The Road (Episode 1-6) by Erikan Ekpenyong

​The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……….(1)

       9th day of September 2015 Aniefiok  a student of the University of Uyo had just confirmed his name on the Senate list pasted in his school signifying his eligibility for the National Youth Service Corp(NYSC). His joy knew no bound as he had been home for almost two years after the completion of his studies (good enough he had a part time job that kept him busy). 

       With great joy in his heart, Aniefiok hurried home to spread the good news to his parents and siblings and Oh! the celebration back home was even more than at the time he gained admission. Preparations were on top gear, as he tried as much as possible to ensure that no ‘devil’ would terminate his ‘open door’.

       The next Sunday, to the amazement of everyone, Aniefiok left home as early as 6am which was very unusual. This kept everyone wondering what he was up-to. Actually, they all thought he was heading to church. 
*The_journey_has_not_yet_begun…..*🚕🚕🚕

*What lies ahead of Aniefiok?

*Was he actually heading to Church?* ⛪⛪⛪.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of The_Road

The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……….(2)

      Aniefiok left home that early to church as family members thought. At arrival, he had to wait for almost 45minutes as Bro Jude the head usher was yet to open the church. Aniefiok was almost fed up standing when Bro Jude arrived. With the church opened, Aniefiok helped to clean the church, arranged the chairs and dusted them.

       After he was done with the internal cleanings, he went out to tidy up the environs. He even told the head usher not to bother joining him to clean the environs as he was well able. 

       With his kerchief soaked, the ran across the road to get a face towel with which he wiped off sweat from his face. Not so long after people starting trooping in to church for the service of the day. Whereas Bro Jude couldn’t stop wondering what came over Aniefiok and the reasons for his action. 

       Finally, he was done and later joined other congregants who were already in church and had started prayers in readiness for the days service. Just immediately, the other family members of Aniefiok announced their arrival still wondering if he was in church. 

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(Now u know he was heading to church),  But 

*The_journey_has_not_yet_begun……. 🏃🏃🏃

*What lies ahead of Aniefiok? 🙆🏼‍♂🙆🏼‍♂🙆🏼‍♂*

*Why was he in church that early?  ⛪⛪⛪*

.

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Stay tuned for Part 3 of The_Road

*The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……….(3)*

       Yes the service had started and nobody can really explain what happened that day till date, but everyone was just inspired to worship and praise…  it was a foundation shaking praise day. 

      The church praise team wore a different look that day as they ignored the formal uniform they were known for and were arraign in beautiful and aesthetically designed native wear. 

       Aniefiok was lost in worship….  With hands raised high and a loud voice he was so emotionally engulfed that he had tears running down his cheeks. Meanwhile at the other flank of the church building, Nkoyo Aniefiok’s elder sister was busy scanning through the church for Aniefiok and when she should have almost set her eyes on him, Aniefiok had gone to the back of the church to meet the head usher. 

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Why was Nkoyo scanning through the church for Aniefiok?

*What do you think Aniefiok wanted seeing the head usher for?

Stay tuned for Part 4 of *The_Road* as answers to the questions running through your mind will be given.

*The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……….(4)*

       “I have a testimony” Aniefiok uttered as he bombed into Bro Jude who had just finished attaining to mummy Eno…. “You said?” Bro Jude asked again….  Now more organized Aniefiok told him he has a testimony. Bro Jude beckoned on him to have a seat and get him interviewed so he could share when the opportunity is given. At this time Praise and worship session was ended and everyone took their sit. 

       It was time for announcement and everyone paid apt attention as no one wanted hearing the date of the praise night from another mouth. Announcement was over and it was time for offering….. The praise team were on it again. At this time, Aniefiok had rounded up his session with Bro Jude and was ended back to his seat. 

       Nkoyo was very uncomfortable as she needed to see Aniefiok before the next agenda in the order of service….. She tried calling Aniefiok’s number only to remember he had forgotten his phone home while hurrying out thus she took it to hand it over to him in church.

       “Testimony time!!!” The moderator shouted as the whole congregation chorused back with “overcomers time”….. After a brief moment of saying one or two words, he began to call out the testifiers for the day. “We call on our first testifier for today, Bro Aniefiok”… Nkoyo bowed down her head cos she knew what her brother’s testimony would look like 

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*The journey has not yet begun*🚕🚕

*Why did Nkoyo her face?*

*What do you think was Aniefiok’s testimony?*

Stay tuned for Part 5 of *The_Road*

Other Episode loading soonest……

The  Road by Erikan Ekpenyong (5)

       

*The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……. (5)*

       “Hallelujah” Aniefiok chanted….. “Amen” the congregation echoed. “Our God is faithful and just as the Lord remembered the children of Israel in Captivity, Elizabeth with a son, Hannah with a Prophet and Daniel in the lion’s den, so has the Lord remembered me today”. 

       “I have been a subject of mockery amongst my contemporaries, answered lots of questions from those who sumed up courage to confront me with it, others have had several conclusions in their heart as to what they feel is happening to me. Infact an elder in this church one of those days told me he needed to see me very urgently, I knew what he wanted seeing me for and thus didn’t bother to meet him” Aniefiok lamented as he paused for a while and then continued. 

