Darkened Light

This is just a preview of my published novel Darkened Light. To get a copy, call 08110884525 or send a text to the same number. You can also send an email to sambofaith@gmail.com or heaveninspiredhi@gmail.com Happy reading!

One
“Ijebu Ode.” The driver of the bus Kome boarded from Ozoro that morning called loudly over the music on the stereo.
“E dey o.” A woman replied. She was directly behind Kome on the third seat on the bus.
Kome looked out of the window as the bus sped through the Ore – Ijebu-Ode highway. She was glad for her window seat as it accorded her the opportunity to stare at passing sceneries. Her eyes had been glued to the window from the onset of the journey. She was fascinated by the trees in the thick forests that seemed to wave in adoration as the bus sped past them. The short plants also bowed in adoration. Birds flew about, chirping loudly.
This sight reminded Kome of a verse in the book of Isaiah that talked about nature worshipping God. She was excited beyond doubt. Deep in her heart, she wished she had travelled more, but the farthest she had gone was from Bayelsa to Rivers state for her school fellowship’s zonal conference in Rivers State Polytechnic. She never made the trip with other fellowship executives to Lagos for the fellowship’s annual leadership training programme. The time she would have gone with them she had found herself busy with activities in JCCF (Joint Christian Campus Fellowship). It was her first time travelling such distance; all the way from Delta state to Ogun state.
Her excitement built as the vehicle sped by Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode. It was the same feeling she had each time they had passed a higher institution. A happy smile crossed her face. She had said goodbye to Niger Delta University some months back, and she was on her way to serve her nation in Ogun state.
Her deployment to Ogun state had excited her and her parents. Only her elder sister had raised issues on the state’s fetishism. Her mother had quickly countered her, favouring fetishism to the insurgency in some parts of the country. Her argument had been that Kome’s faith in God would keep her from all evils. She forgot that the same faith in God would keep those in “unsafe” states, as she called them.
Oh yes, her faith in God was known to all. Right from when she gave her life to Jesus in secondary school, she had given her all fully to God. The three years she waited for admission into higher institution had drawn her closer to God. She had not allowed the moral decadence in the society rob her of her precious relationship with God. A lot of her friends fell to the immoral demands of the generation they were in. The result of this fall was terrible. Some were left with fatherless children with nothing to carter for them. Some were driven into the streets by angry parents. Some brought home their children to their mothers who could chase them nowhere. All these happenings initiated Kome’s resolve to stand for God, and when she got admitted into Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa state, her parents had released her with no fear at all.
In fact, her mother had testified in their church – The Last Adam Assembly –that she did not bring a bastard to her at the age of twenty. Mama Yole, her mother’s friend, had been offended by the testimony because her daughter Enifome had just given birth at age sixteen, and could not trace the father. Her anger did not stop Kome’s mother from throwing a small party to celebrate her daughter’s admission. It was quite important to her that Kome was going to the University which her elder sister refused to go to and opted for modern fashion designing. It was not her business that some people were already graduates at her daughter’s age.
Friends trooped into their compound in Erovie quarters, Ozoro, to wish her well on her journey to Amassoma, Bayelsa state. Words of encouragement flew about.
“Do your parents proud, Kome.”
“Show them you’re from a good home.”
“Keep doing well o.”
“We know you as a good girl, don’t ever change.”
After all that, the pastor of their church had led a prayer session for her.
One going abroad would not have gotten a better farewell.
Her father had asked her mother, when he drove her to the park in his old Toyota car, why she had invited people to the house to bid her farewell. He pointed out that actions like that no longer happened in the 21st Century.
Her mother’s response had been: “Kome is my last child. She is growing up in an age where immorality is the order of the day, yet she has made us proud severally. I will definitely celebrate her.”
Her father hadn’t replied. He only shook his head in silence. Kome assumed the thought on his mind was: “Mama Julie will never change.”
True as it was that her mother loved blowing her trumpet, her words had been alive in her heart, and so she made up her mind to keep her flag flying.
And it did fly.
Kome found herself in Grace House Campus fellowship and there she gave her service totally to God. She steered clear “too-nice” brothers and pursued her academics with passion. Her efforts paid off. She left NDU in flying colours. She was ranked number two amongst the five best in her department.
Now, at twenty-four, she was on her way to her place of one-year mandatory service. She wouldn’t think of the party her mother had thrown at her graduation. She wouldn’t think of the testimonies she had shared at several church meetings. She would think of all her friends; friends still in NDU and friends going for national service too. Her closest friend Tariebi was on her way to Anambra state.
Only two out of the thirty-five that graduated from her department had been posted to Ogun state. The other person was coming in from Portharcourt. They were not close in school, and so she doubted any closeness between them in camp. She was out of her league anyway.
There she was, all alone, going to Sagamu Orientation camp, along Ikenne/Iperu road, Ogun state. It was the only thing that dampened her spirit.
You will make friends, she reassured herself, then added quickly, Christian friends on camp. You’ll find them in the camp fellowship, so don’t worry.
Just as this settled on her mind, her phone rang loudly, playing the tune of Sinach’s popular song ‘I know who I am’. She prayed it wasn’t her mother as she searched her bag for it. Her mother had called severally since she left Lagos Park in Ozoro. Her hand found the phone and drew it out. She sighed with relief when she saw the name on the screen.