He was a formidable business tycoon, a
London-trained accountant hailing from a prominent Lagos family. Known for his
blunt demeanor and fierce ambition, he was nonetheless meticulous in his
dealings, achieving great success in business without compromising fairness.
Inheriting the family company from his late father, Chief Smart
Owonikoko-Decency (Chief Smart) propelled it to unprecedented heights, with the
business's value soaring to over N120 billion ($80 million) during his tenure
as Chief Executive of the Owonifaari Group. Seizing opportunities in supporting
services for Nigeria's burgeoning telecommunications industry following the
country's return to democracy, he further expanded his enterprise's scope.Chief Smart's passing at the age of 86,
attributed to renal failure by his wife, Mrs. Jelenke Owonikoko-Decency
(Jelenke), marked the end of an era for the business community.
To Chief Smart's utter surprise and confusion,
as he departed from his physical body, he found himself observing his discarded
form lying on the hospital bed, while simultaneously perceiving himself in a
different, more refined body. It was a surreal experience, witnessing his wife
Jelenke's tears and lamentations over his passing, as she knelt by the bedside.
Two devoted nurses and the lead doctor/consultant, who had tirelessly strived
to keep him alive, offered her solace.
In the corner of the exclusive private room in
the highbrow hospital where he had spent the last month battling his ailment,
Chief Smart's son, Ariwo-ola, stood calmly. Despite the gravity of the
situation, Ariwo-ola appeared contemplative, his thoughts evidently drifting
toward the future of the Owonifaari Group business, which he envisaged
continuing from where his father left off. Chief Smart couldn't help but feel a
pang of shock and disappointment as he realised that his son, unlike the others
in the room, seemed more preoccupied with the business than with his father's
passing.
In this transcendent state, Chief Smart found
himself endowed with a newfound ability to perceive people's thoughts clearly,
offering him some insight into their innermost feelings and intentions.
Meanwhile, Jelenke remained inconsolable
despite Chief Smart's attempts. Drawing closer to her, he reiterated that he
was still alive, urging her to cease her weeping. However, Jelenke remained
unresponsive, her sobs unabated. Placing his arms around her shoulders in a
gesture of solace, Chief Smart repeated his reassurance. Yet, Jelenke's
demeanor remained unchanged.
Chief Smart was yet to fully come to terms with
the fact that he was no longer working through his discarded physical body but
that his finer body was the one making contact with his wife's finer form,
rather than her physical body. Moreover, he remained oblivious to the fact that
Jelenke, still in the flesh could not perceive his touch on her finer body.
Frustrated and distressed, Chief Smart cried out to the others in the room,
proclaiming his continued existence. Despite hearing his own voice and the voices
of others, they remained oblivious to his presence, adding to his bewilderment.
In a state of utter despondency, Chief Smart
collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. Days later, he witnessed his own
lavish funeral, astonished by the lack of compassion and the envy evident in
the expressions of some attendees. Moreover, he observed with surprise how
individuals he had once despised now extended well-wishes towards him in his
transition.
Exhausted by the ordeal, Chief Smart drifted
into sleep, only to awaken to a suffocating darkness. His attempts to call out
were met with a chilling silence, devoid of the sound of his own voice. Bereft
of sensation in his limbs, Chief Smart grappled with a sense of profound
loneliness and hopelessness, signaling the onset of a long and arduous journey
into the unknown realms beyond.
During his time on earth, Chief Smart rarely
entertained matters of spiritual significance. When his son, from a tender age
of seven, questioned him about life after death, Chief Smart dismissively
asserted that upon his demise, his body would simply turn to dust, discouraging
further inquiry into the topic. To him, such inquiries were deemed trivial and
unworthy of attention, as he urged his son to focus on weightier matters.
In discussions among peers regarding the
spiritual essence of life, Chief Smart's response was often laced with mocking
laughter. He regarded such conversations as juvenile, asserting that his role
as a businessman was solely to amass wealth for himself and his family, while
also creating opportunities for the less fortunate. With an air of ambition, he
expressed his desire to leave a lasting legacy as a successful entrepreneur and
a benefactor to humanity.
The narrative of Chief Smart's departure
unfolds as a tale of hardship and bewilderment in its initial hours. Yet, this
narrative merely scratches the surface of a much deeper reality. The choices he
made throughout his life on earth have led him to confront the stark
consequences that now unfold before him. Despite his refusal to acknowledge the
existence of an afterlife and his dismissal of spiritual matters as
inconsequential, Chief Smart has no power to annul the continuation of life
after his physical demise. Consequently, he now faces the daunting prospect of
navigating a desolate and solitary existence in the realms beyond.
However, for those who have devoted their time
on earth to acquiring knowledge about God and eternity, their awakening in the
realms beyond shall be one of profound joy. The Hand of the Lord extends to us
through His Word, readily available on earth today. This divine revelation
illuminates the operation of God's laws in creation and offers a path to
redemption from the entanglements of guilt. With a genuine comprehension of
these divine laws, we can sidestep experiences akin to those endured by Chief Smart
Owonikoko-Decency.
Now therefore is the time to concern ourselves
solely with the Word of Truth and a clear understanding of the laws of God!
