Fiction: Gossip in the Sunlight

The Eyand’isu market was not calm like still waters – instead, it was running like the hardworking hands of the grandfather clock. The market was another world on its own. Traders were buying and selling, sellers calling out to potential customers with enticing words; even the animals were not left out in this half-chaotic-half-normal world – it seemed like some of them were calling unto God to save them from the call of the soup pot, and the rest had accepted their long-known fate already. Eyand’isu market was a very big market, one could even get lost in the market, especially if such person had never been there before. It was said that in the days of the ancestors of Oloto town, in which the market was situated, there was a man who ate the food of the gods placed in the market place and immediately he did that, he turned into a tuber of yam. From that day onward, the market was referred to as Eyand’isu, which means “a person turned into a yam”. Also, the people of Oloto town stopped eating yam from that very day, for fear of eating a human being or a charmed food; it was a tradition that was upheld till date.
The market had different sections where different goods were sold. It was in this market that Abeni, Akanke and Abeke sold their various wares. Abeni was selling rice, beans, garri and flour in bags, Akanke had a shop where she sold the soap she made daily while Abeke was involved in selling different kinds of drinks. These three were best of friends, and even their husbands were forced to become good friends. Their shops were adjacent to one another, so they saw one another every day. But these friends had a shared hobby which they engaged in when they were not busy in the market place. This hobby was none other than gossiping. The three ladies were popularly known as “Àjẹ mẹta” as they were always found together, when not working, in the business of gossip.

One fateful day in the market, these three friends were found sitting together in Akanke’s shop, enjoying the cool breeze in the marketplace. As usual, it was time to analyze the people passing by- predict their past, present and future, and talk about the latest happenings in town.

Just as they were two minutes into the meeting, a lady passed by. This lady wore a yellow gown and a black beret, she also had black shades on. She was a little bit above the average height, quite busty and her skin looked “multi-coloured”. She completed her dressing with a black handbag coupled with yellow and black heels to match. As she passed by, Abeni burst into series of laughter, holding her stomach as she laughed as if there would be no room for laughter the next day. Akanke and Abeke shared a mischievous look and then started laughing too. Heads turned towards the direction of the laughter; some people shook their heads and smiled, having known the character of the three women, while others questioned their sanity by the look in their eyes. After a minute of continued laughter, they finally came back to their senses and Akanke asked the big question: "Why are we laughing, Abeni?". With raised eyebrows, Abeni answered back with a question: "So in this Oloto town, you people are telling me that you don't know who that lady is?, Wawu". "Ehn, we don't know. Just gist us, Abeni, at least we can't know everything. Ko possible", replied Abeke.
Abeni then proceeded to tell the reason behind her laughter, as her two friends listened with rapt attention. She explained that the lady was quite popular among the area boys, and she was known as “Pepe”. “That girl you’re seeing, in fact, she’s a grade one ashawo, seriously oo”, she started. “Almost all the boys in this area have slept with her – imagine, all those useless, good-for-nothing nincompoops with no future ambition. I even heard that ehm, what’s that chief’s name again oo? , chai, I have forgotten”, she continued. Abeke asked “Which chief are you talking about? Describe him so we can at least guess the identity of the person you’re trying to tell us about”. “He’s not too tall like this, he is as black as charcoal and he drives that old Volvo that sounds like it wants to collapse”, she replied. Akanke quickly made a sound that seemed like that she remembered something; Abeni and Abeke turned to her, expecting an answer. She answered them by saying that she had remembered the name of the chief, and she stated that he went by the name Chief Aroro. With that, the three of them laughed once again as Abeni said “Exactly, that’s his name. It befits him, that stingy man that doesn’t like to spend money. He’ll now be pricing goods as if we buy them for free, nonsense. Akanke and Abeni hissed at the same time, as if it was planned, and they all went into another fit of laughter.

Abeni then continued her narration: “Like I was saying, that shameless chief has also had his share of Pepe’s cake”. “Ewo, you don’t mean it o”, interrupted Abeke. “I’m serious o, very serious, I caught them with my two korokoro eyes acting all romantic – Pepe was rubbing that man’s head repeatedly as if she already had juju in that palm of hers. It was quite disgusting, I even heard from Mama Tobi some weeks ago that someone told her, that Chief Aroro, theChief Aroro we know gave a whooping sum of twenty thousand to that ashana.” At that point, Akanke and Abeke had their mouths open in surprise, and they quickly closed it as Abeni continued the interesting story. “Naso I see am too o, my friends, I was as shocked as you two are now; for that man to give the girl twenty thousand, when his children are on the verge of having kwashiorkor, I concluded that the Pepe girl is a karishika. Anyways, to cut the long story short, Pepe’s life is fried already o”. “Fried, how do you mean?” , asked Akanke. “Hmm, it is true that a man reaps what he sows – a woman in this case; Pepe is now reaping the fruits of the bad seeds she has sown. I heard that she now has syphilis”, Abeni continued. Akanke and Abeke started to laugh, and Abeni joined in. After the laughter had died down, Akanke said that she deserved it while Abeke was of the opinion that it was good so she could change and turn from her loose ways.

“The point is that our young ladies need to stop being promiscuous because Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are very real”, added Abeni. Akanke and Abeke nodded and they prayed that God in heaven would help the young ones.

As they wanted to continue their discussion, the clouds became dark all of a sudden and raindrops started coming down, little by little until it became heavy. The three friends quickly dispersed as they went to cover their exposed goods from the heavy rain. So, it was that the clouds had adjourned their little gossip assembly, and the rain had seconded the motion.

INECTA

I’m about to take the pills

My heart is steeled and my mind set like a new windows sills

I do not care about the repercussions for the only sane thing to me is flushing this thing out and sinking into the cushion or the ocean.

Then I remember that night true

I remember putting my siblings to bedlike my mother used to

I remember putting on my silk gown and switching off the lights

Going to bed and drawing the blankets over my head for it was a cold night

Like every 15 year old, I began fantasizing about my future prince charming coming for me, my knight.

