September 5th It’s your birthday mum, not buoyant enough to shower you with gifts to make this day memorable, neither do I have a magic wand to erase the past but again even if I had a wand, the joy of victories is only from looking at the past. As I celebrate your day, I go down memory lane to explain why I say thank you. In the beginning before I was, you had dreams…a future well planned with only time as the obstacle. Love came along, you had me in you and many felt the wise thing was to get me out in the first trimester. Against all human and humane wisdom you kept me. The journey was one of isolation as you were called names and stones were thrown at you, but in all this you kept the courage. You had to sit and think twice every day, first for the unborn me before thinking about yourself – and your dreams changed but yet you made it a better one with me in it. For keeping me ma, I say thank you. Early stages of life, I may not have a full grasp of all that happened as ignorance was my carriage. Yet from words spoken, I could still paint a picture, families stepped aside to see how far I will go. I was a new seed yet no one was willing to water. Father was far off, you had to shuffle education and son, and you became parent and have remained that till date. While others laughed and mocked to see what will become of us, you never shed a tear for you wanted me to fill the joy whenever I was around you, you were a shield and as Nene and Baba stood strong…thank you ma. I deviate to say thank you to your dad and mum, my grandparents who thought it wise to support you in the project Samson. Baba is long gone but I still miss and love him, the times in the farm, kitchen, running to the market and making our bitter-leaf soup garnished with more meat than required, I miss Baba daily; the reason I traveled home and Nene always there even when I’m wrong she saw a right somewhere…thank you mum for such grandparents. My schooling was not one that was easy. Many a time I wondered if the brain was a curse and not a gift, events made me shuffle from school to school and location to location, (smiling). I wonder if life would have been different…as I shuffled through more schools from primary to tertiary and yet you stood for me all through. Your name was called up for every wrong doing yet your love remained constant. Your brothers (especially two) and immediate elder sister saw me as theirs…thank you mum for such uncles and aunty. You went through hell for me mum, I still remember your cracked skull when running down to Ibadan in my days of Ibadan Boys High School, you wept and yet in all these never used a curse word. Running home after I’ve created a scene in my days at Eguare Senior Secondary School with neighbours and yet you came in as the peace maker. You came running to check my well-being after the fiasco that nearly took my life at Holy Trinity Grammar School. I remember our race for survival that took me to jolly ride at Greensprings School. For those formative years mum….thank you ma. I do not forget your courage in my tertiary education mum, money invested to ensure I came out tops. You did your all, even when we didn’t have money, you still provided and went the extra mile to ensure I got something for school and something to eat. From Lagos State University, Madonna University, Lugansk State medical University, Ladoke Akintola University of technology and Igbinedion University…you stood to ensure I conquered. Life took me through Anatomy, Biochemistry, Computer Science and Medicine…you were the rock that never stopped believing, thank you ma. My character was molded in words and in rods but you never spared either to ensure a better me. You were my coach in the anger management classes. I remember my crazy question after your rods set me right – ‘are you sure you are my mother or picked me from the gutter?” to which you replied “even if I picked you from the gutter, I will mold you into what the world will adore” and mama you’ve done that. Your words of advice sang the most: Never tell a lie, even if you kill someone, tell me the truth (haven’t killed anyone yet though *winks*) Always keep to your words Samson, that’s integrity Don’t get angry, don’t act out of anger Samson, control your temper Don’t give up now Samson, the world thinks it’s over but we will succeed and the world will come back to embrace you Samson, I don’t have any power to control the future, please take God serious, he has sustained us till now Samson, I promise you – whomever they were that destroyed your father won’t get to you; we will win this: mum we are almost at the finish line For all these words re-echoed over time mum, thank you ma. You are the only child, wao you must be pretty bored and sad were the words I heard but I wish they knew better. In you mum, I had an elder sister I could run to, I had a twin sister I could chat with and tell anything, you were also my younger sister when I wanted to feel authority, you are my everything mum. You were the family I needed and still need; thank you mum. Though I know not who I will marry but I promise to be with one who just