June 15, 2013
Benin, Edo state, Nigeria.
Jerimiah Idahosa had been awakening from his slumber. As he opened his eyes he thought to himself "Am I in heaven or hell", the bright blue skies shone through the windows of the room.
He wasn't sure but he seemed to be in his old room in his childhood home, "is this some sort of torture" he thought to himself when he looked at the mirror.
The biggest shock of his life happened, he suddenly looked 10 years younger then all of a sudden memories of his previous life flashed before him, "Aren't I supposed to be dead," "Why am I suddenly 10 years younger".
He took in his surroundings and his room was exactly as he remembered it, sharing a bed with his brother Victor. Suddenly he heard a voice sounding like his mother's, he instinctively reacted and headed to the living room where the voice came from.
This is where he sees his mom and instant shock fills his body, he hadn't seen her in 5 years since he left home at 18 to fully pursue football. His mother yells "Why are you still asleep, just because it's a Saturday doesn't mean you can laze around, you are the oldest child you have to set a better example for your siblings".
But Jeremiah couldn't say anything. He was still in shock at seeing his mother, but he was now aware this wasn't fake. He was seeing his mother, he just stared at her until his mother broke the silence once again saying "Why are you looking at me like I have shit on my head", Jerimiah goes for a warm embrace and tells her " I'm sorry, I'll do anything you need to do" she taken by surprise but recovers well and tells him she has no problem and to join his siblings outside to assist with house chores. He does so.
As he is heading out his mother wonders, "Why is he behaving so strangely this morning", she decides to brush it off as she sees him approaching his siblings. He heads toward his brother Victor who is 4 years younger and twin sisters Jennifer and Jane who are 6 years younger sweeping the outside.
"It has been a while since I had seen them," he thought, they were all relating normally like they always did when they were children. "Brother Jeri why are you just waking up," Jane queried but Jerimiah brushed off the question and went to work with his siblings.
While working he took in his surroundings realizing that he was exactly as it was 10 years ago, the bench under the tree was there, the tap which had been broken when he was 13. Was he back in the past?
As the sun started setting down for the evening while analyzing his surroundings a man about 5'11 stepped into the house causing Jerimiah to freeze. It was none other than his father, he didn't know how to react. In his previous life, he and his father always had a good relationship until he finished secondary school at 16 and decided to pursue football full-time causing an argument and him eventually moving out to his local coach's house.
"How are you doing my son," he smiles, Jeremiah barely lets out an audible "Fine". "Tell your mother to bring my food," he tells his son as he starts embracing the other children.
Halfway through the journey he suddenly sees a visual board appear in front of him.