Then I felt his presence

His voice, a menace

I felt his heat and the heaviness of his breath

I felt the dimension of his width

I felt his weight too

I felt my strength weakening against his

The firmness.

I pushed

I strained

I screamed even though they were muffled

I bit

I cried

I struggled

Till I struggled no more.

I felt empty

I sunk into oblivion, oblivious and was sucked into this space, never to return

You may ask

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Well, I’ll tell you too

But,

My father is the father of my child

Mary j

SELF VALUE

                           

In this season I have being building myself in all spheres in a bid to ensure that none of the abilities I have die without been utilized. This build up came as a result of me re-discovering my value to the world; my contribution and usefulness to my environment and the world at large. Understanding this is what results in growing a good self esteem

Self-esteem is drawn out of your self concept. It is a picture of you before you.

Your self esteem is drawn out of the discovery of the value placed upon you by your creator. Do you know that your behaviour, language use, and your choices in life spring out of the value you place upon yourself? Do you know that you see your friends and your environment based on the value you place on yourself? Those things you let go came out of your impression of you? You gave up on those projects because you did not know that you are of a very high importance to the world. You allowed a lot to just go by because you did not recognize that only you can do it like you in that capacity or area of living. Until you know your value tag, you might just lay there becoming impact less and it is worthy to note that no one is created to die impactless, no one!

 Where do you draw the picture of your value from? From your parent or from friends? The rightest place to get the picture of your value is from God your creator. The value God places on you is the value you should place on yourself at all times. The creator, God, created us all to dominate and fill the earth that is what your value should be like. To dominate! To be success. All that our creator has in mind is in the positive. With this view of life, we can see that we are important.

So when you we see that we are the best of our kind we would be able to contribute to our environment and ensure that the gifts in us is used to influence the world. It helps you to love yourself the way you are with the mindset of bettering yourself everyday. The understanding of your self esteem would also help you to have a purpose for living. Your purpose for living would then be worth dying for. Anything you're currently living for that you cannot die for is not worth it at all. Your purpose will picture your self esteem.

Your purpose could actually be to solve the issue of unemployment in Africa. You could desire to achieve this by being an entrepreneur with the desire to employ people in different works of life. You take different steps to the achievement of this seriously because you believe 'in your world' that if you don't do it no one else can do it and you understand that no one else can do it the way that you'll do it. Your decision to do this springs forth from the understanding that you have a crucial part to play in this world and it is only you that is like you.

One great thing that a good self esteem does to you is that it helps you to see others in the very way you see yourself. So when a man screams down on people at his work place or scared them away from his environment it is because of a particular way he views himself and he feels everyone views him that way also. He values himself lowly (Low self esteem) therefore he can't value those in his environment any better or he might just value himself more highly than those in his environment because he doesn't understand that the nest person is just like him (superiority complex). Any of these (Superiority or inferiority complex) would make you less productive in all that you ought to do.

Lastly, the value you place on a substance result in its usage. The value you place on yourself has a way to help to change the world because you would allow yourself to be grown or left useless, you would be more conscious of all that you do with every opportunity that comes your way. You value you, you value me.

Anikelove

New Year, New Me, New Mantra

Lizzy walks out of the class reluctantly and frowning. She had just been sent out of the Math 101 class by the lecturer for not been punctual.

"Damn! I thought I was done with this kind of life in 2019", she mutters to herself.

She stretches on a settee at the corridor, totally fatigued from the futile race she had embarked on from her hostel to the department. Suddenly, she remembers she had forgotten to say her morning prayers as was the ritual back at home. 'God when...?' she screams out loud.
A pudgy girl of seventeen, lazy at physical exercise; she yells at a woman selling french fries and ice cream. She will have breakfast right now!

Just then, Janet sights her school daughter munching hungrily at the junk foods. 'Hey Lizzy, I thought you said you were done with junks in 2019 to devote more space for bodily exercise inorder to shed some weight.
Disappointed, Lizzy stares at the floor wondering if New year resolution is really a good idea.

Yes of course! It's a great idea to make new year resolutions. They are essential goals and can increase a person's well-being because they force us to consider what we value most and they help us structure our time.

Definitely, making the resolutions is just as easy as you can imagine, not a big deal at all, but sticking to them is often the hard nut to crack.

However, if you want to get your resolutions on progress this time, then you're reading the right article! Here's good news for you:

✨Carefully and patiently make smaller and simple resolutions for a start and be very specific.

✨Write down these resolutions and make it 'public'- let your intimate friends and immediate family members be carried along. This way, you'll get serious with them because you don't want to go back on your promise.

✨Plan ahead on how to go about it and follow through this plan while checking yourself regularly to ensure that you're still on track.

✨Anticipate the challenges you might face while trying to adjust to your newly found life and visualize how you're likely to tackle them if they arise. This way, you'll be getting ready before the start date.

✨Moreover, plan on rewarding yourself often at each great feat. This will serve as an encouragement even at the initial hardest attempts.

✨It's also important to inform your creator about it, I'm dead sure you'll need sufficient grace to pull through.
Don't give up!

 

The New year is less than 24 hours away and people are already indulging in the #New Me 2020. It’s that time of the season where multitude revel in the newness of the year, indulge in retrospection and reevaluate some of their past decisions and life changing choices.

With the New Year comes a ton of resolution plans. However once the glow of the New Year wears off, most people struggle to follow through with their plans and slip back to their old ways consciously or unconsciously.

According to a study published in the journal of clinical psychology, only 46% of people who made New Year resolution were successful which means over half of people who set a goal for the New Year will fail.

Resolution is more than just writing a goal which in itself cannot be undermined, it’s more about following through, taking the next step, overcoming hurdles when faced and ultimately reaching the goals set for the year.

With that in mind, before joining the #New Year New Me band wagon.  Here's 8 exhaustive plan to note before listing out these resolutions and ultimately result in following through your resolution plan.

