Consequence, during one beautiful afternoon, the both couples at brink of returning from the colourful and glorious end of the year party organized by the school their son was attending.
The school was a high-rated Private Nursery and Primary School located at the Agodi-Ikolaba G.R.A not far from The Government Secretariat within the city of Ibadan.
Segun and Yetunde were proud of the tender son they are blessed with as parents. The indisputable child performed excellently well at the occasion. Junior had the overall best-students prize as the most brilliant pupil and a bright spark kid in the entire school.
Some of the passionate parents in attendance at the end of the year party prayed and wished to have a kid like Junior who will bring glory to their family too.
When the ceremony was over on that afternoon, they left for Agbowo to make some business transactions before heading home. On the way coming, they had a brief stopover at Segun's parents residence located at Agbowo before the Ibadan-Lagos Express junction, not too far from the Ojoo end.
The genius Junior, Yetunde his mother, and Segun were gladly welcome. They were well treated and lavishly entertained by the grandparents. The atmosphere was very splendid.
They were served like an august visitors because it was long they had time to be physically available to wine and dine with the aged lovely parents.
Segun's father was extremely happy at Junior's performance in the school as reported by the parents. The boy was hugged by the guru-politician.
Both the grandpa and grandma prayed for Junior with mouth wetting promises. ''Good Boy, keep it up!'' the small boy was happily encouraged cheerfully by the grandparents.
After few hours, they were set to leave for home. Junior was a bit reluctant. The small boy exhibited some signs of snub. The mother acted as if she was absent minded to the reactions. However, the sharp boy bears out his mind.
Junior graciously requested from his parents loudly that he loved to stay behind to spend few days with the grand-parents.
''Hey! Let me stay a few days with Grandpa and Grandma'' – pronounced joyfully by Junior!
The bubbly couples looked at each other without uttering a word. What a brilliant request from a highly brilliant and intelligent boy!
It was unexpected. Segun did not object it. Likewise, Yetunde could not express her frank openly. Segun and Yetunde looked at each other. They both laughed quietly.
Invariable, it was approved. That was how Junior stayed behind to have some funs with the grandparents.
Thereafter, both Yetunde and Segun without any alternative waved Bye…Bye to the boy! The vibrant couples drove home to enjoy themselves further for the rest of the week.
To be candid, Yetunde was not pleased at all with the approval of allowing the boy to stay with grandparents. But she does not have the impetus to say no. The parents of Segun would give such objection a negative meaning or interpretation.
Ideally, when you are at the place of in-laws as wife or woman of virtues, you need to put on acceptable behaviours no matter how inconvenient such may be.
Native wisdom demands such an attitude so as to escape naggings from your in-laws.
The river is never afraid, only the swimmer must be cautioned. In speaking the plain truth, the trouble-some and restless Junior had good times with the grandparents of his father. He was well taken good care of without any discrimination. The boy had a nice time.
The grandma, mother of five groomed children including Segun gave the grand-child a taste of how his father was nursed when young.
While Junior was with grandpa and grandma, he behaved so well. Both Father and the age-woman loved him with his youthful attitudes.
But sometimes, he could display some strange attitudes such as snoring when sleeping and bed-wetting. No child is free or innocent of such odd experiences or stories. We all have our follies!
The grandparents were still happy with the lad despite. It was the boy that made them to be referred to as grandpa and grandma. Also, Junior is the first grandson that will be numbered for them on the Obituary Poster when they died and passed-on to the great beyond.
Therefore, they have to bear it. Every status has its own toil. Every crown is usually with a thorn.
One day when grandma left home for the market with her driver. Junior was left behind with his grandpa to play and feast with.
The brave boy boldly approached the grandfather in a serious mood. He told the man:
''Grandpa, I see you as my Father because I resembled you most and not Segun''
Junior told the ace-politician frankly
''No….No…No…!!! Segun is your father…Am only your grandpa''
The man responded to the boy inside the bedroom where the two of them were having a rest.
With a baleful expression, the politician was baffled and apathetic. He did not expect such a claim from Junior at that tender age. What a funny embarrassment?
However, a trained politician is ever ready for any awesome game both during the day and at night. On seeing what was going on, Segun's father became highly worried, confused and greatly troubled. It became a nightmare.
He therefore retorted may be Yetunde, had disclosed to the boy what happened secretly between the two of them.
It has been said that for a stranger to enter a particular town and identify correctly the grave of a blind man, an indigene must know one or two things about it!
However, Segun's father maturely handled the situation as an experienced politician. No matter what happened, white can be turned black overnight.
