And 5 outta 10 of 'em pastors are Nigerians, yeah?

Get well soon @toysne2much

And .

#photoshopped

Not Guilty

pweetixandy:
that ship is proof..being on d top 5 list of richest pastors in d world is proof. E be thief jor. Eziokwu.

That doesn't make him a thief, o nne? Ka chi fo

pweetixandy:
I will answer ur question on new year's eve

'course. Now, the sister gats nothing to say about calling someone else a thief without proof. O diro kwa mma

pweetixandy:
Thief thief pastor!

Did he steal anything that belongs to you?

Anastasiya Shpagina

Valeria Lukyanova

These are bizarre hyperbolic character imitations. Meet two Ukrainian girls who are trying to make themselves into perfect living dolls.


Valeria Lukyanova is a Moldovan-Ukrainian model, notable for her resemblance to a Barbie doll, with several sources describing her as, among other handles, a "real-life Barbie doll" and "human Barbie". To enhance the effect, Valeria uses makeup and contact lenses over her naturally green eyes. She has stated that she has had breast implants, but that the rest of her body is completely natural and slender due to daily gym workouts and a special diet. Earlier this year, she announced that she would try not to partake food or water for an unspecified time, in an attempt to live exclusively on light and air, a practice called Breatharianism.


Anastasiya Shpagina, a 19-year-old Ukrainian woman, has brightly colored hair, pale skin and a doe-eyed stare that could be mistaken for an actual cartoon. It looks as if she's walked straight off the television screen (of a "Sailor Moon" episode). According to the Daily Mail, the anime aficionado is 5 feet 2 inches and approximately 85 pounds, and she spends up to 30 minutes on each eye when applying makeup so that she can more closely resemble the cartoons she admires. Anastasiya is even considering surgery to make her eyes look even more anime-like, reports say. We don't want to begin to think about how much unnecessary pain that would involve...




Hey. Who are we to judge people's unconventional beauty obsession?

Professor1234:
ok sawie, ar u tru with pharmacy?

I'm still a student

Professor1234:
thank u sir

Uh..... I'm a lady

Professor1234:
just admitted, joined the men of honour nd u?

Welcome to the league, bro. I wish you all the best.

Professor1234:
confirm

Are you a pharmacist in the making too?

Pharmacy

They wan be as fair as 'em oyibo girls

#blackisbeautiful

She ain't Nigerian buh the eyebrow thingy is......

My relationship with Frankie was just perfect an as the days went by, our love grew stronger. With my UTME and screening exams gone, I could say I had all the time in the world. I visited Frankie more often since he lived close to my estate and he had moved back to his family house for his vacation. Whenever I visited, I usually felt a bit uncomfortable because his younger sister, Ursula was very hostile, she never responded to my greetings. Since she was on vacation too, she was always at home with her BFF, Onyinye. They always had straight faces and something to say behind my back whenever they saw me. "That's how Ursula behaves, hun. Give her some time" Frankie always said. I tried being nice to her for Frankie's sake but she seemed not to be in for it. I really tried all I could to be on Ursula's good book but it seemed as if she swore not to reciprocate. I stopped trying jare! I'm not an a** licker! If she doesn't want to respond to my greetings or have me on her good book, so be it. After all, she was just two years older than me. l stopped greeting them and even named them "Dracula and the White Witch". Later, I found out that Onyinye had a thing for Frankie and she (Ursula) really wanted them to be a "thing". Frankie didn't like Onyinye because she was always full of herself and was a bit domineering. I, for one didn't like her too.

Since being miss-goody-two-shoes didn't work and Frankie refused to talk to her, I decided to do things my way. I usually went straight to Frankie's room to avoid being in the sitting room with "Dracula and the White Witch", but I stopped. I and Frankie na started staying in the sitting room with them. We held hands, leaned on each other, laughed out loud and even hugged. While watching movies, we intentionally asked so many questions to make them angry, we were just like the goofy-eyed couples we say in movies. I wanted to rub it in their faces that I had Frankie and they just had to live with it. It was as if Frankie understood what I was doing and he played along. Ain't he sweet?


My joy knew no bounds when Eddie checked my admission status. I gained admission, yay!!! I had scored 90 out of 100 in the screening exam but Eddie said it wouldn't guarantee my admission since jamb score was a bit low for my course. I had dreamt of receiving lectures, dressing up in my departmental wear and all. My friends told me how fun it was being an undergraduate.

Frankie helped me get a room in a lodge close to his as he had promised. And when I finished my clearance, school started proper. Although he was in his final year as a law student and had a busy schedule as the president of Law Students' Association, we did almost everything together. I never felt insecure or paranoid when he was with his female friends or "colleagues" as he called them.


One evening, Frankie called me to notify me that he and some of his colleagues would be representing the university in a conference for law students at Kandor State in the Northern part of the country. I was filled with sadness due to the fact that the zone of the conference was filled with incessant terrorism. Frankie reassured me that everything would be alright. It however didn’t stop me from crying all night.


The next day, Frankie called me up early to tell me that his departure was brought forward to the following morning. He pleaded with me that he wanted us to see later that day, no matter how briefly. I was moved to tears because it was near impossible that we would see that day due to the fact that I had an exam, scheduled for that day. I told him that I’d really try my best to get to see him immediately after my exams. Frankie told me that I should try because; he had been having bad vibes all day and my company would make things better. We laughed it off as we ended the call on a happy note.