1. Mentally Re-evaluate

The 1st breakthrough is taking a personal inventory. Oh yes, Indulge yourself. Look inwardly to your past years.  This is certainly not your 1st resolution. Being that it’s the end of a year and the beginning of another.

Ask these questions
a) What did I set out to do the past years?
b) What progress did I make?
c) Where didn’t I see progress?

Answering those questions will better equip you with the ways you have made progress the past years, the method you can adopt and past mistakes that delayed the progress.

2. Set a goal that revolves around you.

Envisaging 2020. Being a copycat or doing things to please others is no longer accepted. Be You!  Set goals for you and yourself. Let your resolution align with your priorities, your dreams and your aspirations.
When these goals are important and dear to you, following through and actualizing them becomes an easy feat.

3. Too Much Goals???

Vision 2020, so they say. We all want to do many things, learn to speak 5 different languages, learn 10 new set of skills, have 5 side businesses, and stop 5 negative habits, basically a whole lot.
We are not robots. Having too many resolutions is a good way to not actualize these many goals you set out for.

Focus on your top priorities and merge aligned goals together. Come out with a short list of resolution that seems feasible and have better chance of materializing.

4. Run from Ambiguity "Be Specific"

"I want to be a better person" Good for you!! But the questions is better at what exactly? Do you want to be better positively or negatively?

Be specific, don't just say or write savvy resolution. A common example of ambiguity is also planning on being healthy and quitting junk food. Being healthy is great, but there are lot of things to do, or stop in wanting to be healthy (ambiguity) while quitting junk food which is a sub section of healthy living in diet and consumption is specific and great as well.

5. "BIG GOALS" Syndrome

Unless you're asked to write an essay on "Resolution plans for the year" and that’s the only way you would score high.
Setting big goals happens to the lot of us, but do we end up achieving them? Break down big goals to smaller achievable parts to increase the chances of these goals coming to life.

An example is a student with no job or means wanting to buy a Lexus 2011 model car. That's really huge and beautiful but this plan will most likely not materialize unless one's planning to steal a car or go for 2020 Big Brother Naija and obviously emerge the winner.
Break your yearlong resolution into weekly or monthly goals and focus on the next step in achieving them.

6. Write down your resolutions

Yes, yes. We know you know these goals by heart, by spirit, by body. After all, they're your well-conceived resolutions.  But documenting them is just as important.
And the why's are listed below

a) It is easier to forget, mix up these goals or get side tracked along the way. Writing it down makes you remember.

b) Writing it down sets an intention already, thus helping you to prioritize what you seek to achieve.

c) Having a written account of these set goals is a constant reminder to take action.

d) Finally, written goals are a reminder of how far you've come and your achievable feat.

 It's an awesome feeling to re-read and look back at the end of next year and know your resolution came to fruition.

Another unique idea is writing them down in a Post-It-Note and pasting it over your bedroom walls. A beautiful constant reminder when you wake, sleep, breathe to prompting you to action.

7. Share your goals with your support system

While it’s beautiful making plans and writing these resolutions, sharing these goals also make you accountable. You should share these goals with like-minded people who are looking to share, encourage and help each other improve. Sharing makes you feel a sense of obligation and accountability to deliver. Another beautiful thing about sharing is you have more than yourself to gear you up during slacking moments, the sense of guilt creeps in when you realize you are likely to disappoint, thus gearing you up again. And when you do win, you have like-minded people to celebrate with.

8. Take it slow and steady

In as much as there's measurable time factor in these resolution, there's still 365/6 days, 52 weeks and 12 months. Don't be in a haste. As long as you're being consistent, and actively working out to achieving these goals. It will take time for these resolutions to fully cut out to reality. Of course, setbacks and frustrations will be a part of the journey and rightfully so to make the story sweeter and juicier. A few mistakes shouldn't make you give up.

Peradventure in a month's time you start failing at your resolution attempt, don't be hard on yourself. It’s normal as changes is one of the trying things ever albeit constant. Resolution doesn't need to be tied to a new year, you can always start again tomorrow, Tuesday, Valentine's Day, anytime.

Ultimately, following through with whatever plans you're about to make or have made is key. Don't focus on the end result alone, focus on the steps, mistakes, hurdles and the wholesome journey. Go all out on the small wins to gear you up for more to come and work earnestly in eliminating the distraction or more importantly turning these distractions to attractions. 

Here's to wishing you a prosperous year with actualization of the resolution plans visualized!

A Life of Battery: A Story on Domestic Violence

By Aluko Deborah

Gbam! Gbom! Goes the sound of the heavy punches that lands on Amanda’s cheeks. It’s a crushing impact of bony fists against supple cheeks. Stephen is at it again. He flies off the handle at the slightest provocation. She cries in pain at such inhuman treatment being mete to her. Just then, her friend Pia knocks at the door. Stephen opens the door and walks out of the house furiously. ‘What the hell is going on here?’ Pia yells at him.

Amanda had been married to Stephen for the past eight years and she had never experienced some peace for a split second. She had dated him for two years before marriage but seemed not to have noticed any violent attitude in him. Stephen had changed almost immediately after marriage and Amanda could not forgive herself for falling into this trap. She had attended many marriage seminars and had invited several marriage counsellors all to no avail. She had even tried to impress him, and dote on him, to love him more and shower him with surprises but there’s absolutely nothing she does that goes down well with this young man. He flares up for intangible reasons. It’s either he didn’t fall in love with her food or he isn’t pleased with her outfits or she didn’t take her bath before bed or she’s adding more weight. He compares her with other women and Amanda starts suspecting he’s cheating on her and been unfaithful to his matrimonial vows. Many times, he hits Amanda whenever she tries to oppose his accusations. His beatings have become so severe that she lost the third pregnancy after several years of childlessness.

