A Rule of Love

“You said you wanted to see me earlier,” Chinelo said calmly as she adjusted her body to the back rest of the chair she sat in. “Thank you for waiting behind, how was the bible study today, hope you were blessed???” Brother Othuya asked as he settled on a seat close to her.

Othuya was the General Secretary of the Corpers’ fellowship where he met Chinelo who was also a corps member at that time; and they both resided in the Corpers’ Lodge. They were rounding off the service year in two months time, Chinelo was not an executive in the fellowship, Othuya suddenly had an unexplainable likeness for her, they were both mobilized for the scheme at that same time, although from different Church backgrounds, everybody tried to relate as one in the Corpers’ Lodge.

“I was blessed Sir,” Chinelo answered, the President and General Secretary enjoyed so much regard and preferential treatments especially when these Brothers always received Visions and Prophecies virtually every hour of the day.

“May God’s name be praised,’’ Othuya answered back, “Well I will go straight to the point, this is majorly an instruction from the Lord and trust that I will not say what God is not saying, “Chinelo was a lovely woman to behold, a portrait of beauty, she was a quiet and gentle person after all. She relaxed in the chair, and listened to what Brother Othuya had to say, God is saying that you are my wife-to-be, nonetheless so that you don’t think I am one of those Brothers with several God said, I am going to tell you I like you, and wants to be in a relationship with you, But you know man must not compromise God’s instruction and decision, God must have the final say after all. “He did not even take notice that Chinelo gave a clueless face all along, she sat in there relaxed as she divulged the news. “I hope you will be ready to carry out God’s will after all?”Othuya asked.

“Huhn!” Chinelo gave a solemn sigh, although she did not like his approach, especially the way he made it appear like God had come down from heaven to tell him, she was going to be his wife, nevertheless Chinelo knew Brother Othuya to be a devoted Brother in the Corpers’ fellowship and many of his revelations had come to pass in their midst, so she answered, “alright, let me take time to pray about it.”  Othuya answered, “alright go ahead and pray, its good, but be sure I said as the Lord spoke to me,” “it’s alright have a nice night,” Chinelo said as she stood to her feet.

“Sister Chinelooo,” Othuya dragged her name, “don’t you think we should even pray before you leave?” Chinelo looked around, pulled back her seat and sat in it, “I am sorry,” she said as she bowed her heads for prayers.

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As Chinelo laid on her bed in the same Corpers’ lodge, she ruminated on what Othuya told her, although she had always admired him, especially his godliness, she did not like his straight-jacketed Christian life, he always preached holiness gap between Brothers and Sisters in the fellowship and would always scold any two found discussing together for too long, but Chinelo assumed the only benefit of such attitude was that such brother may be loyal to his spouse, nevertheless she still felt he should soften a little.
She turned on her bed as she put the pillow over her head to pray about the issue. She prayed on and on that God will lead her right maritally. She mentioned Othuya in prayers a number of times and eventually slept off after a while.
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Othuya continued to send Chinelo several messages reminding her of his intentions. They were passing out of the National youth service scheme in few weeks time. A dinner was held in the Corpers’ lodge to celebrate the batch passing out, before the winding up programme begin to becloud their schedules.

The dinner was held at the auditorium in the Corpers’ lodge, executives from the batch passing out were dignified with special seat at the front. Othuya was seated close to the “Papa” as the President was fondly called. Othuya adjusted his long tie intermittently, although most of the brothers used a bow tie he refused and commented that it doesn’t make a man appear serious, more so the last time he remembered wearing such was on his tenth Birthday, he took everything serious and formal.

The dinner started on a warm note, as the evening unfolded, everyone enjoyed themselves all along. Othuya had sighted Chinelo from one of the tables as it was a round table dinner, although she looked beautiful and resplendent in the teal armless mermaid dress she wore, she sat with her legs crossed, calm and sill in the seat she chose, she giggled once in a while as the anchor man and woman cracked their ribs moment after moment.

She released her neatly done hair over shoulder, and tilted her head once in a while to adjust the hair. As much as Othuya glanced at her, she seemed not to take notice; she was a reticent lady, although he liked her appearance, he did not like the fact that she wore an arm-less dress that could reveal her armpit if she raised her hands up, he was going to rebuke her for it he thought.

Chinelo sipped the glass of fruit juice on the table before her. She followed the program, she was in the midst of her friends, and the one seated close to her said something in her ears once in a while and made her chuckle.

