@cool08 17 October 2021

From Grace To Grass

If anyone told me that I'll become a poor person, I would just laugh it off. I was once a wealthy business tycoon. The fact that I was the wealthiest man in the city could not be overemphasized. I married many wives and had lots of children, Although everyone detested my unruly behaviours, I care less. One fateful day, I was on a business trip to Canada when I was robbed and left empty-handed. Before then, a man of God had warned me against going to Canada but I ignored the man. Everyone in town knew me to be a very proud, arrogant, disrespectful and boastful man. I insulted different people, young and old, poor and rich. I ate whatever I liked and did whatever I felt like doing. Before I became so popular and wealthy, I had only one wife and two children. Her name was Aduke, she stood by me in my problems only for me to disappoint her when I became rich by marrying more women and had a lot of children. As I sat and thought of my ordeals, I remembered when I abused a young girl in college. Shade became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. I ran away and far away, but Shade's friend exposed me to her parents after seeing me in another town. So Shade's parents traced me and gave the child to me leaving me speechless and hopeless. After thinking of what to do, I decided to hand over my son to the motherless baby home. Even my dearest wife, Aduke didn't know if my son, Ade and I didn't care to tell her because she might divorce me. Years after I became wealthy. I married seven wives and had seventeen children. In addition, the children Shade, Qduk and Chioma gave me making all my children twenty-seven. I continued weeping as I thought of myself. Now all my children and wives had left me. My mansions, cars, companies and friend had deserted me, I was hopeless. I am Adebusuyi Akande, A man of average height bein, at the age of 67, I knew I was getting old and there was no hope of building another family and career. I now live in an uncompleted building by the stream. I work on a building site (at least) daily and collect a meagre amount of money that can feed me alone. All my clothes are torn, I don't even have a good pair of slippers. As I stood up from the block I sat on. I looked up to the cloud and ask for God's mercy. I went in, changed my clothes and went out. As I trekked on a lonely path. I met an old friend. Although I was ashamed, I managed to get across to myself. I begged him to forgive me but washed me off with an insult. " Chief Adebusuyi Akande Aremu, a one-time business tycoon, Said Nice meeting you again, I heard everything that happened to you and I am so sorry for you. Now that you are poor, you cannot insult anybody. You wretched man, look at yourself, so you can apologize, isn't it, after all, you did to everyone. Well, I cannot be of any help for you so take your leave" my friend thundered I stood transfixed to a spot, not knowing what to do next. At the sound of the horn, I moved swiftly away from the road to avoid being hit. I weep bitterly. Had I known I would have been nice to all my friends, but it's too late. I strolled down the stream not far from my house, I regretted all my actions and promised to tell what has happened to me to people around me and the work at large. I will tell them that it is not good to be wicked to people and we should ensure to give when we have. I will tell them to always try by all means to help the needy.