Stephen turns back slowly and flashes at Pia a look of disdain coupled with a rush of anger and hate. He hisses and walks away arrogantly because extreme anger usually leaves him dumb. Pia rushes at Amanda and grasps her up. She asks her what went wrong this time. Amanda pours out more in tears than in words. ‘My mother in law just left a couple of hours ago, she came to express her concern for our childlessness and Stephen began to accuse me as the cause of it, he addressed me on the level of  promiscuity and infidelity. But when I tried to reveal the truth of his brutality to me, he picked on me and vowed to deal with me like he just did.’ Pia seems not to believe her ears. So, this is what Amanda had been going through all these years but each time Pia had tried to ask why she had a swollen face or an injury, Amanda will just cook a smart lie and refuse to open up. ‘A good wife should always keep her family secret’ she always told herself. If not that Pia caught this very act and at the right time, Amanda will probably have to listen to another lie. She draws Amanda into a warm embrace to subside her tears. Afterwards, she dashes into the kitchen and prepares a cup of cold tea for Amanda to calm her nerves.

As Amanda sips her tea, Pia begins to advice Amanda. ‘Sweetheart, a woman can endure everything for the sake of love or for the sake of her children as the case may be but she must not endure one thing called violence! And that’s the physical one because it’s the most common, for a time is coming that such husband who is indeed an animal in human skin might end up taking your life. As a wise woman who values her life, I think you should give your man a little break. Amanda quickly interrupts Pia. ‘I’m seriously firing relentless prayers about my situation’ she says. Pia tells her that it’s okay to involve religion but she will also need to make good use of the wisdom endowed her and that of a caring friend too as in the midst of good counselors, safety is assured. She also shares with her friend a similar experience she also had with her husband some years back. She had received several beatings and had escaped for her dear life, relocating to a different neighborhood of which her husband knew nothing about. Several weeks passed and it had dawned on him that Amanda was gone for good, he came back to his senses and realized his mistake. Pia had informed only her mother of her where about since her once trusted husband had broken his marriage. ‘He had to go and prostrate for my mum, begging her profusely in tears to know where I hid before mum eventually settled everything for us and we came back together with a stronger bound of love.

Amanda thanks her friend profusely for her advice but she isn’t so much convinced yet, ‘I’ve never imagined breaking away from my husband because I shall not put asunder what God has joined together, I still love my dear husband and I don’t want to increase the trouble in our home’ she ponders. Pia offers to assist with dinner preparations and they proceed to the kitchen. Pia handles the Amala while Amanda prepares the ewedu stew. They set the table as Stephen walks in. Pia whispers to her friend to speak nicely to him, she’s researching something here. ‘Welcome baby your food is ready’ she says tears welling up in her eyes. She presses hard to suppress them. Stephen ignores her without saying a word. Pia tells Amanda to calm down as she breaks down into fresh tears. Pia offers to take her out for a walk but Amanda declines as that might even fuel more trouble for her. Concluding that her presence might be embarrassing Stephen, Pia declares her intention to leave and encourages Amanda to inform the police or call her if she’s been maltreated again. ‘Every woman has the right to claim her marital rights, she points out and leaves as Amanda sees her off.

A week later, Amanda has become so weak and unhealthy due to more incessant maltreatment. She had failed to inform neither the Pia nor the police and moving out wasn’t even one of her options. For her, a blissful marriage had always been her dream and she could keep trying to make this work. Stephen had banned her from attending marriage seminars because he felt it’ll make her much more stubborn and rude to him. Nevertheless, a scheduled meeting with a counselor isn’t a bad idea for Amanda and she won’t hesitate to go this evening. Stephen isn’t used to early dinners, so she will be able to rush back before 7:30 (thirty minutes past the hour of seven). With this in mind, she dresses up and rushes to see her marriage counsellor.

                                               ********************************

Amanda returns home at exactly fifteen minutes past the hours of seven and dinner must be ready in less than forty five minutes. Unfortunately, Stephen’s at his bad mood again. She’s now almost believing the fact that Stephen might have some psychiatric issues after all. He accuses Amanda of staying out late and depriving him of food and sex, as she tries to calm him down and assure him of settling him in no time, he carries a dinning chair and flings it at her. Amanda slumps and goes limp, blood splashes everywhere. Scared and terrified, Stephen struggles to wake her up but all to no avail, her breathing had stopped as lay practically dead in cold blood. Stephen must make his escape very fast, so he quickly packs his bag and exits the house as he ignores the questions and queries of neighbors. Some concerned people quickly get into the house to find out from his wife, his reason for deserting her but they meet the shock of their lives. They quickly alert the police to get Stephen arrested and they make sure that the security lock down the environs to keep Stephen trapped in. Another group of people go after Tony, beat him mercilessly and tie him up as they await the arrival of the police.

Pia drives into the neighborhood in a bid to inform Amanda of a flat she had gotten for her. Her intention’s to take Amanda along with her to buy things to furnish the house with and to link her up with an online psychologist and blogger to help her flourish emotionally. She parks her car under a mango tree, amazed at the crowd at Amanda’s house. Pia asks people around for what the problem is, some refuse to tell her but she hears someone around mention the fact that Amanda is dead. She pushes her way into the living room and screams uncontrollably. There laying before her feet is the tragic end of somebody’s wife.

Fiction: Lost Love by Olabode Oladapo Samuel

“At least if I’ll finally find a way to let go, give me a reason. Tell me what you see in me from the first time that keeps your heart far away from me. Please. At least do this for me so that I can find a way to adjust in my later love story.”

As I was chatting with her on Whatsapp, I could feel a deep sore cruelly engraved at the centre of my heart. I could see myself crying without tears; losing everything I never for once possessed.

After a few seconds she replied, and I was lost.

“Nothing” Nothing? Did she really mean I would lose everything for nothing? All my efforts, all my fights, all my time, all my thoughts, all my calculated plans? I would lose all my life, just for nothing? Nothing would be my first love story? I tried to comprehend the situation, but I could not. I could not just comprehend it: could not comprehend the end to the last moment of my first love story.

