Ewoma's Journey

Grandma, so honesty is not the best quality one can have? Carly asked.

Yes... my child, grandma continued. Honesty still needs its mother which is also the mother of all other virtues to stand. Grandma concluded.

So grandma, what quality is the mother of all virtues? Emma asked inquisitively. I am coming to that son, don't get too anxious. Grandma answered him.

Mummy, said Mrs. Ojo, let me go and prepare dinner, it's getting late.

Okay my child, go! Go! The children will soon get hungry. Grandma replied.

Children, can I continue my story now? Yes grandma...….

Prince Ewoma, travelled to a town called Emevor, where he settled down in a two-bedroom flat, costing him an expenditure of N180, 000. He also bought household furniture and clothes to wear.

One particular evening, Ewoma went to the market to get something, he kept N20, 000 in his wallet and N2, 000 in his pocket.

While he was crossing the road, his wallet fell without his knowledge and he went to the market and bought things with the N2, 000 and went home peacefully.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Anita saw the wallet while crossing the road, she picked it up and searched it, then she saw the money that Ewoma kept there and other personal items in it. She saw a passport in it and she recognized the face immediately.

She remembered seeing the face at the market where she sold clothes; Ewoma usually buys clothes from her.

She even remembered when Ewoma gave her his home address and phone number in case of home delivery/services.

Anita being a smallish and sensible human being never forgets things easily. She had a very retentive memory. She was born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ogunde in Ibadan.

Her parents died in a ghastly motor accident. After a period of serious mourning, she was accused of witch craft by her extended family.

She ran away from Ibadan, and settled down in delta state leaving all sad memories of her past behind.

Ewoma heard knocks on the door and he came out to see who it was, to his greatest surprise, he saw Madam Anita the one who sells clothes to him.

He exclaimed; "madam clothes, I did not send for you oh! I never said you should come to deliver clothes oh! Then why are you here?"

"Customer, I did not come to deliver clothes, you get? I saw your wallet on the ground and picked it up for you". Madam Anita stressed.

But I kept my wallet in my pocket, Ewoma said while checking his pocket.

My wallet is not in my pocket oh! This is my Wallet, Where did you find it? Ewoma asked.

I saw it on the road when I was about to cross. Madam Anita responded.

Thank you Madam Anita ooooo, Ewoma expressed his gratitude.

No problem customer, Madam Anita said while going out of Ewoma's compound.

Ewoma thanked God and the woman, sternly. Thereafter, he immediately transferred the money from his wallet to his safe.

Ewoma was a very grateful young man, he showed gratitude to everyone around him yet, he was still proud.

One faithful morning, Ewoma went to a restaurant to eat breakfast. He likes taking pap and moimoi for breakfast but his father, the king commanded him to stop, but now that he feels he is independent, he eats it every morning in a restaurant because he doesn't know how to prepare the dish.

After ewoma finished eating his favourite breakfast, some boys walked up to him and told him to sit and take another plate of food.

Instead of taking the offer, he told them; I don't want your stinky N150, do you think I am a beggar? I have over N600, 000 at home, why spend "church rat" money on me? After saying this, ewoma walked out on them.

Mind you, Ewoma was a grateful boy but he was always rude and proud whenever he feels insulted. Moreover, he felt those guys were just trying to show off at the restaurant.

Unfortunately, those boys were armed robbers unknown to Ewoma. He had proudly announced his wealth to these robbers and now they were determined to rob him.

Later that evening, the boys bumped into Ewoma at the market and told him to disclose his address to them that they would want to discuss an important business with him.

Ewoma foolishly gave them his address and started boasting again after a long friendly conversation. He started blabbing; my house is not an ordinary house, it has two doors, back and front; if an armed robber comes through the front; I escape through the back and vice versa. He continued. I even have a secret safe up in my ceiling where I kept my N620, 000.

Please I want to do something at home and anything you like to have with me must be brief because I am a very busy man, Ewoma concluded.

Yes! Of course, it would be brief, Akpan the leader said.

Luckily for the robbers, they had not only gotten the address, but had also gotten other information that would be very helpful to them.

That very day at midnight, Ewoma heard knocks on his door and went to open it in a sleepy state. To his greatest surprise; he saw a gun pointing at his face.

Slowly, his visibility was sharpened and he noticed that it was Akpan that was pointing the gun at his head. Ewoma was so disappointed in himself.

Akpan told ewoma that if he should try to shout, he would shoot him direct in the head. So Ewoma had no choice but to cooperate.

Akpan sent his boys to take the money from the ceiling and they did.

Ewoma was sternly warned not to report to the police because if he did, he would be in a boiling pot of soup. Ewoma also swore that he would never report to the police.

Akpan left with his boys and the money leaving Ewoma there crying helplessly.

Ewoma finally woke up from bed in the morning with dried tears and swollen eyes. He looked at the mirror and saw himself looking like a church rat. He couldn't even feed himself any longer so he decided to return home to his parents.

The next day, Ewoma pleaded with Madam Anita to give him some money to travel back home. Madam Anita with a good heart, gave him N500 from her small profit.

Ewoma thanked her heart fully and then packed his belongings and travelled back home to his kingdom.

So children, grandma continued. We have all heard that ewoma had the quality of gratitude, but did he succeed? No....they all echoed.

Questions from chapter three

1. Who is Madam Anita?

2. How did ewoma lose his wallet?

3. Did ewoma recover his wallet?

4. Who robbed ewoma?

5. Why did ewoma return home?

Glossary

1. Anxious: curious and feeling uneasy.

2. Brief: short/ existing for a short period.

3. Ceiling: the upper interior surface of a room.

4. Determined: full of determination.

5. Furniture: wooden movable articles for use in a room.

6. Heart fully: kindly.

7. Inquisitively: curiously or prying.

8. Passport: something that identifies a citizen of a particular country.

9. Sternly: seriously.

10. Sworn: assurance done in a particular way showing how serious a person is.

11. Virtues: good characters and behaviors of a person.

12. Wallet: a small flat folding case made of leather or plastic, used for keeping valuables like money, credit card e.t.c.