Port of Entry: A Praying Experience

“Welcome to Nigeria”

“Thank you, my brother. How are you?”

“We are good o. We dey for where you keep us o. Where are you coming from sir?”

“Canada”

“You live there?”

“Yes”

“For how long?”

“25 years”

“No wonder your skin is shining”

“Thank you”

“I need to search your luggage”

“No worries”

“What do you have in it?”

“Three pairs of used shoes, used clothes and books”

“OK. You can just bless us and go”

“How about the luggage?”

“It is ok sir. Just bless us and go”

“No worries then. Let us pray and please close your eyes”

“Ok and thank you, sir”

“Our father and God. You know that dollars, euros, Naira and Pounds, I don’t have to give. What I  have I am giving to your son now. Please answer his prayers ”

“Amen”

“You know I did not want to leave my dear country for another to labour hard and pay high taxes”

“Hmmnn”

“You know I have been exposed to racism and all kinds over the years”

“Father!”

“You know that I am thankful despite all these for my adopted country since you said in everything,  we must give thanks”

“Yes. He said so”

“You know I have risen above those challenges and that my adopted country has given me peace, support, opportunities to progress and many more”

“Hmmnmmnn”

“You know my pension is secured in my old age. I enjoy infrastructures of the highest standards”

“Wow, Father!”

“In my adopted country, my children enjoy free education up to the high school level and they will obtain financial assistance to pursue their schooling further if they so desire. The children of the poor and the rich have almost equal chances of doing well. Father thank you”

“Thank you, Father!”

“You know I enjoy 24 hours electricity and water even though I dare not decline to pay for my usage. Father, thank you”

“Wow, Father!”

“There is the free health care of the highest standard and a responsive security service. Thank you Father”

“Yeepa Father!”

“The rich don’t lord their financial success over me and the leaders work hard and are truly patriotic. Thank you Father”

“Baba mi!:

“Government projects are not abandoned and there is a properly defined separation of powers between the three arms of government”

“Ah, Father!”

“Yes, I pay high taxes but I see my taxes put to work. Thank you Father”

“Hmmmmnnn”

“As you know Father, there are no out-of-school children on the streets”

“Ah, Father!”

“I proclaim all these blessings on my brother here, his family and others that stayed behind to build my home country”

“Amen”

“He asked me to bless him but I yield to you, the master of all, to bless him with all these things and more”

“Amen”

“Father, you make leaders bless the led. Speak to the minds of the leaders to lead right and lead my brother and others in the right direction so that he will have no reason to be worried about school fees for his children, healthcare costs, high cost of rent etc which in turn lead him to ask for blessings from mere men”

“Amen”

“I pray that you will remove from him and his likes, the spirit of greed and replace it with the spirits of patriotism, contentment, dedication, love and care”

“Amen”

“May he care about the image of our dear country rather than his pocket as you bless him”

“Amen”

“For I know Father, that if you bless him with all the things I enjoy in my adopted nation, others that had left will return and those planning to leave will stay”

“Yes, Father”

“Thank you for answering our prayers”

“Amen amen, amen, settled!”

“My brother, you are blessed beyond what you had expected from me. So says the Lord of hosts”

“Amen and thank you, sir”

“Now let me open my luggage for inspection”

“Haba! No sir. You can go”

“Really? Thank you”

“My apology for asking this question. Are you a Pastor sir”

“Thou shall not ask the anointed. Bye”

“I am sorry. Bye sir”