On 23rd

On 23rd

It is about love bringing two people together as one; different tribes, different class, different dreams, different background, different beliefs living different lives but one destiny.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Almighty God for his love and grace, to every young person in africa and also, to Adeola Tolulope Osigbosin who is behind this story.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

To my family, my brothers Chukwudi, Godwin and Simon. My parents mr

Innocent and Mrs. Elizabeth Mbara, in his goodness God brought us all together, we are family of difference, and am thrilled about it.

I am grateful too for the support of my friend Madumere Queeneth who spent hours editing, correcting, and improving my writing. Also, the pieces of advice by Moses Innocent a senator in the SUG of the Imo state university,

My friend Mr Samuel Idris and to my uncle Prof. kingsley Ugochukwu Mbara

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter one: A moment to remember

Chapter two: The tribal apart

Chapter three: My mother’s choice

Chapter four: Her life, her dream

Chapter five: Journey to the unknown

Chapter six: When Azubuike met Adeola

Chapter seven: Love don’t care

Chapter eight: Happy memories

Chapter nine: On 23rd dream

Chapter ten: Mr. new someone

Chapter eleven: Long Run (eventually at last)

CHAPTER ONE

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER

The winds blew heavily, there were no crystals, you could hear the buzzing sound of thundering and lightening, he watched the neighbors through the window close to his bed as they hurriedly pack their clothes, put their buckets and drums at the front of their room and as every little child goes inside the house, people running helter and skelter avoiding been drenched,

It seemed it will rain.

Suddenly, In the dead of the night he had just finished saying a little prayer giving thanks for love with a little request asking God for just one thing, ‘’ if only I can spend the rest of my life taking care of her I’ll be indebted to you (God) for life’’, It sounded stupid, to some others impossible and absurd but he prayed all the same. As he lay on his bed filled with thoughts in his head, ‘Is this really who I am; How was she able to break my walls; Why is it that when she smiles I laugh and when she frowns I drown?

I seem not to understand why I don’t think about me anymore but us. Why is it that my friends think it’s a strong magic or spell that has got me blind to see making me feel she’s the only one for me. Are they true? Sometimes am tempted to believe them because it’s like am programmed to love only her

‘’, as he listened to the supersonic sound from the radio a song by Seyi shay’s Right now. Then he remembered, it all started on 23rd , as he held still in his hands her last letter she wrote to him before leaving Owerri were she did her youth service back to her family at Lagos.

It was so lengthy but it was a treasure he kept so dear. She said, my love, I’m sorry that I changed our plans, it's just that I felt bad that we don’t have enough money and that you have to collect things from someone please forgive me. My heart is heavy now knowing that you are not happy with me I won’t be able to go home feeling unhappy. Please forgive me I know there are a lot of things you want to do for me but you can’t do it for now. I just feel that if I go home now you won’t have to worry much and

I know you will miss me but I will miss you more. I am not happy that I am leaving you so soon because am scared that you will not love me anymore if

I am not here again. I always want to take care of you that is why am not always happy if I don’t have money but I know when I get home I will be able to take care of you more.

My life at home is so boring it’s like a routine so am not too excited going home. I’m sorry please don’t be angry with me don’t let me go home with this memory as the last day I spent in Owerri before I go to Lagos, am sorry. I will miss you but don’t let me go home like this please. I know you are already missing me and I am missing you too. I wish we can go home together. Please when I go home don’t allow Amanda or any other girl to take my place in your heart. I am sorry.

I LOVE YOU FROM ADEOLA TO MY ONE AND ONLY IGBO MAN AZUBUIKE

It was a MOMENT TO REMEMBER.

She left the park with tears as he and his father watched still as the bus leaves for Lagos. The father is a big fan of her. His dad spent some time in Owerri and got to know her and liked her. The way she respects him, run helter skelter to entertain him, how she is well behaved and how she loves his son. Before we knew it dad became like a friend to her. His heart was breaking that she had to go. Perplexed, azubuike restlessly paced the length and breadth of the room, wondering what else to do. The sweat that lined his forehead had already started trickling down his face. He wiped it with his palm, his heart beating faster and his feet quivering.

Where again can I find such a woman with virtue; my heaven sent jewel, whose smiles alone dissolves my fears in stormy moments; an embodiment of grace, courage, peace, understanding, patience, joy, love and industry’’, he asked rhetorically as his thought raced to how the bus carried her back home and back in a matter of seconds’.

• Oh, how sad she must have been inside the bus now! he imagined. ‘’how are you now life? Am already in tears missing you, I love you safest journey, see you soonest’’, he texted her out of desperation. They say change is constant. What if she is not the girl I use to know and becomes a shadow of herself? What if her family wants her to get married immediately after her youth service? Can her family give him their daughter to wife in the nearest future? What if men with large fortune comes her way and offer to take her to places he couldn’t afford? Will she be able to resist?

Here comes fear of the unknown, and new problems. The time left is what counts, and he is personally responsible for how that time is filled.

But the question is, does he stand a chance? He is an Igbo man, and she is a Yoruba girl both tribes hardly go into marriage due to ancient hatred between these tribes.

Does their relationship have a future?

CHAPTER 2

THE TRIBAL APART

The existing ancient hatred between the Igbo and the Yoruba people have been from adam. The town I grew up in the west as a young boy I noticed the disagreement of both tribes, It was so obvious. I grew up, I never had a Yoruba friend until I met tope in my senior secondary school days. I had this neighbor a Yoruba family of three girls and a boy. The second girl Tinu fell in love with an igbo man chinedu and they wanted to get married. The man made his intentions, he was genuine but her family refused not because he was not good enough but their daughter chose an Igbo man and the family were keen on her marrying a Yoruba man.

They both planned to have a child together, maybe her family won't have a choice but to let go. They did it, she got pregnant, but it only stiffened her parents refusal to accept him. She had the child her family ceased the mother and baby. They could not get married since her family refused but she vowed never to marry anyone else except chinedu. The parents preferred their daughter unmarried instead of marrying him. Tinu is now in her middle

30’s not married refuse to get married to anyone else if it is not chinedu.

The family ruined the life of their daughter. I wonder when inter-tribal marriage will be fully accepted in the society. As an Igbo boy, most of my male friends their partners are Yoruba girls. One of my friend was caught in this web of inter-tribal discrimination. Onyeka, he is Igbo, during courtship with Farida, they saw tribe as no big deal. How they met started in a marriage ceremony in Orile, lagos state. He was a cousin to the bridegroom and she was a family friend to the groom. It was an experience drawn out of a fairy tale. The serene environment, the decorations, emotional and self-realistic atmosphere, which I particularly fell in love with, I cant express in writing. Though noisy but you enjoy the feeling.

The both were playing an important role in the ceremony. Onyeka was among the groom men and Farida was among the brides maid. When he first set his eyes on her, she knew there is trouble. She was the first lady that caught his breath hanging on his throat. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. And as if the same force is working on her, she kept staring at him too, which took him off balance. Onyeka sought for every opportunity to sit close to farida or do things together during the ceremony. And each time it happens he felt this obnoxious feeling that he will etherize his bad boy lifestyle to her. He does not have respect for women he saw every woman as a runs girl he was such a player. He realized his attraction for her and it was all over his face. They were in love with each other even though they have not confessed it to each other, so when he finally approached her almost at the end of the event, they could not fight the ugly feeling, they were helpless. After the ceremony, they were seeing each other and she hid it from her family because she knew her parents stand in marrying someone from another tribe. He resolved to prayers, praying that farida parents will accept him when the skeleton in the cupboard is out. When he comes visiting her they avoided been in a crowdy place for fear of her family.

