Akin and Bola had been two love birds starting from their high school days. They had one thing in common - poor family background. It was with difficulty that they managed to sustain themselves in the school.
Akin's case appeared worse because he became an orphan from a very tender age. In the case of Bola, though her parents were alive, it wasn't easy for them to support her financially in school.
Though the two, Akin and Bola were usually seen together, none said anything concerning marriage to the other but, they knew there's a strong bond between them.
Being a year ahead of Bola, Akin first graduated from high school, and as there was no money to further his education, he started work as a factory worker in a plastic company.
When Bola graduated, her case was similar to that of Akin. She started work with a private nursery/primary school as a class assistant. She supplemented her meager salary with the income she made from the roasted groundnut she was selling.
One particular day, Akin complained of a severe headache. In spite of several pain relievers he took, the headache didn't just disappear. In fact, as the headache appeared to be subsiding, he started having a backache which landed him in a teaching hospital.
There, he was diagnosed of a kidney problem which led to a regular kidney dialysis. He was admitted. Bola usually went to the hospital to send him food and also run some errands for him.
Luckily for him, poor boy, his company was taking care of his hospital bills in addition to paying his monthly stipend. But, as weeks ran into months, the company exhausted her charity, and terminated his appointment though with some rights. They paid him a lump sum as gratuity.
It was a strange coincidence that actually happened. Bola who had always been taking permission repeatedly from her school on account of attending to Akin had her own job terminated the same day.
She had gone to tell Akin her sad news only to hear from him of his discharge letter.
With tears rolling freely from her eyes down her cheek, Akin consoled her, saying he was sensing the hand of Fate in the coincidence.
"What shall we do?" Bola asked, still sobbing.
"Don't worry," Akin replied, and continued. "I'll think it over. I hope to come up with something."
Bola fixed her eyes at the ceiling fan, shifted from there to the light blue cotton at the window. Her mind seemed blank. She stood up from the bed, stretched her body, with hands above her head. She sat down again not really knowing what to do or say.
When she left, Akin kept thinking of how to tackle the present circumstance, how to move forward in life. Almost throughout the night he kept focused on the issue,, and calculating.
The next morning Bola came in, trying to cheer up a bit. "Guess the dish I prepared for breakfast," she said smiling.
"Wow! I doubt if I can make a good guess because you're a person of variety".
"Just guess".
"Pap and plantain'.
"Wrong, I know you'll fail".
"Okay, rice," Akin tried again.
"No way. It's beans and plantain".
Both of them laughed.
Then Akin opened the flask containing the meal and started eating. Once he was done he said, "Bola, you know you've shown me an unquantifiable kindness right from our school days".
Bola looked down on the floor.
"I don't know what would have become of me without you," he was not even looking in her direction as he spoke.
"You've shown me by your actions that you're ready to sink or swim with me. That's a rare sacrifice".
"I've decided on something. Go and look for a piece of farmland we shall buy. I'll use my gratuity to pay for it. It'll be a joint ownership - you and I".
Bola was not very sure what to make out of Akin's statement. She was still trying to figure it out when Akin continued.
"Once I leave the hospital, I'll no longer work as an employee for anyone else. I'm going into farming, starting from the scratch. I believe I'll get to the top with time".
Bola left the hospital wondering what the future held for her. She started dreaming of a life with Akin. Though Akin hadn't said anything specifically in that direction but, their body reactions and attitude were tending towards togetherness.
It did not take long for her to find an abandoned farmland in the village, down the Ullayi stream for sale. Akin paid from his sickbed through a bank transfer, without seeing the land. The documents for the purchase were co-signed - him and Bola as owners.
It took another eight months for Akin to be discharged from the hospital. At that time, he was as poor as a church rat, no money.
The first thing he did was to go and see the purchased land. Thereafter, he got set for its cultivation. He couldn't hire any labourer due to lack of funds. So, he laboured to cut down the bush with a matchet, and set the refuse on fire, with Bola helping in whatever way she could.
Next, was the making of ridges for the crops. That was when Fortune struck!
He had not gone far in making the ridges when his hoe hit a metallic object. Digging further, he saw it was a massive chest containing golden artifacts buried in the ground many centuries ago.
He lifted it and took it home. The story went viral, and soon attracted the attention of government officials who came to inspect it.
It was found to be worth millions of dollars. That was how Akin and Bola became millionaires overnight.
It didn't require a soothsayer to tell of the suitability of Akin and Bola to become husband and wife. That was what happened as the two got married in a matter of weeks. The marriage ceremony attracted the high and low in the society.
Image source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-magic-chest-chest-8819779/