Still on the Ghana-Must-Go debacle

Short story inspired by a documentary I watched about Nigeria. Enjoy! 

May 1957

Kofi did not like to be caught unawares. He had prayed and sought God’s face for months before embarking on his journey to Nigeria five years ago. Up until now he had no cause to doubt his decision. He stood at the farthest corner of the sawmill observing his coworkers. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that he will be in this position.  The guys had understood and had left him with his thoughts. He needed to weigh his options and make a decision quick.

He had fled Ghana because enough was really enough. His family had undergone more than their fair share of hardships. Looking back, he really didn’t know how they would have survived without God. It was a miracle how he was able to afford the trip here in the first place. As the eldest son with eleven siblings he needed a steady source of income to support them and that was exactly what he had been doing since he got this job. It wasn't much but it provided food on the table and kept the younger ones in school.

He loved his job at the factory and had always done it as unto God but lately he had been having doubts. He had never dreamt that he would be forced to leave so soon. This was his home; he had spent countless of hours within this factory walls than in his excuse of a room.  Some of the guys had gone through worse ordeals than his so they had bonded. Kwaale’s home had been burnt in a religious clash with his wife and two kids inside. No one understood how Kwaale had managed to remain positive and cheerful; he was an inspiration to all of them. The guys had become his family. But all these seemed trivial and inconsequential as he was still a foreigner to the government. He was categorized under the bad and frowned-upon type of foreigner.  It didn't matter that he was a fellow black man who had equally suffered the harsh realities of the colonial rule or that his grandfather was sold as a slave. All that mattered was that he did not possess the usual blue eyes and sand colored hair or white skin of ‘good’ foreigners. Therefore he wasn't regarded with the awe or reverence accorded to them instead he was entitled to the exact opposite treatment.

After hearing the news on the radio last night, one would wonder why he had bothered to show up at work today.  There had been rumors but they had all prayed and hoped that it remained so. For goodness sake, it was the twentieth century! People weren't supposed to be this myopic and prejudiced. The white men who had caused all the havoc were still valued and worshiped by this same government. Life was indeed unfair!

He looked around, his co-workers were all busy sawing and fighting with the planks. He smiled as his gaze fell on Iyabo. She was laughing at something Dele was saying. She was beautiful inside and out. She could have opted for office work since she was close relative of the big boss but she hadn't.  She was determined to work her way up against all the oppositions. She was stubborn and he loved her more for it. She still hadn't told her family about their relationship and he understood her reservations.  As if she could read his thoughts, she looked up and smiled at him. Theirs was indeed a weird combination- the black foreigner and the boss’s kin.

Only God knew what the future held for a love like theirs especially now with the recent news from the "Oga at the top". The head of state, Shehu Shagari had announced that all foreigners with special emphasis on those from Ghana were to leave Nigeria with immediate effect or face the beat of the music.  According to him, the foreigners were the cause of the rising unemployment in the nation. If he had not heard it over the radio last night, he would have known when he arrived at work because Dele and some of the other guys had told him about the angry mob carrying “Ghana must go” placards at Jojun junction. They had asked him what he intended to do as some of his fellow foreigners at the mill had fled town. Everyone knew how cruel the soldiers were so you couldn't blame them.

He had been mulling over what to tell Iyabo since he heard and he still hadn't come up with anything. What was he to tell her that would make her leave everything she has ever known? Or did he tell her to keep the fort that he would return for her? And then how long was she supposed to wait? Was it indefinitely? Or was he supposed to wish her well and say goodbye? His greatest fear was the not knowing what her reaction might be. Iyabo was one heck of a stubborn lady. She was stubborn and steadfast in her beliefs, work and love for her family. All these qualities had endeared her to him and he feared that they might be the death of him. He had been praying but it seemed God was silent. He could hear the sound of military trucks and an angry mob approaching from a distance. It was only a matter of seconds before they would circle the mill and then decision would no longer be his or hers to make.

As he approached her station, Iyabo did the weirdest thing. She fled.  

Here's the link for the documentary on Youtube

REAL STORY OF NIGERIA by Jide Olanrewaju

I'm really sorry for my long hiatus. Much love.

