An ancestral legacy…

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(Edited)


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Many times I do think about my life and how it has turned out for me. Is it that I am just being myself and doing what I want without anyone controlling me? I realized that most times if I follow my thoughts many times I would have trespassed. I knew deep down inside me. This is not just my doings but something that kept me on track.

Thank goodness for heritage and inheritance.

I don’t get freaked by worldly things that much because I knew that I came to this world with nothing and so I would leave this world with nothing. Be it power, money, properties, and many more. I would surely go with none of them. Then why do I have to bother myself so much and force things that are not mine upon me?

I have seen so many families become sworn enemies just because of inheritance and they never get to face each other ever again. I have also heard of blood brothers waging war against themselves just to become the owner of some kind of inheritance. The war of inheritance became a heritage among them. What a pity.

I have seen many kings and rulers go into the land of no return just because they possess power. Betrayal sets in and even among the most trustworthy companions who are thirsty for power would go against nature to fight for their cravings.

Many times inheritance comes with a lot of disputes and regrets but that has two phases to it.

I have seen many families also rise from the lowest part of their lives to the peak of the world just because of inheritance. I have seen many brothers bound together by love and care, which was also because of a heritage among them. People from different Families, communities, societies, and countries come together in the name of heritage. This had brought love and happiness to the community refraining humanity from hatred, racism, jealousy, and agony.


There is a saying that “Charity begins at home!”


It’s a norm in our family when our parents call us together and have meetings with us. Most times it’s all about discussions on our careers and study and how to become a better version of ourselves.

These acts went on for severally not until we began to find our ways into the world which made us separate from each other for the time being. But still, there are times when we meet together at home and these times are when we are on general vacation or public holiday for festivities.

There was a day I went home for vacation. I was fortunate to be around when dad wanted to embark on a long journey, he called me to accompany him on the journey which I did happily. I never knew the reasons behind it.

After a few miles into the journey he began to narrate his life story to me. Some parts of which he never told us before. The story touched me and I got to learn a lot from it. At some point, he said to me,

“I am not leaving you any property to inherit, nor I am leaving you with any power or riches. But I want to leave my words with you. Do well to take it to heart and pass it on to your generations to come just like my father did to me.”

HIS WORDS

You are a grown-up now and I am sure you must have begun to see the reality of life and what it takes to survive in it. These are not my last words to you so do not panic but make sure to remember them so dearly.

Put your God first.

No matter what you do in life, never forget to pray 🙏. Whichever condition you find yourself in, remember God first.

Be Kind

One thing people would never forget about you even if you are long gone is your kindness to the world. They might not realize it while you are with them but it would surely leave an impact in their heart as time goes on. Never expect anyone to repay your kindness to you. Do it and forget about it. You might not be the one to reap the seed you sow, but your generation to come would never remain hungry.

Be happy and content with what you have.

Many found themselves in a position they never expected all because of the pursuit of worldly things. They never made themselves appreciate whatever comes their way. Their thirst for more is what would push them to make unwanted decisions. If you are content, then you see happiness in every little thing that comes your way.

Have a good partner.

I am grateful to God to have your mother. Having a good partner is a costly choice to make. But when you make the right choice you realize the worth of it. Never go after a beautiful wife for yourself alone but see in her a good mother for your children. A good mother has brought you up to become who you are today. Do well to pass on the legacy and make us proud of our heritage.

Be prepared for death always.

Death is inevitable and can show up at any point in time. You just have to be prepared. Make your big dreams in life and make sure you pursue them. But remember that death might show up at any time. Having this at the back of your mind would be like a break from your race in life...

My son, Houses would get outdated and the cars in town today would become an old fashioned ones, clothes would turn rags, humans would turn clays. I am your father and I don’t have hectares of land to leave for you and your sibling, I am not a billionaire and I don’t have the power in my possession. I am not leaving behind any of these for you, but I am leaving behind a hero and a great man with a humble character and attitude. You are my heritage and I give you my words as an inheritance. Pass this on to your sons and daughters just like my father has done for me.



His words must have touched the deepest part of my heart and also given me the answer to the questions I kept on asking myself. Finally, I got to believe that a great man having tons of gold and thousands of houses would be of no use to him if he doesn’t have a well-trained child to inherit them.

The key to a successful inheritance is having a good successor to leave behind.



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17 comments
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Such a beautiful ancestral legacy.

I think these are qualities everyone should possess.

A good life, kind heart and a good partner.

Thanks for sharing!

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Yeah. Thanks so much for reading and dropping a nice comment

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I'm not sure what I love more... the fact that your father realized how important a legacy he was leaving with his words.... or the fact that you! as a young man!! would treasure them so deeply - more than an inheritance of material wealth - but spiritual riches!!

this post makes me smile to see the man that you are - and how you take these things into your heart.. just like your lovely brother @mcyusuf heheheh

my boys!! :)

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It's great that he taught you to put happiness above material things :) Those things that become worn out or outdated almost always stop making us happy long before they're gone.

This post has been manually curated by the VYB curation project

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Thanks so much for reading and the comments too. It’s so much appreciated

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Finally, I got to believe that a great man having tons of gold and thousands of houses would be of no use to him if he doesn’t have a well-trained child to inherit them.

This said it all🙌.
The best inheritance is what's deposited in someone's life and can be passed on from generation to generation

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You are right. Thanks so much for stopping by

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Those are some great lessons and it is worth pursuing your dreams over materiality.

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Yeah. You are right. Thanks so much for stopping

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This is a wonderful piece of writing, @abdul-qudus. The heritage passed on to you is one of wisdom, not wealth. But there is so much wealth in wisdom. Thank you for sharing this lovely creative nonfiction piece in The Ink Well, and for engaging with other community members by reading and commenting on their stories.

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You really seem to have mastered the creative nonfiction genre, @abdul-qudus. What I love about this is how you shared the part about your dad's lecture on becoming the best person you can be in a story telling fashion. It's a very compelling way to share your personal stories, and it's just what we're looking for in these creative nonfiction pieces. Well done!

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I think I would be more into the non fictional aspect than the fictional. I love it more. I would also try my best in the fictional aspect too.

Thanks so much for stopping ma

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