OKEY THE SOLDIER

In a megacity like Lagos, you may live few miles away from your brother yet you guys see once in a blue moon. And if the moon goes missing, you might see him just in the village during the festive periods.

So the blue moon was sighted on Saturday and I bumped into my brother in a bar. Few green bottles and we were thrown into a reminiscent mood.

Back in the days, he was just an average pupil in a township primary school. He would sit quietly and watch his classmates raise their hands quickly at a given opportunity to answer the teacher's questions.  He barely knew the answers or he wasn't sure of himself. Sometimes, the teachers would ignore the 'bright' students and order the average ones to answer. It didn't help matters.

So we watched a movie about the passion of Christ. Very touchy we watched Jesus speak Igbo (I mana Jisos na-asu Igbo). This particular movie was fully casted by our Igbo actors. In fact, the lot that was cast on Christ's seamless cloth fell on our very own Okey Mbonu; our landlord's eldest son. We were furious. So Okey had a hand in the crucifixion of Jesus? We queried.

Next day, my brother went to school, an average student who never answered questions in class. The teacher came in for Religious Knowledge and the first question was: WHICH SOLDIER DID THE LOT FELL ON DURING THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST?

My brother looked round and the so-called brilliant students didn't raise their hands. This must be his celebrity day he thought. Quickly,  He raised his hands and waving it in a full force to draw the teacher's attention. 

Teacher: (a bit surprised): Yes, Arinze.

My brother: Aunty, it was OKEY!!!!

For the next one week, my brother was sanctioned with the darkening of the blackboard for his answer.

After reminding him about this, we ordered a bottle of wine and we drank to childhood curiosity and innocence. 

I'm still recovering from the 'MIXCOR'

photocredit: vincentvanderveken.com