I took time to think about my life and concluded that something was wrong with me. Somebody was definitely after me and I decided to find out who that person was by all means.

Christmas season is my best time of the year. It affords me the opportunity to visit my mother and also reunite with old friends. People often make mockery of me that if I spend Christmas outside my village, I would fall sick .That was because they know that nothing would make me stay in the town during Christmas period. I always traveled to the village.

I decided to travel home again that Christmas, but for a different purpose; merriment was out of it. Having studied event, I was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that part of my problem was from the village. Some people run away from the village because of enemies. But mine took a different approach. I decided to fight my problem from the root. I planned that throughout my stay in the village I would be in the mood of prayer. I believed that God would reveal the source of my problem.

I started my prayer and fasting a day before my travel and had a break by 6:00pm. The next day which was the day I travelled ,I started the prayer and fasting again on getting to my village I branched to my uncle’s house to give him bread and beverages I brought for him. He was full of joy and appreciated me for my kind gestures. He requested to see me for an important discussion and I promised to come back later in the day to see him.

The next day, I was at the house when my uncle called my phone and requested to see me, I told him I will be with him in the next five minutes. Almost immediately, John, my friend visited and I was so excited to see him after many years. We started talking and he informed me that he was about going to watch a football match between our village and the neighbouring village. On hearing that, I decided to go with him. My love for football was second to none.

On my way back from the football match, I went to see my uncle and he was mad with rage, when he saw me.
“Ike the same yesterday and today. If this your character will continue forever, in this same vein your economic life will remain in this level. Tomorrow now, you will say that you are being manipulated. Listen to my advice the only problem you have is inconsistency. You will die as a poor man, if you fail to change.”

As I stood there watching my uncle in silence my feeling could be described as that of a mixture of joy and anger. Joy because God answered my prayers; anger because I just discover that the uncle I love so much is the source of my ordeal. As my uncle continued raging his wife came back and enquired what the problem was.

“Who else will be the problem if not Ike . When he came here yesterday, I told him that I have important issue to discuss with him. His response was that he will come back in the evening to see me but he never did. I attributed that to tiredness .Now to my purpose of inviting him .Our illustrious son, Ukachukwu wanted to empower motor mechanics financially. I was happy that our family will benefit since Ike is repair cars and he is good at the job. Do you know that earlier today, I called Ike on phone and he told me that he would be with me in the next 5 minutes. Later I called him again and he said he will be with me shortly. When I got to the king palace, igwe handed over the list that the mechanics will write their names on to me . I wrote the name of this idiot first before handing over the paper to other people to write down their names.

“Uncle, with all due respect, please don’t refer to me as an idiot.”

“Iyk, please don’t be offended,” my uncle’s wife begged me.

“No, allow him to insult me. Can’t you see that he lacks manners? That is part of his problem.”

“Nnayi it is alright. Please continue with what you were saying.”

“As I was saying before he rudely interrupted me. I called his phone number again but was it was switched off. I quickly left Igwe’s palace and went to Ike’ house but his mother told me he went out with John. Ike never had the courtesy of informing his mother where he was going to. I rushed to John’s house and met no one .That was how your husband roamed around the village searching for Ike but never found him. At last, I returned to the palace disappointed . It was in my presence that Ukachukwu gave out cheques to 10 mechanics. Can you now see why I am angry?”

“Uncle , Obinna your son is a mechanic. Why didn’t you write his name to go and collect the cheque?”

“So I did you wrong by writing your name. I don’t blame you.”

As far as I was concerned, everything that my uncle was saying was rubbish .His hands were not clean. I was grateful to God for exposing him and I decided that he would never go scot free. I stormed out of his house and headed home. I later took decision to visit John and tell him my latest discovery.

“John do you know that God is wonderful. I saw him in a different form, different mood and different style today.”

“Iyk you are confusing me. We just parted few moments ago. When did all these happen?”

“It happened just now. God showed me the man behind all my sorrows.”

“If that is the case, you deserve to be happy. So who is the person?”

“My uncle, of course.”

“What! Tell me that you are joking.”

“I know that you are surprised. As for me. I was shocked beyond words. I have been praying for days that God should reveal to me the source of my problems. Yesterday while I was coming back, I visited my uncle and gave him the things that I bought for him. Afterwards, he insisted that I must come back to visit him which I agreed to. Earlier today he called me on my phone and told me that he was expecting me. At the time I parted with you, I went straight to his house and he was spitting fire. He said that Ukachukwu was empowering people with money, he wrote my name in the list but I did not show up. The funny aspect was that my uncle said that of all our family members, my name was the only name he wrote on the list.”

“Why didn’t he write his children’s name in the list. After all one of his son is a mechanic. Why will he choose you above his children?”

“Thank you for that question. I am happy that you are understanding me. My uncle was laying curses on me that I will remain in this level forever and die in poverty.”

“My brother, you have to be careful of that your uncle . I believe you scattered his evil plan by not answering him immediately he requested for your presence. That is why he was fighting like a wounded lion you have to be careful and prayerful too.”

“Don’t worry yourself. I will burn candle for that man. I have been suffering because I didn’t know the source of my problem .Now that I know, it is either he repent or his obituary will be announced. I have spoken.”

Watch out for the next episode