IYA (short story)

Mama was almost breathing her last, i watched her helplessly and couldn't do anything to save her.  Was she going to die the same day my wife was in labour after twelve years of being without a child, i shed tears as i reminded her that the day she had hoped and prayed for had come.  Bunmi had just been rushed into the delivery room, i couldn't go in because i also had to be by mama's side, my heart was torn into two..

Mama had suffered to raise me even amidst her ill health, she had fallen seriously sick after my father and two siblings died in a ghstly motor accident. Mama had never remained the same again, she developed high blood pressure and later had partial stroke, i remember how she would sell off her wrappers and some expensive jewelries that my father had gotten her just to make sure she saw me through school, yes, she enjoyed just a little of my wealth but had hoped her old weak hands could embrace her grandchildren.

The thoughts were still running through my mind when the doctor came to announce that i had a daughter, it was a dream come true as mama had prayed i have a daughter first, so she replaces the vacuum my deceased sister's created in her heart.. I was filled with joy, finally a cry of a baby would be heard in my home, mama was all smiles as she requested i name my daughter after her and that i should not weep because her joy was complete even though she couldn't see the new born but she is glad the miracle happened in her life time, she asked me to take care of my wife and her grand daughter and just as i was promising her i'd do everything she wanted, she gave up the ghost.

I wept uncontrollably but the sight of my new born healed my soul... I named her IYABO, just as mama wanted, i still believed a part of mama was always with me when ever i behold my precious daughter!

Ifunanya Ononiwu (c) 2016

SWEET NOTHING

I am someone who has discipline, i would never take a strange woman home but i was heartbroken, Yvonne left me broken and shattered, my heart was struggling to recover. Sometimes when thoughts of her flashes my mind, i begin to ask myself why i let her go, i couldn't give her all the blames because i also made a horrible mistake of not finding out what was going on but she kept blaming her parents as the architect of our love gone sour which i wouldn't agree with.
Yvonne and i had been together for three years, when our love story began, she sometimes tells me jokingly that if i wasn't ready by the time we graduated from school that she'd leave me as she had made plans to get married and have her first child before she's 25. I didn't think she could leave me, i was over confident that no matter what i did or what ever happened, Yvonne would stick with me because she loved me and made me feel alive.
Time ticked and we were three years already, we were preparing and warming up in advance to when our NYSC postings would be out, we seldom saw each other as we weren't staying in the same state but we were communicating constantly. Then my Yvonne changed, she started avoiding some of my calls and request to visit, she became distance and i knew something had happened but i didn't see the need to start digging, i felt she was under pressure from house work.
Soon our NYSC posting came out, she was posted to Lagos while i was posted to Enugu, i was surprised because we had decided to work it to the same state and her uncle who i later found out wasn't her uncle was to help us as my parents didn't want to be a party to bribery, how come my name didn't make it to Lagos, i don't know because i had given the man a huge sum of money. Yvonne just gave some lame explanation as to why it happened and we parted ways in a rather cold manner, she was acting as if i was suffering from a terminal disease, she didn't want to come close to me even when i tried to hug her, she kicked against it with another lame excuse, i endured and felt it was one of her mood swing moments and we left school that day without much words.
Months had passed and we were almost rounding up with our youth service, we still communicated but it wasn't as before, something had really changed but i thought it was just the distance. I couldn't wait to break the news to Yvonne about my job, already waiting for my passing out so i could start and how i planned to visit Lagos immediately after the POP but she kept rejecting my calls which prompted my anxiety of really wanting to go to Lagos to ask her why.
The day was finally here, i had booked a flight to Lagos three days before then and it was for 4:45pm from Enugu to Lagos, i called my cousin Chuks to come pick me from the airport since i would be staying at his place.
I had a mixed feeling as we drove from the airport to my cousin's place, i couldn't explain it, i had to neglect any negative thought and focused on seeing my darling again after a long while.
I couldn't see Yvonne that day and even the next, she said she was really choked up with work because she had been retained in the oil servicing firm where she had served, Chuks told me to relax as i was still around and Lagos was a busy place so i'd still see her, i kept thinking maybe she was leaving me to get married as she had always teased but i waved the thought, i couldn't imagine it, losing my Yvonne to another man... No way!
It was Friday already, Chuks told me there was a remedy to calm my restless spirit, he told me there were girls who weren't necessarily prostitutes but could pass for pleasure while you pay them, he had a particular babe who would bring another one along while coming for me. I refused initially, i felt it was stupidity to pay for sex.. I'd rather have a woman in my life that i would be loyal to and use that money to give her a good life but Chuks kept insisting and with time i was convinced i needed a woman, then he called them, he promised to pay each girl twenty thousand naira for the night and before you know it the deal was sealed.
My heart kept beating, it was the first time i would be with another person other than my Yvonne in three years but my cousin with his sweet mouth kept reassuring me it would help me relax, and i agreed..
Soon the girls arrived, i was in the room when Chuks brought my own girl in. She is light skinned and very pretty, i became afraid because growing up we heard stories of fair women coming from the sea or being an "Ogbanje". When she spoke, her voice was soothing, i became more scared, she came closer to me, planted a kiss on my lips and whispered in my ears telling me to relax, then began to undress me while running her almost white fingers on my chest. I was going to have a good night after all so i should relax, soon we were done with our pleasure ride, the girl was out of this world, i haven't had anything so good in my entire life.
In the morning after another pleasure routine, i asked if she could come spend the night with me again and she agreed with a smile that charmed the eye.
We showered, got dressed and i went to knock for Chuks to give me the keys so i can drop off my new reason for highness, Chuks was getting ready to drop his girl too so he asked that we give him a little time. Five minutes later, they came out of the room and i had a voice that was familiar, i looked up.... It was my Yvonne coming out from my cousin's room, she was literally a call girl in Lagos? I didn't know what to do, it was as if dark clouds were gathering before me and i fainted, i woke up a few minutes later and saw Yvonne, she had cried out her eyes out and the were blood shot, she began to explain, i couldn't make out anything from her explanation except that she felt i cheated on her before our NYSC and that her parents desperately needed money so she had to do something else to support herself, she kept referring to her parents as the reason behind what she was doing.
To me she was blabbing, Yvonne knows my parents are wealthy and i could do anything for her, if i could pay her fees sometimes, she knew money wasn't my problem but she had chosen her part.... I didn't want to see her ever again but at the sane time i didn't want her to go, my heart was in shreds and wrecked.
I resorted to going out every night and getting myself a girl to help me relax, Chuks would always say a night of pleasure was drug for the soul, Yvonne had succeeded in destroying anything called Love in me, she denied my heart a chance to give her the best...
It was all Sweet nothings, she made me feel love was all i needed at one point and she took it away the next minute, she had been calling to apologise i suppose but i am not giving her that chance, i still don't want to believe all the coldness and change were for this and she had even started this deal with the devil before she left for Lagos.
I had better plans for us and she ruined it, will i ever survive this ordeal, it felt as though my heart was going to be ripped out.... I was dying inside but who would save me....
Ifunanya Ononiwu (c) 2016

