Madam Lydia stood there thinking of what to
do about her predicament, she figured out that she needed to calm down so as to
strategise better ,so she got herself
and Laraba cold drinks and said to Laraba
Madam Lydia: My dear daughter, just relax;
this is not over, at least not yet!
Laraba : I wish I could believe these words
of yours mother, at this point I give up, I want to believe it’s her luck.
Ladidi
who has been waiting for her mum to finish her call to Asabe asked;
Ladidi:
So mummy was she the one?
Madam
Lydia: No I don’t think so, well, she doesn’t have the nerves to lie to me
Ladidi:
I just hope you are right mum, I just hope you are right, because Laraba would
be so broken hearted if Dotun finally fell for Asabe.
Madam
Lydia: my dear daughter relax ,it’s me your mother( beating her chest), I would
make sure Dotun goes for Laraba, over my dead body would Asabe have Dotun ,
instead of that happening I will ensure I scatter whatever they have
together and no one from this family , I
repeat NO ONE would marry Dotun!
Ladidi
: anyways , I trust you mummy, you’re up to the task.
Madam
Lydia: In fact I will call her now and tell her to be home this weekend that I
have chores for her to do, at least to have her under our noses, let me see how
she would go to coldstone with whatever guy and then also call Laraba to go
make her hair, she would be accompanying your dad and I to Otunba’s wife’s
birthday party tomorrow
Ladidi:
hmmmmm mummy the master planner!
Madam
Lydia immediately puts a call through to Asabe;
Madam
Lydia: Hello
Asabe:
Hello Ma,
Madam
Lydia: Ermmm, I was thinking you should come home on Saturday to help me out
with the house chores
Asabe:
that wouldn’t have been an issue Ma, just that I have continuous assessment
test on Saturday.
Madam
Lydia: Ok (feeling disappointed) no problem, let me know when you’re done with
your continuous assessment test.
Asabe: Ok ma. Bye
Dotun
has been so busy making arrangement for his mother’s birthday, since he hasn’t
being around for a long time, he wanted to make it up to her by making sure she
has a fantastic birthday celebration, the caterers were setting up , the DJ was
equally testing his instruments ,all hands were on deck, Dotun was in his
elements, he decided to go check on the caterers to see if they brought all
that was ordered and also get a chilled drink to quench his thirst, just as he
was getting a cold drink his mum tapped him on his back and said;
Mummy
Dotun: My dear son, well done, you have done so well, I really appreciate all
your efforts, please have a seat
Dotun
sat down, he knew his mother wanted to speak with him, about what? He doesn’t
know, the question is why now, he was hoping this isn’t one of her many talks
about coming home often, well he was just willing to do anything for her, it’s
her day after all
Mummy
Dotun: You know what the Bible says in Proverbs 18: 22; it says ‘he who finds a
wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the Lord’ Please my dear son
present your wife to us soon, I need to see my grandchildren, moreover you have
to come home often so you can get a Nigerian lady to settle down with, I want
you to marry from home oh….aaah!
Dotun:
I have heard you mum, I actually have a birthday present for you
Mummy
Dotun: forget about birthday gift, the best gift you can give to me at this age
is to get married.
Dotun:
SHH(Shakes his head) well, I insist on giving you this birthday gift
Dotun
walks down his father’s massive compound ,greeting some guest who were arriving and finally made his
way to his flat to get Asabe, whom he had the previous day taken to the salon to make her hair, took her
shopping and on this day invited a makeup artist to take care of Asabe’s make
up needs. Asabe was looking very nice, things that make up do though!
Dotun;
hey
Asabe:
Hi, well done, you look very tired dear
Dotun:
Yea I am ! My mother wants to meet you.
Asabe:
wow! Don’t you think it’s too early? I was thinking we could do this later
Dotun
: she won’t give me a breathing space , she wants to see her grandchildren is
all I have been hearing, please come and meet her,so she can at least have some
hope of grand kids soon(winking at Asabe).
Asabe met Dotun’s mum, she
was so elated that Dotun even had a woman in his life, she welcomed Asabe and
upon knowing she is Mr Dan’s daughter, she told her to please feel free and that she’s family and welcomed
anytime.
Madam
Lydia was busy tying her gele (head gear) ,Laraba wanted to empty her make Up
bag on her face, Junior couldn’t understand what this was all about, so out of
curiosity he said to Laraba;
Junior:
Why have you chosen to look like a confused masquerade today? What’s happening?
Is today your rags day?
Laraba:
Just get out of my sight, before I lose my temper!