My first love story started even before I became a teenager, though I could not remember the exact age. I loved girls so much when I was in Junior Secondary School that I seldom moved with boys. Beautiful girls swarmed around me like bees probably because my mom was a little bit rich and I was really handsome. No pride. I really had great times being with them. The reminiscence of those days, often made me squeeze my face smiling. I was really charming.

We both attended the same Junior Secondary School and lived in the same neighbourhood. Although those things we had in common were enough to spring some feelings, we were simply acquainted. I got my cliques; and she had hers. That time, I could not really remember what transpired that created such unimaginable distance between us. Maybe I considered her not to be my taste of a girl. 

Life truly is unpredictable. It was incredible when I realised I started developing feelings for her when we got separated. That was after our final exams for Junior Secondary School. She was taken to a boarding school for her Senior Secondary School education while I proceeded mine at the same school, Obafemi Awolowo International School, Ile-Ife. We lost connections while the seedlings of my feelings for her started germinating. And I was oblivion of the development.

The reality started crawling in during holiday periods. Once there was a holiday, she would come to the neighbourhood. Fortunately for me, my cousin lived in the same neighbourhood and his house was beside her father’s. Several times, I would pretend as if I was paying my cousin a visit just to see her. 

On her own part too, she would leave her house and come to my cousin’s side. So, we had great times together, chatting about those days in Junior Secondary School, while I would be updating her about the current situations in her former school. She would also talk to me about her school conditions and the likes. We really had a great time. Looking back now, I would have wished we never grew up. I would have wished we never really grew matured.

Whenever I was leaving my cousin’s house, she would see me off. Several times on the way, I would want to tell her how much I loved her, how much I wanted to be with her. Expression always failed me those days. Although I was a baddoo, I did not have such courage of telling a girl that I loved her. I just preferred playing with them. Yet the feelings I had towards this particular girl was different from others, and I was afraid to pour out the torrent in my mind. I was afraid of the unknown.

“Elizabeth,” one day I finally summoned courage to tell her how I felt towards her.

“Yes,” she answered.

“I’ve wanted to tell you something for a long time,” I started and I ended, somehow perspiring. I could not utter the next statement. I was just perambulating around the main purpose of the conversation I started. She pestered me to tell her what I said I wanted to tell her for a long time. I could not say the combination of just four words until she said she had to go back home after seeing me off to the usual destination.

I lost the flow; I lost my courage; I lost my heart.

“I love you Elizabeth!”I finally screamed the four words several times. But it was too late. I was sure she was already in her house. I was just there in the balcony of my father’s house torturing my emotions, disturbing the empty house with my silent scream.

As times passed by, she kept on disturbing and pestering me about what I wanted to tell her the other time. I just kept on lying to her. Whenever I actually told her one of those lies, she would tell me I was lying. She caught me red-handed. Looking back now, I kept wondering if she actually knew what I wanted to say. Did she know I loved her already but was just waiting for me to say it? And most importantly, did she feel the same way? I wished I could get an answer each to this emotional questions that would not let me be.

Nevertheless, all talks about my feelings somehow stopped. She ceased to ask me questions, I ceased to give her a clue to my feelings. We simply shared gist about our schools and other related stuffs. With that, we moved on happily ever after.

We both sat down for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. She finally graduated from the Federal Government College, Ipetumodu. We were then both seeking admission into tertiary institutions of our different choices. She was processing admission for Accounting in the University of Abuja while I was processing admission for Medicine and Surgery in Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU. During that period we spent more times together and our friendship grew stronger. Then, I didn’t need my uncle as a cover-up anymore. We both visited each other regularly. People in the neighbourhood, together with our parents, all knew we were close friends. I was sure some even thought we were dating. Yet, I was afraid to express my feelings. What the hell my problem was then? 

Finally, we both gained admissions as exactly as we wanted. She travelled to Abuja for her university education while I stayed in Ile-Ife for mine. We got separated again, but thank God for social media. Through 2go, we were able to connect on our smartphones. We would spend several hours chatting, sharing experiences just like the old days.

After a whole session in OAU, I was finally groomed from a boy into a man. I could finally confront her and express my feelings to her. Fortunately for me, or should I say unfortunately for me, the holiday that marked the end of us being freshers in our different schools was immediately succeeded by the nation-wide six-month strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. She came back home to Ile-Ife, and I finally expressed my feelings, which I had been hoarding since, to her.

It all started without a thoughtful beginning. It was really a long night. Although her father’s house was not far from mine, that night, the distance became farer. What a pity for me!

On that fateful day, I was the one who visited her in the house. We shared our experiences as usual and cracked some jokes. When it was around eight in the evening, I finally told her I was leaving, and as usual, she saw me off. On our way, we talked a little and I finally told her, not screaming to an empty house this time, but right to her face.

“Elizabeth I have feelings for you. I want you to be mine. I love you.” I finally told her with OAU guys’ courage, though scared within.

“Are you serious?”She asked with that feminine voice, and I was startled. My blinded eyes were then wide open. I realised she was not the same girl I grew up with. She had become a lady just like I had become a man. A man? I cast doubts on that.

“What do you mean?”My courage was turning its back against me. “Elizabeth. I’m not joking. I love you and I want to have you in my life. I want you to be my lady.”

“No, it can’t be. I don’t feel the same way,” she calmly replied and I surely knew I was in deep trouble. “I only like you as a friend,” she continued.

“Try to understand me Elizabeth, no matter how hard I think about it, you’re the only one my heart beats for. Elizabeth I love you. You’re the only one my heart desires. Please, give me a chance to prove my love for you. Please, give me a chance to show you how much I love you.” So, I pleaded with her, oblivious of the fact that I was going to be repeating similar statements for the next four years.

“I really love you too. Just that it won’t work out. Try to understand and reason with me. I’m now studying in Abuja while you’re studying in Ife here. The relationship won’t work out. I love you, but as a friend.”

“Elizabeth please let’s give it a try.” I pleaded further, almost weeping without tears.