Sincerely,

Cee
xxx

WhAt He ReAlly Did

Tade Balogun knew he was a bad father. He hadn't done right by Tara. It wasn't that he did not provide her needs because he did. He payed her fees, gave her shelter, food and other necessities. He was aware she cooked up 'money laundering' schemes but he indulged her because he didn't have the time or patience to argue or berate her. It had always been this way. She was always trying to get his attention and he couldn't and wouldn't be bothered. But in all his wildest dreams, he never thought Tara would become a replica of him-selfish and arrogant brat! It wasn't his fault that he hated his daughter. She symbolized everything he had lost the day she entered the world. He had lost -Nike-His life! Nike had begged him  to stay by her side during the childbirth but he had vehemently refused stating 'money must be made' especially with a child coming. The irony of life was he had lost his job that day and was saddled with the responsibility of a daughter with NO WIFE! Life had become bland and lacking in color and its spark without Nike. He had stopped living that day. He simply existed a shadow of the man he used to be.

He married Sandra a year later because he was tired of the army of house-helps and nannies that had come and gone. Plus well meaning relations kept saying the baby needed  stability aka - A Mother especially since his obvious neglect for the child was apparent. They were happy when he introduced Sandra as his intended. They felt she would cure him of the malady that Nike's death had caused but if only they knew...
   Sandra was out matched! she couldn't light a candle near Nike's memory thus she was an ornamental wife. Tade didn't know why but he never got over his resentment for Tara. He had really tried but the fact that she was a splitting image of her mother only worsened issues. When he saw her, she reminded him of what she stole from him in order for her to live.
Over the years, Sandra had turned into a real pain. She was no longer content to lavishly spend his money on her eccentricities. She was always looking for a reason to fight and argue. Her high pitched voice always attracted the neighbors. He was a family man and respected in church he didn't need the bad publicity and he had told her so. But  it seemed to have the opposite effects. She had totally redefined the phrase 'a nagging wife'. She blamed him for her childlessness.
On that fateful day, Tade had stomached way too much. He was about leaving for work when Sandra planted herself in his path and started her rant. He didn't know what made him do it or maybe he did- SUPPRESSED ANGER! In an attempt to move her from his path he had pushed her but what happened next he couldn't explain. Sandra was lifeless at the bottom of the stairs and his dear Tara had just come in through the front door, so she had witnessed it.



(Cee's notes: Thanks everyone for the wonderful suggestions... kept me laughing and thanks to Alfafuss for inspiring this one ;)! )

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

WhAt ShE FouNd oUT

Tara always heard her name whispered in corridors. It wasn’t the hush-hush “bad gossip”, in fact anytime she heard it her face lit. Her name was mentioned with great awe. They all envied her. Everyone felt she had it all and with little effort. Although some called her obnoxious, spoilt and carefree; she couldn’t be bothered.

She prided herself in the fact that all her ‘eye-catching’ possessions and spending money were legitimate. She didn’t have to sleep around, beg or steal to get the money. Her Daddy gave it to her. it wasn’t her fault that her Dad was shrewd  and she had to keep inventing authentic  foolproof reasons why she needed money.

At an early age of seven, she had learnt that Daddy won’t give her five Naira to buy sweets but would happily give her five hundred Naira to buy a non-existent textbook. As she grew older her schemes became more convincing and tactful. By Js2 she could forge her principals and the school bursar’s signatures in her sleep. She reasoned her father had too much money to spare and since she had worked hard thinking and executing her schemes, she was worthy of a pay all the same, plus she hadn’t  begged him to knock her mother up so he was responsible for catering to her needs.

She kept living life like a normal girl her age but with the occasional scamming and scheming until one fateful day. She had come home unexpectedly and saw the unsayable…

 It’s funny how a little coincidence can change one’s fate. Her teachers were correct; KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Now she no longer had to crack her brain thinking of schemes for poor old Daddy. BLACKMAIL-was much better and its rewards more gratifying. Daddy loved his position in society and church to risk the ‘truth’ leaking out and he also depended on her for the “robe of respectability” that having adorable daughter endowed him.