Junior:
Oh well, little is better. But just in case you run out of powder and errmmm
what do they call it foundation or fillers…whatever though…….COCO Bodyline now
do home/office delivery (he said this running out of her room)
Madam
Lydia ,Mr Dan and Laraba set out for the
party, when they arrived they were carried away by the breathe taking ambience that
they didn’t notice in good time that Asabe was sitting next to Dotun’s mum, Mr. Dan walked away from the
women and joined Otunba and some other friends, Laraba was the first to notice
Asabe’s presence and all the attention Dotun’s mum was giving her and she said to her mother;
Laraba;
Mummy!!! You didn’t tell me it was Asabe’s birthday!
Madam
Lydia: What do you mean by that?
Laraba:
Look at her with Dotun’s mum and Dotun…..OmG! I can’t feel my legs….
Madam
Lydia: Take it easy, have a seat (drags a chair close to her) let me talk to
your father first of all.
Madam
Lydia beckoned on her husband
Madam
Lydia: She has to leave here this minute! Who gave her the permission to attend
a party beyond her class???? Is this the continuous assessment she told me
about???
Mr
Dan: Woman what are you talking about?
Madam
Lydia: Look over there (pointing to the
left hand side of the compound) that’s Asabe….isn’t she suppose to be in
school?
Mr.
Dan: Please go and seat down and enjoy the party, she probably got an invite
Madam
Lydia: from who?
Mr.
Dan: I don’t know, am I supposed to concern myself with such issues? Look here
woman, I hope asking you not to embarrass your little self isn’t too much to
ask ?
Madam
Lydia: Dan ! You can’t convince me that you didn’t have a hand in all these!!!
Mr
Dan walks away to join his friends in conquering the so many bottles of
Hennessey leaving angry Madam Lydia to keep boiling, probably hoping she
doesn’t go beyond boiling point.
The
blessings of the Lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow. –Proverbs 10: 22
Last week, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked a Federal Government
college in the north-east and gruesomely killed the students. This isn’t the
first attack on young people. Sometime last year another school was attacked
and scores of children killed.
It’s typical for us to blame the
government for the unabated attacks. If only it were Obasanjo in power,
we say, he would have totally annihilated the sect! And Jonathan’s
administration had the effrontery to continue with the centenary celebrations –
despite all the chaos and anarchy in the land!
Today, it’s not about the government,
even though their sins are manifold and unforgivable. It’s about you and I.
Long story short, we’ve become a callous people. I first heard the news of last
week’s massacre on CNN; after the initial shock and sadness of about 2 minutes,
I completely forgot about it. I went about my very busy but normal life. I’m
not you but I can bet you did the same thing too. Oh well, we had group
discussions in the office during which we lamented and cussed government but we
each went home to our normal lives: we had a home and family to go to and work
or whatever to come back to the following day.
In this same country, this very
country, life hasn’t been normal for a good majority in years! Mothers have
lost their children and husbands; children have lost their parent(s); homes and
enterprises have been destroyed leaving a lot of pain, anguish, despair, fear
and anger. I was speaking with my friend earlier today and she mentioned that
at a point in her family three children were in secondary school together at
one time. Imagine that there was such a family in the secondary school that was
attacked last week, how would life be like for them now???
And we go about our daily lives
unflustered! We are callous! And that’s partly because we neither possess any
sense of belonging nor responsibility to this entity called Nigeria. Our
allegiance lies with self and family. Truly, the Yoruba’s are right when they
say, ‘E ni to kan, l’omo’! There is so much to life than ME! ME!
ME! We are so
pre-occupied with our lives that we forget what is truly important. Proverbs
17:17 says, ‘A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for
adversity’. The transformation we seek for this country can only come
about if we are first transformed – as I write I recall the Boston marathon
bombing in the US. As amoral as the country is the citizens stood, united in
anguish and shock, to help the injured, comfort the bereaved and fish out the
perpetrators. Same thing during the 9/11 attacks. When are we ever going to
stand as one in Nigeria, stand up for myself, my father, my mother, my sister,
my brother, my friend? WHEN????
Maybe we are getting there… Old students of federal government colleges met
last Saturday to brainstorm on the state of the nation. Thankfully, one of the
issues raised at the Town-hall meeting has been dealt with by FG, that is, the
closure of unity schools in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. Question is, why did
it take this long??? Peaceful, non-political, non-tribal and non-religious
walks also held at various locations today to mourn the killing of the students
and to advocate for more decisive government action.
Let’s arise and do something meaningful and
selfless – pray, fast, donate to the affected, volunteer in the affected areas,
join a civil or faith-based organization, expose the perpetrators (for sure
they aren’t ghosts!), advocate via social media (instead of putting up
a selfie use your bb as a forum for advocacy!), nag your father or uncle
who is in the National Assembly or Ministry to take action – LET’S DO
SOMETHING! AND KEEP AT IT! AND NOT GROW WEARY UNTIL WE SUCCEED!
MAY GOD HELP US!!!
