Corban is a Hebrew word adopted into the Greek of the New Testament and left untranslated. It occurs only once in the Bible and it means a gift or offering consecrated to God.
This story is a series weaved around the story in Mark 7:11 in the Bible, enjoy!!!
Isaac Adeosun married Yemisi when he was twenty-five and she nineteen. They had been sweethearts since Yemisi was in form three. He had already passed his class six exam, though barely, and had gone to Osogbo to master the art of welding with his uncle who had a factory there.
It was during one of the religious festivals that he returned home to celebrate that he’d encountered Yemisi during one of the dance competition between youths of his denomination and another. Their love story had begun smoothly but they agreed to wait a few more years considering the fact that Yemisi was yet to finish her education and he wasn’t stable yet.
Everyone knew a man had to prove himself a man before having a wife. He had to have a house or room of his own where he’d live with his bride, even if it was in the family house and a job with which he’d feed his wife and children that were sure to follow in quick succession. And Isaac had none of those yet; he still lived with his uncle in Osogbo and was still an apprentice who had only a few kobo to rub together to call his.
He would have to make more serious plans now that he had seen who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. It was obvious he meant business because he wasn’t hesitant to meet Yemisi’s parents before he returned to Oshogbo. Her parents didn’t dissuade him either but encouraged him to continue his work and when the time was right, he could return to prove himself.
Isaac became more fervent in his learning and soon worked as hard and well as his uncle. He began to set money aside for his practice and coming family. Yemisi also studied for her exam and passed and while waiting for her fiancé to complete his training and money-gathering, she became a cloth weaver’s apprentice.
They were both married about three years later and settled in Ibadan, where Isaac had got a job offer from a steel factory. Yemisi practised her weaving in their two-bedroom apartment and patiently awaited the conception of a child.
The joy of a child, however, was not to be theirs for another seven years. Conception happened six times in fact, but none lived to see the light of day. Desperation and sorrow drove both of them to several churches, hospitals and evangelistic arenas in the hope of begetting a child.
When Olajide arrived seven years after their marriage, it was indeed a miracle. Several more trials to multiply the family were made but futility was the result. They eventually accepted their fate, thanked God for their one son and proceeded to train him how best they knew.
Olajide grew up like any other child. He crawled, spoke and walked in that succession. He followed his mother everywhere, who by this time had her shop in the market. The bond between both, as expected was strong and they were almost inseparable.
He began school when he was deemed ready and brought home the report cards dotted with red and blue ink. One thing noteworthy of Yemisi was her conscious refusal to spoil her child. He was her only child born after many attempts, but she didn’t slack in her training of him.
Being religious, she took him with her to church and when she herself would not be opportune to attend evening services, she sent him as her representative. Her primary interest in attending fellowship was to conquer her enemies and overcome her life challenges.
Bible-reading was not a frequent part of her fellowship with God and she only relied on the Bible readings by the Church Leader to know what the pastor was talking about. Even Isaac had no bible. The one bible in the family was Jide’s, which had been a gift from the church to converts at their baptism. Perhaps the family would have had no bible otherwise. Yet they served God.