Funmi centered a soft penetrating gaze on the child - her baby - whose tender body was pressed to her bosom. The child resembled everything beautiful to the human eye. A glowing light skin, large brown eyes that expressed warmth, pouting pink lips and soft dark hair; but there was a problem, the baby also resembled his late grandfather, Iku.
"Yemi, I'm really scared. This child looks so much like your father" she cried to her husband who was standing in front of her; arms folded and head bowed.
Was his father really back?
No! His father wasn't coming back.
Then he bent down, his buttocks kissing the heel of his black shoes, and he said to his wife "honey, my father is not coming back. The pastor has said we should name him Toluwa , God's own".
Yemi's father was all shades of darkness. His name meant "death" and he lived up to his name. His signature words, "watch and see" were said with eyes piercing into yours, as if he was speaking to your soul. Iku had an intimidating height and long bow legs that could fit two mortars. Rumour had it that his bow legs were the price he paid in exchange for diabolic powers. Iku invoked death or chronic illness on the slightest provocation. One morning, a young boy called him a disgusting man, that evening his corpse was found lying on the outskirts of the village, his stomach the size of a pumpkin, maggots streaming in and out of every hole in his naked body.
On the day Iku died, he sent a message to his son: "You abandoned me for twenty years, I will come back and hunt your family for another twenty years... I will come back!". The following month, Funmi became pregnant.
*****
As the father of the child, it was Yemi's duty to give the child his first name. So on the day of the naming ceremony, he held the child in his hands and spoke: "I name this child Toluwa and he will grow up to be strong like his father" Then he smiled to the crowd and said "watch and see".