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A CALL TO ORDER
When I got home, I entered our room after throwing off my heels by the door. I saw my mother sitting up on the bed reading the holy bible. Tami and K**i were already far away in dream land. "You are back. " she said. I nodded without uttering a word then went further to take off my dress. "So tell me how your day went. " said my mother. "Fine. " I replied rolling my hair up with the aim of putting a hair net on. "That's a lie. " she said. "If it went well as you alleged, you would have filled my ear drums with news about the event, the dresses people wore, those who had ugly make ups on and the rich fried rice. " she added. I changed into my night wear and sat on the mat. "It was a disaster. " I began. "Really? Tell me about it. " my mother said. "I don't even know how to start this. The thing is, people fought and it was over me. " I revealed with my head lowered feeling awkward. My mother laughed then said "You still didn't tell me what happened. Start from the top.
SADUWOWhere could Layo have gone to?
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I hurried out of the library without signing out. I kept dialing Layo's number but it was unreachable so I took the route to his house. I met his mother cooking inside their compound. "Good morning Ma. " I greeted her panting heavily after a long trek. "Morning my child. " she replied offering me a stool. I sat and said "Where is Layo? " "He is gone. " she immediately replied with her eyes on the firewood that was burning with her cooking pot on it. "I don't understand. He texted me that he left. Left to where? " I asked in a confused tone. "School. " she replied looking at me. "Wait. Layo left for school without telling me? No that's a mistake. " I said confidently. "I pleaded with him to tell you but he said it would better if he didn't. He felt the pain of you guys departing will be less if you are unaware he is leaving. " she said. "Is he crazy? " I yelled. "Why would he take such a decision? " I added with my eyes welling with tears. "I am deeply sorry Fett
DAWN FINAL EXAMS
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Christmas in London rings a bell. Despite the poverty that roams around like a wild fire, the people here make Christmas the memorable event that it is. Around the month of October and November, people troop into the town to purchase Christmas foodstuffs and clothes for their children. A child without new clothes on Christmas day will definitely feel out of place so parents place all hands on deck and ensure they save up for the annual event. On Christmas day, there is an exchange of food among neighbors. For instance, my mother cooks and gives to T.K and Mama Funke while they too give us. Such is the tradition. Food and drinks are shared among people celebrating the birth of Christ with love. The children roam around from one house to the other carrying out a ritual which is “Christmas dash” whereby people hand out sweets, gifts or money to the children who knock on their door for Christmas dash just like halloween. At night, teenage boys blow knockout an
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CHAPTER 59: NEW YEAR Dr. Amrah was gone and the Christmas day ended in bliss and sadness. I can’t deny the fact that I am going to miss her a lot, however I could call or text her whenever I wanted to and she promised to also keep in touch. Tonight being the 29th of December unable to fall asleep by 1am, my mother and I sat on the mat in our room reviewing how the year had been so far. In this year, I lost my father just when he had returned to us. In the same year, I made acquaintances, learnt a lot of lessons and saved the community from the ills of the demolition. My mother’s bar had recently been progressing and the peace she made with her family is enough to declare the entire year a blessing. “Fetty we have been through a lot this year” began my mother. “And we achieved a lot too.” I said. She nodded. ‘Previous years were worse.” She said. I nodded in affirmation. Our lives had improved and was way better than it used to. In a place that seems like a
DAWN DAWN
CHAPTER 60: DAWN Peter and I danced and had fun. He got us some soft drinks and we enjoyed the event till day break. We talked about lots of things enjoying each others company till it was time to leave. Peter will spend the new year with his grandmother so he left London that morning. My mother fried some sweet potatoes known as potatoe chips and complemented it with a meat sauce. According to her, the new year will usher us into bountiful yeilds. We sat on the mat in our room. My mother, Osifa, K**i, Tami and I formed a circle while we ate the delicious potato chips and sauce. While we ate, we joked, laughed and drank the soft drinks my mother had kept for us in her fridge at the bar which made them cold. After our new year breakfast, our mother went to the bar while we began packing. We will be going to our village the next day. What a way to begin the new year? I thought. We have contacted Uncle Awang earlier notifying him of our desire to grace the village and he assure
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I am gradually realizing that my street seems to develop this strange stench over the years and this stink increases with time. The filth reflecting in the worn out clothes of the children aimlessly roaming the streets can choke one to death. From the famous Razzi beer parlor down the street to the GreenLand brothel adjacent my mother's bar, these places birth the disgusting stench of my environment and gradually it is becoming inhabitable. As I struggle to jump across piles of dirt littered all over, I could feel different hands and shoulders all over me. Everyone is always in a hurry in a space so small. I quickly stretched my hand out to greet a fellow who stretched his hand out on a moving bike. We smiled at each other.I got home at exactly 6:30pm and the last thing on my schedule is resting. I took out my shoes that were already soiled with water, dirt and oil. I raised the curtain of our one room apartment and I was greeted by an empty r
DAWN AWAKENED
I gazed up to our old wooden clock. It was half past 10pm already and my mother was yet to return. When my mother arrives late, she always struggle with customers especially drunk ones who wouldn't want to come home. When thier resistance becomes unbearable, she locks her bar after taking all her stuffs in and deserts the drunk customers addressing thier unseen friends. Shortly later, my mother arrived home. I could hear her fetching water from our drum into the bathing bucket. Each cup of water she fetched was immediately followed by another. She was tired.My mother came in with a wrapper across her chest and hurried to the bed like a child into the arms of his mother. She laid on her back and while facing the ceiling she said "Fetty why aren't you asleep. "? "I was waiting for you Ma. " I quickly replied. She knew I wanted to talk. When I wanted to collect money from her for my final secondary school examination, I waited for her that night to return from her b
DAWN FAMILY
"Oga give me the money please. Stop wasting my time. I have other customers to attend to. " I said while struggling to get a customer to pay his bill. It was obvious he was drunk but that wasn't my concern. He drank four bottles of Guiness and wasn't willing to pay. "Fine girl I will pay you. Come and sit close to me now. " he replied slowly. "Keep me my money Jor. " I barked. "Sorry oo small madam I will pay you. You are rude. Try and be nice like your mother. " he said while handing me a thousand naira note. "Oga your money is not complete. " I said. "How much did I give you first? " he began. I groaned in frustration and began explaining things to him. I knew the explanation was irrelevant because he was drunk but I still made my point clear. I collected the balance from him and moved to the next customer. This forms one of the major reasons why I hate our bar. You struggle to get customers to pay thier bill then struggle to get them to leave when you want to close. I han
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