When the storm came, I learned how to dance in the rain.

Image Source

I was lying down on my bed when I heard a knock on my door.

"Who is there?"

"Ojo, I am the one."

The voice was that of my landlord.

"Come in, Sir. The door is not locked."

He entered the room and I offered him my plastic reading chair.

My landlord, who was popularly known as Alhaji, was a retired civil servant who was enjoying his retirement with his family. He built the house during his active service years.

He and his family occupied some rooms in the house while some rooms were rented out to students, among which was mine.

I returned from my hometown the previous day and I didn't meet Alhaji when I arrived. I was informed by his wife that he was on his way back from a trip that same day. I was asleep before his arrival. He decided to come to my room the following morning to condole with me.

"Ojo, my sincere condolences to you for the loss of your father. The Almighty God is the giver and taker of life. I believe that he will give you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. How is your mum and siblings?" He asked me.

I sniffed constantly to resist tears. All I could utter was, "my breadwinner is gone." I felt the water creep out of my eyes.

He drew me closer to himself and rubbed my back with his palm.

"I know how it feels to lose one's father. Be strong my son. God will send someone to play the role of your father in your life," he offered prayers while helping me to wipe my tears with my handkerchief that he met on the table.

I wasn't crying for the loss of my dad alone but for the turbulence that lay ahead. My house rent was one of the immediate problems that I envisaged. Alhaji can show care to his tenants with anything but the rent.

A few months earlier, one of the co-tenant got robbed on his way from his hometown. The money he was to use to pay his rent was collected from him in the encounter. I joined him to plead with Alhaji to give him a little time so that his parents could raise another money for him to pay the rent. With a straight face, Alhaji gave him the grace of only two weeks.

"Will this man be considerate in my own case that involved the death of my dad?" I asked myself.

He spent about 30 minutes with me with a lot of comforting words before leaving.

The day was January 18, 2014 and my examination in school was scheduled for the 20th.

---

I traveled home in July 2013. The members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, an association of Nigerian university teachers embarked on an industrial action in June. I waited for a month to see if the issue would be resolved between them and the government. When there was no headway after a month, I decided to travel home and spend the time of the industrial action with my parents.

On the night before my departure, I went to my landlord to inform him that I would be traveling the following day.

"Hope you know that your rent will be due for payment in two months time?" He asked me.

"Yes Alhaji, I know. My rent will be due for payment on 30th of September," I responded to him.

"That's good of you. If the industrial action extends beyond that time, how will I get my money since you might not be around then?"

"I promise to pay you as soon as I return. If the industrial action is taking longer than envisaged, I will get your account details and send the rent to you."

"Okay my son, please let this be our agreement. I wish you a safe journey. My regards to your dad, mum and siblings."

The following day, I traveled home.

I met my dad nursing a leg injury. In the month of October, almost a month after my rent expired, Alhaji called me to remind me of our agreement. It was then that I informed him of my father's ailment. In fact, I received Alhaji's call while on a transit, in search of a recommended drug for my father.

Alhaji called me about two more times to indirectly ask about the money. I explained to him that my dad's health was deteriorating. It was consuming all the family finances.

On December 17th, 2013, we lost the battle. My father died.

It dawned on me that the family was in for a difficult period ahead. The strike by ASUU was called off the same week that my father died. Students were asked to resume on 12th January, 2014 while examination would start on the 20th. I summoned the courage and resumed on the 18th.

---

It was a sigh of relief for me that my landlord didn't mention the rent issue during his condolence visit.

Deep down my heart, I knew that he was just giving me a few days of grace. I refused to see my landlord as someone that has a greater love for money than humanity. The house was his only source of income and he had his own bills to pay too which I was aware of in many instances.

The death of my father should be the loss of the family and loved ones and not necessarily affect the source of livelihood of another person. With this conviction, I didn't hold any grudge against my landlord.

Two days later, I went to meet him so that we could discuss the rent.

"Alhaji, I come to see you with regards to my rent. I wish to plead with you to give me some time so that my mum could raise the money. My dad was everything to the family."

"I understand what you are going through. I would have told you not to pay the rent but I have budgeted it for Mariam's school fees. She was sent home yesterday. When should I expect it?" He asked me.

Of course, I was aware of Mariam being sent home from her school for the failure to pay school fees.
I held my breath for a few seconds. I released the air that gathered in my expanded cheeks. My eyes were red hot.

"Very soon, Alhaji. Very soon."

"Please, it shouldn't take too long," Alhaji concluded before I left the room.

A few minutes after I left Alhaji's room, I received a call from my mother. She called to enquire if Alhaji wasn't troubling me for the rent already.

"No mum. My landlord is very understanding. I can pay the money anytime we raise it."

I needed to help my mum heal from the trauma of the death of her husband of more than 30 years. Telling her that I needed to pay my rent in a matter of days or weeks would compound her near depressed state. I concealed it.

Luck shone on me when the university examination was postponed by one week.

I explained my predicament to a friend. He offered me an unforgettable assistance. He introduced me to a construction company that he was working with.

"If you can do the work, I am sure that you will raise a substantial part of the rent in a week," he assured me.

I spent a week manually excavating drainages. It wasn't easy work for me but I needed to lessen the burden of my rent on my bereaved mum.

Out of the 30000 naira rent, I was able to raise half of it after working for the week. Coincidentally, my mum sent me 10000 Naira for my upkeep around the same period. I managed to use 5000 naira for my upkeep and I added the balance to my earlier wage.

I gave my landlord 20000 Naira and promised him to balance it up very soon. The following morning, he invited me to his room.

"It wasn't intentional to trouble you for your rent. I regret every inconvenience. Don't bother yourself about the remaining 10000 Naira," he declared.

"Thank you Alhaji. I understand everything from your own point of view. I am grateful."

The death of my father subjected us to different kinds of hardships as a family. I am glad that we were able to scale through the turbulence.