‘Faith that doesn’t show itself by
good deeds is no faith at all, it is dead and useless’
Asabe
met Dotun where he was packed ( adjacent her hostel), he offeredto take Asabe
to some nice places not too far from her school but she declined, the last
offer he made was to take Asabe to ‘Coldstone Creamery” this Asabe found
difficult to decline, at this point she imagined how difficult it was for Adam
to decline the apple offered to him bysexy curvy Eve, for whatever reason Asabe has always had this idea that
Eve was a ‘hawt’ lady .Asabe loves Coldstone ice cream especially their ‘strawberry
blonde signature’.
Dotun
sat directly opposite Asabe and watched her devour the ice cream before her and
said;
Dotun:
Tell me about yourself
Asabe
: naaah,Let’s start with you
Dotun:
we would get to me, you first!
Asabe:
You already know my dad, Madam Lydia is my step mum, my mother died when I was
much younger ,ever since then, it’s been crazy putting up with Madam Lydia and
her vicious drama, coming to the hostel was a huge relief, like I don’t have to
see her until weekends, that’s if I decide to go home weekends, most times I
stay back in the hostel for some breath of fresh air…so! That’s basically my
story.
Dotun:
Interesting! Well unlike you I don’t have anything to say, you know everyone in
my family * tongue out*
Asabe:
Yes I do, except you though ,probably because you don’t stay in Nigeria
Dotun :LOL….Ok let me give you
a proper introduction; ( adjusts the collar of his polo shirt in a funnyway)My name is Dotun, a medical doctor based
in Atlanta, I’m single and hopelessly in love with the lady sitting right
opposite me
Asabe:*covers face*hahahahaha
omG! Are you kidding me?
Dotun: awwww she is shy, lol….don’t
make me change your name to ‘Aisha” Lmao! Were you the one who did all the
cooking the other day?
Asabe: Yes, hope you liked it?
Dotun: Not sure yet, but I
believe when you cook that same food in my house in Atlanta, then I would be
sure!
Asabe: (was so happy and
couldn’t hide her joy) Well I’ve never been out of this country , so how do you
intend to achieve that?
Dotun: Don’t bother your pretty
head, I just need you to be on the same page with me, the rest will be handled
by our fathers.
Asabe while listening to Dotun
tried adjusting her hair, and in the process of turning back, she saw Madam
Lydia and Ladidi getting out of the car, Ladidiloves Coldstone ice cream so much,so she knew Madam Lydia must have come
to get Ladidi some Ice cream, she immediately alerted Dotun who tried to shield
her so they won’t see her and then they left through the alternative exit.
As soon as they got got into
the car, Dotun drove off immediately, Asabe still wasn’t herself , she was
panting and said;
OmG that was close!
Dotun: Don’t worry ,very soon
there will be no Madam Lydia to run away from, only if out of the love you have
for her invite her to Atlanta,( he was being sarcastic)…hahahah
Dotun got home that day an
excitedman, his smile was so broad you
could see his beautiful dentition, his shoulders were high like a warrior from
Arochukwu who has conquered his opponent, Otunba noticed Dotun’s joy and asked
if he could share in his joy
Dotun: Daddy, I am just coming
from Asabe’s hostel.
Otunba: no wonder you are
smiling like an 18year old who just met his first girlfriend, so , lets hear
the good news, have you asked her to marry you yet?
Dotun: Ahn! Ahn!! Daddy!!! Why
are you old folks always so forward in things like this?
Otunba:beeeniii* (in Yoruba) because these days we have learnt that the
patient dog doesn’t get to see the plate used in eating the bone let alone the
fattest bone, so my son ,be fast about it, Asabe is a very good girl, I
personally don’t want you to miss out on this, yes ke!
Dotun: Well she was very
pleased to see me, and happy about all I said , she hopefully understands where
I am heading to, but was forming , you know girls now daddy,she was acting like
she wasn’t carried away by my sweet mouth, but she didn’t quite do well at
hiding her joy,because it was written all over her
Otunba: but you have to be
smart about it my dear son!
Shortly after Asabe got to the
hostel, she got a call from Madam Lydia;
Madam Lydia: hello
Asabe:good day ma
Madam Lydia: did I just see you
at Coldstone Creamery with a tall dark guy on dark shades at the parking lot?
Asabe: No ma<
Madam Lydia : I could swear it
was you, wearing a short yellow gown
Asabe: Something is wrong
somewhere ma, I am just coming out of a tutorial class, so it couldn’t have
been me.
Madam Lydia:Ok ! Next time I
know what to do. Because if that’s how you go about with men wasting my
husband’s money that you are in school, then…..*stammers* ok no problem.
Madam Lydia drops the call.
Asabe: As if that your husband
wasn’t my father first before he became your husband.
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Great is the Lord and greatly
to be praised, his greatness is unsearchable!– Psalm 145:3
