That morning started like pure Lagos film

NEPA had taken light around 3 am as usual and my small generator wey I dey call Pastor Gen refused to start

I stood in front of the house in my faded Arsenal jersey tapping my slippers on the ground like village drummer and just stared at the stubborn machine

My neighbor Mama Tola passed by with her bucket of water  just shook her head

She said in that her loud voice that can wake ancestors You better talk to that your generator o It has started behaving like Nigerian politician Only active during campaign

I laughed and bent down to pull the starter again The thing answered me with one weak cough and silence Like it wanted to speak in tongues but forgot the language

Inside the house heat was dealing with me properly My fan was standing there useless like a jobless uncle at Christmas party I could hear my children complaining from the room Daddy it is hot o I am melting like butter on top yam

I told them to come outside and enjoy natural AC They came out dragging their feet like they were paying rent for each step My youngest daughter carried her plastic chair and sat directly in front of Pastor Gen staring at it like she was expecting cartoon to start showing on the exhaust

Oya I said Let us pray for Pastor Gen Maybe it will receive power from above My son rolled his eyes Daddy this is internal combustion engine not crusade ground But he still joined hands because he knows that in this life you must respect anything that can bring light

We formed small circle around the generator I cleared my throat and started Father Lord as we are here gathered in front of this your stubborn servant Pastor Gen we ask that you touch its carburetor and renew its spark plug My children were giggling but they answered Amen

Just then our compound chairman Mr Okon came out wearing his usual shorts that have seen things in this life

He asked Wetin dey happen here Are we doing burial or naming ceremony I told him We are doing deliverance for my generator sir He looked at Pastor Gen like doctor examining patient and hissed

He said My brother this one no need prayer This one need mechanic and maybe small anointing oil inside fuel tank He bent and pulled the rope once The generator shouted like it wanted to start then died again dramatically

Ah he exclaimed This one is backsliding

By this time other neighbors had gathered because in Nigeria if your problem is loud it must have audience

Abdullahi from upstairs came with spanner hanging from his pocket like ID card He looked at the generator with serious face and said gently Bros sometimes these machines just need motivation

Before I could ask him what kind of motivation he bent down and whispered to the generator If you start now I promise I will tell your owner to change your oil today and buy you original plug from Ladipo market He then gave it one holy tap on the side

He pulled the rope again This time the generator gave one long stubborn grrrr sound then paused like it was thinking about life choices We all held our breath

Suddenly it roared to life shouting gbim gbim gbim like it just remembered it had purpose on earth The whole compound clapped as if Super Eagles scored last minute goal

My children started dancing around Pastor Gen singing Light has come power has come Daddy is not useless again My reputation that NEPA had been dragging up and down finally stood upright

I quickly ran inside to on fan fridge and most importantly charge all phones Because in this country you do not trust electricity more than you trust campaign promises

As I was about to close the door Mama Tola shouted from her veranda Neighbor abeg plug my phone If my husband call and it is off he will think I have run away with choir master I shouted back Bring it o before your marriage now enter low battery mode

Within ten minutes extension boxes had multiplied in my sitting room like beans wey soak overnight Everybody in the compound was suddenly my close friend Even small Emeka from next building brought his mother blender

Chairman sat on my plastic chair fanning himself He said You see this your generator It has received salvation today In fact we need to give testimony on Sunday I told him Pastor will not allow that He will say we are idolizing internal combustion

We all laughed and shared cold pure water from the fridge You will think we just finished building new house The joy that comes with small comfort in this our country is something else

As afternoon heat increased my wife came back from market She saw the crowd of gadgets charging in our house and just raised eyebrow I gave her the full gist with all the sound effects She shook her head at me

So you gathered the whole compound to do night vigil for generator she asked But I could see the smile she was hiding as she stood in front of the fan like person receiving deliverance from heat

Later in the evening as sun began to mind its business again NEPA decided to remember our area Light blinked once twice then stayed

The whole compound shouted Up NEPA like people who have no trust issues Meanwhile I went outside to off Pastor Gen I patted it gently on the top like old dog that just caught thief

Thank you for your service today Pastor I said You have tried Go and rest before they carry you to crusade ground for testimony

As I walked back inside I realized something In this our everyday struggle small things like fan working fridge humming and children laughing under bright light can turn ordinary day to celebration

That night as my family gathered in the sitting room eating hot jollof rice under full light my son looked at me and said Daddy today was fun Can we pray for the generator again tomorrow I laughed and told him Let us allow it to backslide small first so the miracle will be sweet again

And that is how one stubborn machine turned our whole compound into one big happy family even if it was just for one noisy sweaty unforgettable Lagos day