THE WASTE

SCENE 1

(Convocation was just concluded and Favour just emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the entire school.

She had just finished a call telling her brother that she's on her way back....

Few minutes later, her brother got a call that she was involved in an accident and was in coma)

Brother rushes to the hospital...

[Scene ends...]

SCENE 2

Favour is taking a walk through a path and finds an old man who was sitting, looking sick(or rather unwell). She walks to Him and the following conversation ensues:

Favour: Old man, what are you doing here all alone? You're looking sick and unwell...

(Old man keeps quiet and continues to look)

Favour: See I can help you. I can help you. You don't need to keep to yourself. Talk to me. A problem shared is half solved 

Old man: How do you seek the cure to my ill heart when you are the cause? How do you seek to alleviate my problem when you are the problem? When did you start caring so much about me when you spent the last 4yrs inflicting me with this illness??

Favour: Me? Inflict you? When? How? Why are you accusing me? Have I met you before?

Old man: Answer that question...Have you met me before??

Does 12th July 2017 ring a bell??

Favour: 12th?! Wow! That was the day my uncle told me that he cannot sponsor my university education after I'd deferred admission for three consecutive times. I'd cried myself to sleep.... I was tired and hopeless...

Old man: And...

Favour: And...[thinks deeply]

And I had a dream that changed my life... Heyyyyy! That was you sir! That was you in my dream! 

Now, I remember...

You were looking tired from carrying that big load and I told you I'd help you carry it. You asked me why a young girl like me was looking unkempt and I narrated my ordeals to you.

You said that You were actually carrying your load to my choice institution and that You would give me access into the school if I can help you carry it...

Old man: I'm happy you remembered. Did you not make a promise to carry it? You were desperate then that you didn't mind assuring me that I had nothing to worry about.

I fulfilled my own part of the bargain. Did you remember the scholarship you won few months after the dream? Your name appeared on the merit list by my workings. But what did you do??

You carried my load and dropped it at the school gate and entered...

I've been here for the past 4yrs waiting to hear from you. But with each passing year, you made me sick with heartaches... 

Favour: But I tried...(crying)

I did not deny your name ever in school... I didn't fall out of faith

Old man: But you did not profit me either. Ok let me take you down the memory lane....

Do you remember Chika?

Favour: Uuhhmmm... My coursemate? Chika that died in 300l??

Old man: Yes. I asked you to pray and minister healing to her that Monday morning before she passed on.

Favour: [stammering]Ye...sss sir. But we were in class and I couldn't have started praying in class. I said I was going to pray for her later in the evening. I then heard that she died by 2pm

Old man: What prohibits you from praying in class? You didn't want to look like you were spiritual. Anyway you succeeded in killing her. I had a stake in that life. When the wicked one sowed that seed of sickness into her, I was at rest because I knew you were in that class. Her healing was in that load I gave you. But what did you do?.....

Seeing her here that day, we were all gloomy.

Favour: I felt bad too but I promised you that I'll never make that mistake again

Old man: So you said but that was the beginning of many heartaches. Do you remember prof. Imabi?

Favour: Who doesn't know prof. Imabi?! The philosopher himself. That wicked man! Thank God he finally died so that students can rest

Old man:[looking rather surprised] Thank God?? A sinner died. Thank God? I knew his time on earth was already coming to a close and I was looking for how to reach out to him and save him for the sake of his interceding wife. I placed him as your project supervisor so that he can come to me. But what did I get? You joined others to fight him

Favour: I'm sorry sir. I didn't see it this way

Old man: That aside, what did you do for me whilst you were in school? I blessed you with leadership skills, a good voice and intelligence. What did I get?

Favour: But I was very active in JCCF. I even travelled for many conferences... That one in Lagos too costed me tens of thousands but I went...just to prove my love for You 

Old man: When you go for conferences, I serve you. What you do after the conference, is what serves Me.

I sent you many people with academic challenges, you did tutorials, collected money from them without giving them My name and Life

Favour kneels....

Old man: I came to you when you did not know me. I called you by My name and sanctified you. I gave you all you needed for life and godliness. Unfortunately, you're leaving the SCHOOL as the BEST GRADUATING STUDENT but you're leaving the EARTH as a WASTED INVESTMENT 

Favour: NO!!!

I can't die now! I can't leave the earth now. I'd planned on how to proclaim your name when I start my youth service in Lagos

Old man: [laughs] Did you not read the scripture that says that he that is faithful in little is also faithful in much. If you could not reach out to your classmates, lecturers, teammates and even family members as a student, you would never have done any more than cause me more heartbreaks in the future...

Favour is crying and wailing....

Old man: Young woman! Look!

(He points to a brother who was praying and sobbing...)

Your fate has been decided but for the sake of this young man who has stood in the gap for your class in the last 4yrs. The verdict is changing. 

Favour: [shocked to her marrow] Is that not Joseph?

Old man: Yes. I know that nobody knows him or rates him. But he is my lamp in your department. He entered into a covenant with me last year that none of your coursemates will die under his watch. Seeing how he's reminding me of his faithfulness to his call, I cannot resist him.

But Go! Go and right your wrongs. I've not found your work acceptable in my sight

Favour: Thank you sir .....She wakes up from the bed

THE END