TIME TO HARASS THAT HARASSMENT

By Lara Owoeye-Wise

Recently, I was in church and suddenly, I don't know what it was I heard that took my mind astray, back, several years to a story my late father shared with me. I dwelt so much on that story and it grew very big in my spirit. So I temporarily 'left' the church service to pen this down.

There was this old woman in my village, a friend of my dad and she was about his age. Each time they met, either in our house whenever she visited, or in the church or anywhere for that matter, they had this funny way of salutation.

My dad (a very funny man), would hit his leg on the ground and attempt to harass her and she would either put her hands on her waist or wave a finger, warning him that she would beat him up again o, and they would both laugh and exchange pleasantries.

It was me, of course, who asked dad why they always did that. Initially, he said he would not tell me because I had a big mouth, lol. But he later shared the story with me.

Here it goes...

Growing up, my dad was a spoilt child. He probably courted trouble more than he courted girls. He it was, who would climb a tree and stone water pots off the head of the girls on their way from the stream...etc, etc. This particular lady was an object of harassment and intimidation from my dad. He would waylay her as she went on her way to sell her wares. He would bring down whatever she was hawking and thoroughly beat her up. She would run back home crying and wouldn't make sales. This went on for a while until her mother told her to stand up to him. Her mom emboldened her by letting her know she was not my dad's age mate and that she was more than capable of beating him up.

The next encounter, my dad had though it was as aforetimes. He waylaid her, attempted to bring down her wares, but she stopped him. She offered to bring it down by herself. Done, she walked towards my dad instead of walking away and shocked him for life! She gave him the beating of his life and made a show of it.

That was freedom, independence, deliverance day! That marked the end of all the years of intimidation and broad daylight harassment.

My dad said he never crossed her path again and I can just imagine that he left her alone and went in search of a cheap prey who didn't know his/her rights.

So, in their old age, each time they met, they made an attempt to re-enact the whole incident but in a very funny way.

As believers, what is it that is harassing us and for how long?

Are we really fed up with the situation?

We have been emboldened; all the backing we need and all our rights are spelt out for us in the Word of God, if only we will care to find them out.

I don’t know what is harassing you and staring you in the face but I do know that the day you say enough is enough and you mean it, the heavens will back you up.

When you have had enough, stand up to what has been tormenting you and roar back!

I have found out that, like my dad, 'they' are not as intimidating as they appear, so give them something to fear.

Lara Owoeye-Wise is a popular Newscaster, Deputy Chief News Producer and Deputy Head of Presentation at African Independent Television, AIT. A motivational speaker, singer, blogger and an author, she is an ordained worker in this Commission. She lives in Abuja. Her blog is www.larascopy.com