[Cee’s note: Since my blog readers are great thinkers… I’m curious to know what you think Tara found out that ‘fateful day’…]

Yours Sincerely,

Cee

Homecoming 2

So for two weeks he had been traipsing round about town having fun. It was really good to be home but time was really flying fast, he was dreading his departure. So much had happened in these two weeks, his younger sister Ifeoma had gotten married to a good family friend, Kene and it was obvious theirs was a love-match.

He had been right; Cynthia, the lady he had met on the plane was really something. She had attended the wedding and had blended in well even with Uncle Joe and Anthony, the renowned family jesters. Even His grand aunt fell in love with her and had cornered him to tell him not to leave the country without putting a stake on her. He had laughed inwardly because he didn’t need anyone to tell him what he already knew. They had spent every minute they could spare together except when she had to be at work or when he had family obligations. They both knew his departure date was looming in the shadows and had set out to make the most of it.

The mere thought of her always made his spirit soar. She was a mix of wit, charisma and beauty. It was funny how she understood him so well and she had only known him a few days while so many people in his life after so many years were still barely scratching the surface. With her there was no pretense, he always knew where he stood and when he made a faux pas. They had talked and asked each other different questions both mundane and important. So He could beat his chest to great extent that he knew her.

So yesterday when she had asked him what he thought about single parenting and the ladies who had children out of wedlock, it didn’t sound unusual. She went ahead to narrate a story of a close friend who was in such a dilemma and how the guy she was dating has been behaving standoffish to the child and has started avoiding her altogether. Up until this moment he still didn’t know why he said it but he blurted out, “Can’t blame the guy, nobody wants to raise another man’s bastard.” Immediately the words left his lips he regretted especially since as Cynthia winced. She was looking at him with a mixture sadness, shock and disappointment. He tried being diplomatic and made a joke of it but it didn’t help. For remaining part of the meal she was silent with exception of her brief replies to his questions.

By Wednesday, two days shy of his departure the issue had escalated. She was ignoring his calls and messages. His flight was Friday morning so time was running out. Since that fateful dinner on Sunday, it was as if Cynthia had turned into a ghost of her former self. Initially she had given the excuse of being swamped at work to avoid seeing him but now she wasn’t even talking or replying him anymore. He would give an arm to get that careless remark back but he couldn’t. He   still didn’t understand why she was overreacting and taking it personal. After all it was just a friend and he was sorry about it. The way things were going it was obvious she was going to avoid him until he left and he wasn’t going to sit back and let that happen. What they had was special and definitely worth fighting for. He had never been inside her home. She had always insisted on saying goodbye in the car. Since going to her office was out of the question since he knew how much she hated office drama or ‘scenes’ plus he didn’t want to embarrass her. So that left going to her house uninvited the only alternative.  As he sat in his rental car, across her street, thinking of what he wanted to say, a school bus passed by and stopped in front of her house and a little girl whom he guessed was about eight years old came alighted. When she turned to wave at her friends on the bus he got a glance at her face and then it hit him. It was like looking at a very young replica of Cynthia. There was no doubt this was Cynthia’s daughter. So many things were going through his head and he needed answers quick. He waited a few minutes to put his thoughts in check before approaching the house. He knocked and was about to give up and go back to the car when the door was opened by the help with little girl in tow. He said his name and introduced himself as a friend of Cynthia and lied that she was expecting him and had told him to wait here for her. He had half expected his bluff to be called or told to wait on the porch or something but what he didn’t except was the little girl to lunge at him and give him a fierce bear hug. It was so unexpected that he almost didn’t catch her. She started screaming and talking with a high pitch that it took awhile for him to understand what she was saying. After what felt like forever, she lead him to the living room and told him her name was Ama and that her mom had showed her picture of him on her phone and had said he was her special friend just like Jennifer and Tunde were Ama’s special friends. For the next few minutes he found himself interrogated and loving every minute of it, she asked him a lot of questions from his best food to why he liked her mother. She was a smart and that didn’t surprise him. Anyone who had Cynthia as a mother would be. He was still enthralled as she told him about her friends, mom and grandparents in Enugu.  She was still talking when he heard someone insert a key into the front door and open it. Immediately Ama jumped off the sofa shouting Mommy! He couldn’t make out what Cynthia was saying but he could hear the both of them laughing and it did wonders to his heart. As she entered the foyer, she looked up and was startled to see him. She whispered into her daughter’s ears and little girl said OK then waved at him before leaving the room. As she turned to face him, he noticed she was angry and had a few words for him. But at that moment Chuks couldn’t care less. He loved her and everything thing about her especially her child. He would be a fool to walk away for in her eyes and that little girls he had seen a glimpse of his future and it was wonderful. He didn’t care if he had to grovel or beg or use any other tactic to make her see reason, he had finally come home and he had every intention of staying home.

