. I understood immediately, and was able to connect that it was Abebi.

"I went home that day with confusion, asking myself how a man can be idle? My family is starving, what can I do?

"I concluded with my wife to live the village for another, so we did. At another, I started the same work, just like before the same storm appeared but this time a female's voice warned again and helped with the bush clearing just like previous.

"Getting home from the farm, my wife and I started purging within some days we became so thin. Everyone in the neighborhood suggested different cures, all was avail. Message reached Baale about our ailment, everyone was so confused. All the concoctions we took, we stooled it out as consumed. After about 10days a little girl appeared in my hut, talking with anger, I knew who she was.

"She said to me, 'Go out pluck any leaf, squeeze out the water and take it with your wife' and so we did.

Everyone was so surprised at our upbeat. Baale and his native doctors came around to confirm, and tried to get ingredients of the cure. I myself didn't know what type of leaf it was. I gave them un-existing excuse so they can leave us alone" Bàbá took a pause.

Mr Bolaji was awake, Bàbá attended to him and ask his wife to feed him with the agbo.

I was so anxious to hear the remaining part of the story.

When he got through with his patient he continued "témi ni tiyin ní tòótọ́, bá ṣe pada sile niyen o, we went back to continue with our starvation.

After some weeks we got home, a man appeared at my doorstep requesting for water, I gave him; he drank to his satisfaction. I noticed his ways, before I could conclude on something, he requested for my room that he wants to take a nap. By now, I was sure who my strange visitor was. At dinner, we gave him the little food we had at home from my wife's little trade. He ate till satisfaction; we starved to feed him that night.

"He concluded his meal, so he called me to have some words. He said by morning I should find tools, myself and him would be repairing local stoves in the community. I was surprised, but I dare not utter a word. He gave another warning; he
said 'Anytime you see my eyes red like, behaving unconscious you get me Ekuru as fast as you can, don't endanger
your life' he warned.

"The next day, I bought the tools on loan, gave it to him so we can start. Without any advertisement, people were coming from all angles, both in our village and neighbouring villages too. This time he doesn't stay in my hut anymore. After work every day, he leaves; to where? I have no idea. We made alot of money everyday, out of it he gives me token that can't even feed me, not talk of my family but I dare not complain.

"Time passed by, it was about 3months we started our business, I was good at it already. Learning from him was easy. All of a sudden one morning, I noticed his behavior , he started growling, his eyes were red just like burning fire. I remembered quickly, and hasten out for Ekuru. I gave it to him, he descended on it like hungry lion. After some minutes, he was back to normal.

"Sometimes, he leave for days, I delivered to him any money I made from repair. Out of it, he would give me the token as usual. Time went with my new job. One day, he told me he would be leaving, I can take over his business but he would be coming back soon. He said I must not include any form of business to that which he thought me.

"Repairing more than hundred stoves in a day brings more than enough money to my pocket. I was able to sustain my well and everything was going on smooth. I built another building, even more spacious to that I was living before.

"Exactly after a year to my counting, because everyday my expectations of his arrival never died. A little boy appeared again at the house and asked for me, it was this little boy who thought me everything I know about this therapy. I can assure you it has been very effective, I can't recall how many soul have saved from stroke. People from neighbourhood knows about it, wọn mọ́ pé kí báà tí ní, ìran mì kan o si ṣe isegun rí (none of predecessor was a doctor)." Baba added.

My dad looked at his wristwatch, it was almost 4 o'clock, and we had to return to Lagos.

How I wish we could stay a little longer, a lot of questions were bugging my mind about his story. Things I did not understand.

How can someone be so strong hearted that he would marry fairy? And many more.... we just had to go.

My dad concluded with Mr and Mrs Bolaji, prayed for them and we set back for Lagos.

My dad and I discussed through out our journey about Bàbá "What a mysterious man he is." was all I could say.

THE END

Written by Muhammad Ruqoyah.
Edited by Olufunlola.

Moyosoremuhammed1@gmail.com