Sometimes she visits him were they’ll be alone. A day came he decided to face his fear by visiting her at her house on a day everybody in the family is present. He came introduced himself, as onyeka a friend to their daughter. The first question the father asked him was, ‘’which tribe are you from?’’ and he replied ‘’I’m Igbo’’. Each time I remembered, a cold shiver runs down my spine. Her father immediately walked him out of his house that an Igbo man coming for her daughter hand in marriage is over his dead body (even in death he will fight against it). When father said it, it was as if a cold breeze started penetrating her body she fell down on her feet shivering as she pleads with her father. His family came to beg but it was NO. she got her uncles, father friends and her siblings to be on her side but her father refused until his death. Three years later, her father died. He was not happy that her father died without his blessing but he thought it was still for the better. Months after the burial rites, onyeka came again to ask for farida’s hand in marriage. The family refused simply because according to them in her father’s dying bed his last statement was that farida should never be giving to Onyeka or any Igbo man even if he comes from another tribe except a Yoruba man. Now it is more difficult than when her father was alive, it is her dad’s last wish. It beats my imagination how even educated people, religious people, prominent people associates successful marriage with tribe, religion, race, color and nationality. The society needs to move away from such thinking. What is the cause for this chemistry between an Igbo man and a Yoruba tribe woman? My Yoruba male friend Tope say, ‘’you Igbo men likes our ladies because they are respectful that is a trait all men likes. Any woman in

Yoruba is family orientated, their family comes first. They are hardworking and they try to stay youthful that is the reason they look younger than their age’’. I totally agree with him and I jokingly respond and say

‘’Yoruba ladies likes Igbo men because they are hardworking and that is one trait women likes to see in a man. Igbo men are generous especially to their woman and her family’’.

The origin of the Igbo people is a mystery full of great controversy. There are so many versions of its origin and it is difficult, or probably impossible to say which is real or most acceptable. Unlike the yoruba’s which traces its origin to oduduwa in ile-ife and the hausa , which traces its origin to bayajidda in Daura. Study reveals that, igbo people are best known for their acephalous way of life. This is because from the ancient times, they operated a government without kings. They practiced a political system of government based on decentralized of power and delegation of authority been guided by, the Ofo. They are predominantly farmers and traders.

The Igbo’s are said to be grouped into five sub-cultures , namely;

(i) The Igbo of the eastern Nigeria

)ii) The Igbo of the south-eastern Nigeria

)iii) The Igbo of the north-eastern Nigeria

)iv) The western igbo and

)v) The northern Igbo

Generally, irrespective of which group they are certainly Igbos and nothing can change it. As earlier stated, there is no real version of its origin but most acceptable is the Israeli version. The Israeli is of the assumption the igbos have similar ancient culture with the Hebrews. That the lost tribes of the Hebrews who migrated southward settled in a place known as Nigeria. While some believe the Igbo society migrated from either the north or the middle belt , to some others they have been in their present abode from the beginning. The Nri version says the ancestors of the

Igbo, Eri, descended from the sky and sailed down the river anambra. When he arrived at Aguleri settled with the people there, some groups among them later went to establish their own settlement to other parts of the Igbo land.

The Yoruba have to versions in their history but them all led to Ile-ife. The Rev Samuel Johnson’s and the oke oramfe’s version.

According to Rev Samuel Johnson the Yoruba people started from the north eastern area of Africa , precisely Egypt. It is from Egypt, after several years of journey the Yoruba finally settled in Ile-ife in Nigeria. Of which

, oduduwa is believed to be the first leader that led the Yoruba to ile-ife and subsequently sent his sons and grandsons to found other Yoruba kingdoms. There is a short coming to this version that the North eastern area is Mecca not Egypt.

In the oke oramfe’s version, it traces it origin to during the time the world was covered by water. God sent some of his messengers to the world and they included obatala as the leader and sixteen oye(immortals). They were given five pieces of iron, a lump of earth tied to a white piece of cloth, and a cockerel. Somewhere along the line on their way to the world, the leader obatala, got drunk with palm wine , oduduwa seized the symbol of authority from him and eventually led the party to the world. They landed on a site known as Oke oramfe in Ile-ife of osun state. Oduduwa used all the things given to him by God on earth, consequently the earth was formed and oduduwa became the ruler and extended his authorities to other Yoruba towns and villages.

The administration of General Gowon initially was not acceptable to Lt Col Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu who was the Governor of the eastern region by general Aguinyi Ironsi. He planned to get the igbo people out of Nigeria after the senseless killings of the innocent Igbo people in the north as a result of the first coup by major Nzeogwu which led to the killing of northern leaders as a way to get back at sir Ahmadu Bello and S

L Akintola who were behind the killing but Dr Azikwe and Michael Opara were spared in the coup. For this reason, innocent igbo people were killed by the north when they were not soldiers who planned the coup. The coup led to the civil war which made both tribes to hate each other not even the north.

Awolowo was not even the chief of the armed force. The blame should have been for General Theo Danjuma who killed Ironsi along with a Yoruba

Governor Adekunle Fajuyi at Ibadan. If there should be any form of animosity it is not the igbo’s and yoruba’s none of them offended each other. If there’s anything swept under the carpet that history is not telling us or it is the naivety of our ancestors to poison our hearts to make us fight each other than they do not well. The motto of this great country is peace and unity. Whatever it is that makes us go contrary to what we stand for is our enemy. Fighting will get us nowhere until we believe we all need each other to move forward irrespective of where we came from, we are one. Our elders planted seed of discord in their children

(us) and it is unfortunate most of our elders from both tribes are not telling the new generation the truth and they keep passing this untruthful part of the problems to many generations which planted hatred into the minds of all. If a father is wrong it does not make the children wrong. We all know the sins of the father is not for the children. If our founding fathers got it all wrong we should not be stupid to get it wrong too. Our generation deserves peace, Love and Unity.

CHAPTER 3

MY MOTHER’S CHOICE

MY MOTHERS CHOICE is a true story that talks of how my biological mother paid a price for love.

My mothers name is Ogwo from a small village, Ukpa in Benue state. Her parents were poor she wanted a better life. To further her education into the higher institution, but nobody to shoulder the responsibility of training her to school. Then, in those days, parents believed education is more for the male , females are to be in the kitchen get married. This is the reason why women gets married as young as fifteen years of age. Their system of marriage did not permit the woman to make her decision in choosing the man to marry. The decision is made by her parents and family members without even the lady knowing that she has a suitor. The suitor

)man) declares his intention to the family if the lady’s family approves the man he is a good man, also from a good family and his hardworking to take care of their daughter they accept the bride price from the man’s family. After all the wedding plans have been made, the day her father decides to give her out for marriage. He deceives her, to send her on an errand to the house of the husband-to-be. Maybe he gives her a goat or anything with value to give him without anyone escorting her. As she reaches the house to deliver the message, the man stops her from going back home. He puts her in his room and locks the door. Immediately this is done, there are several shots of a local gun in the air as a signal of newly wedded couple. The men and women of the community gathers to the house and her family and friends comes too with all her belongings to the man’s house. The women sings and makes this sound of ‘’whoo whooo’’ as they dance round the village, and the men sits to eat, drink and merry. At this point she cannot run away or go back to her father's house she is now a wife. The feelings of the lady is not considered. Nobody cares to know if she loves him or not.

My mother wanted an affair her decision can be respected, a relationship her voice can be heard, a marriage she will choose for herself and not one decided by her parents, or a marriage she will be caught like a thief and held hostage. So she left benue state and relocated to lagos to live with her elder sister who is married to a benue man living in the

Apapa of Lagos. It was her first time in lagos. After a little while she got a job and she met this man, Adagba, a benue man from oju precisely almost the same village to hers. He made his intentions clear he wanted to marry ogwo (my mother). Her elder sister and her husband, her family and friends around even her parents at the village heard about it and were happy for them. Few months later she met mezumam, my dad a young man. He is from a wealthy family, a polygamous one, an Igbo man for that matter.