Yours sincerely,

Cee

Homecoming

Chuks hadn't been home in ten years. He had a serious case of home sickness. He had left just after high school to further his education. Ask any medical student,in-between studying and paying bills there really hadn't been much time or money to allow him the luxury of coming home.
He had taken a direct flight from Atlanta to Lagos and was now eagerly awaiting his connecting flight to Abuja. It had been so long, but with the help of the Internet and Facebook he had been kept in the loop and up to date. Although it still wasn't the same as being around. He knew his family was proud of the doctor he had become. He was now a consultant in the renowned Reginald Cook Hospital.
He usually wasn't the friendly sort but there's something about knowing that in a matter of minutes, you'll be re-uniting with your family, that makes any man become friendly. He found himself talking and exchanging pleasantries with an elderly lady in the waiting lounge. She was like most grandmothers, happy to tell the world about their adorable grand children with pictures to validate their claims.

      This is to announce the boarding of Nigerian Airways Flight AK-4799 to Abuja.

He was finally going home. He said goodbye to the elderly lady, she was travelling to Enugu. It was funny how she reminded him so much of his late Granny. He entered the aeroplane and slumped into his seat ready to take a quick nap. His plans of sleeping were quickly replaced as the most beautiful lady he had ever seen sat on the seat beside him. She had an easy smile and no wedding ring. Things were really looking up for him. The next forty-five minutes flew by as they got to know each other. Her gaiety and wit had enchanted him. He was amazed how much they had in common. She intrigued like no one had ever done. Fate had finally smiled on him.
As the pilots voice came on air, telling them they had arrived at Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja. She smiled at him and in that moment he knew that his journey home held a few delightful and unexpected surprises.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
(Jeremiah 29:11, MSG)

Yours sincerely,
Cee



MY ACTION STAR-STORY

Sharrap!  Followed by incessant cursing and a cry for help in a language that sounded like Hausa, was what woke Lola up at 2am one morning. Fear gripped her as she quickly got out of bed to find out what the racquet was all about. Her first thought was to call someone but the question was who? The Police??There really wasn’t any point. The Nigerian police is still a major work in progress. Her parents? They lived on the other side of town and it didn’t seem fair to get them worked up at 2am. Deji? Her boyfriend of six months was too unpredictable especially when she was concerned and she was safer without him in the picture. So that left her alone. She moved to the front window and got the shocker of her life. There was a rapidly increasing mob gathering just in front of her house. She had to consciously breathe in and out. To make matters worse, she suddenly realized her gate was left ajar. Thoughts started racing within her head. Anyone could walk right through, break down her door and attack her in minutes.

She stilled her mind and started recapping the events of the previous night. Deji had come over for some drinks and their ‘quality time’ as he liked to say. He finally left by 10:30pm. She had escorted him to his car, kissed him goodnight and had locked her gate herself when attempts to find Ali, the security man proved futile. Knowing Ali, she just assumed he was somewhere at the back of the house, cooking or chasing a rat which was his most recent passion. She had then entered her apartment and locked her doors before retiring to bed, with no signs of mayhem in the atmosphere.

So why were they beating up a young man in front of her house and why were people gathering to watch without putting a stop to it. She spotted a few familiar faces and then she wasn’t so scared anymore. The man in the flat at the back, Simeon was there, now she understood why her gate was open. Even Laide her neighbor was present. On a closer look, she realized her whole neighborhood had gathered because of the racket. Knowing her personal strengths and limitations of which public confrontations wasn’t one of them. She took one more glance and assessed the scenario in front of her. She had to be at work by 7:00am so she needed at least an additional hour of sleep before running out in order to beat Lagos traffic.