25 AND NIGERIAN,episode 2

Its the morning of the fourth day of January, Akudo's traditional marriage had come and gone. I was packing my things when my mother walked into the room and was smiling in her usual manner you'd know she was about to say something sarcastic and there goes it ''Nne this one you are running to go back,no one is chasing you away from your father's house o'',as if i knew and didn't want us to get into another argument so i just shoke my head in affirmation and she left the room whistling.

Soon i was ready to leave and my twin had volunteered to drive me all the way to Port harcourt since it wasn't a long distance from our home town in Abia state, i went into Mother's room to let her know i was leaving. She asked that i kneel so she could pray for me, my Mother didn't finish one sentence of prayer without asking God to bless me with my own husband,it was a routine that i had to be her prayer point at every single devotion and i was even used to it ,i only smiled and made low gigly sounds while i said Amen after Amen,i am just 25 and she is making it seem like i am 50,all wrinkly and fighting menopause but even if i were,what's the big deal. What if i didn't want to marry, i am sure all the church prayer warriors will make our house their second home where they can destroy every demon that would have pushed me to making such decisions.
Mother concluded her prayer that was majorly about my getting married,she even forget i was traveling so we had said the grace before she remembered she didn't ask for journey mercies,so much for marriage.

I was quiet all through the drive to Port harcourt,my brother thought i was even sleeping,the day's weather was cool so i let my mind slip away in thoughts while my eyes were shut, i thought about how i was going to become a millionaire with chains of businesses by the end of this year, travel to choice destinations and enjoy the good things of life.  One would think i am supposed to be bothered about my mother's marriage rants.... Nah! i was already getting used to them and only needed to think of a way out of her new found reason for official wahala.
 I was brought back to life from my fairy tale thoughts when Nnamdi's asked of the road to take, i opened my eyes and directed him till we got to the gate guarding the compound where i lived.
Its a story building and i occupy one of the one bedroom flat upstairs, i told my brother. The compound is rather too massive for just one building and i always wondered why the land lord had to build a small house on it. As if my brother read my thoughts,he asked the same thing about my land lord and his house space issues while making a joke of it and we laughed as he helped me take one of my bags out of the trunk of the car.  We got into my flat and i had to start cleaning immediately because it was dusty,Nnamdi said he had to go visit some friends at Choba and beat time as he had to leave back to the village before the sun sets.

