Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 22
Iya Folake began to play a motherly role in the life of Itohan. She was always encouraging and praying for her. When she looks at Itohan in the morning, she knew that she didn’t sleep well. She made it a duty to always check on her before leaving for her business. She understands what Itohan was going through.
Years back before the death of her husband. She went through terrible pains. Her husband Mr Adeleke was a loving and promising young man whom she fell in love with. He married her and relocated to Lagos state. He got a job in a gas and oil industry and they began their marital life. Mr Adeleke bought properties here and there and they were enjoying life. Money was not her problem.
One afternoon while chilling with her husband, a message entered his phone and she read it aloud.
“I am in the hospital now because Bisola is sick”
The shock on Adeleke’s face was frightening.
“Who is Bisola” She asked.
“Aah! My colleagues daughter. She has sickle cell anaemia” he lied.
“Eyaah!”
“The parents have been spending lots of money to manage it” He informed her.
“We need to pray for the child and their parents” she told him.
Iya Folake and her husband prayed. Whenever she knees to pray, she continually prayed for Bisola.
Iya Folake attended a traditional wedding and met her long lost class mate Rhoda. It was a wonderful reunion. They discovered they were not even living far from each other. To strengthen their friendship, they began to visit each other. While in Rhoda’s house one day, Rhoda’s cousin, Timilehin visited . She was a pretty young girl. She was heavily pregnant. Her purpose of visiting was to invite Rhoda to her introduction. Rhoda jumped and shouted for joy.
“So the stupid man has decided to do the needful”
“Yes!”
“That is good” said Iya Folake
“What is good there. This pregnancy is the third. Must he impregnate her before marrying her? And you always open your legs for him. If not that your parents almost sent you out of the house, you would have given birth to this and still open your legs for another pregnancy to enter” Rhoda heaved a deep sigh.
“Thank God, he has man up to do the right thing”
“Don’t worry I will come. I want to actually see his face”
Iya Folake attended Timilehin’s traditional marriage. She followed her friend there. The shock she experienced when she saw her husband stepped out of his car with his parents and relatives was too much.
She saw Timilehin’s family welcoming Adeleke and his family. It was a bitter experience for Iya Folake. She left her seat and confronted him publicly.
“I am your wife” She screamed.
“Nothing stops me from taking another wife. I have decided and there is nothing you can do” He retorted.
Iya Folake died a million death. Initially Timilehin was shocked but she recovered quickly. Nobody was going to spoil her day. She knew Mr Adeleke was married. She knew all along before she gave birth to her children.
Rhoda sympathized with her friend but there was nothing she could do.
Iya Folake left the compound in tears. The betrayal was too much for her to handle. The fact that her husband’s parents were with him there pained her.
“I will never forgive Adeleke” She vowed.
Mr Adeleke practically moved out of the house. He and his new wife stayed in one of his house. At a time he sent money, but later changed, he wasn’t intimate with his wife and children.
She was working and taking care of her children. It was not easy for her to pay school fees for four children, feeding and meeting other needs. She did her best.
If not for her pastor that counselled her, she would have died of depression.
“You must first of all forgive him. Let go of all he did” Her pastor had told her.
“I can’t”
The pastor persistent. He kept opening scripture after scripture.
Prayerfully, she began to let go. It wasn’t easy but for her peace.
One day her husband called and wanted to know how she and the kids were doing. Iya Folake responded very well. Unlike before, where at the end, both of them will end the call in anger. Gradually, he began to come home, but the kids will see him and lock themselves in until he leaves.
One Christmas day, he drove into the compound with the intention of taking them out, but the kids refused.
“Our mother is taking good care of us without you” They chorused “Go to your second wife”
Mr Adeleke sat on the chair and wept. He was remorseful.
“I am not even enjoying the marriage,” He lamented
“Eight years after leaving maami, you are not enjoying your marriage?” Gbemi asked “You have to enjoy it oh because you’re no longer allowed in this house. You made your choice and we made our Choice. You’re not our father”
“Please come and go. Your wife and kids will be waiting for you” Taiye said.
“Maami has single handedly taken care of us. Taiye and kehinde are in their third year in the university, Titi will be writing her Waec next year and I am in my final year. So you see that we don’t need you?”
“Do you have any reason for abandoning maami to marry another woman? Gbemisola challenged.
“You almost killed maami. She was depressed, but thank God for the right people around her” Kehinde said.
Iya Folake was surprised by the effrontery her kids had to challenge their father. She watched on as her husband kept wiping tears from his face. That Christmas was a day to remember. The house was quiet after exhausting themselves.
