Sir: Recently, a new Royal Highness in Ogun State was celebrating his third anniversary on the throne; a week long programme in which His Royal Highness gave several chieftaincy titles to many citizens of Nigeria. But rain became a big factor during this one week ceremony.

Yes this is rainy season. But the rain fell suspiciously as if it was watching the ceremony to start. Rain doctors usually take advantages of the rain to cash-in money because it is believed they know how to control the elements and make rain fall or stop at any point in time. The people who were being honoured with chieftaincy in Aiyetoro, Ado/Odo-Ota had bitter experience as the rain fell all through the ceremonies, prompting a citizen to ask: “Don’t the celebrants know that they have to see the ‘Rain Doctors’ in this locality prior to the ceremony?”
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When my father retired from the Nigerian Railways Corporation in 1960, and his children and other members of our enlarged family decided to give him a befitting retirement celebration, we organised a church thanksgiving service and also get-together for our friends. At a point, a neighbour advised us to see the rain doctor in the neighborhood. But, we ignored the suggestion.

As the ceremony was on top gear, rain started to fall in torrents as if somebody had used a long pole to pinch the sky. Instead of run for cover, we stayed put dancing in the rain. Later, a man who was not living in our area came and told us that he was contacted to make rain fall so that we could come begging him with money.

A rain doctor in Abeokuta was noted for his dexterity in the command of rain. He was feared and respected for his ability to command the sky and make rain fall or stop. All over the places, he has agents who informed him anywhere there was going to be any type of celebrations in the town.

Of course, death is inevitable for any mortal. He died at the ripe age of about 80 years. On his burial day, just at about the 4 p.m. scheduled for the ceremony heavy rain started. At first, people thought that it was a child’s play. The rain was accompanied by thunder storm and lightning. Everybody at the “Rain Doctor’s” burial ran for lives. Those who were to bury him braved the condition and went to the burial ground but the burial pit was full of rain water which they immediately started draining. The more they drained, the more the burial pit was full of water.

After over 10 hours and the water in the pit did not abate, they decided to lower him down because at that point, they were all exhausted and they have to dump his body in the water in the burial pit. Nobody could eat any food at the rain doctor’s burial, because rain fell nonstop for about 12 hours. Interestingly, the rain in adjacent neighbourhood was not as heavy as in the area of the rain doctor.

Who says there is no God?

Sunday O. Ajai
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