I grew up in Echondom-Danladi-Kent village of Kubau Local Government
of Kaduna State. Echondom is 77 kilometres before Saminaka on the
Kaduna-Zaria-Jos road axis of south eastern part of the state. Don\u2019t
bother looking at your map. You won\u2019t find Echondom village. It\u2019s like
looking for Bethlehem on the map of Palestine at the time of Jesus.
Echondom like Bethlehem is never reflected on maps of Kaduna State and
I have to spare you the burden of suffering your index finger.

At 12 years of age, I graduated from LEA Primary School Danladi. I
knew many mischievous youthful tricks including how to use the
catapult to shoot birds and sometimes shoot bullies. On uncountable
occasions bullies would attack and beat me up due largely to my frail
physique; tall lanky frame, bulky stomach and fat head. It was my head
that suffered most due to its size which received more knocks than any
other part of my body.

I lacked ideas for revenge until I was introduced to the catapult by
Kidankum my childhood friend. It was he who tutored me on this weapon
of mass destruction against terrorizing bullies of my time. I found
joy using the catapult both for flying objects and creepy humans who
disturbed my youthful world. It worked quite well like magic. However,
I must add with great pain that I learnt an additional sport
associated with the catapult; how to run away from bullies after
hitting my target.

Kurama drums at night in the village square and he would clap
endlessly for me. He established a trust between himself and me. He
sounded believable in whatever he said to me about priestly life which
was not my kettle of fish. According to him, my dance was funnier
compared to others and found it interesting to watch under the bright
moonlight. I think he was right. The sound of the drums in Echondom
village at night was like an advertisement to attend the premiere of
Star Wars or Titanic. It was fun. I still love the local drums. By
morning he would call me and ask me in plain English what I would like
to be or do in the future. Since I lacked any premeditated answers and
proper linguistic expressions, I would manage to laugh and smile
generously as I answered. He understood these as tacit replies of not
knowing what he was proposing for my future life.

For me, my future was to grow up in Echondom kingdom like every child,
farm as many crops as possible, inherit my father\u2019s livestock and
eventually settle down with the daughter ofw ho me ve r within the
Echondom world. This seminarian initiated the idea of sending me to a
minor seminary and began to sow the seed of a priestly life in my
heart. He did it in such a way that I was not coerced or forced nor
my parents dragged into accepting under pain of death my offer to
serve in the vineyard of the Lord. He sowed the seed and allowed the
Spirit of God take over from there. He succeeded in attracting me with
kind words and the realization of my potential which was part of my
life and little worldview.

My father consented too quickly and my mother too slowly. Instead she
proposed some arguments to puncture the idea. She did not understand
the language of a school without marriage associated with her first
son. She knew outrightly that I did not understand the implications
for myself. With my fat head hanging on my tall frame, I nodded in the
affirmative when my opinion was sought about becoming a priest.