People from other tribes see Igbos as people who are fake, proud, fraudsters and into rituals to be rich. He was like the black sheep of the family, always at loggerheads with his family. He didn’t have best of character as a young man, so I assume he didn’t deserve my mother who is very cool and innocent. They met each other it was love at first sight and as at that time mezumam (my dad) just did something wrong in the family as usual and was on the run. He met love in a hopeless place in a helpless state and he fell head over heels for my mom. My dad was on the run didn’t matter to my mom. My dad was hiding himself from his family living in a small room where could only contain one person and not two. A room that the bed covers all the part of the room and because my dad was very tall when he sleeps his leg comes out of the room. If she does not hear from him in a day is like a block melting or fire quenching. My mother broke up with adagba to be with (mezumam) my dad, regardless of him been an Igbo man, knowing fully well her family will reject their union. So when I see Adeola and Azubuike I understand how difficult it is going to be for them to get married because their story was like remix to what happened between my mom and dad. Her parents denied the relationship both the family of her sister that brought her to Lagos. Though her family resisted but she persisted in the relationship. When my mother realized there was nothing she could do to convince her parents she got herself pregnant for my dad, which resulted to the birth of my older brother.

She travelled to the village heavy, and when her family saw she was pregnant they were disappointed. My grandfather allowed my mother to stay to deliver the baby but will hold mother and child hostage after delivery and will release them to Mezumam. Mezumam came to see Ogwo but was denied access to them, after few days he left back to Lagos. At nine months, she was in labor. Her labor stayed for three good days, she was taken to one hospital to another there were complications. It was a tradition when things like this happens to a young girl who is giving birth to her first child to confess if he promises any man marriage that he didn’t marry that has caused the delay to her delivery. She quickly remembered adagba from oju he left for mezumam. It was a culture to give a token to the man or anybody from his community representing him as a refund of the money given to her so that she can be free. They did it but she still have not put to bed yet. My grandfather thought maybe he is to be blame because he refused to accept the father of the child–to-be. Right at the hospital she told her she doesn’t want to lose her and the baby because of his greed, that he has accepted mezumam. Immediately he said it before reaching the door of the ward she put to bed of a bouncing baby boy.

After the delivery they were home. Some of the family members were still relunctant to accept the marriage between this benue woman and this Igbo man. But they had no choice than to accept him.

To be happy to have anything good it has to cost you something. It cost

Ogwo (my mother) all the troubles she had to pass through to be with mezumam

)my dad) all because of Love.

‘’If a person loves you, you should be thankful to that person. You know why? Because, there’s a lot of people who loves that person more than you but still that person choose to love you instead’’.

You can agree with me the future Azubuike dreams of with Adeola will be full of storms, can they survive together?

CHAPTER FOUR

HER LIFE, HER DREAM

Adeola is very young, her black is beautiful, the only daughter of her parents. Her father is a civil servant; her mother was once a nurse but due to the challenges of raising her kids with her type of job had to resign.

Then, she started a school lesson just at the backyard of the house, later turned it to a school. She worked hard now she owns two branches of her primary school, and she is about to establish a secondary school.

She has two brothers and this family was proudly Yoruba's. She loves electric power to an extent that she cries when there is no electric light at home, she’s such a mystery. She is a diehard fan of owl city and Eminem.

She also loves any gospel songs more preferably Lara George. Sometimes am amazed as I listened to her as she follows the rap bars(lines) of Eminem word for word. She loves cartoons, Korean movies, she reads her bible every early morning and prays especially with Yoruba she says God answers her prayer more when she prays with her local language. She’s far from the misconceptions people know about yoruba’s that they are dirty and unkempt.

She loves her room, cleans it every now and then, she can sweep for

Africa. She loves to keep her day to day spending in a book before she go to bed at night. She believes it controls and manages her spending and she learnt it from her mother. She always had this dream of establishing her orphanage home, IT WAS HER LIFE AND HER DREAM to help orphans, provide food and shelter for the destitute, and to be a great succor to the widows.

Her favorite quote was, ‘’I will do it as the Holy Spirit leads’’. She is to be the beneficiary of her mother’s school when she retires.

Few years ago, she got admission to school at Tai Solarin University of education, ijagun, Ijebu ode, Ogun state (TASUED). She lives in a hostel,

Magnet. In this hostel she made friends with funke, elenu and chidera.

These folks were really close, they were more like sisters. She had a boyfriend then, Dapo.

Dapo was also a student of TASUED, shared same department with her they were once rumored to be the most famous couple in the department. But, he nags, he raises his voice at her on every slight chance, his quarrelsome, very bossy, selfish and self-centered. He is so jealous of her; don’t want her to keep male friends. She was one of the brightest students in class, she’s always ahead of him academically instead of him to be happy his girl his doing well he gets envious. He gossips her with his friends, abuses her, compares her with other girls who extort money from their parents to take care of his friends because she don’t do any of this for him he calls her stingy and wicked. He accuses her of been proud because she never kneels to serve him food. He cheats on her and accuses her of been a witch anytime his having a bad time.

There were times she gets sorrowful, she weeps inside her room when nobody is around her of the way she is been maltreated by Dapo. She once said its not good to cry outside when you feel like to cry, go inside and cry. Dapo have these crazy friends during their guys chat they discuss sexual experiences with their girlfriends between themselves and make jest of it.

He was the only one without a gist on the table of their discussion because

Adeola have not had sex with him. Romance is not love when you are in a relationship that is based on romance and sex is not love but for fun. Dapo gets angry and upset anytime he thinks about it. For Adeola had purposed in his heart to hold on till the right time to spend time building their relationship but Dapo was impatient. Her girlfriends use to tell her there’s no such man anywhere in the world. Even if the man comes for marriage he has to test what his buying before, that is, to get you pregnant first before wedding bells. She never wanted the regular, she craved for someone special, who is willing to give her a special kind of loving come rain come sunshine. Nevertheless, she could not wait too long for her to be through with school, all her attempts to stay away from Dapo were abortive.

Azubuike had this friend Juliet from her childhood days. It all started when both mothers were pregnant they talk about having a boy and a girl, and they were going to get married in the far future. When they were born at the age of three they were both enrolled in the same school, after few years they went to college and it was same college. As each day comes and goes since the time he was a little boy he listened to his mother refer to

Juliet’s mom as in-laws. As a young boy he wanted to have a girlfriend the first girl that came to mind was Juliet. He asked her out but she refused, chased her up and down sang all the love poems on earth, gave her all the gifts he could afford, calls her phone but she never answers or returns his calls. She once told him he had nothing to offer her that she only dates men who can spoil her with money. She was at the center of his heart, maybe simply because he thought since my mother feels she’s my destiny then she is. After college, she quickly got admitted into the higher institution.

The way most young people treats those who are yet to be admitted was obvious. He became tired of chasing her around and been ignored. It is good to love and care for someone but when someone you’ve given all your heart to stops caring about your feelings, what do you do? Where do you go?

My dear, we’ve done a lot of loving and caring about those that don’t want us in their lives when are we going to walk away. It is time to realize

‘’Nobody owns your happiness except you’’. No matter how hurt, betrayed you might have been in the past is time to move on. Stop chasing people around rather chase your dreams, and love will come on its own at the right time you wont have to force it. Just as someone once said, ‘’your happiness is hidden within yourself… just remove your worries…!!!’’ at this time of his life all he wanted was to THINK. According to mensa otabil; ‘’until you change what is in your mind, you cannot change what you are doing’’. What a man thinks of himself , that is what determines his faith. As a man thinketh in his heart so he is. Then he came to a conclusion, nobody owns my happiness except me, you too, nobody owns your happiness except you. So he had to let go.

CHAPTER FIVE

JOURNEY TO THE UNKNOWN

It was like yesterday, four years have come and gone, Deola is now a graduate. She was so happy to be free from school stress, her estranged boyfriend, she was so curious about her youth service , having a job afterwards and getting married later.

Nothwithstanding, her family was already working her youth service with a family friend to do their service in the same city because they had some connections in the NYSC office unit. The benefactor promised them they are going to do their youth service in Delta state. Her family was already making plans for Delta. But something happened along the line, call up for youth service has been released everyone was rushing to the Exams and records unit, the atmosphere was high, everyone was scared, worried and full of anxiety. She did not bother much because her family friend has already called to tell her his is Delta as expected, so she was rest assured hers will be Delta too. She went to the board with her friends to check hers, as she searched for her name low and behold it was Imo state.

She looked at it over and over again, still Imo.

