Two jobless graduates and friends went to work as labour in the farm of Mr. Massey. This they do to earn their daily bread. Sometimes, they'd go to another farm or do menial jobs to keep body and soul together.
Mr. Bassey is always convenient each time these two young men work in his farm. They don't need too much supervision to deliver on a job.
One rainy morning, Mr. Bassey wanted to clean up his pig pen. As usual he contracted the job to Yemi and Manuel. The young men have to send all the pigs to one segment of the large pen. They cleaned up the empty space so much and mended the stable.
Thereafter, they relocated the pigs to the space that had been cleaned up so as to allow them to work on the other space.
As they kept working, the rain dropped heavily, making their work on one side by washing off the decomposed earth through the pigeon hole created to pass out waste.
Before fixing the stable, the rain kept coming, helping them wash off the earth surface. Just as they were taking off the decomposed waste, Manuel's fork hit a hard ornament. At first, he just looked away.
As he came to the same place to complete the raking, he hit the substance again, it gave a clanging sound that attracted him more. Then he called on Yemi to give him a helping hand.
Together they have the pull of their synergy. It was an old clay pot, made of terra-cotta burnt clay. As they tried to pull it up, it got broken. The two young men had to dig it up, with the intention to level the hole so it could rhyme with the general land space in the pen.
As they kept digging, they found out that the pot was bigger than imagined. Finally, they saw that it was an old native bank where valuables were kept. It is called Esusu. The native bank is the traditional way of banking before modern banking was invented. Precious stones, gold and other ornaments were usually the items kept in such banks.
As they dug up the pot, it was full of a lot of those precious stones.
Yemi and Manuel contemplated what to do with their discoveries.
Manuel suggested that the owner of the farm be informed. Ye.i agreed to the suggestion.
They continued their work and completed as the rain subsided.
When Mr. Bassey came, he found that the boys had done a thorough job. He was so happy that he paid them double for their troubles.
Then, Yemi presented the pot of precious stones and ornaments to Mr. Bassey. He was so happy that such could be found on his piece of land. He told the boys to keep calm and that they were all going to share the reward in value of the stones.
Yemi and Manuel went home. They didn't set their mind on the treasure they found. They thought that since it doesn't belong to them, whatever Mr. Massey may likely give them would be appreciated. Rather, they were wondering where to get engaged the next day to earn their living.
The next morning, an old man who wanted to harvest his dried corn farm called in that he would need their services. They bidder for what it would cost and agreed on a term.
After the day job, the old man paid them and asked that they come to his farm fortnightly as there is always work to be done. Manual and Yemi were so happy that at least they were making ends meet and curving in more patronage.
That evening after working on the old man's dried corn farm, Mr. Massey came and announced to them that the stones cost a fortune when he went to the city to value it.
He said he became so afraid that he couldn't present all the stones to the exchanger. Hence, he gave Manuel and Yemi twenty pieces of the precious stones each. And he told them that exchanging only one of the stones into fiat money is enough to keep them comfortable for a lifetime.
First thing at day break, Yemi and Manuel went to the city with two stones each. When they reached the shop of the exchanger, they could not believe the value a stone was worth.
They were never going to be poor again, not now, not in another world.
Yemi started by shedding tears of joy, reminding Manuel of how people around them have intimidated them with all kinds of abuses. But now, their consistency and uncompromising stand has made them prevail over circumstances of life.
1st image: Suzy Hazelwood
2nd image: Saraí Zuno
First published Here
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