TOYE Morade sat pensively at the reception room of Pontifat Hospital, feeling really anxious to know the fate of his pregnant wife who was in labour. The couple had been married for 17 years without the fruit of the womb. But that year, God did His amazing wonder in the couple’s lives by making the wife conceive. It was really a miracle to the hopeless couple because Toye was about quitting the relationship, thinking his wife of 17 years was barren and wanted to date another woman to try his luck elsewhere.

He was apprehensive and deeply agitated to know the fate of his pregnant wife. He was restless and so deep in the thought, not minding the ongoing activities of the medical team. His whole thought was focused on Bidemi, his beloved wife, who had been in the labour room for the past four hours. Toye was still bending his head when one of the doctors came out from the labour room and tapped him on the shoulders. His heart skipped a million times.

“I’m happy for you, Sir!” the young doctor exclaimed, “Your wife has just been delivered of a bouncing baby boy!”

“O thank you God! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” Toye screamed, unable to control the indescribable joy throbbing in his heart. He jumped up in sheer ecstasy and started dancing, and headed for the Labour Room.

It was sheer bliss as Toye set his eyes on his bouncing baby boy.

Bidemi, his beautiful wife was engrossed in unmitigated joy! She felt fulfilled at last. Her husband pecked her on the cheek and hugged her tenderly. Tears of sublime joy enveloped the couple as they cuddle softly.

Toye instantly made a fervent promise to do a grand christening ceremony for his newborn baby. He couldn’t hide his feelings as he shook hands with the doctors in an excited manner. “God!” he exclaimed, “I’ll spend millions for the christening ceremony of my new born baby! Everybody will know that something great is happening in my locality that day!”

“Oh, I’m so happy, Toye my dear husband! This is a dream come true.” His wife replied. Toye was a rich cement dealer while his wife was a confectioner. The couple were really successful money-wise but the only snag in the relationship was the absence of a child. And they were not really happy despite the fact that they were rich. The bundle of joy God gave the couple made them feel on top of the world! Who wouldn’t be?

The following day Toye instructed a printer to print several gold-coloured invitation cards for the special guests that would grace the splendid christening ceremony. He bought four big cows to be slaughtered for the occasion. Expensive chairs and out-of-this-world canopies were rented. The venue of the christening ceremony was a nearby open field which could contain large numbers of people and dignitaries from all walks of life. The couple were socialites who hobnobbed and rubbed shoulders with the high and mighty in the society.

Choice drinks were bought, both locally made and imported, to soothe the palate of the invited guests who came from the nooks and crannies of the country and even from overseas.

Toye budgeted about N5 million for his child christening ceremony. His friends also supported him financially to make the day a memorable one. There was no doubt about it, the couple had made a solid preparation to make the ceremony a day to remember for all and sundry. However, unknown to Toye and his wife, some daredevil armed robbers had heard about the proposed great child christening ceremony and made up their minds to storm the venue in disguise as if they were invited guests too…
To be continued.
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