05/01/2021
Our breathing became rapid and for some of us in that room, seemingly difficult. it seemed as though we were seized by some momentary asthma. Our predator waited outside, waiting eagerly for us to show up and be riddled with bullets from their highly sophisticated Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), manned by some mean looking rebels with no iota of regard for human life.
"Men of the Nigerian Army, I have the honour of introducing myself to you again. I am your friend and at the same time your foe, General Giant Goliath", At this, his men erupted with laughter, malicious laughter at his word play.
General Goliath was a tall gangly man. He was one of the toughest, heartless and deadliest rebel leaders in the Liberian conflict. I already heard, reliably too of gory tales that occasioned his innoble exploits and I knew deep within me as with others in my unit that he was not one to toy with.
If you hear Goliath was on your trail at 7AM in the morning, it is wise you make peace with your maker because by noon time, you were either singing sweet hosanna in heaven or dancing salsa with the devils in hell.
Ironically speaking, there stood between us and death, a croaky bamboo door that had long past it's use.
Our faces grew pale as they formed pools of sticky sweat and they did trickle down to our bodies as they got absorbed by our uniforms.
At intervals, series of smelly, silent and nose twisting farts rented the air, it's source, only the Almighty knew.
Our battalion leader, the pot- bellied Captain Ogundele tried hard not to show his anxiety, but any eagle eyed fellow who watched with keen interest could make out the line of pe**le fluid as they trickled down his pants.
There were just two rifles and three pen knives between seven of us. Whilst in this ocean of fear and misery, I made out my friend and course mate at the Direct Short Service course, Lieutenant Ekanem smiling as he looked at a piece of paper in his hands.
Alarmed, I beckoned on the Captain and he looked at the chap, surprised.
"Hey You, Calabar boy, what is so funny?" He asked with a frown.
"Sir it's nothing sir. I just remembered a story from my bible when a whole army was sent to attack a prophet, two different prophets actually and God delivered them", Ekanem spoke boldly. I was shocked, I have never seen that part of him before.
"I thought I warned you all against bibles in my battalion", The Captain quizzed rhetorically. "Anyway what about the prophets?" He was more interested in his life being saved now than his disobeyed instructions.
"Well sir, there were two prophets, one was Elijah, he called fire from heaven to kill the army and the other one, Elisha struck an entire army blind. So sir, which would you have my JESUS do for us?" He asked confidently.
I was all colours of bemused as was Captain Ogundele and the other four officers.
"Is this some form of joke or what? I can see you're very mad and..." He couldn't finish as the malevolent voice of General Goliath took the fore again.
"My Nigerian friends, I am going to count to five and if you're not out with your hands on your heads, I would pour bullets on your hut. You would serve as deterrents to other countries' soldiers who can't mind their business and stay in their own country. Liberia is ours and ours alone. Taylor is our president and god! I can't wait to use your Captain's meat for my okra soup tonight. So I count, 1," he started off counting.
"Oya, Oya can your Jesus make this man and his army blind?" a visibly apprehensive Ogundele asked.
"Ok sir, Let's form a ring with our hands linked," Ekanem requested all smiles.
"Two.....oooooo," Our adversary's voice sent cold shivers on us again.
The ring formed, Ekanem prayed simply: "King of Heaven and Earth, you made the Assyrian army blind in the days of Elisha, please repeat the same feat today so that it would be known to all here that you are God and not man," He finished.
"Threeeeeee.......eeeee", Goliath's voice again.
"And then? And then?? What next?", Ogundele quizzed, but Ekanem smiled as he strapped on his bag and beckoned for all to do same.
For a bit, it seemed like God didn't hear that prayer and that He purposed for us to die, but whilst I waited for the last count of the evil warlord and the eventual bullet bathe, my ears heard the unimaginable.
"Fou....... my eyes! my eyes!! I can't see",
Goliath's voice wasn't in doubt.
"Me too," another rebel soldier spewed.
"And me", yet another and it diffused steadily across them until they were all stricken blind by the hand of the most high God.
A modern day Goliath had fallen once again to another foolish whim of a latter day David.
GLORY!!! JESUS had again shamed the devil and carried the day! General Giant Goliath and all his minions had gone blind!
MEN OF WAR
Joshua Danladi Jr.