Exactly an hour later, Lola was again forced to wake up but his time someone tapped her. She looked at him and was so sure she was dreaming that she put covers back up again and attempted to go back to sleep. The intruder gave her a slap across the face that ascertain all her doubts and drove every iota of sleep from her mind and eyes. This was real and he wasn’t alone, there were six of them she realized and they weren’t smiling. At first, she didn’t understand what he was saying because of his strong Hausa accent. It was weird how he was supposedly speaking English but all she could hear was Hausa. One of the other guys brought out a knife and started shouting that she should bring out the flash drive. A startled Lola attempted explaining to the man that she had no idea of what he was talking about but it fell on deaf ears, as the others started ransacking her house. What surprised her even more was their disinterest in her phones, jewelry and other valuables. The search was very disturbing and sickening for Lola especially since her underwear closet wasn’t spared. After an hour of searching and still nothing, the man who appeared to be the boss turned to her and said “Tell that your black man friend that if he loves his life, he should destroy that flash with no leakage.”  As the men turned to leave, one of them knocked off her picture frame with a recent picture of Deji and her at the beach. The man turned to her and said tell this your friend that he is playing with fire o! You are a good woman that’s why we no go touch you but warn am o!” after saying this they left.

Unknown to her that night was just the beginning. So a seriously frazzled Lola who was too scared to even process her thoughts started tidying up her house or at least restore a bit of sanity to the chaos. Oh boy! She was glad to find her laptop untouched exactly where she had left it on her desk. She was grateful to God for that cause her work and life was her system.

Lola being the only child of two professors was given to process and analyze data before making any assertions. So at work that day, everyone kept wondering why she was so quiet and reserved. She just buried herself in her work and plastered a smile when approached. A lingering thought in her mind was what was could be on that flash drive? And what was Deji’s involvement in the whole mess. Her initial thought was to go to his house and demand for answers but on a second thought she drove down to the University of Lagos. On seeing her daughter, Prof. Ireti Ade knew something was wrong. She quickly got up and locked the door before embracing her. Just like a child, a weeping Lola broke down and began to recount that morning’s ordeal. Her mother would hear none of it, Lola was to go to her apartment, pack her bags and come home with her. Prof. had never understood this independence young people of nowadays craved and made much noise about. If it had been entirely up to her, Lola would never have left home in the first place.

After a week of staying at her parents’ home, Lola came back to her apartment to get some documents, and start cleaning up in preparation for her homecoming. She had every intention of moving back by the weekend but she knew her mother wouldn’t approve and her father would be worried so she was still plotting her coup secretly. She had already gotten a welder to install burglary proof bar around the apartment. Her talks with Deji had suddenly become infrequent and always left her more confused than before. He kept asking when she was moving back to her apartment and that he won’t be able to visit till then. So here she was back at her apartment, trying to dust her furniture, who knew that six days was enough to gather a dust pile? It was harmattan season so it was understandable. In an attempt to properly clean the center table in the living room, she removed the fancy bowl of marbles and was about to drop it when she tripped on the rug and fell down. As the marbles tumbled in different directions, she noticed a queer looking object on the floor. On close examination she realized it was a flash drive. Now a few things were starting to make sense to her, so the Hausa guys were right in looking for it here? But how did it get here? Oh no! Deji, she thought. She remembered the night before the break in; he had kept fiddling with the marbles so he must have dropped the flash then. For lack of anywhere better or safer, Lola kept the funny looking flash in her shoes. It was in the process of bending that she noticed that someone had recently attempted forcing her door open with a crow bar.

This wasn’t the time to ask why but time to figure a way out. She no longer trusted Deji so going to meet him wasn’t an option. As she left her apartment with her documents and important belongings in tow, her next door neighbor called her name. She wasn’t really in the mood for pleasantries but obliged him. He seemed genuinely concerned about her welfare and being a very good tale bearer he updated her on all the latest happenings. From his conversation, she gleaned that Deji had been there twice during the week and some Hausa men too but no one had visited after the burglary proof bars had been installed. He also told her the reason why the neighborhood gathered to beat up that man the night before the break in. The man had been caught trying to jump over the fence. They had to flog and threaten to kill him before he made a confession; he had been sent to simply survey the house and report back. Being an illiterate the man could provide elaborate details on the people that sent him but he was now under police custody.

