A Piece Of Me

It was magical, All the excitement that had filled my system since he proposed, Butterflies flying around my tummy. The silent giggles whenever his thoughts or face flashed through my mind And then the D-day came, Obviously the event planners knew their onions, The arrangement and planning was on point, Family, guests, all had a nice time. Did I forget to mention the honeymoon? Far away in Hawaii. I dreamt of it as far back as secondary school, I flooded the internet and social media with different pictures and video of how it all went down. Hmmm! It was all I could ever ask for, a perfect union made in heaven or so it seemed, at that point. Boom! Reality check, Fast forward to present day. That was four years ago, It’s some few minutes past eight and he is not yet home. The last time I checked,closing hour was still 5pm. Normally,20 minutes tops after closing he's home. My last redial just ended, the eleventh ring out. Few minutes

We used to free, playing on the streets,kicking empty cans all the way to school and back. We were free to visit the stream,coming back home with eyes so red you can’t deny where you’ve been ( you really didn’t need to anyway) We used to be free to eat,drink in the neighbours friends house coming back home with big round tommies and shirts stained with oil due to the struggle for meat. It was actually allowed to remove our sandals and walk bare feet, swinging them in rythims of songs learnt from the village square last night. Parents yes, but the society was the standard model and watch dog. Kids getting spanked by total strangers when due and still complimented for not sparing the rod when the news filtered back home. Teachers were idolised as mini gods due to the importance society placed on them- a noble profession with “rewards in heaven”. Life for us as kids was super fun. We built castles with mud,using our legs as designs. Creativity and natural instincts buzzing in our he

What happened?  How did we end up on this side of the lane? And yet I didn’t notice – till now when we crossed! The sparks we saw in each others eyes  became so faint and yet it seemed so bright when you blinked. The chemistry long gone and yet I felt our relationship was scientific (all figured out ). Even when the “hellos” became so far in between I still didn’t  feel alone!. How come silence became the language we spoke so loudly? No wonder the simplest of discussions ended in chaos, while I remember vividly when we could go on for hours without noticing we’ve talked all night. Those thoughts are a far cry to what we have become today – sadly so. It’s so easy for us now to spend time with outsiders and on social media with virtual friends than ourselves. A song writer was sang “ if I can turn back the hands of time”, my prayers and wishes right now. Am desperate! I don’t think it was ever a question of love; I had that in excess for you but it turned out it was

The sudden strike of thunder jolted me back Even thou the room was dark, The lightening produced a rough view Another soul lying innocently beside me Hiding from the cold underneath the small wrapper Ekaete oh poor girl! Sent parking from home by her wicked step mother! You wonder why? Let me tell you my pathetic story, We were young and full of unguarded energy. I literally saw sparks whenever I saw her! Her smile left me speechless, The sensation her skin produced on mine Can only best be imagined. In simple words, we were “LOVE BIRDS”! And in our final year in school, Reading at night was inevitable! Then came that night. On a chilling November night The harmattan season at its peak here in Jos, A gentle tap on my back distracted my unsettled concentration. Turning back, What stood in front of me can best be described as an “angel”! As we walked out of the auditorium with her in front, Staring at the curves exposed by her

Five years after we got married our son finally came,the pains of waiting for that long instantly vanished when I saw the Doctor hold him up,still covered with tiny drops of blood and wriggling his tiny feets. I was too excited at the sight I didn't notice the fact that he didn't cry as expected of a new infant. Exhausted from the 3 hour labour process I fell asleep almost immediately. Hours later I woke up in the private ward and there he was,perfectly wrapped fast asleep on the bed just beside me. He looked every inch a perfect baby coming in at 3.6kg and did I forget to mention he had Debo's eyes? The resemblance was striking even at a distance. Our lives changed with this perfect gift from God and we were more than ready to face the responsibility of raising our son Ayomide Adeniyi-Jones. Weeks quickly turned into months right before our eyes and I began to notice some "delays" in his development. Physically he was alright,he's appetite was good too but h

Mama-na! Mama-na!! He will call me. I can never forget that deep baritone voice of his approaching our compound’s perimeter-walled fence made from dried millet stalks. You could not mistake the excitement in his voice; another calf, the third within a week. This meant we had extra calabash full of fresh dairy milk. More than enough for my Baba and I, and for that naughty friend of mine – Halima. She could have a cup, just one, when she comes to make her hair later in the afternoon that’s if she comes with my favorite gorrriba fruit, I know the one in their house has some ripe ones already; but definitely not Tanko, my cousin. If he wants some, he would have to go to the farm where the cows are and milk some for himself. Not even the lure of beautiful big houses, fancy cars and colourful hanging lamps lined on their streets could make me leave the calmness of Kateri my village. We were told in the village square that you could walk for long stretches and your feet will

" If you're here to attend the sitting of the disciplinary panel on examination malpractice and cultism please come into the conference room now! Make sure you have your student ID card with you as you come. I will not repeat this announcement again". The husky male voice on the public address system was very loud and clear. I can not mistake that voice even in the centre of a busy market square. Prof. Ogunsoye Awolola,the much dreaded Dean of Student Affairs. The tone of his voice sounded exactly the same as it did when I stood in front of his desk a week ago,on my first invite by the panel. Holding the record of having the most students either suspended or rusticated in his tenure as Dean just two years down the line in a five year term speaks a lot about his style of administration,his record does precede him. "he doesn't have human sympathy at all,not even for the parents who have spent so much and sacrificed alot for their children to get within the four

"he is my son,my only son so why cant I take care of him myself?" "but mama,he's my husband,I vowed to be by him in good times and bad times,till death do us part" "so you want my son to die okpehia?" "that's not what I mean mama,mama please dan Allah" Even though I was under the influence of the sedatives,but I could hear their voices faintly outside the male ward of the specialist hospital in Maitama. It was my fourth night in the general ward,the very kind female nurse told me I was in the intensive care unit for a whole week before I was transferred here for the final phase of recuperation. I was brought in unconscious and bleeding from the ears and nose. "broda,na god save you o",the nurse echoed in her deep Yoruba ascent as she conducted her ward rounds earlier,just to remind me of how lucky I was to be alive. I could only offer a faint smile in acknowledgment as I beckoned on her to help adjust the pillows behind m

He came into my room He came at me, hugged me and carried me up, turned me around and brought me down gently It was almost like a romantic scene between two lovers Daddy Daddy I screamed with excitement Its been a while since he came around True to his words the last time he came; “ I will be travelling out of town for a while” So I knew he wont be making his normal 3 days routine visit That has been the trend ever since they signed the divorce papers with mum “Your mother won the right to custody but he can visit anytime he wanted as long as your mum will be present in the house”; that was the only explanation I got from the social welfare officer. Nothing as to why they were getting divorced in the first place! I guess I was too young to understand, so they didn’t bother. Like seriously? I was 10 years old at the time and I was a big fan of movies!! For 3 years, he never missed his visits, even though he and mummy never had lengthy talks when he c