       “Today my story is  different…  God has visited me and I don’t know how to thank Him best…. Amen!” the congregation responded with a loud “Amen” as all eyes were glued on him. The moderator couldn’t interrupt him as he too was curious to get the full gist of the testimony. Aniefiok’s parent and siblings were lost as Aniefiok didn’t share any of this with them so they too were keen on knowing what has has been bothering their son and siblings all the while. 

       “It’s a long story from the day I gained admission into the University” Aniefiok continued as he looked into the congregation “It’s been tough and difficult for me both financially and academically cos of what befell our family which we all know”. He paused and then continued “the struggle continued until my final year and when I thought I was done with it, then was my project. As if I’ll be stocked there for life, it was finally done with and with joy I was home at last though getting ready for the next episode……… The National Youth Service Corp.”

       At this point, Affiong knew the milk was about to be spilled and she had to do something drastic to curb this before Aniefiok opens his mouth again to continue. In split of seconds, she was out of the church positioned herself were Aniefiok could see her. Waving with her hands, she beckoned on Aniefiok to stop there. Aniefiok misunderstood her action, smiled at her and continued. “To cut the long story short, after being home for almost 2yrs since I defended my project, the Lord has perfected all that concerns my academics and on the 8th of October I’ll be serving my fatherland were God deems fit for me……  Praise the Lord Jesus Christ” he ended. 

       Instead of the usual thunderous hallelujah which normally accompanies such testimony, there was a sort of confusion in the church with only few people sluggishly responding with hallelujah. Aniefiok was confused as he had his legs glued to the place he stood after observing the reactions and facial expression of the congregation. 

*The journey has not yet begun*🚕🚕

*What do you think was wrong with  Aniefiok’s testimony?*

Stay tuned for Part 6 of The Road. 

The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong……. 6

       Still startled at the reaction of the congregation after his testimony, Aniefiok couldn’t concentrate well during the other activities in church. He was worried, yet couldn’t ask his “neighbor” in church as he was a bit to talk to sisters less of “charming ones“. Sis Joyce would have opened up to him if only he had asked. She noticed the look on Aniefiok’s face and was anticipating a question from him, but he was locked up within and swallowed up in his thoughts. Back to his seat in church, the seat looked so big and he like an ant in the middle of the ocean. “What went wrong?” he kept asking himself…  “Did I use any vulgar language?” he reasoned deep, yet was no answer. Sis Joyce couldn’t bear it no more so she asked while the sermon was going on, “Bro Aniefiok, hope all is well with you?”… He couldn’t utter a word but just responded with a nod. Just as this was happening, the over zealous usher sister Miracle..  signaled to both of them to concentrate. 

       “Shall we share the Grace” the moderator of the day announced after a short prayer has been said after the sermon. “………… now and for ever more, Amen” the congregation chorused. Aniefiok knew he would have so many attention to himself after the service and so responded to the last Amen while already on his way heading home. True to his speculations, had it been he waited, he would have had a whole lot of people trooping towards his direction to be clarified on his testimony. As he was no way to be found, attention was shifted to his sister who had a lot of clarifications to make, “actually, he left home very this morning before the 7am news and isn’t aware of the latest information. I tried signalling him, but I couldn’t ” she explained. Mrs Nkiru who didn’t get to hear the full explanation of Affiong jumped in with her conclusion “boys of nowadays, it’s only football that attracts them to the TV, see how a grown up of his age had to disgrace himself in front of the church today…. ” Affiong who was already infuriated by what she was hearing had to move away to avoid insulting her most honourable women leader.

       Aniefiok  was  already home and waiting the arrival of other family members. He was anxiously longing to know what really went wrong with his testimony that attracted such reaction from the congregation of which they were part. Just as he was awaiting their arrival, he dozed off and hadn’t gone but about 48minutes when someone called on him to come and join them for lunch. At this point, his anger had subsided and all he could do was to sheepishly walk to the dining table joined in the prayers and faced his meal. He didn’t want to be the one to kick start the conversation about what transpired in church. He was eagerly waiting for someone else to do that, but no I one did. Lunch was over, dad and mum had retired to their room, Affiong was clearing the table while his other siblings had rush to the lounge to catch up their favorite family show on TV. Twas at this point Itoro the last baby of the house busted out…… “Brother Aniefiok, you are not going for NYSC again”….

That was it, it wasn’t a lie, but how could it be

Stay tuned for Episode 7 of The Road

The Road by Erikan Ekpenyong………  7x

       That was it… The bombshell was dropped, it went down to the marrow, sent information to all the sensory organs concerns and then formed a very bitter taste in his mouth which he couldn’t spit out. He kept wondering how could this be? “So what really is wrong?” Aniefiok sort for an explanation. How do you mean?.. At this moment it was as if no one was paying attention to him again. The television program was becoming very interesting and nobody seem to hear him. Furious Aniefiok had to move towards where the switch was and the TV was off. Having gotten the attention of everyone, he asked again.. “why am I not going for service again?”…… Bluntly Edina responded… I’m not an NYSC official