On getting to her parents house, Lola practically ran to the computer in the living room, she had to know what was on the flash drive. What she found left her speechless. It was a ledger of some sorts. It held all the details of various drug deals which included money running into millions, various bank accounts and names. No wonder securing the flash was a big deal. Now she needed a plan! After weighing the risks and consequences, she decided not to involve her family. Thank God her parents weren’t home yet, that gave her ample time to scan through the files. She immediately printed out a duplicate of everything which was a lot of pages, almost like one of her university law texts. She was about putting it in a manila envelope when something caught her eye. It was a name, not just any name it was Deji’s. Now she was utterly confused. Prior to this, she had secretly painted a picture where Deji was the good guy who had gotten the flash from as an undercover agent in order to report to the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) so that justice will be served. Her heart had prayed it to be true but what she was holding told her otherwise.

What she did next was stupid but her heart was stubborn and desperately wanted Deji to tell her otherwise. One thing she knew about love it kept on believing. So she called him one last time. As the conversation went on she knew it was over between them. When she told him she had found the flash. He became sad. He told her it hadn’t gone according to plan. This was the big break he had been talking about for weeks. He had planned on using the flash to blackmail the god fathers behind the drug deals to pay for his silence. He had had big plans for them. They would have travelled out to start a new life after the cash in. They wouldn’t have lacked anything. He then told her to be careful because they won’t agree to go down without a fight.

On second thought she needed back up. She quickly put a copy of the files with a short letter explaining everything under her father’s pillow. The second copy in an envelope addressed to the NDLEA boss marked URGENT!! Because it was a matter of extreme delicacy due to the high profile individuals involved, she had to tread carefully. She scanned through the documents and selected the vital but less messy details and emailed it to the press. She then went ahead to post some anonymously on the web. Her greatest fear wasn’t her safety but the possibility of this crime being buried just like so many high profile Nigerian crimes.

Oh No! She had forgotten her address book in the office. Most of her friends thought it odd that she still bothered to write and keep a hard bound book with the invention of smart phones and PCs. They kept reminding her that it was the 21^st century where everything was in e-form. For her it was a personal choice and she would rather not be at the mercy of any virus scare or theft. She got into her car and started heading to her office to retrieve it. As she approached the third mainland bridge she looked at her rearview mirror and noticed that two black cars were following her. She had noticed them earlier and had taken a detour in an attempt to lose them and hadn’t seen them since and had applauded herself for successfully losing them. But now they had reappeared and that only meant TROUBLE! One of tried overtaking her but she had outwitted him by diverting into the other lane and stepping on the accelerator. They kept racing and chasing till they got to the end of the bridge. She was still thinking of how she was going to maneuver them when all of a sudden a black van just swerved and came to a halt just in front of her SUV making it impossible for her to go forward.

She immediately locked her doors and called her father. She quickly narrated what had happened and attempted describing where she was presently. Just then some men approached her car. They started hitting the car and commanding her to open the door because she was outnumbered. When they realized she wasn’t budging they brought out their guns and began shooting at the rear windshield. Lola was scared to her teeth. She kept wondering if this was how she was going to end her life. The next thing she heard was a loud gunshot and she passed out.

She was awoken by the rotten stench of dead rats. She was in a somewhat abandoned car warehouse surrounded by a lot of men. Angry men she observed. Immediately one came forward, she recognized him from the papers; he was Chief Adetola, a prominent man in the oil and gas sector. He started talking to her; at first she couldn’t hear a thing because of her throbbing headache. He was asking her to tell him what she had done with the documents on the flash drive and that he wasn’t in the mood to play games. So she told him excluding some details like the one she left for her father. She recognized a few more high profile figures amidst the crowd. After she finished talking, he heaved a deep sigh and beckoned for some men to take her away. As they carried her she heard him tell the other men that this was a calamity and they had to act fast.