She was dumbfounded, how did it become Imo at the eleventh hour. She could remember when she was a little girl her grandmother tells her moonlight tales about Igbo people in the past, they were only misconceptions, that they are wicked and dangerous, they love money and will do anything to get rich, they don’t like education, some parts eats their fellow humans, they like to cheat others, troublesome and are miserly. Although the Igbo’s are not exempted they have their own misconceptions about the Yoruba people.

They believe they are fetish, have this funny language accent, tribalistic, respect too much, have plenty of tribal marks, they don’t travel to other cities, don’t marry outside their tribe, they are not bold but loud and are dirty. I perceive there have always been an existing hatred between both tribes since Adam. She was moody, tired, weary, and worried of how she will be able to break the news to her family that appears to be a bad news. She left school almost immediately, travelled back home. When she arrived home she broke the news to her family she had been posted to Imo state, it was like a funeral service. They all reluctantly retired to their rooms without saying a word to her. They acted as if she was to be blamed.

Although, she pretended to be scared about it to her parents but deep down in her heart she was happy because according to her she had always known she will serve in the east. She was just curious as to how it will be going away to a far place for the first time.

It was already time for her to go to camp in owerri, a JOURNEY TO THE

UNKNOWN. Before she left her father called her and told her, ‘’don’t go and bring an Igbo man to us for marriage o’’, as they all both laughed. She was so excited to change environment. The owerri slogan is Heartland. It is currently referred to as the entertainment capital of Nigeria. When she arrived she saw the high density of spacious hotels, high street casinos, production studios and high quality centers of relaxation. The state is also enjoying a free education under the government of Rochas owelle okorocha. Owerri has a tropical wet climate, rain falls for most months of the year with a brief dry season. It is a city to behold. For the first time she did not miss home she made friends with fellow corpers more in her church fellowship NCCF family batch B, it was fun. She met female soldiers in camp who were friendly. Her platoon in camp was fun and funny, it is either they came bottom or almost at the bottom in their corper’s competition and Games. They could only come third once in the Mr. & Ms.

NYSC. After 21 days orientation in camp, she went to Ngor okpala were her group gave free medical treatment. She had to travel back home and to come back Owerri in the next three weeks as she leaves camp to continue her service in a particular area in Owerri to serve her motherland. When she got home , her family could not believe their eyes they saw a girl full of smiles. Her family members were quick to ask her what happened to her, she quickly answered ‘’ it is the beautiful life of Owerri that has done this to me’’. After her holidays, she was to return to Owerri and before then her elder brother who was serving somewhere in Nigeria had arranged her accommodation through a house agent. She travelled back to Owerri; the elder brother also came and took her to her new rented apartment.

It was a town in Owerri many won’t love to live in. A village in southeast Nigeria located in the Owerri north local Government area of Imo state. The region is part of the ancient kingdom of Uratta, the town of

Orji. She had no friends she was new in the environment so her daily life was a routine. Her mother longed to experience the Owerri life so she seized the opportunity to visit Owerri for her first time. She came to

Owerri she was happy. She followed her to her CDS meeting for corpers, she was happy that she called her family and friends and told them, ‘’ I’m in

Owerri Aba’’, as she fondly calls it. She formally planned to spend a week but spent three weeks. It is a city you visit and you are not in a hurry to leave.

After a while, she became friends to a girl to one of the tenants in her house, Amanda. Amanda and her mother initiated a bond between them and her.

Adeola was a good girl she was nice to this family they were her adopted family. In a nutshell, she was the ‘Tabitha’ to this family- because of her benevolence. She gave materials and financial assistance to this family.

They became greedy they will spit fire if they see anyone going closer to her. Formally, they saw her as a daughter and sister but later it was about material gain. They labeled other tenants as practitioners of voodoo, they discouraged her from receiving gifts from other tenants they poisoned her heart towards others. When she is been given food especially the Igbo traditional food to make her feel at home. They collect it from her and throw it away on the accusation that the food is poisoned which was all lies. One thing that got me surprised is that same mother and daughter goes behind Deola’s back to collect their portion of food from same people she calls witches. Amanda is a fair girl older than Adeola but she was still a

Jambite, trying to gain admission into the higher institution. She was living a promiscuous life. She thought every girl that came out from the four walls of an higher institution are into all sorts of deviant behaviors such as prostitution, use of hard drugs, drinking and prostitution. She saw

Adeola as a source for more connections of her immoral lifestyle. She met

Adeola a totally different graduate, she had the curves and edges at the right places, the face a dark beauty, a graduate to top it all, why is hers so different. She don’t club nor does she drink alcohol and Amanda felt intimidated by her way of life.

One thing is necessary in life is never forget where you came from. If others may I cannot, this is the motto I saw pretty Deola had patterned her life to. It takes nothing to join the crowd; but it takes everything to stand alone. Amanda was displeased with Adeola because she was different from her, she felt she had everything better than her. She perceived she came from a wealthy family had everything she needed but her family was poor. She is a graduate at 20 but am still a jambite at 24. She is beautiful, responsible, well-behaved but she is not. Men chases Adeola as a convoy and she has not accepted any but Amanda is like she is the one chasing men. She became jealous and angry but kept it to herself.

CHAPTER SIX

WHEN AZUBUIKE MET ADEOLA

Azubuike had got admission to school in Imo state university, owerri. He once lived with a friend very close to school until he rented his own place. He too got an accommodation in same town of orji few buildings away from were Adeola lives. He was just a 100 level student, he was 24 years.

Most of the time, he hardly meet the first lecture especially by 8am because of the distance from his house to school. There was this day he came late to class as usual and sat at the back seat of the class, then he felt someone deeply staring at him. He looked saw this fair blonde girl smiling at him, perhaps having a crush on him. He quickly removed his eyes from her but she was still staring. After the class, she came to him and introduced herself to be Sharon. They became friends few days later they started seeing each other. According to him a night before he travelled to school he paid a visit to his pastor . After the prayers the pastor prophesied he will meet the girl he is to marry in the future at school, but he winked at it. They both started to flaunt their relationship in class everyone knew the two love birds. She kisses him during class, they dress to match as couples, she reads his messages to know which girl his hanging out with. He became very uncomfortable with her attitude of not having a little space. On the first page of their story the future seem so bright and it turns out dim. They always have a fight and his friends

Danny, Kally and waved into the situation. He sought for their help to settle their differences because he trusted them. To his greatest surprise he never knew that Danny had his eyes on his girl so the more he runs to him for help the worse it becomes. Before he knew it Sharon was in the arms of his friend Danny, worst of it all, Kally and Harry took sides with

Danny. They deserted him even when he tries to still be friends with them.

Azubuike was ashamed, sad, lonely, betrayed of what Sharon and his friends had done. Sharon was not ashamed to flaunt danny as his new boyfriend before people he once flaunted azubuike to as his boyfriend. There were times he cried going to school was like going to hell. He could not stand watching them both together. Sharon swayed every heart that liked him away by saying dirty things about him to people justify her actions so as not to feel quilt. He was sprung he tried all he could to win her back but to no avail. All of a sudden, he stopped running after them let me say he got his groove back. You can stop running after people that don’t see your worth, that don’t want you in their lives, they never see your positive sides, you love them but they don’t love you in return.

On a fateful day, if you could see the sky that morning you will know heaven was smiling. Azubuike went to a shop at the front of his house to buy few items and to have a friendly chat with the shopkeeper. He saw this girl she was dark and lovely, slim built and had the most adorable features he had ever seen. It was there AZUBUIKE MET ADEOLA. He was breathless, his heart skipped a bit, he felt butterflies in his stomach, it was as though the world stopped moving when she said, ‘’hello, good afternoon’’, and he was so carried away that he kept staring directly into her eyes for what seemed like eternity. It was love at first sight. She was attractive without trying too hard and she had this quiet air of confidence around her, very fluent with English language. He was more fascinated when her phone rang and she spoke Yoruba. After her calls she asked for some noodles and egg. He hurriedly asked her about herself how she was able to speak Yoruba so well in an Igbo land. As they were having a little conversation the eggs in the hand of the shopkeeper trying to give her fell but Azubuike caught it. She was happy and she started calling him the

‘’EGG GUY’’ and it was strange and embarrassing to him the nickname sounded awkward. ‘’how was she able to come with this name so fast she might be good in calling people names’’, he thought. She told him she lived at lagos Ikorodu then he told her she lived in Apapa Lagos. Their discussion began to get interesting so he asked her what she was doing in owerri and she replied , ‘’I am a teacher’’. At that point it raised my curiosity , why will someone leave lagos to seek a mere primary school teaching job in owerri. He was so fast to boast of himself been an undergraduate with his shoulders up in ego. She thought she was a college leaver he never she was a university graduate. She left he remembered he didn’t get her name. He got home he was only picturing her face, thinking about her, the more he tried to forget the more he saw her face her smiles and her beauty.