Mr Adeleke knew that he had lost his family the day he married another woman. He wanted them back. His second wife was giving him tough time and he was doing everything possible to remain sane.
“Forgive me” He pleaded.
It took the intervention of Iya Folake for the children to accept their father back
“Aaah! Mammi has changed oo” Gbemisola said.
Yes I have!” She preached about the parable of the prodigal son
That day, Mr Adeleke reconciled with his family. Few weeks later, he told Iya Folake that he had started church. His wife and his family rejoiced.
He broke the news to his second wife that he has given his life to God and he can’t have her again as his second wife. He promised to settle her financially and support her and the kids where necessary. The second wife’s family did not take it lightly.
“You can’t dump my daughter and go free. Who does that? Who says you can’t serve God and still marry her?” The second wife’s father said. He was very angry.
One April evening, Iya Folake received a call from her husband. He was crying.
“I can’t walk” he said.
“Send me the address”
He did.
Iya Folake rushed there with the twins. A glance at the house shows things were not right. Fetish things here and there.
Of a truth, Mr Adeleke sat on the bed but couldn’t use his legs
“Where is your wife?”
“She is no longer my wife” He told her “I have settled her. I paid huge amount of money into her account this morning. I gave her one of my property. I will still support her and the kids” He said.
Iya Folake took him to the hospital. Series of tests were conducted but nothing was found to be wrong with his legs.
“This is not ordinary” She said.
She took him home and started taking care of him. There was no improvement. She started engaging in prayers. Then she informed his family.
“Call my lawyer” He instructed her one day.
“What for?”
“I just want to see him”
When the lawyer came Adeleke began to change his will.
“You don’t need to do this” She said.
He smiled.
“I have my reasons”
Few days later, Adeleke couldn’t talk. Iya Folake screamed when she discovered it.
“Who have I offended?”
She didn’t relent. She prayed more and more. She was always taking permission from work. She got to work one day and received a sack letter. That didn’t break her.
A former colleague visited her one day and invited her for a church program.
“The man of God and his wife are being used by God. God used them to heal my paralytic son”
“Aaah! I will go with you”
“There is a vigil on Friday. Take your husband there”
She agreed to take him there.
Then the unfortunate thing happened. On that said Friday. Mr Adeleke died in the car on their way there. She had not forgotten that unfortunate incident.
She knew what Itohan was going through and she made up her mind to support her in her little way.
Iya Folake began to play a motherly role in the life of Itohan. She was always encouraging and praying for her. When she looks at Itohan in the morning, she knew that she didn’t sleep well. She made it a duty to always check on her before leaving for her business. She understands what Itohan was going through.
Years back before the death of her husband. She went through terrible pains. Her husband Mr Adeleke was a loving and promising young man whom she fell in love with. He married her and relocated to Lagos state. He got a job in a gas and oil industry and they began their marital life. Mr Adeleke bought properties here and there and they were enjoying life. Money was not her problem.
One afternoon while chilling with her husband, a message entered his phone and she read it aloud.
“I am in the hospital now because Bisola is sick”
The shock on Adeleke’s face was frightening.
“Who is Bisola” She asked.
“Aah! My colleagues daughter. She has sickle cell anaemia” he lied.
“Eyaah!”
“The parents have been spending lots of money to manage it” He informed her.
“We need to pray for the child and their parents” she told him.
Iya Folake and her husband prayed. Whenever she knees to pray, she continually prayed for Bisola.
Iya Folake attended a traditional wedding and met her long lost class mate Rhoda. It was a wonderful reunion. They discovered they were not even living far from each other. To strengthen their friendship, they began to visit each other. While in Rhoda’s house one day, Rhoda’s cousin, Timilehin visited . She was a pretty young girl. She was heavily pregnant. Her purpose of visiting was to invite Rhoda to her introduction. Rhoda jumped and shouted for joy.
“So the stupid man has decided to do the needful”
“Yes!”
“That is good” said Iya Folake
“What is good there. This pregnancy is the third. Must he impregnate her before marrying her? And you always open your legs for him. If not that your parents almost sent you out of the house, you would have given birth to this and still open your legs for another pregnancy to enter” Rhoda heaved a deep sigh.
“Thank God, he has man up to do the right thing”
“Don’t worry I will come. I want to actually see his face”
Iya Folake attended Timilehin’s traditional marriage. She followed her friend there. The shock she experienced when she saw her husband stepped out of his car with his parents and relatives was too much.
She saw Timilehin’s family welcoming Adeleke and his family. It was a bitter experience for Iya Folake. She left her seat and confronted him publicly.
“I am your wife” She screamed.
“Nothing stops me from taking another wife. I have decided and there is nothing you can do” He retorted.
