***

2 Days Later...

Two women from Ranti's co-operative society came to borrow money from them.

Ranti had nothing on her but she was willing to lend them some assistance but Ranti helped them with two mudus of garri (cassava flakes) and ten cubes of maggi each. They were so thankful and appreciative and they happily left.

Temi watched all that happened and decided to ask her grandma a question.

"Maami, I want to ask you an important question. Hope you wouldn't be bothered?"

"No, not at all my child. Ask me whatever you want to. There's nothing to fear when there's nothing to lose." Her grandmother replied sincerely.

"Maami, why do you always meet the financial needs of other people when we ourselves are poor? I wonder how you you spend money, yet we still get change from nothing and feed our empty stomachs. I've wanted to ask you this for long... Why do you always give out maami?"

"Temilade!" She emphasized again as she usually does. "You and your wisdom. You remained me so much of your dad."

"I want to know, Maami. I know those people are poor. Some you help and I don't even know but I know you help them all. Why maami? Why aren't you scared of running out of cash? Yet, you run hecter-scetter to get another. Tell me maami, why?"

"My child, It is profitable to meet the needs of others. That reminds me of a story my grandmother told me, and she said her own grandmother had told her the same story." She smiled and started singing a Yoruba song.

Gunugun a gu GU genre a da jé....
Akalamagbo re e o, a ro ka re a da jé...
E wa regiri sha sha to se da se gun ré...
Teru tomo no wole re egiri sha sha o.

"I'm Egiri sha sha."

"What is Egiri sha sha, Maami?"

"Years ago before the creation of man, God created 3 unique birds of different species namely; Vulture, Ground hornbill and Cattle geret.

"What are they maami?" Temi asked full of concern. Of course, Maami told her about a thousand stories but not this one.

"They are all birds and Cattle geret is the least. The three of them were so poor and wretched, that they decided to pay God a visit for help. When they got to the heavens, He gave one of them and amount of money to use it down on earth. So he commented them into the world to spend the money however they want. When the vulture (Gunugun) got into the world, it lavished the money on bean-cake (Akara). The vulture rushed home and filled it's empty stomach till it was filled up and satisfied. Akalamagbo, the ground hornbill on the other hand bought pap and took it all alone.

"Egiri sha sha as I told you, was the least of them. He took a deep thought on how to spend the money. The bird finally came up with an idea, it went out, gathering all other poor and tiny birds to have a yeast with him. He brought a lot of fruit juice and they all enjoyed themselves."

"After their sojourn in the world, God asked them to pay him a visit to give account of how they have all spent their money.
God faced the vulture and asked; how did you spend your money? It told God; I bought bean-cake to quench my hunger. I'm very grateful and well satisfied, my lord."

"God smiled and faced the ground hornbill, to also give account on the money it received. It responded that it took paper and got satisfied afterwards. God then faced Egiri sha sha.

'How do you spend your money?'

It craved the indulgence of God, faced back and called other birds. Of course, they all wanted to give gratitude to their provider as well. They all looked happy, satisfied and grateful and they had followed Egiri sha sha. It told God; I came across these other birds and bought fruit juice. We all drank it together ourselves. We drank till our fullest and we're all satisfied. After saying this, it faced the other tiny birds and ordered them to thank their God. Other birds bowed and prostrated. They were all excited to show gratitude and God was thrilled."

"God faced the vulture and told it; You were selfish in spending your money alone. From now on, you'll have a bald head. That is why vultures have bald head today."

Temi nodded in agreement.

"The Almighty moved to 'akalamagbo' which is the ground hornbill and said. You're greedy to take the paper all alone and God pronounced go it re disease on it. And so it has been till this day. It has that disease under it's throat that is incurable."

"Then, Almighty turned to Elegiri sha sha that stood with other birds and announced in a very pleased tune; You are kind and generous. From today henceforth, all birds will always accomplish you wherever you go. You'll be a leader that would be given by others. If you look up to the sky during sunset, you'll see all those  birds  flying together. There used to be a very tiny bird leading those birds called leke leke."

"Really?" Temi asked in belief.

"Yes, that leading bird is 'Elegiri' and other birds followimg it were those tiny birds it fed. Temilade, I am Egiri sha sha, that gives people things and never expect back.

"Hmmm... Now I understand you Maami." Temi felt astonished to learn from her Grandmother.  "I never knew giving was so rewardable even if it is very little."

"Yes, it is and it is even more, When you help others, God helps you back. It doesn't have to be financially, but in any mean that you can. No matter how poor we might be, When the root of a tree begin to decorate, it spreads death to its branches. Whatever the case may be, try to help others. So is to Honorable Sammu.

"Honorable again? Why would you bring up that topic again Maami?! What even connects this strong with that evil man?"

"Yes, were helping him too even if it doesn't seem like it. I'm not just pleading but... I want to beg you my child." Ranti knelt before her confused granddaughter.

"Accept whatever he asks if you so better things can come your way. I'm not being greedy or selfish in any way, all I'm saying is God loves us so much that sometimes, he had bigger plans that we have for ourselves. You have to be a mountain to lean on one."

Don't feel bad for any of these because birds don't sing songs because they have answers but because they have songs. Even the lion, the king of the forest protects himself from flies.

"I hope you understand my point here, temi."

"Yes, I do, maami." She replied with a smiled

***

Graphics To Illustrate The Story.

Gunugun - vulture.

Akalamagbo- ground hornbill.

Egiri sha sha- Cattle geret