The next day, he met with the shopkeeper and told her to put an eye on her to give him any relevant information about her. When he comes back from school he would sit at the shop waiting for her to come buy an item for she was a regular customer. After several hours of waiting but she never comes. So when she gets tired and decided to go relax a bit in his house , then she comes to the shop. When he hurriedly comes back to the shop after few minutes , the shopkeeper tells him she came and just left.

This scenario continued for months only just to see her again. When he was tired of playing his try-and-luck game he began to ask questions if anyone around know were she lives. He tried and tried but it was difficult he doesn’t know her name nor her house address.

There was this day he met this guy after a little description of her, fortunately the man said he knows her and where she lives but was not too sure if she is the one but they gave it a try to confirm if she’s the one.

Those words thrilled him he was hopeful.

CHAPTER SEVEN

LOVE DON’T CARE

As he went to her place, excitement were bubbling in his belly. That day, he made sure he was dressed to the nines , chose his clothes carefully, settled for a black long-sleeved shirt and a black trouser with a sandal on his feet the choice of color was actually his style. As he got to her place , he first met Amanda who he usually sees with her then he knew he was at the right place. He asked of her from Amanda but she refused to take him to her. After few minutes, I think she heard his voice, she came out, as soon as she opened the door as their both eyes caught each other he felt his heart drop.

She smiled at him, her face was more beautiful than the stars. She was not obsessed with the macho craze like a lot of good girls I knew were. She them to watch a movie together, she also tries to prepare a fast meal for them both to eat. They began to know each other and started getting closer

. she eventually told him her name is Adeola and he responded his name is

Azubuike. She also told him she is a corper and he felt ashamed he earlier boasted of been an undergraduate, an 100 level student for that matter. One thing that struck me is---- her humility. She did not want to tell him she was a corper when he was so proud of been an undergraduate simply because, according to her, she knew if she had done that he would have been ashamed and embarrassed.

Their friendship began to grow, he comes to visit her after returning from school every day , calls her daily, stay with her at home, help her with house chores, helps her fetch water, play Ludo, football games, escorts her to the market, cooks for her, hide and seek game together it was fun. They play pranks on each other, he sings for her for he has many cover songs to his credit and they really enjoyed each other’s company.

When he gets hungry she will quickly cook for him to eat. If she does not seem him in a day she gets worried and calls him almost immediately to know how he is doing. There were times he stays over at her place when she goes out. He was so thoughtful to wash her dirty clothes before she comes back just to surprise her. He won’t tell her what he was up to because it’s a surprise and if she knew she won’t let him do it. When she gets home and see her clothes washed she gets ashamed and excited at the same time appreciates him with a kiss, prepares a sumptuous meal for them both of which they ended up struggling who will eat the last portion of the food in the pot. They gets overwhelmed, he takes the pot and runs away as she chases him with a spoon in her hand. They were just friends as at that time.

There was a day, on an evening, after leaving her place she gave him a walk to her gate it was already late. All this time, he had been the one going to her house she is yet to know his place. This day he convinced her to come know his place and she agreed. When they got to his house he had no curtain on his door and window he closes everywhere when his indoors it was stuffy. No bedsheet, electric bulb, or rechargeable lantern. But still he was full of courage for he had fell head over heels for her , he was poor no big family name, an 100 level student but LOVE DON’T CARE. Have you ever heard the song of simi love don’t care?

He made her sat on the bed and said this soft and kind words to her,

‘’Adeola I know am just an 100 level student and you are a cropper but am in love with you and nothing can change it. I have never looked at a woman the way am looking at you right now. I have been afraid to love but since I met you all have desired is to love again. I have never cared for a woman the way I care for you. I have never loved a woman the way I love you. If I have a chance to meet God tonight I will ask for one thing, that is been with you. I want to be your end from your beginning, be the man next to your heart to protect to love you even if it takes the last drop of my blood’’. She looked speechless and she replied, azubuike you’re a good guy and your handsome too but I have a boyfriend in my university days his name is Dapo and his trying to pay me a visit in Owerri soon, though I can’t deny my feelings for you’’.

Few days later, Dapo came visiting and Azubuike was heartbroken. He fell sick , he was so worried about her knowing another man his better than is with his girl at home. He wakes up almost every hour of the night with questions nobody could answer. What will they be doing now at this time of the night? Hope she’s not hurting? He became lovesick which gave him a fever. She tries as much as possible to check on him every early in the morning with food and drugs. Dapo stayed with her for two good weeks and left to Ibadan where he is doing his youth service. When Dapo had gone,

Azubuike recovered perhaps nothing was really wrong with him he was only love sick. There was this night, it was already 8:45pm and the gate of his house gets closed by 9pm. So after staying with her all day it was on a

Saturday he planned going home. She gave him a walk as usual to the gate of her house. They already said goodnight but tried to take a step and it seems his feet could not carry his body; she too refused to go inside. Then he pulled her from her left arm and kissed her. He kept on kissing her over and over again, she resisted a little but it did not stop her from kissing him back.

The next day he left and went home happily, finally he is able to kiss the girl of his dreams. The next day they acted like nothing happened about last night. When they met each other the next day they gave themselves pet names. He called her ‘’Ife mi’’ (meaning in Yoruba my love), while hers was always weird when it comes to giving a nickname she called him ‘’my Naughty boy’’, as they both laughed together.

CHAPTER EIGHT

HAPPY MEMORIES

(playing Brymo’s song happy memories)

At first he tried to be discreet, he didn’t want to appear like the devil incarnate trying to make her break up with Dapo even though he knew he was not good enough for her.

When they are together they try to keep a distance but lost control of themselves and before they knew it they are in each other's arms. Few days later she decided to pay her family a visit. He stayed over at her place that night to go with her to the park the next day to help her with her luggage’s as she leaves early in the morning. That night they slept on the same bed but he never touched her that night he was such a good guy I wonder if I resist such a temptation. He was willing to do anything to earn her trust. She travelled and spent almost a month with her family in lagos and came back on the 23rd of October on a

Sunday.

That evening she arrived, she spent it in Azubuike’s house. They were so overwhelmed seeing each other again. She likes to tell stories, crack jokes and they were laughing out loud all through the night. It was same night she told him he has broken up with dapo. Later that night, during their sleep as they both laid down with his left hand under her head, and his right hand embracing her , perhaps desperation and arousal took over him at that point. He stilled his hands as they both made contacts with her skin with her skin, his heavy breathing causing him to go for a kiss. Her face was as bright as one which washed it was with honey and milk. He desired a kiss, and when he did it tasted better than wine. She kept her eyes on him he opened his mouth but was unable to form words. She sat up on the bed to face him and slowly whispered in his ears, ‘’if you want me can you stay in a relationship without sex ?’’ he could see in her eyes it means a lot to her and she was so scared if it's going to drive him away as it did with dapo. He was so deeply in love with her he could do anything for her he wanted to be part of her life. He has heard too many love stories he wanted this to be their turn. He saw it as a great opportunity to be more than special to someone a lady with great prospect and purpose. He never had believed a girl that came out of the 4-walls of an higher institution can be a virgin? It was too good to be true, they ended up in holding each other that night and slept like a baby in each other's arm.

