(Part 1/2) My name is Samuel Olusegun Adepeleinde Obe. Adepeleinde means the crowned one that came last. I am the youngest child of my parents. My father was an ambassador of Nigeria to some African countries and my mum was a banker for many years. My dad died when I was 3 years old and my mum died about 21 years ago. I have just one sister and 3 brothers. I was that baby they didn’t plan to have. Even the age gap between myself and my siblings bears witness to that, *laughs*.
I had a lot of challenges growing up as a man because I didn’t have a father figure but the greatest challenge of all was the issue of identity crisis. You know when you don’t even know yourself, you don’t know how to love and you don’t know how not to love. You’re either very nice to everybody or you’re very into yourself. I was more into myself. For a long time, I felt nobody really loved me and for many years I lived in my own world. The age gap between my siblings and I didn’t make it easy so there was really nobody to talk to.
Some of the things I’ve probably not achieved today such as being married, are tied to my growing up. I was always secluded, always by myself not because anybody locked me in a room or something, but mentally I just wanted to find myself. At some point, I didn’t even know who I was but I thank God that my mum introduced me to church.
The first church that I ever entered was Four Square Gospel Church and my mum prayed me into that church. She always used to go to church but I never liked and never knew the reason or concept of church. I remember one day I was playing street football outside the house and she got back from church. I was still quite young then. She was walking in and looking at me and she just started crying. I could see the tears. I told my friends I would see them later and followed my mum inside.
When we got inside, I asked her why she was crying. One thing I had always told myself is that I would never want to see tears in my mother’s eyes. So I said, ”Mum why are you crying?” She said, ”It’s you.”
(Part 2/2) ”What have I done. How would I make you cry? You’ve been there for me and I love you. You’re my mother”, I said to my mum. She replied, “You don’t follow me to church.” Today in particular, she sat back and watched other people’s kids acting drama and singing. She knew her son was so talented and gifted, but for some reason was just wasting away, not using his gift anywhere. Now here were some kids doing an adulterated version of what her son does at home like a ‘joke’.
To cut the long story short, she was sad about that and she said to me, ”Look, I am sad and this has been a source of concern to me. I saw those kids and just wished that you were on that stage too.” I said, ”Okay mum, promise me that if I follow you to church next Sunday, you will not cry anymore?” She said, ”I promise.” Her face lit up and I thought, “Wow this is my rock, she’s happy again.”
I went to church. I got into the drama team, music team and practically all the teams. My mum was so proud. I remember her watching me sometimes and she would just cry; not tears of sorrow but of joy. I know that the day we laid her to rest, she was happy.
I’m still doing what my mum led me into. I’m still in Christ and God is good.