 I was through with cleaning and dusting the house and was making a meal of jollof pasta and dry fish that i had taken from home when my phone rang,its my Mother. I had forgotten to tell her i was home,i picked and we talked for some time and as usual she ended the call with ''if you were married now,you won't be eating that food you are making alone.. You know it would taste better having someone around right?''. I just replied ''yes ma,i know,take care of yourself we would talk later,let me attend to the food so it doesn't get burnt''.

After i dropped the call,i had a flash back to all my mother's drama in the village and i have decided i was going to get married this year. I just needed to find someone who would go along with my plan to please my mother....
Yes,i finally had a plan!

To be contd!
Ifunanya Ononiwu (c) 2016

25 AND NIGERIAN, episode 1

''So its the first day of the year and its just two days to go'', my younger sister was thinking out loud. Her traditional marriage was coming up on the 3rd of January of this year,she has been super excited,telling me that would be the happiest day of her life. At 23,i just imagined why she was in so much hurry, its her life i suppose and i respect her decisions even though i was sure she didn't love Emma, her husband to be but i wish her the best.

  my mum strolled into the room to cut our stories short, ''Nne, Nwanyiego you need to go to the market immediately and buy some soup things,our in laws are coming for the last traditional rights this evening so that next tomorrow will be for only the Igba nkwu, i am going to church''. When ever my mum wanted you to do something for her,she will give you all the fine names like Ezenwanyi and Nwanyiego. I didn't want to go because i had my own plans, i and my twin had decided to visit Uyo and go tO the Eket beach since he hadn't properly 'washed' his new car, we had planned and i was almost done with my make up. ''Mummy please send Akudo, i and Nnamdi have plans already and we are already running late.

my mother didn't allow me to finish before she started to scream that, ''its only 7am and you have what plans eh? When you get to your husband's house you can start making plans like that'', that she couldn't send Akudo,my sister who is the bride to be because she needed all the rest and how i should not be selfish or act envious because my sister is getting married before me. I didn't utter another word and simply took the list of items and money from her,i went into my brother's room to tell him i won't be joining him to Uyo, my day was already ruined this early and i was sure i won't enjoy the outing again.

The market is a stone throw to my house,i know i can't go this early because the women usually start bringing out their wares as from 10am and for today that is the first day of the year,they might start a little late than they used to. My mother would have just sent my younger cousin's who were sitting and idling away in their rooms, she had a small girl that she lives with too,why must it be me and today of all days. There were alternatives of other people who could help buy this little things,even the women helping to cook,i'm sure would have volunteered to help out with the little things needed but my mum won't let them.
She has decided to make my stay this festive season hell because i have been rejecting everyone she tried to match make me with, but how could you match make your daughter to some guy because he stays abroad and have been going round giving out money and bags of rice,my mother didn't bother to know what this man does for a living, with all her education and exposure she is only hellbent on marrying us off to the richest suitor not minding how we feel. She would always say ''don't you want to marry a rich man?''        
Its not that i am not interested in rich people,i want someone i would be happy with but my mum keeps saying 'you will learn to love him',that's her catch phrase in recent times.

My maternal aunt's shout brought me back to my environment and away from my thoughts. She hadn't seen my twin for the past five years since he left home for Malaysia, she hugged him,laughing in her usual manner while talking loudly to my mum ''Agnes le le nu o,Nnamdi of yesterday, haa biko we will marry a wife for you before you travel back, we want grand children everywhere''.
 My aunty Chinasa, with her very loud voice and laughter that could tear down the great walls of China, she is everything that my mother is not. She is a blunt person and the only person who has been defending me from my mum's plenty wahala about marriage. She had told my mum last year to let me be when Emma had first asked for Akudo's hand in marriage and my mother was ready to come to Portharcourt and drag me back home so i would marry Omereoha, her choice of a husband for me.
 My aunt used herself as an example,even though she is my mother's elder sister with about five years, my mum had married much earlier before she did and she still had children , she would often tell me that the only difference between not getting married when your mates did is the age difference between your children and theirs that is if you want children, she would also say entering early doesn't guarantee a happy home.
I was happy she was around at least there is someone who reasons the way i do and i would talk with till i leave the village,i already plan to leave the next day after my sister's wedding though i still have some days before my casual leave expires,i didn't have strength for my mother's unnecessary quarrels......

Ifunanya Ononiwu(c) 2016

TO BE CONTINUED!