Iya Folake died a million death. Initially Timilehin was shocked but she recovered quickly. Nobody was going to spoil her day. She knew Mr Adeleke was married. She knew all along before she gave birth to her children.
Rhoda sympathized with her friend but there was nothing she could do.
Iya Folake left the compound in tears. The betrayal was too much for her to handle. The fact that her husband’s parents were with him there pained her.
“I will never forgive Adeleke” She vowed.
Mr Adeleke practically moved out of the house. He and his new wife stayed in one of his house. At a time he sent money, but later changed, he wasn’t intimate with his wife and children.
She was working and taking care of her children. It was not easy for her to pay school fees for four children, feeding and meeting other needs. She did her best.
If not for her pastor that counselled her, she would have died of depression.
“You must first of all forgive him. Let go of all he did” Her pastor had told her.
“I can’t”
The pastor persistent. He kept opening scripture after scripture.
Prayerfully, she began to let go. It wasn’t easy but for her peace.
One day her husband called and wanted to know how she and the kids were doing. Iya Folake responded very well. Unlike before, where at the end, both of them will end the call in anger. Gradually, he began to come home, but the kids will see him and lock themselves in until he leaves.
One Christmas day, he drove into the compound with the intention of taking them out, but the kids refused.
“Our mother is taking good care of us without you” They chorused “Go to your second wife”
Mr Adeleke sat on the chair and wept. He was remorseful.
“I am not even enjoying the marriage,” He lamented
“Eight years after leaving maami, you are not enjoying your marriage?” Gbemi asked “You have to enjoy it oh because you’re no longer allowed in this house. You made your choice and we made our Choice. You’re not our father”
“Please come and go. Your wife and kids will be waiting for you” Taiye said.
“Maami has single handedly taken care of us. Taiye and kehinde are in their third year in the university, Titi will be writing her Waec next year and I am in my final year. So you see that we don’t need you?”
“Do you have any reason for abandoning maami to marry another woman? Gbemisola challenged.
“You almost killed maami. She was depressed, but thank God for the right people around her” Kehinde said.
Iya Folake was surprised by the effrontery her kids had to challenge their father. She watched on as her husband kept wiping tears from his face. That Christmas was a day to remember. The house was quiet after exhausting themselves.
Mr Adeleke knew that he had lost his family the day he married another woman. He wanted them back. His second wife was giving him tough time and he was doing everything possible to remain sane.
“Forgive me” He pleaded.
It took the intervention of Iya Folake for the children to accept their father back
“Aaah! Mammi has changed oo” Gbemisola said.
Yes I have!” She preached about the parable of the prodigal son
That day, Mr Adeleke reconciled with his family. Few weeks later, he told Iya Folake that he had started church. His wife and his family rejoiced.
He broke the news to his second wife that he has given his life to God and he can’t have her again as his second wife. He promised to settle her financially and support her and the kids where necessary. The second wife’s family did not take it lightly.
“You can’t dump my daughter and go free. Who does that? Who says you can’t serve God and still marry her?” The second wife’s father said. He was very angry.
One April evening, Iya Folake received a call from her husband. He was crying.
“I can’t walk” he said.
“Send me the address”
He did.
Iya Folake rushed there with the twins. A glance at the house shows things were not right. Fetish things here and there.
Of a truth, Mr Adeleke sat on the bed but couldn’t use his legs
“Where is your wife?”
“She is no longer my wife” He told her “I have settled her. I paid huge amount of money into her account this morning. I gave her one of my property. I will still support her and the kids” He said.
Iya Folake took him to the hospital. Series of tests were conducted but nothing was found to be wrong with his legs.
“This is not ordinary” She said.
She took him home and started taking care of him. There was no improvement. She started engaging in prayers. Then she informed his family.
“Call my lawyer” He instructed her one day.
“What for?”
“I just want to see him”
When the lawyer came Adeleke began to change his will.
“You don’t need to do this” She said.
He smiled.
“I have my reasons”
Few days later, Adeleke couldn’t talk. Iya Folake screamed when she discovered it.
“Who have I offended?”
She didn’t relent. She prayed more and more. She was always taking permission from work. She got to work one day and received a sack letter. That didn’t break her.
A former colleague visited her one day and invited her for a church program.
“The man of God and his wife are being used by God. God used them to heal my paralytic son”
“Aaah! I will go with you”
“There is a vigil on Friday. Take your husband there”
She agreed to take him there.
Then the unfortunate thing happened. On that said Friday. Mr Adeleke died in the car on their way there. She had not forgotten that unfortunate incident.
She knew what Itohan was going through and she made up her mind to support her in her little way.