No shaking, nothing to fear. This is our world; we can manipulate it any how!
Money power can seal up anything in the country including the mouth of an angel!
From that moment, Junior's case became the only thorn in the flesh of Segun's father. As good as the boy was admired and appreciated by the grandparents. He often times miss-behaved as a kid with little understanding of life.
Sometimes, he could be asking sensitive questions that one must be careful in given straight answers to because of the likely implications.
The aged father began to make silly complains to his dearest wife about some of the unpalatable strange attitudes of Junior that he cannot tolerate any longer.
The madam who had the training and experience in the grooming of kids and teenagers pleaded seriously with her husband on the matter.
'' No matter how good a person may be, there will be a weakness. That is what life is made of; we need to tolerate each other no matter what.
Don't blame Junior for being outrageous. He is still at tender age. Whenever he becomes an adult, he is going to adjust and have better understanding of life.'' Politeness requires us to remain silent on this issue.''
Grandma admonished her hubby softly on behalf of the boy Junior!
The wife made Segun's father realized a man cannot claim to be perfect except Jesus Christ of the Holy Bible.
''Dear, you are right…when I was like the boy in my days…I was more than terrible too'' Segun's father mentioned jokingly.
The grandparents had a rib-cracking laughter together and went to sleep that night.
To be candid, the short stay of Junior was very lively. It was as if the boy has been with the grandparents for years. The family was lucky to be blessed with a rare breed and a friendly grand-child.
Amazing, a young child that was so sharp and highly intelligent. The boy Junior behaves as if he was older than eight year. He could be restless during the day.
Jumping from one sport to the other; singing, dancing and making a special display that prompts his natural inborn talents as a gifted child of favour. He was healthy and never falls sick throughout the stay. What a good kid to take good care of like the precious gold.
In appreciation and likeness, Junior was presented a giant teddy bear as parting gift by the grandfather to be playing with. It was hoped that the toy would keep him more engaged and busy.
In fact, there was no boring moment for the boy except when he was sleeping or eating his favourite food. Junior had ethics and table manners. You can never catch him talking when at the dining room eating.
''When eating, you should not talk'' the boy would caution any of the grandparents or anybody who dare break the rule.
'' Really, human talents are awesome. But they need to be channelled rightly!
A positive attitude does accomplish more than defeated, negative frame of mind. There's no doubt about it! ''
When it was discovered that the boy love hearing story, Segun's father told this moral lesson folk tale to Junior to keep him busy and entertained:
The Spider!
A certain king flung himself down in a lonely mood to think. Tis true he was a monarch and were a crown, but his heart was beginning to sink for he had been trying to do a great deed.
To make his people glad, he tried and tried, but couldn't succeed and so he became weak and quit sad. He was frustrated and needed a divine intervention.
As a result, he flung himself down in low despair grieved as man could be. After a while, as he pondered ''l'll give it all up'' he said!
Just that moment a spider dropped with its silky, filmy clue. And the king in the midst of his thinking stopped to see what the spider would do.
It was a long way up to the ceiling dome and it hung by a rope so fine that it could get to its cobweb home.
The king could not define it soon began to cling and crawl. Straight up with the strong endeavour, but down it came with a slippery sprawl, up, up, up it ran, not a second to stay to alter the least complaint.
Till it fell still lower than before, and there it lay quietly. A little dizzy and faint.
Its head grew steady-again, it went, and travelled a half yard higher. Twas a delicate thread it had to tread and a road where it feet would tire. Again it fell and swung below, but again it quickly mounted; Till up and down, now fast and slow many attempts were counted with courageous efforts and energy.
''Sure'' cried the king in great excitement! That foolish thing, will strive no more to climb, when it toils so hard to reach and cling and tumbles every time.
But up the Spider went once more. The trial of another chance hopefully. ''Ah me! Tis an anxious minute''
He's only a foot from his cobweb door, Oh, say, will he lose or win it?
But, steadily, inch by inch,
Higher and higher he got and bold, little run at the very last pinch put him into his native cot
''Braw, braw!'' the king cried out. All honour to those who try. The spider up there, defied despair. He conquered and why shouldn't l?''
The noble king braced his mind and gossips tell the tale, that he tried before and this time did not fail.
The awesome poetic –cum prosaic story of how an insect tried to win its battle is an eye opener to those facing any challenges of life. The next attempt could result in the desired victory, therefore never stop in making the move despite!.
The boy got the message and was highly grateful for the story told by his grandfather on that day.