“No. And besides, I don’t feel the same way. The thought of dating you never even crossed my mind.”

That night was a nightmare for me. It was like we were cast in a tragic love movie. I pleaded with her, begged her, draining my whole energy just to convince her to love me, all to no avail. It was like she knew a day like that would come. Like an efficient defendant in a Court of Law, she was well prepared for her defenceagainst my proposal. And she was actually winning, tearing all my claims to pieces. She made me look like a fool, or perhaps a clown. She caught me unaware, my pants down.

Finally, I let go of her around 11:45 pm. That was indeed the longest night we ever had. That was the first time I could not sleep throughout the whole night without being in infirmity. Maybe I was actually sick, in my mind though. I spent the whole night thinking about what might have happened. Where had I gone wrong? On my bed I laid down turning left and right – restless. I thought it would be easy since we had been together for a long time, but I was wrong. She showed me I was wrong and the rest was just a story.

And there I was, four years later, on the 17th of July, 2016, chatting with her on Whatsapp, still pleading my claims. The frustrating part about those years was that as days passed by, my love for her kept growing stronger and deeper. I even wrote her a beautiful poem once. In the course of love, everyone is a poet. She saw it and she was even dazed by its exceptionality, yet she would not still unseal her heart. I just finished my 300 level studying medicine and surgery, and I could not believe that I could not find someone else to replace my love for her. Then, I was scared. I had to close that chapter of my life before it became something else. Before I would not let go anymore. Before it became an obsession. 

We spent some time chatting and it was the same old story: she loved me, but she loved me just as a friend. To worsen the matter, she even told me she had a boyfriend already.

If I would finally go down, if I would finally let go of her, I did not want to do so easily. And that was the beginning of this story. All I wanted from her then was a reason, the reason she decided not to reciprocate my love for her. The reason she did not feel the same way. Her reason was nothing. She chose not to love me for nothing. Like seriously? Or was she actually being economical with the truth? Did she actually have a real reason for not loving me? I did not think so. Elizabeth could not have done that. We were closer than that. She would not have hidden the truth from me. Funnily, as the chat went on, she even said I was cool and nice. She just did not feel the same way.

That was how nothing ended my first love story and I finally moved on, searching for a better love story. My name is Olaoluwa, and I am single and searching.

Fiction: Lovers of the People by Olabode Oladapo Samuel

Like a cruising car showing off its efficacy to the passers-by, they waddled and chatted down the street. Things were really changing here. Hopes were high; the birds were singing sweet melodies; people were happy. 

For the past four years now, they’d realised and would continue to realise that they hadn’t made a mistake. The steps were so skillfully calculated and obviously its rewards were visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. The government was working. Soon, all the remaining social amenities would be provided to their town. In the blink of an eye, this town, their town, would be swiftly turned into a city. With the way things were going and moving faster, their seemingly unquenchable expectation for the establishment of a tertiary institution would be fully and adequately satisfied. Their economy which was depreciating day by day would be drastically improved. This government was clearly open-handed. Cash was flowing, their town would soon become popular. Like that, they chatted their way towards a market.

“Have you heard that the governor is coming today?” Labake asked Royeke.

Labake and Royeke were friends from childhood. Through times of hostility and reconciliation, they still managed to get along. They’d caused each other pains and had vowed never to converse together again, but with the movement of time and the healing of bruises, they’d realised the impossibility of ending their friendship. They spent virtually their whole lives in the town. They knew how things worked around there. They were never devoid of information nor oblivious of a minute development in progress. The only visible disparity between them was that while Labake was fat and of average height, Royeke was slim and beautiful, though some people considered her lanky.

“Today?” Royeke repeated like someone unpleasantly pressed to a corner. “Okay, I thought it’s supposed to be tomorrow.”

“He should be around in less than two hours,” Labake said.

“Seriously! I don’t know why he’s disturbing himself. He has people’s mandate already or what do you think?”

“Abi nao. Just that politicians like showing off.” They smiled.

As they were entering the market, they greeted passers-by, traders in their shops among others.

In less than two hours, the governor would be there with his entourage and convoy, campaigning for his second term in office. His good works preceded him. He recently started the construction of a two-lane wide road passing through their town straight to the government house. Power supply was stable, taps were running. He truly was the government of the people by the people and for the people. People adored him and highly respected him. He was coming to see his people, his citizens and most important, people who believed in his cause.

“I heard the governor is at the garage and is moving down here. Did you see him?” Mrs Duroti inquired as the duo were approaching her.

For more than two decades, Mrs Duroti, Labake’s mother had been selling “ready-made” clothes in the market. She was born here, lived here, worked here and probably would die here. She knew every route in the town. One thing that was peculiar and sacred to the people of the town was their market day. Market day was always held in every five days. The market was considerably large enough to accommodate other traders from neighbouring villages, towns and cities to showcase their goods. It was a den for cheap goods, especially farm produce. This was apparently the main reason why some outsiders couldn’t stop patronising the town.

“No Ma. We even thought he should be here in the next two hours.” Labake replied and greeted her mother. Royeke greeted her too. 

Customers came around and there was no time to socialise. Labake and her mother attended to the customers while Royeke left them for her mother’s shop which was directly across Mrs Duroti’s. Fifteen minutes later, screeching of tires, blasting of horns and sirens coming from the rally were becoming audible. Villagers in the market engaged one another in light conservation. They gathered in twos, threes and so on. Their lover, the lover of the masses was coming. They were elated and the more the sound became audible, the more they gyrated, showing their support and allegiance.

The governor, his entourage together with his party members and supporters got to an open space at the centre of the market. They were surrounded by market people who either gathered to watch the governor or halted the process of buying and selling goods to watch him.

