“Videre est credere” Laugh it off with Dad!

I remember my dad was very good in languages back in the day.

He would conveniently converse in the major languages of Nigeria, namely Yoruba, Hausa and Ibo. He could also speak some other ‘not-so-major’ languages of the country. I remember he would make attempts to speak some Latin as well!

Funny, thinking of it now, I never really saw this trait as a gift he has although I used to be proud of him every time he spoke to people from all these languages’ areas.

Why am I referring to this now or what is the point of all this?

One late night, during my usual chat with dad on the phone in far away Nigeria, we got talking about the world cup.

By the way, my dad is a great soccer fan (football as it is called back home).

So we got talking and I asked how he’s finding the games so far.
“Oh the games”, dad said, “you know we have not had electricity for the past 3 days and so I have been ‘debarred’ from watching the games” he concluded.

“O what a shame” I said. Trying to encourage him I said, “I’m sure dad you’d still get the news of how the World Cup is going from other people somehow”.

To that, Dad did not sound very happy and guess what his reply was:

“What does it matter if I get reports about the games?, as the saying goes in Latin “Videre est credere”

“What!What!! Dad!!! What does that mean dad”? I didn’t quite get him at first. Then I burst out laughing!

Before I recovered from my laughter, dad added that “Videre est credere” is Latin which means “Seeing is believing”.

Apart from helping me to understand the pronunciation of the phrase, dad further explained the point he was making.

“I rather see the games myself. I could see all the nitty-gritty of it all, he added. That makes it more interesting and fun than having somebody tell me the story” explained dad.

I could not agree less!

And guess what else I discovered? I realized that my siblings and I took after dad as far as language skill is concerned.


That story is for another day. For now….“Videre est credere” hihihi!!!

This one is from my big bro'

Hear this... I once asked dad "what is his one great wish now that he's old"

He said "he wants to die before Mum"

You would have thought he's being nice and considerate to say that. But here is his reason:

He said "if mum goes first, who will cook for me since I do not eat any food prepared elsewhere.

Hehehe!!!

Same birthday, same surname!

Dad and Mum: Same birthday, same surname!

Today is dad and mum’s birthday.

Born not just on the same day, 5th day of the 5th Month, but they both share the same surname. All just share coincidence!

Dad turns 87 while mum turns 81! I think we are all proud of them and are so grateful that we can still chat with them and even visit them whenever we want.

As I often do, today I made a call home to wish them a happy birthday.

This is what dad had to say.

“Well… this year you came 5th”. Talking about who and who had called to wish them well. He went on to mention the names of my siblings who had called earlier than I did. “Anyway, he concluded, “you don’t always have to be the first to call us every year”. Hihihi! Dad is very funny!

I’m so grateful for this great opportunity to talk to them and crack jokes with them with more than 10000 kilometers between us! God is gracious!

Why sleep in separate rooms?

Dad n mum were more than excited by the visit of two of their grand sons whom they had not seen for almost 20 years.
While talking to him on the phone the other night about his 'august visitors' in April my dad had this to say.
One of his grandsons asked him "granddad, why do you and grandma sleep in separate rooms?" 'The question was unexpected' dad told me. 'I didn't know what to give as an answer'
This was the answer he gave: y'see, your grandma prays every hour and in order not to disturb each other, I opted to have a separate room" Lol!

I laughed and laughed. I couldn't imagine dad would give that kind of answer. True it was, my mum prays all the time, but for goodness sake that's not why they have separate rooms.

Dad is hilarious!

Ask me about it later! Hehehe!!!

Risky affair!

Talking to dad, the other day about his well being. By the way, Dad is 87 this year while mum is 81! Interesting times for these two old lovers!
Dad had this to say about mum. "You know, since your mum's vision is greatly reduced I'm really taking a lot of risk eating her food".
Not quite clear as to what dad meant, I asked "what do you mean dad?" He answered: Yinka I'm not sure whether she really sees what she cooks and what she puts in the pots of soups and what have you"
O my! Daad! I said! How do you mean?
I thought of saying, well dad, and better get to the kitchen you and help. But I didn't.
Funny, isn't it?

Armed robber released!

Dad randomly started talking about the convicted murderer in the Bible. The one called Barabbas, who was released when Jesus was condemned to be crucified. It was required that one of the offenders be released while the other be crucified. Obviously the hardened criminal should have been the one chosen to die but Jesus was chosen to die instead. "'What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?' Pilate asked. They all answered, 'Crucify Him!'" (Matthew 27:21-22)

Guess what dad had to say about this.

Since the day this guy Barabbas had been set free there has been an avalanche of criminals in the world. Imagine! Dad said: "Barabbas went away into freedom to perpetrate his criminal acts" Consequently, criminals and their acts have been on the increase! And that is the reason there are criminals all over the place!
How funny is that?