doesn’t make me happy, but one that will be a daughter and a friend, one who will call you mother not because the society demands. I will take forever if that’s what is needed to find her. I will raise kids according to the words you raised me with, I know time may have changed but your words are timeless and always relevant. A family that will be after the model you’ve preached. For the example of a wife and mother you’ve shown me…thank you mum. We do not get to know God until we are introduced by someone. Despite my introduction, I knew not what to do or who God was in totality, yet in you I understood the meaning of love called unconditional. I have never seen God neither do I know if the pictures of Jesus I’ve seen in portraits are accurate but I’ve seen you ma, I see God live through you daily. In you I see all that is preached of God: love, forgiveness, never imputing sins, care, encouragement and more…you lived God to me. Whenever I’m in doubt of a quality of God, all I had to do was look at you to check. Mum, yes I love God the most but I’ve loved you the longest and will love you forever…thank you mum. In service and in work, you taught me to do all to the best of my ability. It has always paid of. As I continue in service to the nation, your words remain grounded in me to make you proud, for every commendation and recommendation I get mum, you are the one who deserves it all for it is the you in me that is being praised…thank you mum. I’ve had disappointments mum, not those from friends as the saying goes we meet to part and part to meet. Family has deserted me on more occasions than one, yet you stood. Cousins that called only when my help is needed, some who has forgotten me because I could deliver when they asked, but you have been there always. Some have turned up to form family ties as they see me become somebody but you have been there…from Otuo, EKpoma, Ibadan, Ewu, Abuja, Anambra and more; when I had no hope or reason to fight…you kept the light burning, you sat and shed the tears with me never mocking my weakness and guiding me back to light – thank you mum. Today I write to celebrate you mum, while the world may join the train to celebrate my success, you and only you understand the story, the curse and the blessing. Father unknown in deeds, you stood as my parent, my house-help, my counselor, my pastor and family. You never get tired, for decades you have been with me and over time the sacrifices have increased. Soon mum, I will be able to give you rest, I am closer than ever to the picture you painted. Thank you mum. Mama, for all the jokes, the dance my wearing your clothes and the love unconditional, thank you mum. Even in days when we had nothing to eat but hope, you stood strong, you washed me and cleaned me up. I’m not a finished product but daily I promise to nurture the you in me to be a better me. You taught me to respect women, uphold the weak, poor and downtrodden and never to look down on anyone. To see my success as a gift to someone in need. You never stopped believing, never stopped hoping, never gave up on me; you have always been my number one fan, my greatest encouragement – from your son Samson saying thank you mummy doctor. You created in me the hunger for more, ability to stay contended. You gave me a dream and a means. Lost but found by you always, your hands are long and open for warm embrace to show love. Success wasn’t your reason for loving me, whether or not I became – you loved me still. Every time I failed, you came back with a smile – and now I understand the smile; your smile was a way of saying “Samson you can only get better”. For all of these – thank you mum. As I get bigger mama, I will bring joy to you mummy doctor; take care of Ofure, Mum Ofure, Dad Festac, Daddy Isaac and the double twins plus any other who extends a hand of love without bias. They don’t need to have been there to get a share of me, just being sincere will be enough. This I will do because you taught me about forgiving and moving on, so thank you mummy doctor. This is a not-too-good letter whose words do not convey my heart felt appreciation; I do know you will understand. Sooner than the world can fathom mum, we shall mount the stage of success together, we shall stand tall and give the world a dream, give the future a gift. I will give you a better life as you left your life unlived to give me one; you suspended your dreams to give me dreams. You’ve been selfless as many of my friends who know you will testify. Bashir Musa, Udoka Ekwomadu, Ugochukwu Obinna, Charles Ugeh, Onari Da Onari, Kenikon Chinedu, Okoro Nkoye, Omozusi Adesuwa, Charles Mafua, Oki Alfred all say happy birthday mum. For the gift of life, the gift of belief, the gift of work, the gift of happiness, the gift of God, the example of humility and more I say thank you mum and I love you always. I wish I could write a poem for you daily forever to say thank you mum. Happy birthday mum. From Your Son/Daughter/everything Ogbole Samson Osolease Afamefune
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 11:20:08 +0000
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