As planned, a makeshift podium was quickly and somehow mysteriously arranged for the governor to have a good view of the people and comfortably address the throng. A microphone was affixed to the podium. He wore his party vest and a pair of blue jeans. He covered his head with a fez cap, having his party’s logo on his right hand. Finally, to show his solidarity to the people, he wore a pair of neatly shined black shoes and his stomach was moderately protruded. He repeatedly chanted his party name and slogan to which the people responded accordingly and enthusiastically. After they were all calm, he started.

“Good morning my people.” He began slowly. “As you all know that the governorship election is fast approaching, I hereby come here to solicit your supports and most especially your votes.”

He took his time lecturing them on how imperative it would be for them to come out to cast their votes. Although he strongly believed that the people were for him, if they didn’t come out massively on the day of election to cast their votes, God forbid, the opposition might win.

“You have all seen what our administration has offered and done so far.” The crowd nodded and chanted with approval. To that, he waved, smiled and continued. “If you all come en masse and cast your votes for us, we promise to continue the good work. You are only witnessing a tip of the iceberg. If you vote for us for the second time, we promise you much more of what we have been able to do in the first term.”

He went on, pointing out the roads under construction with a promise to finish them. He assured them of opening the newly constructed primary and secondary school blocks. Their administration would ensure that the power supply get better and better. There would be improvement in water supply too.

He took a breath, stooped closely to the microphone and with the consciousness and awareness that this was what the mass had been expecting, he said, “If you look around you, you will see that work has already started. We are determined in ensuring that we construct a new market for you people, our people. And to this promise we will surely fulfil. Modern structures and shops which are under construction already will be firmly established in this town. Furthermore, if you vote for us for the second term, we promise you strongly that we will ensure that an institution of higher learning is brought to this town. Also, we are going to ensure the availability of job opportunity for every citizen of our state.”

With that and other few more promises, he majestically concluded his speech by shouting the party’s name and slogan to which the people loyally responded accordingly and cheerfully only for them to realise the truth of the matter a year later.      

                                                                 

She looked up into the sky, vividly saw an approaching bullet, and many thoughts ran in a jiffy through her simple brain. To blame or to act? To react or to calm down? To ruminate about the past or to save the future? She was indecisive, not because she didn’t know what to do but because she was high and dry, highly frustrated.

“Ma’ami! Ma’ami!” Labake called her, bemused by her mother’s stationary position. Instantly, Mrs Duroti was jerked out of her nightmare back to the dreadful reality she tried to run away from. “Are you not going to do or say something?” Labake asked, almost crying.

Since a month ago, the market had been really burning, emitting heat greater than the Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace. Friends had and were becoming foes, smiling and hopeful faces being gradually metamorphosed to austere and depressed appearances. Their lives and what they’d cherished for ages were steadily being ruined while they were still alive. Their situations were getting worse and things were getting really weird.

The last market day before that market day, things couldn’t really have got worse when Labake mounted on Royeke like an angry mob pounding on a pickpocket. It all started like an inquisition. Then it became the free-for-all. Who actually began what was to be a feud was actually a matter for debate but Mrs Duroti firstly voiced out. 

“Mummy Royeke, why did you shift your counter towards us? You know well that your shop doesn’t extend to this place.” Mrs Duroti was addressing Mrs Ajala.

Mrs Ajala was Royeke’s mother. Just like Labake and Royeke, they were childhood friends. Probably that was what fostered the intimacy between their two daughters. Although they still maintained their relationship cordially, marriage had had its pound of flesh on their closeness. Sometimes, when the occasion arose, they did attend ceremonies together, sewing the same attires and same designs. Mrs Ajala was a grocer. Recently, things hadn’t being going well with them.

“Don’t tell me that. You’re the one at fault here. You are the one that couldn’t maintain you boundary. When I came to market this morning, Royeke informed me about what Labake did.” Labake, who was busy spreading the “ready-made” clothes on a counter, together with Feyi, Mrs Duroti’s apprentice, looked up at Mrs Ajala in disbelief and shifted her gaze to Royeke who was four feet behind her mother. Their eyes met. Royeke used her hands to guard her waist, questioning Labake’s strength and probably challenging her to a fight.

“Mummy I didn’t do anything!” Labake exclaimed, trying to defend herself.

“Shut up your dirty mouth!” Mrs Ajala shouted at her.

“Mummy Royeke, you don’t have to shout at my daughter like that. You are meant to listen to both of them before you conclude, a reasonable elder doesn’t judge having heard from just one party.”

“Let us hear words.” Mrs Ajala cut in. She made the next statement, “Who else will the housefly support if not the one with the sore. Like mother like daughter”, and all hell was let loose.

They proceeded from insulting one another, mothers and daughters, to grasping one another’s clothes. This madness they displayed within a very short period before people in the market noticed them and brought them back to saneness. However, the damage had been done, feelings had been hurt, and the bond had been loosened. That incident haunted Mrs Duroti particularly, being a person of loving, easy-going, and tender character. 

“Feyi! Feyi! Feyi!” Mrs Duroti wailed at her apprentice who had become the recipient of her distressing situation. “Why are you so sluggish? Quickly park those ready-mades inside the black sack before they get soaked in water.” It’s about to rain.

As she was packing the clothes, she couldn’t help herself thinking, silently cursing the prevaricator that brought this calamity upon them. The promise was well constructed and made. Like hungry fish sighting the fisherman’s fishing line, they unconsciously took the bait. Now, like a vagabond wondering the deserted desert, they were high and dry. Nevertheless, what could they do? Or better still, what could they have done? They’d sold their birth rights to the cunning dogs. They were left to ruminate on the leftovers.

Finally, the heavens opened and there was commotion. People were seen struggling to protect their goods and chattels. The wisest had packed their goods and went home or didn’t bother to come at all. Others were wet from heads to toes together with their goods and chattels.

Mrs Duroti looked around and sprinting tear nearly found its way through the hard walls of her eyes. She wasn’t about to cry because of what she actually saw. She was about to cry because of the inconvenience and defeat she felt within, the agony. She noticed people wallowing in the running mud, trying to pick up their falling goods from it. There were no roofs to shield them from the sun and rain. The government had bulldozed their once cherished, ancient market for the promise of a better one. It’s been more than nine months now and work had abruptly halted. No information about the way forward. The government was dead to its promises; the market was gone, reduced to ruins; the economy was done for; and the people were dead, soul and mind. 

