LIMITS

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Lagos is one of the busiest cities in Nigeria and trusts me, you don’t want to be in the position I am in, right now. I am on my way to one of my many Jobs in Lekki from Festac Town and right now, I am stuck on traffic. Not the type of traffic you know, I mean, it has been on a stand-still for like an hour now and this is frustrating because I feel like I’m going to get fired the moment I get to my destination.

Since now I am practicing 'long suffering' at the back seat of a commercial vehicle beside an obesed, middle-aged woman on my right, squashing me like an house fly —with all her bodyweight— to the window of the bus. Oh shit, my sleeves are literally drenched in her sweat. Can today go any worst? Not to forget the woman sitting behind me, trying to hush her crying baby. This is how I live my life, every single day and right now, I can’t do anything about my present predicament but grumble as I give you a brief intro about me.

My name is Eno-Obong Ekanem (Gift of God), for short I’m called Eno. I’m from IkotEkpene local government, Akwa-ibom state, Nigeria. I’m thirty-one years old and a single mother of a beautiful thirteen year old girl, Unwana (Bright), who presently is in a boarding school.

She was a product of a mistaken Relationship but not a —born by mistake— as everyone in the village tag her to be. I mean, can you even imagine, once when we were still at my father's hometown, I went for a P.T.A meeting held in the Government School where my daughter used to attend and then did I realize that my daughter was bullied by her peers and was tagged as a bastard. I was so furious when I heard it and I reacted as any mother would —not going into details about what I did— but for it, I was suspended from the meeting. I was a hot head, no doubt, but I was also a mother.

Once upon a time, Unwana’s father was the love of my life, everybody in the village knew us as the perfect couple. One night we met at our usual spot only for him to tell me that he was going to Lagos with his uncle to make money so he can come back one day, to Marry me. He promised all sort and pleaded for me to wait. I was young and naïve and I let his deflower me that night.

What do you expect? I waited as promised with a child growing inside of me. When my Mother realized I was Pregnant, she took me to Ubong father’s house, there and then I heard the most shocking news, Ubong was already happily married with two kids and was living in Lagos. This meant he already had a family in the city and his travel was the last a final one. Ubong was never going to Lagos to make money and marry me, how did I not see this coming?

I couldn’t, I was blinded by love. Whoever invented the phrase love is blind was a sadist.

My friends advised me to abort the pregnancy but I thank God for the kind of Parent he blessed me with, they stood by me till I gave birth to my Bright Star, Unwana.

With all the hurtful tags in the village, I had to move my daughter out of there to Lagos so she can have a better life. But my mom didn’t approve, she said that I was going in search of Ubong. She was wrong.

Taking care of a teenager is not easy especially for a single parent but I’m not complaining, in fact, she makes me look strong, slim, beautiful and quite younger than my age so, I can have all the strength to work my five jobs and still take care of her.

All I’m searching for right now is that perfect catch that will cause me to drop my five different, backbreaking Jobs and still be able to take care of myself and my daughter. If possible, move to the Island. Big dreams. But if we must dream, it has to be big, right?

I know what you are thinking, but trust me; I’m so over men troubles. All I need is that perfect Job but before I get it, I need to not lose this one I’m managing.

“Thank God, the bus is moving, slowly but, moving”