The next three days, went by in a blur. She had only been maltreated on the first night. Since then it seem as if they were awaiting their fate before deciding hers. She hadn’t left the room in the three days. There was a bucket at the corner for her necessities. She sat, slept and lived on the floor. Apart from once when another Chief had come to ask her the name of the specific media houses she had sent the documents too, her only visitor was a little boy, Dauda, who came to give her Agege bread, water and empty her “potty” daily. Since all she had to do was to stare at the boring ceiling, she slept a lot instead. She imagined it to be her much needed vacation but instead of Staten Island it was a more ‘modest’ Island of Nowhere.

She was woken up that afternoon by voices. Suddenly the door was opened and police men marched in symbolizing her freedom. She was going home, they said. Apparently her father had taken the documents himself to NDLEA and then the police. A search party had been sent to look for her. He had come to her rescue. She had always known he would because that’s what fathers do best; they save their little girls no matter what.

I have a Confession...

Okay! So my action story is taking longer than I initially conceived... In an attempt to buy time and not leave my blog fallow I have decided to post a short story. Hopefully my action story will be out before the month/year runs out. Enjoy reading!



My Grandma used to make me chant,
"Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me".

Anytime I remember this, I hiss angrily at the waste of time that was. Precious time I could have invested playing with my dolls, painting or even working on my math, at least it might have paid off and I'd have gotten a B instead of the constant C's and D's.
You see, I've always hated it when people talk or say bad stuff about me. (Yes I know everybody hates it but I guess I hate it even more). I am the second of four girls, so I'm kinda used to being insignificant especially since my younger sisters are annoying twins who have been deceived by my parents and older sister into believing that the world revolves around them. Being the middle child literally means I'm stuck with all the terrible chores especially babysitting.
I had been looking forward to senior High for forever because I was moving into boarding house. Atlast my first taste of independence and hopefully love. I'm a die-hard romantic but my parents ridiculous 'house laws' plus my babysitting schedule had not allowed me explore my options. I was finally going to have my prince charming, evening love walks and all the bliss that comes with being in love.
Unfortunately, school wasn't very much different from home. Anyways, I had experience in the 'coping' department so I blended in well. Until one faithful thursday afternoon, when everyting changed or so it seemed at that time. I had come too early for afternoon prep, when I noticed a little blue piece of paper inside my wooden locker. My 'skeptical' self felt it was either a practical joke or just an 'innocent' lettter but my heart hoped for more and it got it's desire. I can still remember what was written as if it was only yesterday. The note simply read...

And that was just the begining of my daily afternoon prep 'notes'. I tried so many times to find or better still catch my admirer red-handed. No matter how early I came to class or how late I left for siesta, my admirer was always smarter. For two whole weeks I felt cherised and loved. You can't imagine how excited I got everytime I saw any guy whose name began with T. After all my research work, I narrowed the list to Tunde, Tolu, Tunji, Tade and Tayo, who became victims of my constant stares and blushes. I kept trying to make eye contact with the hope of finding which of them was my special admirer. Infact I was walking on cloud nine until the unimaginable happened. I came to class and as usual quietly slipped my hand under my locker to retrieve my customary blue note but this time the message was different. It simply read

I couldn't stop the tears even though I tried so hard. Suddenly everyting made perfect sense. All those snickering and giggling everytime I passed a red house dorm or the 'knowing' glances that they exchanged in the hallways, it now fitted perfectly well into the Jigsaw puzzle.
 The final blow came later that day. I was walking to the dining hall when I overheard a group of red house girls talking. At first I didn't recognise them or the hot gist they were engrossed in. Realization finally dawned and I recognized my so-called 'friend' Ade was main the storyteller resashing my terrible ordeal with graphic and over exaggerated details.
What she said that hurt me the most and still haunts me till this day, mere words you might say, was when she said 'I don't know why Daisy deceives herself as if her tribal marks are not enough to disqualify her from ever being classified beautiful.
For two weeks. I had been the object of ridicle infact the 'scape goat' as Dbanj would say. Yes! I know they were just mere words, some written and some said out loud. Mere words that did much more than just hurt me. They simply scarred my entire existence and shredded what was left of my self image...



Yours Sincerely,

Cee