JACOB was dreaded during the war. He was not only terror to residents at Erhunmwunsee Street, but was known all over the city as man that could make or mar any event. He, therefore, had the powers to take the first chair before any other at any occasion.

It is needless to say that parents obtained permission from Jacob to allow their children pass when going to farm. Special gratifications were given to Jacob when girls are involved. This way, Jacob lacked anything and refused to work. If he needed bush meat, they come in torrents so that the person Jacob picked on could have a sound sleep without one eye opened.
Jacob lived this way for a long time until he ran out of luck.

Osagie was the first to embrace Pentecostal movement in Oguola Street way back in 1972. He kept to himself and you can only see him discussing with anybody when he was on evangelism. He won many souls and his earthly reward was a copy of a giant holy bible from the Archbishop.

This donation did not go down well with Jacob who wanted his own piece of the action. He was angry that Osagie did not think it necessary to send him one-tenth of the total take. He planned to attack the servant of God.

Either through vision or from the basket-mouths that lived in Erhunmwunsee at the time, Osagie got to know of the plot against him. He fasted and prayed that the cup did not pass except God allowed it. Information reached Jacob too that Osagie was warming up for a duel with him. Those who felt that there was need to wade into the matter and avoid a looming doom, reaped disappointment as none had the liver to introduce the matter.

Osagie loved maize. Whenever he comes across the seller, he always made it a point of duty to purchase large quantity. This way, he avoided shopping all the time for the commodity.

It was during one of his voyage he came across Jacob who was equally on ground to look for trouble or for who to molest that Tuesday morning.

Both had bought maize and collected their change. It was Osagie who made to pass through the narrow gate when Jacob grabbed him by the jugular. Not even the elders’ intervention could stop a face off which Jacob had rehearsed on several occasions before the D-Day.

It started like a child’s play but before the duo could be separated, several dangerous weapons had been tampered with. Jacob was bleeding from the nose and ears while Osagie spotted two horns on his clean-shaven head – a by-product of heavy blows he received during the scuffle.

Suddenly the elders started fleeing when Jacob asked who separated the fight. He threw a brick at one of the elders. However, his action did not stop others from attending to Osaige who was a clear winner if somebody had volunteered to announce the result.

Those who were happy that Jacob had been disgraced and therefore, would have peace in the area for sometime, took Osagie back to the maize seller and rewarded him with the produce.

Others bought groundnut to please the new ‘David’ who had conquered Goliath.

This was the situation until Osagie decided to go. He was led through the path-way to the gate where Jacob stood. On seeing him, Jacob rang out “Osagie, it is true that you won today… I will surprise you during the re-match.”

Osagie replied: “you can’t do anything, I have beaten you today and will do it again. By the way, Hu YU BU?” – meaning who you be. The change was as a result of the maize in Osagie’s mouth.

This statement pained Jacob but there was nothing he could do.

That was how Jacob’s reign of terror ended at Oguola. There are many such reigns in our cities today. Bike rider would sweep into your front, daring you to hit his bike so that a motley gang would form stories against you. Pedestrans would not leave the road even if you blare your horns ten times. How about kidnappers who demand high money before releasing their victims?

These are signs of the last days and the bible warned that if we do not see or hear of them, it means the end of the world is not in sight.

God, give us the grace to over-come this tempting times.