At the front of the compound was a wide shallow gutter which leads into a nearby canal.
At a time, some unscrupulous tenants from the compound started dumping both refuse and humans' excrement into the gutter during the midnight hours.
Then in the morning, the landlord would asked all the male tenants to clear off the mess. This continued unabated!
Now, there was an elderly woman in the compound who lives with her last born, a twenty year old young man who also joins to clear up the refuse. Now, whenever the refuse are being cleared, she would come out to the gutter and begins to lay curses on whosoever that is doing it.
With all these, they continued dumping both refuse as well as excrement into the gutter.
Then one Sunday morning as the men were cleaning the gutter, she started with her laying of curses as usual and one of the female tenants who was going to Church said to her, "Mama, no need of all these curses. They are not effective!
For the past two years now they have been doing this wicked act and you have been laying curses yet no result. Just forget and leave everything in the hands of God".
And the elderly woman said, "Who told you that my curses are not working? I say, who told you? Don't you have eyes?
Two years ago, three tenants in this compound were proud car owners! But today, where are the cars? They now go about on public transport.
Two years ago, about four tenants in this compound were proud owners of keke napep; which they used for transportation, but today, they are using wheelbarrows to carry loads in the market as daily labourers!
Two years ago, many tenants sleep on expensive waterproofed foams and mattresses, but today, some sleep on mats while some on bare floors!
Even our landlord's wife who goes to Dubai to import costly clothing materials, beads and Brazilian wings with about three shops in the market is now hawking bonga fish and crayfish with tray from street to street!
Do you want them to remove their wrappers and dresses and run into the open market first before you will know that my curses are working?
Don't worry, if that is what you want, just wait, it will soon get to that stage".
And the woman said to her, "Mama O, but your life has not improved either. The same one room that you occupied for years remained!"
And the elderly woman said, "You see, l am not looking for any improvement in my living because he that is down never thinks of falling!"
THIS IS THE AFRICAN LIBRARY!