After her 23rd night with him their love began to wax stronger and stronger. It was as if they were too hassie, they practically started living together. It was not want they planned to do it happened unconsciously. Then I knew they were meant to be together they prepared their meals, washes their dishes and clothes , clean the house together, she chooses the outfit he is to wear to school every morning, he dresses her up too in the morning before she goes out. They bath together especially in the night and he carries her on his back from the bathroom to the room. He cooks for her most times. When they are not going out for the day they stay indoors all day until evening for site seeing. As they go around town holding hands, laughing, smiling, singing, he carries her on his back from a long distance until they get home and she says, ‘’thank you baby’’, she stuttered with a countenance that seemed as if she was smiling and crying at the same time they were so much in love, it got the attention of everyone and the street keep talking and more enemies inviting. It was so easy to make her laugh he did the two fingers in the air sign when he wants to surprise her. She loves bed time stories, he falls asleep during her stories, he is a baby when his with her. She tells crazy jokes especially when he is bored or sad. She once told him in her school days how the teacher taught them animals are cold blooded and asked, ‘’ if animals are cold blooded human beings are?... then a student in her class stood up to answer the question and said if animals are cold blooded human beings are hot blooded, instead of warm blooded’’. They laughed and laughed to an extent you could hear it from a long distance. It was rainy season they left home as usual visited some interesting places go to a book store, get coffee and read for hours. Play cards, watch a movie together, play a board game--- perhaps chess, scrabble or twister. Create a photo album of their memories together, exercise together, go window shopping, play in the fallen leaves, build a campfire with food and drinks, and sing to each other. As they head home rain began to fall. The wind tousling Deola’s hair seems like Azubuike’s hand caressing her face. And they walked in the rain after they dropped at the bustop, with hands clasped together , as a couple going home. Reaching home they put on old clothes and mud wrestle after some drenching rain, took a shower together and wash each other everywhere, cook something together, sit on the bed read poetry to each other, gave each other a manicure or pedicure, a massage, spent the evening talking to each other and surfing the web that ends in bed.

She once said the story of her when she was a little girl. A dog threatened her from crossing the road and she was on errand for grandma. She got frightened and ran back home and told her grandma. Her grandma picked up a stick in her right hand held her in her left hand as she goes with her. As they go reaching were the dog was the dog came out again. Then the grandma used her stick to display martial art skills to the dog. She was like ‘’yeeh….yaah’’, swinging her leg and down up and down with an undistracted gaze at the dog. The dog got scared and ran away.

There was no doubt that her grandma in her youthful days was very, very smart , funny, bold and strong. I wonder what was going through the dog’s mind. Sometimes when it's time to fetch water for her he runs away because he is lazy lazy fetching water. It is either she locks him inside the house or chases him to stop him from running away or they did all these happily.

They had HAPPY MEMORIES. Some happy memories were when they fight. Every couple will fight and anyone living differently lives in a fantasyland. You can’t tell you’re made for each other when fights don’t rip you both at your clothes. They had a little scuffles, little arguments but when they fight it takes few minutes they cool off, and talk about a solution. The makeup romance as bonus. They travel together and it was fun. Living together under the same roof may be challenging. But it was so fun and real bliss eating noodles and dry meat in bed with wine until 2 a.m. on the other hand, there are those nights no romance at all they consider turning off their phones and enjoy domestic bliss. When he closes his eyes and think about his life she is in every daydream. They don’t hide their personality or pretend to be something they’re not he completely thinks of her as an extension of him.

It was his birthday and after wishing him a happy birthday she wrote a letter to him and kept it in a place he would see it. These was her words,

‘’ hi dear , how are you ? I am so glad today is your birthday, even if there is no money we are still alive and we are happy. Since I met you I have always been happy because you make me laugh. I’m sorry for not making you happy on your birthday by buying you a gift , I was just feeling so angry and sad because I needed money to get you a gift , I wanted to surprise you. I’m sorry I spoilt your day. Please don’t be angry with me,

I don’t want you to be sad today, don’t mind me.

Thank you and I love you

To my one and only Azubuike’’.

Later that day with no money to celebrate they ended up preparing fried rice , bought drinks and roasted meat to celebrate it at home. They took pictures, did a short video of themselves acting like Adeola as jenifa while Azubuike as segun of Jenifa’s diary. Love is not about sex, going on fancy dates, or showing off. It's about being with a person who makes you happy in a way nobody else can. They are happy whether they have it or not they love each other and understand each other for better or worse They started dating on the 23rd , and every 23rd of each month they celebrated it as their birthday. On 23rd became their lover's day. They believed that

, ‘’ You don’t need February 14th to celebrate love. The day you found love is your lovers day and not valentine's day and I totally agree with them. It is not wise to celebrate love once in a year when it has to be celebrated at least once in a month on every month of the year. On 23rd is not complete without Azubuike singing their love song, the song he wrote and did a musical cover of Chiyoung’s musical single for her on the 23rd of their first date, it was titled ‘’Iwoni’’ meaning ‘’you are the one’’ it was their love song. They also believe every true love has its own song that both of you alone can sing better than anyone. You might not have a good voice or be in choir or a singer even with your cracked voice you should be able to sing a song for her, you should have a song that represents the love you both share. They both sings this song every on

23rd. Then something bad happens that almost separated them.

CHAPTER NINE

ON 23RD DREAM

Amanda gets jealous simply because she believed Adeola has everything better than her including a good boyfriend. As you love you learn that anyone can get jealous. She cut ties with Adeola as a friend and neighbor. All her attempts to stop Adeola from Azubuike failed for she had always had a crush on him. She was not happy seeing them both together so she avoided their company as much as possible. They use to go to the market, fetch water, watch movies, cook , hangout had real fun together but all that changed when Azubuike came into the picture. So she conspired with her mother to end things between them both. Have you ever found yourself in a position as if you alone is fighting against the world? Have you ever been in a situation you don’t even know who to believe in?

One thing that amazes me Azubuike’s relationship with Adeola became a community concern. I don’t know of any law in the Igbo tradition that if an

Igbo man is having an affair with a Yoruba lady is a taboo none that I know of. Many rooted for them to break up after putting much heat on them. The first was that they did a vigil in Amanda’s house, she and her mother with other tenants for 7 days praying for God to separate them. I am surprised and I still do, I couldn’t find a reason for their actions and it left me with questions. What is so special about them that we all don’t know? How can they be so jealous to an extent of holding a vigil against them?.....

Its so absurd, what is it they see we all can't see? After all, their relationship should only be of headache to their both families.

Secoundly, Amanda’s mother did a meeting with most of the neighboring women. She once told us that her greatest pain is that he is igbo and she is Yoruba. In other words, she has been dropping their names in critical circles, in fact, on one occasion they were walking together women and children sitting at the front of their houses were pointing accusing fingers at them calling them names , but Adeola held Azubuike back from fighting back . The Amanda’s did not play a Pharisee, they shewed it openly they were against them. They picked up a fight with him for no reason they abuse him and embarrasses him in public with no offence committed but he never retaliates. Other tenants acted hypocrites to the situation at hand they openly dismiss and disapprove the actions of the Amanda’s before

Adeola but at her back they were on the same page with them.

They had their plans outlined and it seems like they were set to win when the Amanda’s reported them to their church pastor, and subsequently to the parents of Adeola because they knew her parents will disapprove her dating an Igbo boy. Before they could recover from the shock, news flied in all nooks and crannies of the community that Azubuike is a cultist, a womanizer and a thief. Before he could explain to people all those news were false the pastor of their church already stood him up before the congregation and labeled him the bad egg corrupting others in the church. And before we could say ‘’Jack robinson’’, parents in the church have been instructed to stay away from Azubuike so as not to corrupt their children. This was despite several ways he attempted to vindicate himself but nobody believed him, but against all odds she never stop loving him amidst all messy criticisms. Since she refuse to believe their lies, they turned the table around against her. They went out of their way to accuse her of been a prostitute. The Amanda’s knew it will really hurt her especially because she is accusing her of something she never did. She tried to turn a blind eye to those accusations , consequently she reported their actions, but the public would not take that.

