The Journey To My Hometown ...In search for my father's family

By Suleiman Ugbokhe

Abdulrazzaq is a product of inter-tribal marriage and is therefore a much sought-after unifying factor in the checkered history of Nigeria.

His late father, Ahmed, was from Imiegba in the northern axis of Edo state, southsouth Nigeria; while the mother is of the Yoruba ethnic group, southwest Nigeria.

AbdulRazzaq's first visit to the country home of his father was at the age of ten and it wasn't made under pleasant conditions - he had accompanied his father, who had to go to the village to receive treatment for an ailment.

He did not go there again before his father died.

Fourteen years after his first visit to his village, AbdulRazzaq, now an adult, embarked on his second voyage, as it were, to visit his extended paternal family.

Ordinarily, there is nothing unusual about this visit, but viewed from certain perspectives, the journey is worth commending.

In this part of the clime, cases of mothers disappearing with their children just to deny their fathers access to them eternally is not uncommon.

In some cases, the woman doesn't even disappear, she will simply build the "Chinese Wall" or the "Berlin Wall" or both combined between her children and their father. 

The death of AbdulRazzaq's father would have been a good reason for his mother to keep him and his sibling (the two sons from the marriage) to herself, especially when she and her late husband are not from the same ethnic group and secondly, that she had to face the daunting task of bringing up the children all alone, after the demise of her husband.

Agbelonews.com asks AbdulRazzaq what his mother's reaction was when he told her of his intended trip to his late father's village.

"She didn't say much but wished me safe journey," AbdulRazzaq said.

AbdulRazzaq's entry on his Facebook Timeline while at Ore for a brief rest during his journey to Imiegba, Edo state

The enthusiasm displayed by AbdulRazzaq while on the journey viewed from his Facebook posts, demonstrate his mother's apparent love for his father and his people.

If that love was not there, all it would have taken was to weave unimaginable stories against AbdulRazzaq's father's people that would have forever scared the children away from going there.

AbdulRazzaq's mother, Mrs Asisat Bolanle Osiefa

But this awesome lady is different and she therefore, earns the commendation of Agbelonews.com.

And for AbdulRazzaq's trip to his father's village, we allow him tell his story:

My name is Abdul Razzaq Oshioke Ahmed. I hail from Imiegba in Etsako East local government area of Edo state, Nigeria.

I was born to the Ahmed's family in the early 1990s. My father was a policeman and had worked at different police stations here in Lagos before he was later transferred to Epe to work with the King of Ejirin Kingdom.

My father had an accident in 2005, and he was advised to travel home to treat the injured leg.

So I had the opportunity to go with him to the village for the first time at the age of 10 years.

The leg injury was treated for three months after which we went back to Lagos and he resumed work and things were going on fine.

After about three years, he fell sick and he was taken to the village again. But this time I was not able to go with him due to my education.

To cut the long story short, he died and he was buried in the village.

Since then life has been full of mystery for me and my younger brother, Ismail. I finished my secondary school education in hardship but I give God the glory that today, I am able to fed for myself.

AbdulRazzaq and his younger brother, Ismail(r)

Since the demise of my father none of his family members was able to get in touch with me and my brother and I was really hoping to see them one day.

I was really sad about the death of my father because there is a strong love bond between us but I can't just do anything to get him back to life.

I picked up my pieces and moved on with my life because I have a lot to do as a man.

When my father was alive he did tell me one proverb that I can never forget: "TO BECOME A MAN IS NOT A DAY'S JOB." So, each time I remember this saying, I do get motivated.

                        YEARS PASSED

On the 18th of September, 2018, I was just going through Facebook  when an idea came to my mind to search the name of my village - IMIEGBA - on Facebook.

I went through the page and I met a man there named "SULEIMAN UGBOKHE." I explained some information about my family to him and he helped me to locate one of my father's friends called EGUGU  and I was really happy.

With the assistance of Mr Egugu, I was able to get in touch with my family and we  discussed a lot on phone.

So, I was told to come to the village to see how old and weak my grandma is since the death of my father. I felt so sorry for her. I had to put some things in place and then prepared for my travelling home.

I promised I would be home by April 2019 but unfortunately I was not able to make it due to financial constraint.

I later made it up to them on the 4th of July, 2019.

I really enjoyed the trip to my hometown. it's been one of the things I have been hoping for for a long, long time and I knew I would meet them one day....

It is all smile as AbdulRazzaq meets his cousins at Imiegba

On getting home I was really happy to see all my family members.

I left Lagos by 10:00am and I got home by 9 o'clock in the night.

I was served dinner of pounded yam and egusi soup.

After the meal that night, my uncle explained so many things to me about the entitlements of my late father which were supposed to be paid to the family by the government.

My uncle said he went to the office of the police officer in charge several times but to no avail.  My uncle explained some other things about his bank information to me so I can take it up from there....

Abdulrazzaq visits Adógbé, one of the streams in Imiegba to have a gulp of pure natural water

I really enjoyed my journey to my hometown....

Thanks to Mr SULEIMAN UGBOKHE and Mr EGUGU.

Long live Nigeria

Long live Edo state

Long live Imiegba town.