Vengeance Is God’s

KUNMI Braimoh was a young businessman with the heart of gold. He was good, kind and generous even to a fault. He had the uncommon habit of helping anyone in problem, be it financial or otherwise. He had a very close friend by name Gbade Adams. They had been good friends for about four years now and the relationship continued without any cause for alarm.

Kunmi loved his bosom friend exactly the way he loved his two children. Gbade worked with the Federal Ministry of Works while Kunmi was a Clearing and Forwarding Agent, also with interest in Supplies of Building Materials. Kunmi could do anything to put a smile on the face of anybody in financial difficulties. He could spend his last naira to make sure his friend was satisfied. He was 5ft tall, robust-looking and dark in complexion.

Exactly in the fifth year of their relationship, Kunmi bought a half plot of land somewhere in Agege, on the outskirts of Lagos. Being the kind-hearted friend he was, he called Gbade and told him about it, saying he could buy the remaining half plot beside him so that they could both build their separate houses beside each other. Gbade was happy at the good news. When that very month of November ended, Gbade paid the cost for his own part of the land.

The land owners or the omo oniles sold the other half plot of land to Gbade at a reduced price. Kunmi took his friend to the land owners where he paid for the land, so that he could know that it was a clean deal, and that he didn’t get a kobo from the land sale. Kunmi did all these so that his bosom friend could have his own personal property and be a landlord.

Within one year after the two jolly friends bought the lands, Kunmi was able to erect a beautiful bungalow and complete the building on his own land because his business boomed greatly. When Kunmi realized that his bosom friend, Gbade, was yet to complete his own house which was still at the foundation stage, he gave him the sum of three million naira so that his friend could finish the building project and they could both move in together. Such was Kunmi’s love, large-heartedness and magnanimity for his bosom friend and mankind in general.

“Ha, thank you so much Kunmi!” Gbade exclaimed enthusiastically, “You’re a wonderful friend, I can’t thank you enough! How do I repay you for this kindness and generosity?!”

“What are friends for anyway? I did this for the sake of our friendship. Complete the building quickly so we could both move in at the same time.” Kunmi replied with joy radiating his face.

Two months later, Gbade had completed his own bungalow too and the two jolly good friends moved in at the same time. It was joy all the way. But that is not the end of the story. Kunmi was really doing fine in his business after he moved into his new house. He even bought a multimillion naira sophisticated jeep to add to his fleet of cars. His wife, who was a trader, was also doing well in her business and the whole family had reasons to thank God on daily basis.

Somehow, in the following year, Gbade started showing signs of jealousy and envy. After a little misunderstanding between the two friends, Gbade swore that Kunmi would regret ever living. It was just a minor misunderstanding that developed after children of the two friends had a little fight. Kunmi tried to settle the matter amicably saying that children issues shouldn’t cause quarrel between them but Gbade was very angry, furious and started cursing his dear friend and benefactor.

The following week, Kunmi fell ill and was on danger list at a high-brow hospital in Lagos Island. It was a strange illness that surpassed the medical skill of the doctors. They battled to save his life even when they couldn’t understand the root causes of his ailment. Unfortunately, Kunmi died on the last day of that month. Gbade became very happy and excited that his bosom friend and benefactor had died. ‘That serves him right, the crazy man! Baba is a great juju man!’ he thought when he heard of his friend’s demise.

It’s a saying that Providence and Karma never sleeps. So, exactly two weeks after Kunmi’s death, his restless ghost started haunting Gbade everywhere he went. He was busy working at the office one particular Monday morning when Kunmi’s ghost appeared in all its fury and anger.

“Yeee, help me beg him! It’s Kunmi, help me beg him! He’s caning me, yee God Almighty! Yes, I’m the one who killed him, I know!” he screamed and ran out of the office. He was diagnosed to be having chronic mental illness and was sacked from his place of work. He was rushed home that day.

On reaching home and sighting his wife, he suddenly took off his clothes and ran into the streets with only his pants on. He was grabbed and forced back to his house. But his condition worsened. He was rushed to his village for the cure of his mental illness when all known medical psychiatric treatments failed.

About three months later, he came to Lagos only to hear that his house had been sold by his wife for N700,000. He was dumbfounded and shocked when he further discovered that his wife had eloped with another man. That was the last straw as he went berserk and stark mad instantly.

He started raving and chanting nonsensical and meaningless things. He took off his clothes and was stark naked. Till this day, Gbade eats from dustbins and sleeps beside the gutters and under the bridges. His mental case was beyond what any known mental institution could handle.

His wife had since ran away with another man with his three children. He was as lean and gaunt like a broomstick when sighted in the vicinity of Mushin, a Lagos suburb, where he roamed the streets with bushy, dirty and unkempt hairs. His case was worse than that of the dead. May the Almighty God save us from evil-minded and callous friends.