Thirdly, it was as if it wasn’t enough yet, they conspired with the youth of that community against them, picked a fight with them sent threaten messages and it was hell. The Amanda’s, for all practical purposes, a devils incarnate was to see them breakup but it only made them love each other more. They were instances they had to extort money from them unlawfully by youths of that community. I expected them to take far-reaching steps to restore their reputations in eyes of hundreds of people but they kept silence and watch things unfold.

The story changed hands when I heard Azubuike possessed Adeola and it's of that reason she could date him, a corper dating an 100 level student and not only that he is Igbo and she is Yoruba, it became an headline news when it seems as if they had forgotten about them. How someone can come from nowhere and overnight pronounce another person a wizard, only a riddle

Amanda and her mother can resolve. Considering the Amanda’s barefaced role to be used to destabilize ‘’Adebuike’’ as Adeola and Azubuike are fondly called, it was taken from their initials. I can never thank God enough for preventing the Amanda’s from destroying true love at the last minute.

Otherwise, it would have been victory in the camp of the enemy. But one thing comes to mind, when she becomes through with her youth service and there is communication gap, family pressure, tribalism, and the sweet becomes bitter, the good becomes bad, and she is forced to end true love.

All they had passed through would be for nothing. The pain the gain, the sorrow the joy, the tears the laughter, the kiss the love, the sacrifice the compromise everything for nothing If not for anything to all they’ve passed through. What is worth having is worth preserving. Otherwise, they should have given up when they had a strong reason to and all would have long gone.

It was fun watching all these happenings. Everyone wants happiness, No one wants pain. But you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain. It was fun watching all these happenings one good thing about them is when they get angry at each other he sits on the bed she will hit him and as he looks at her direction she bows her head and covers it with a pillow. She keeps doing that until they end up playing the pillow fight, he allows her to put his back down as she counts 1,2,3 to make herself the winner. It was another on 23rd, the last 23rd she had to spend before she goes back home after finished.

This was the letter for their anniversary

‘’My true love. She lifts up my life. We laugh we fight, we clown around sometimes and gets serious sometimes. If I have to do this things all over again it’ll most definitely be with you my love. Thank you for loving me baby. Thank you for doing the unnecessary for me to get all that is necessary. Thank you for accepting me the way I am. Thank you for been a lover, a friend and a sister.

Today is 23rd it’s a day I’ll always remember all the days of my life. We are not perfect but we are perfect for each other. HAPPY ADEVERSARY to us, after her first initials ADE from today and till death do us part. I love you’’.

They had this dream about getting married in the next four years' time when

Azubuike will be through with school and youth service, he will be 28 and she will be 25. She had always wanted to get married when she turns 25 just like her mother, they imagined having three kids two boys and a girl just as her mother too. They even gave their unborn kids names. They plan to start a life together no matter how small it seems. It was their dream that the next four years' time , on 23rd of January of that year which happens to be on a Saturday, they will get married. It was their 23rd dream. It was

4th of April she finally left owerri after finishing her youth service.

CHAPTER TEN

MR. SOMEONE NEW

Sunlight was streaming through her window it was 8am as her alarm rings. ‘’ noooo’’, followed by ‘’ugh’’, ‘’I must be dreaming don’t tell me I have to get up yet, right? Whatever I’m hitting out’’, she said.

Her morning routine was down to a science. She fastly zip through brushing her teeth, bathing, get dressed and she is out. She boarded a vehicle from her home in Ikorodu to Lagos Island. She got a seat she was slowly sitting up when she stepped her feet on the man sitting beside her. ‘’sorry’’, she said softly . ‘’I didn’t mean to hurt your feet’’. The young man didn’t bother about his feet but smiled and introduced himself ‘’I’m Biola’’ and she replied , ‘’I’m Adeola’’, as they smiled at each other. ‘’where are you going’’ he asked and she replied ‘’to lagos island to the market to meet my mom to buy items for her school graduation party. So he asked, ‘’oh, your mom owns a school? ‘’what about you’’ she replied that she is a graduate working in a health firm. She asked about him to what he does for a living and he said, ‘’ his a banker’’. She got to her bustop and before she came down from the bus they exchanged contacts. From that day biola became a very regular caller and the family was sensitive to know her phone rings regularly when she is at home, they also noticed it wasn’t Azubuike because she spoke Yoruba with this guy and Azubuike don’t understand how to speak the Yoruba language. They were whispering all over the house and the family were excited but pretended not to be interested to know who this MR

SOMEONE NEW is. On the Saturday of the next week she informed her family she will be having a visitor the next day Sunday. They knew it's their sister and daughter mister new they just couldn’t wait for tomorrow Sunday.

The following day, he visited her at home. Her parents gave him a warm welcome as he introduces himself, ‘’I’m Biola’’. When her parents heard his name and knew his Yoruba they quickly changed from the

English language to Yoruba, they felt relaxed, at last their daughter brought a Yoruba man to the house. He’s a young man, educated and financially stable not like Azubuike who is about to be through with school and worst of all his Igbo. Adeola was out of her room heading to the sitting room to meet her guest and family. Her makeup was done perfectly- mascara, eye shadow, and bright red lipstick on her full, pouty lips. She minced her feet as she walked flinging her black hair. She was a picture of beauty and eloquence , physically she was flawless. She looks excited about him, to top it all, she wants to please her parents. She knew her parents will like him because his the kind of guy her parent wants for her. ‘’meet

Ore mi (my friend)’’, she told her parents. They left the house for their first date they were already into each other. They stepped out she was looking gorgeous with her black hair and skin. Her eyes were an icy shade of grey, he is handsome, dating rumors started fueling at her house when they left. Biola was ten years older than her. They got along fabulously, had a great time together , she was great person to be around. They left by past 12 noon and after few hours of having a good time in some great places in the city of lagos, he brought her home by 8pm. As she came back home that evening, after dropping her bag as she hesitated to go to her room to refresh herself in the bathroom. She joined the rest of the family at the sitting room as they were all curious to know her first date with Biola how it went. She narrated all that happened and places they visited, also she almost killed the joy in the atmosphere when she said she told him about her relationship with Azubuike and her family stand on the issue, that he still loves Azubuike inspite of breaking up with him because of her family.

She told them as their itching ears was opened to listen to more gist and how he tried to convince her to fall in love with him. Her family encouraged her to fall in love with Biola his Yoruba and seems to be responsible. She nodded with a ‘’yes’’ she said with a yawn. She immediately retired to her room to sleep to be awake early enough for her work the next day.

Romance got into the equation everyone her friends and neighbours around them saw it and he sometimes goes to pick her from work to buy her lunch and drop her with his car at home after work. Friends and families saw both them often. Her friends and some of her family members were divided between Azubuike and Biola. Some believed biola is better because his Yoruba, ready to marry, financially stable and her parents supports. To some others with a contrary view believes Azubuike is a good guy though just graduated from the university that he has a bright future if she can wait for him as she earlier planned. Also for the reason that, biola is her parents' choice all because of tribe and is not enough reason to go into marriage while Azubuike is deola’s choice. During this period, azubuike had all the rumour that deola dumped him for someone else, he was scared and worried. It could happen to anyone when you lose someone you love you get hurt and feel rejected. It hurt more when you worry, you have to stop worrying. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not how you planned, but just how they’re supposed to. After a long year, on Biola’s birthday with few family and friends at his house he proposed to her. She was shocked it came to her by surprise. Biola is a nice guy, kind and understanding but she has always let him know their relationship can't go further than the way it is presently anytime he talks of marriage with her.

There were cameras and videos focus on them. When he proposed deola said ‘’

you are handsome, you're a good man, my family favors you but marrying you is not about what my family wants but what I want. I am not your wife your wife will come the right time, am in love with that Igbo boy and the only person I want to be a wife to is Azubuike, am sorry’’. Now think of it, in spite of all the storms that got my nerves all rattled out for the past two years, lets be realistic, for Adeola coming back to him, is it Destiny or a grave mistake? I heard a lot of people given their candid advice to her with all these strong oppositions you faced with Azubuike, fate don’t want you both together. Some others will say you have to let go of her, if it is destiny someday in the future you both will get back together. To some they are of the opinion what will be will be. So you don’t have to make any effort about matters as this one, if it is for you it will come to you sooner or later. His father will say only God knows what’s best if she will come back or not. But, one thing that have realized fate doesn’t decide everything. Sometimes we have to choose. You have to make a choice.