None would certainly believe there had once been a very big commercial centre on the piece of land if that person never saw it when it still enjoyed fame and popularity, when it was full of glories as it was always busy with different forms of trades before bulldozers and other machines were brought from the government’s office.

Mrs Duroti gave up after being mercilessly beaten by the rain, sighted Labake and Feyi and said, “Pack the dirty and soaked clothes. It’s time to go home…”

God won't give power to the wicked, Treacherous – Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says he and his allies of the G5 group are never playing God as to determine who becomes the next president of Nigeria.

Governor Wike stated these in reaction to statement in the media that said God will determine the next president of Nigeria, not G5 governors.

The Rivers State governor, speaking at the flag-off of Ogbo- Ihugbodo Road in Ahoada East Local Government Area on Saturday, said, those behind the statement should have known that even if God gives power, it should not be given to the wicked.

 

"Don't be treacherous in life because you want power. God will never give power to the wicked. Our hands are clean we have not done anything wrong. 

 

"All we are saying is, do things in a way all of us will have sense of belonging, that all of us will believe that we are together.  

 

"That is all we are saying. If saying so is wrong, then let it be to God. But we know that it is good as right takes, let left take also."

 

Governor Wike explained that members of the G5 believe in the omnipotence of God and always align their various affairs to such, which is why they keep getting stronger by the day. 

 

The Rivers State governor pointed out that the person who said that it only God and not G5 governors who can decide who will be president seemed not to understand the background of members of the group.

 

"We are alive today, we are where we are because of God. Nobody can even breathe air if not God, not to talk of holding position. So, nobody can tell us that it is only God, we know that it is only God that gives power.

 

"But our prayer is that God, don't allow those who will sell off Nigeria in the next one second to be in power. Our prayer is God, don't allow anybody that you (people) will have an agreement with and in the next two minutes, the person will change. 

 

"Our prayer is that almighty God will not allow those who will betray their brothers when they have agreed with their brothers to do something. God, may you never allow such people."

 

Governor Wike also noted that the person said that there will be division among the G5, an expectation that had long been frustrated since May/June 2022.

 

"It has never worked and it will never work in Jesus name. By sitting down to say that there will be division, I send back that prayer to you. 

 

"I don't want to discuss them. I have told people, allow the sleeping dog to lie. If you don't allow sleeping dog to lie, you too will not sleep."

 

The Rivers State governor also pointed to another person saying that they will handle members of the G5 when they have decided where to throw their support. 

 

"These are the things that annoy us. Who is this person saying this? I heard them say that PDP is a responsible party I agree. But when they left PDP in 2014 against 2015. 

 

"When they left and made PDP to lose our election. Today, we are struggling to take over power from APC. Who are those who made us to lose this power."

 

Commenting on the project, Governor Wike the Ogbo -Ihugbodo road is one of the many projects his administration has continued to deliver to restore Ahoada Town and the surrounding communities to what it used to be when it was a divisional headquarters.

 

The governor emphasised that it is already established that he is creating an unbeatable record as an administration in Nigeria that will continue to deliver democratic dividend until the last day of his tenure.

 

Governor Wike stated that the jealousy expressed by some detractors is because of the capacity he has continued to demonstrate in governance, combining delivery of projects and attending to issues of governance with none suffering.

 

He threw a challenge to those who feel jealous to also show capacity and combine project flag-off, inauguration and governance simultaneously if they can.

 

Providing the project description, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. George -Kelly Dakorinima Alabo said the Ogbo -Ihugbodo road is 6.1KM long, with about 4.1KM cutting through fresh vegetation.

 

He stated that the road is 7.3 meters wide, has 4KM length of drains on both sides and should be delivered within five months.

Ondomind 

Just In: Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

Former pope Benedict XVI has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries.“With sorrow, I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds since his shock decision to step down in February 2013.

His health had been declining for a long time, but the Vatican revealed on Wednesday that his situation had worsened, while his successor Pope Francis called for Catholics worldwide to pray for him.

His death brings to an end an unprecedented situation in which two “men in white” — Benedict and Francis — had co-existed within the walls of the tiny city state.

While there is no rulebook for former popes, Benedict’s funeral is expected to be at the Vatican, presided over by Francis.

In 2005 the body of John Paul II, the last pope to die, lay in state before a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square attended by one million people, including heads of state.

Football Legend, Pele Dies at 82

Pele, the Brazil football legend and three-time World Cup winner, has died at the age of 82.He passed away on Thursday. His daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace."

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele is widely considered to be football's first global superstar. Pele had been treated for colon cancer, following surgery to remove a tumour in September 2021, and had required regular medical treatment.

After being admitted back into hospital at the end of November to re-evaluate his cancer treatment, he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection before subsequently being moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to chemotherapy, Mirror reports.

Doctors and nurses at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo duly made him as comfortable as possible, while his wife, Marcia Aoki, remained by his bedside.

Pele made his international debut at the age of 16 and announced himself to a global audience in 1958, when, still only 17, he scored six goals in four games as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Sweden in Stockholm.

He won the World Cup on two more occasions, in 1962 and 1970, when the Brazillian team produced arguably the greatest final performance in the competition's history, defeating Italy 4-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. Pele won the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

During the tournament, ex-Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison, working as a TV summariser, asked: "How do you spell Pele?" Counterpart Pat Crerand responded: "Easy: G.O.D."

His 1970 teammate Tostao remarked: "Pele was the greatest – he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pele.” Sir Bobby Charlton, part of the England side beaten 1-0 in the group stage of that tournament by Brazil, remarked later in life: “I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player.”

Officially, Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games during a glittering career from 1957 to 1977, although his long-time club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000.

Ondomind