By Suliah Lawal
Patrick, a young and promising secondary school student, was born into an average family. His parents had only two children, him and his younger sister, and they did their best to provide for their needs. Patrick was known for his intelligence and reserved attitude, and his parents were always proud of him.
However, in no time, Patrick’s behaviour changed. He began to perform poorly in school, became rude and wayward, and started stealing from his mates and even his parents. His mother would often sit him down and advise him to stop associating with his new friends, who were a bad influence on him, but he refused to listen.
Despite his mother’s efforts, Patrick continued down a path of disobedience and theft. He showed no remorse for his actions and refused to listen to anyone’s advice. His father became ill due to his strenuous work, and his mother worked tirelessly to pay his hospital bills. Tragically, Patrick stole the money his mother had raised to pay the bills, leaving her devastated and heartbroken.
In her grief, Patrick’s mother placed a curse on him, saying he would continue to steal like a rat until rats stopped stealing. She was consumed by sorrow and disbelief, having lost the only person who had always cared for and supported her. Patrick, still a child, did not understand the gravity of his mother’s words and thought they were mere threats.
After his father’s passing, Patrick’s mother did not last long on earth, and she passed away a few years later. Patrick’s life continued to spiral out of control, and he became a frequent visitor to the police station for his numerous thefts. He would steal for no reason, even when he had enough to eat, and his uncle, who had taken him in, struggled to manage his behaviour.
The curse his mother had placed on him seemed to have taken hold, and Patrick’s life was forever changed. He was a shadow of his former self, and his promising future had been ruined by his own actions.
After his mother died, Patrick was taken to Lagos by his uncle, where he began a new life.
However, a curse from his mother started to affect him, causing him to steal compulsively, even items he didn’t need.
Despite being well-fed, he would still steal food and often waste it. His uncle tried to curb this behaviour by limiting his meals, but it only worsened, leading Patrick to steal from others and frequently get arrested.
This curse derailed his life, preventing him from achieving a stable and respectable life like his peers.