When you get married?

Do not marry because of gender

Do not marry because you are getting old

Do not marry because you need a financial support

Do not marry because of age

Do not marry someone out of pity

Do not marry for having children

Do not marry because all your friends are married

Do not marry someone because that’s who your parents prefer

Do not marry because of physical attraction or academic qualification

Do not marry because of tribe.

This is what someone once said. Marry because of Love.

She left the venue full of tears in her eyes as some of her family members and friends who attended went with her. She got home rushed into her room and shut everyone out from talking to her. Her parents were very unhappy and were full of remorse when they realized they over pushed her that led to the disgraceful act she pull out at biola’s birthday party.

She locked herself inside the house and burst into tears. She brought her laptop tried to watch the videos she and azubuike did during her youth service, all their pictures and she began to remember the good times they once had. She opened her mail to read her unread messages sent by azubuike for the past few months reaching 110 unread messages. She took her phone and scroll all the messages azubuike sent to her that she never replied.

She tried to reach him but he was not picking his phone, he left text messages and mails but no response. She took a week leave from her office to be able to find azubuike. He tried to find his friends but them all refused to give him his contact. He swallowed her pride to visit his parents. When she got there at first they expressed their disappointment at the way she treated their son not even picking his call and trying to see her all failed. After her apologies they forgave her and understood it wasn’t her fault but she was under pressure. So, they gave her all the necessary details of how to see him. She was thankful and left. She got home and told her parents she will be leaving tomorrow to go find azubuike the following day. The family were aware nothing could stop her from going so they never tried to stop her. It was dawn, she picked few of her belongings and decided to use her car that day. As she goes to find

Azubuike.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

LONG RUN (EVENTUALLY AT LAST)

They say everything happens for a reason and everyone in your life are for seasons. Minute after minute, hour after hour he is always on phone telling her how much he is worried about her, how much he miss her, how much he loves her and tells her how his preparing romantic places when they meet each other again, shower her with expensive gifts and how they will get married and take a trip to the Bahamas for their honeymoon but she never picked up all this while. Everything changed in a twinkling of an eye, she doesn’t call nor does she pick calls anymore even when she answers her phone her responds are so cold she gets rude sometimes

, unlike of her. Even his messages on social media are read but no reply.

She rarely tries to get in touch, and doesn’t answer when he tries to contact her. When he questions her of the reason of sudden change in her attitude towards him she gets so reluctant in answering but after much persuasion she opened up of her parents stand against dating and marrying an Igbo man and their threat to disown her if she continues to see him. For this reason she broke up with him. He was surprised because before she opened up he taught she broke up with him because she has lost faith in him, got herself another boyfriend or discouraged if they have a future together he is in school and she is out of school. When will he finish schooling get a job and they get married? He felt betrayed, he cried, he broke down and it looks as if he couldn’t get pass it. Azubuike taught life is not fair to him how can he miss her all because she is from the Yoruba tribe and he is Igbo. You can be a moral man, an atheist, a Muslim or a

Christian, whatever the religion we practice there are some things religion don’t correct in our lives, or our level of education don’t correct, you alone have the power to change it and that is our Notion. You will see a man with all his educational attainment or religious beliefs he still holding strongly to errors in our culture and tradition. In Nigeria, we have had erroneous beliefs like the killing of twins, labeling some communities slaves (outcast) and many more which has been discarded but there are still many more existing in the system. According to our context, like the discrimination in marriage of tribe between the Igbo’s and

Yoruba’s not just only these tribes alone but also as a point of reference to other tribes in the country and Africa who are suffering from the same victimization. Those wrong notions came as a result of wrong belief, wrong tradition and culture and they need to be changed. All those false opinions are fallacy we need to change them. We should live in so much love and unity that you can come from any tribe and marry any tribe what matters most is Love. We need to stop believing in errors.

After listening to a throwback and an evergreen song by Adaz zarokome how he spoke about how parents dictate the spouse of their children against their will all because of tradition. Sometimes we make mistakes but our fate has been written and no matter how we try to find it sooner or later it will happen. ‘’Nobody owns your happiness except you. You alone can decide how happy or how sad you want your future to be’’. In life you cant win all the time , you win some and lose some but with Adeola , Azubuike wants to win again and again. They say distance makes the heart go fonder.

But to me it is not distance that makes the heart go fonder but when you stop caring about the feelings of the other person. She has not changed but a lot of things have changed. She is under intense pressure to let go of him and all forms of communication between them were broken down. They say family over everything, but true love is everything. Some go with family decision ended up in the arms of another and it was a wrong decision , now she regrets but it's too late to turn back the hands of time. There are mistakes that cannot be corrected it is a mistake that last till the end of time but life is too short to be unhappy. ‘’Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, your class or tribe that is to be blame. You and you alone is responsible for every decision and choices you make. PERIOD!’’ When you become too weak too scared too shy too timid to fight for your dreams you die with it.

Without mincing words, her family was yet to be convinced that tribal differences between the Igbo and Yoruba is nothing to be worried about what is necessary is love, even as they went on and on, reeling out the many perceptions about the igbo’s , their worst fear been that he might take their daughter far from them, or could use her for rituals. Inter-tribal marriage the Yoruba calls it ayojuran and oju kokoro (one deliberately fishing in trouble water) when you marry from distant tribes. Inter-tribal marriage allows people of a tribe to get familiar with the norms , values and taboos of another tribe ; it should be encouraged because it fosters good rapport among people. It is very, very positive, especially in a country with diverse cultures such as ours. Humans beings constitute a pot-pourri of life. So then, young man, if the woman that makes you happy is a Yoruba , igbo , or even hausa, surely you will go there. And, young girl, you may find love in the west, south, north or in the East. Perhaps the time has come when the argument of martin luther king (jnr) should take root ; that we should judge a person by the content of his character rather than the color of his skin. It unites people. Your children will have a solid understanding of being a typical Nigerian from both end, especially when your wife is Yoruba and husband is Igbo. This is perhaps against the backdrop of tribalism and ethnic diversity that has crippled the progress and development of the country.

Love is blind; but love they say, conquers all things and is blind to a multitude of sins. People make sacrifices to be with their loved ones, the question is what have you sacrificed?

He was still in a deep thought as the rain keeps pouring down heavily. He heard a knock on his door he walked towards the door thinking it was someone who needed shelter from the rain. And as he opened the door it was a lady. He could see that this lady drove a car which might be hers. He relunctantly dragged her out of the rain, at this point , he wanted to be careful.

She is dark

She is beautiful and lovely

She looks like a home maker

She is as honey, as candle and as pen

She is Yoruba

It was ADEOLA

True love can be found once my dear. Don’t miss out on true love, you must be a foolish person to forgo true love in this dog-eat-dog world. She loves him from the depth of her heart and just can't replace him. If you have ever truly love someone you can’t deny the fact that LOVE NEVER

DIES.

It was like heaven on earth that day. They were both in tears as they hugged, and kissed each other. He took her bags in, removed her wet clothes, quickly made a warm bath and they ended up in the bathroom. It was as before,he carries her on his back from the bathroom to the room. That night, they talked laughed as they both catch up with the past. He searched for her dress she left years ago to cover her. Afterwards, he went to his cupboard and searched for the disk of Iwoni which is their love song. They danced, sang it together until they slept off till morning. As someone once said, ‘’ A person who loves you will never stop believing in you…. and will never let you go, no matter how hard the situation is’’. Against all odds, on a LONG RUN, it was love at last. A year after, they got married just as they said it , four years from the time they confessed it. It was now on the 23rd of January on a Saturday, they tied the knot and they lived happily ever after.

Love and marriage is a matter of understanding and choice. Someday, when they are full of age having grown up sons and daughters they will still search for the dusty audio tape of Iwoni and can still sing the song to each other every 23rd of each month of the year as their family and friends gather to cheer them up.