Othuya and Chinelo were from two Christian backgrounds with a large dichotomy. Othuya was from a Christian background where everything was believed to have a serious spiritual implication and opined that nothing should be glossed over, everything wrong in a man’s life was believed to be demonic, and enemies were prayed against more than the blessings of God, where the members managed to dress in a modern way simply because of their fear for the second coming of the Lord Jesus to meet them well, a church background were they had married Christianity and primitiveness. They assumed everyone who dressed otherwise is too flamboyant and knocking on the door of hell.

Meanwhile Chinelo came from an opposite Christian background where their doctrines were not to tight and difficulty to follow, their dress sense was freestyle, opposite sexes related and mingled well, such church setting where everyone was excited in church, and females were not bothered about covering of the head, even some men permed their hair conveniently, approaching the extremity of modernity, slangs flew across the church, and there were replies to what the pastor said a number of times when excited.

Othuya and Chinelo were born-again Christians indeed but from two extreme backgrounds, with different godly values and virtues, but since different people come together the for the National Youth Service Scheme and everyone was referred to as a ‘Brother’ or ‘Sister’, they felt it was going to be easy to merge, especially when one of the lines of their anthem read, ‘one for all, all for one’.

The batch passing out were asked to introduce themselves, each of them stood up, mentioned their names, the university they graduated from and if they were engaged or not, when it was the turn of any executive or the very popular ones amongst them, they hailed such person by screaming their nickname, turn after turn, then it was Othuya’s turn and everyone screamed ‘Uncleeeeeee’ as he stood to his feet and adjusted his tie, he answered very formally unlike the others who took the event quite lightly.

“I am Othuya Lawson, a graduate from the University of Port-Harcourt and I am not engaged,” he said firmly and sat back in his seat. The whole auditorium roared, someone from the auditorium shouted, “but why???” just to tease him, because they knew him to be very close in character to the military men that trained them on camp, very rigid in everything. He jumped to his feet and gave a quick response, “because men like us only follow the leading of the Holy Ghost and not some lustful desires.” As he said those words, he left his gaze on Chinelo for a split second, the whole room echoed loudly, and cheered at his reply, some ladies clapped their hands together, “always acting spiritual” someone said silently, Chinelo sat in there unmoved.    

After several awards were given out, and a number of fun filled programmes done, the last event on the agenda was dance, and off course everyone stood to their feet, same gender faced each other, the opposite sex, and others in small groups danced together, it was a splendid evening after all, several genres of music filled the room.

The guys, who had always wanted an opportunity with specific ladies, seized such now, Othuya watched on her desired lady from across the room, but because he felt it was ungodly to stand too close to a lady in such an atmosphere, he refused to walk up to her, he looked at her intermittently. Although Chinelo had made up her mind on the answer she was going to give him, she was not going to push it.  
            
Later that evening when everything seemed to have slowed down, Othuya walked up to Chinelo where she was seated with her friends, and asked to see her for few minutes, Chinelo had waited to see if Othuya wasn’t going to come talk to her in such a friendly atmosphere. “Excuse me ladies,” she said to them with a clueless face and followed him, she walked behind him quickly as he led her to a quiet part of the auditorium, he pulled two chairs for the two of them.

Chinelo sat there calmly as Othuya began to speak, regardless of the several stunts spurned by him especially during the dinner party, Chinelo seemed to like him, more she was ageing and with the myth in the society, that if a lady did not get hooked to a man while in the university, and throughout the service year where she gets to meet with several people, then it might be difficult for her to find a spouse.
“I guess God must have spoken to you eventually,” he started to say, “huhn” Chinelo managed a grin. “Okay, so what did God tell you, because he only keeps re-affirming it in my heart?” Chinelo remained silent in her seat, “it is okay by me.” You mean God has confirmed it to you too???” He gleamed for joy, “whichever,” she answered with a chuckle, he did not seize to amaze her with the way he  mentioned God every passing second, as he much as he liked him, that was the only part of him that lifted her eyebrow, but concluded she could put up with it.

“Thank you very much,” he said with a bright face, how he wished she had given him this answer before the dinner, so he could have boldly stood to his feet, and answer seriously engaged like some did, the news warmed the cockles of his heart.

Chinelo smiled all along as he expressed his words with gladness, he discarded the topic of the dress he was going to raise beforehand so has not to stab the joy in the atmosphere. Othuya muttered some things to her as the night ended on a great note for him.

…………………..To Be Continued……………………..