MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT

By: Dorcas Oluwatobiloba

Never in my life would I have thought that I would have the opportunity to meet with the President. What I did not know is that he was right there, around my vicinity, all this time.

My name is Merci. I don’t know why my parent gave me that name, but I love it. My parents are one of the most influential people in the country, and at the mention of my family’s name, people are always eager to associate with us. Even as a child, the same respect that was accorded to my parents was accorded to me.

Growing up, I had all that I needed at my beck and call; Money, gifts, and attention, my parent gave to me without even asking. You can call me the spoilt-rich kid, but I knew I was not spoilt, I was just given the comfortable life every child deserve from their parent, especially as a kid from a well-to-do family.

With all of these, I still wanted more, there was a space in me that longed for more.

I got into the university and made lots of friends due to my family’s influence and status in the country. In my dormitory, I had a few friends who were always happy, dancing, and shouting. I wonder what always made them so happy after the hectic work in school, I wanted that kind of happiness so I reached out to them.

They introduced me to their source of happiness –which I now term as highness– to make me feel better, but it still did not feel up the emptiness in me. After we have been high and displayed our craziness. I still wanted more.

When they saw that I still was not satisfied, they introduced me to affairs with the opposite sex and assured me it will help me out, but each time we did it, it was like I was drowning deeper in emptiness.

I knew there should be a solution because there is no problem without a solution.

I got home one day and my parent told me, we were meeting with the president. What a joy!

For the first time, I felt like a king. I got dressed ready to go meet the Number one (1) citizen of the country.

On getting there, the president was attending to people, but immediately he saw me and my parent, he motioned for us to come to him. I looked at my parents and was like, so you have this close relationship with the president and you never brought me to him, what kind of parents will deprive their child of this great privilege? Nevertheless, we were with the President and I was ready to make good use of the opportunity.

He greeted my parent briefly and then looked me in the eyes, he opened his arms wide open to embrace me.

I was so surprised but I hugged him as if my life depended on it. The President had me in his arms, and I knew I would be in the headlines of different newspapers the following day, but I cared less about that.

He said to me, “Son, your parent had told me so much about you and I am so happy to meet you”. That was when it dawned on me that my parents were always talking about their friend who had helped them to get the position they are in now,  and how they would love me to meet him, but I was too oblivious and stubborn to discern they were talking about the president.

I wept in his arms, and he cleaned up my tears and told me he will hold me by the hands and help me solve all the problems I have in my life. I wished I had met him before doing what I did back then in my first year. He noticed the regret in my eyes and he told me.

“There is no room for regrets, old things are passed away, and all things are now new, now that you are my son”. I smiled the moment he called me his son.

I felt peace, joy, love, and assurance that I was saved in his arms. Now I know why my parents would not stop talking about him.

Since then, I have lived and enjoyed like the president’s son. Good news for you!

I can connect you to the president too because I have easy access to him all day and night.

He tells me every day that he is ready to adopt a lot of children, as many as those who him as their father. He sent me to stand as a witness by telling you all my story, and how I have been saved from all habits that even my parents could not help me with.

He loves you and he is ready to meet with you today!

He said in his words “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30.