My exam was shifted to 3:30pm and ended by 6:45pm. All I could think of when I was inside the hall was my scheduled date with Frankie. I finished off my exams on time, to do the thinking as it was my favorite, BIO 101. Immediately after the exams, I rushed off, switched on my phone, to call Frankie, I got a text message. It was Frankie telling me that the date was moved and they were on their way to the Airport, making it impossible for us to meet, due to the timing of my exams. I immediately called back the number, but couldn’t get through to him. I wept, because I couldn’t get to kiss him goodbye, or at least get a final hug.



I didn’t get to speak to Frankie until 3 days later. His phone had been switched off since the text message. I was so worried that if I had a 60 year old heart, it would have had multiple cardiac arrests. I received a call by 12:45pm after an 11am paper of MAT101, it was from Frankie. I was so overjoyed that I couldn’t hide the excitement on my face. I picked up, to tell Frankie how much I’ve missed him and how he got me so worried.

‘Frankie’ I said, ‘why did you keep me out for so long?…’

He cut in immediately in a voice filled with fear and said

"Ada, they are bombing us, the shooting and shelling is overwhelming, they are getting closer, bae.... Christ!!! They are…’ the phone hung up.

I stood there shell shocked, like someone who just got fired from a job. My mouth was a bit agape, I called Frankie back, the number was switched off. I feared the worst. In shock, I left the school premises. I ran home, grabbed the remote on getting home, tuned in to Channels, to my awe, they were airing a live scene at the School of Legal studies, Kandor state. The Haramajis militants were attacking the school, leaving over 400 persons, dead. I collapsed on the spot.


I woke up in a hospital the next day, to my mum as well as Eddie, my brother’s bewilderment, the first name I mentioned was Frankie. They told me that several bodies were recovered in the aftermath of the attack, but Frankie’s body was never found. I was devastated by the news and wept and mourned him all day, all week, all month, and all year. At some point, I thought it was my grandma or her "evil" goddesses getting back at me for not obeying their instructions of dating a man that's not from Anawfia.

Today marks the anniversary of the last time I heard from Frankie, when he uttered the incomplete statement; ‘They are…’



THE END

So many absurd conspiracy theories circulating about Ebola virus

Flowers are nature’s way of tricking insects into helping plants have sex, and as a side effect, humans have something to make their gardens look prettier. There are about 350,000 species of flowering plant, and most of them are innocent souls. But a heaping handful of them are vicious killers with zero remorse


Kalmia Latifolia
Kalmia latifolia, more commonly known as mountain laurel, produces delicate pink and white flowers in the late spring. It’s the state flower of both Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and it grows just about everywhere in the eastern United States. It’s gorgeous, but underneath that dainty exterior beats the heart of a murderer. The two main toxins in Kalmia latifolia are andromedotoxin and arbutin, but it’s the first one that you need to worry about. Andromedotoxin simultaneously causes part of the heart to beat quickly and part to beat dangerously slowly. In healthy people, the heart has a natural gate that blocks half of the electrical pulses coming to the organ. The toxin induces Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, which disrupts that gate, letting all the pulses reach your heart. The result? Sudden cardiac death.But that only happens with large doses. In smaller doses, you can expect to start with a lot of vomiting, after which every hole in your head will leak its fluids down your face. About an hour later, your breathing will slow down, you’ll lose the ability to use your muscles, and you’ll slip into a coma and die. The terrifying part is that you don’t have to eat the flowers—honey from bees that have visited Kalmia latifolia contains all the toxic properties of the flower itself. The Greeks called it “mad honey,” and they used it to defeat Xenophon of Athens in 400 B.C.



Veratrum
Found on nearly every mountain in the Northern Hemisphere, Veratrum species put out gorgeous spiral clusters of white, heart-shaped flowers. The plant is commonly grown for ornamental purposes because even the leaves look pretty, and in the wild, it’s commonly confused with garlic. But pretty or not, every piece of this plant, from the roots to the pistils, is lethally toxic.The first symptom of Veratrum poisoning is violent stomach cramping, which usually starts about 30 minutes after ingestion. As the toxins absorb into the bloodstream, they make a beeline for the sodium ion channels. Sodium ion channels act like gates to allow sodium to flow through nerves, triggering an action. For example, the opening of sodium ion channels in muscle cells starts the process that leads to a muscle contraction.When Veratrum toxins hit the sodium ion channels, they open the floodgates, forcing the channels to fire continuously. The body doesn’t know what to do with this, so the heart begins to alternately slow and speed up. Muscles all over the body convulse. Eventually, the toxin either causes a heart attack or a coma. It’s believed that this is the poison that killed Alexander the Great.


Adenium Obesum
Native to Africa, Adenium obesum has been used as a spear poison by tribes for centuries. The desert rose, as the preparation is called, is made by boiling the plant for 12 hours before removing all the plant matter and letting the liquid evaporate. The resulting goo is a highly concentrated poison. It’s so toxic that just a bit of the poison from a spears or arrows brings down large game before they can run 2 kilometers (1.2 mi), so hunters can stay on their trail while they gradually bite the dust.This specific plant has been used by tribes all over Africa to kill animals as large as elephants, and now that we’ve studied it, we know why. The plant contains a chemical called ouabain, which causes almost immediate respiratory failure at high doses. Another flower in the Apocynaceae family grows in the same region, and hunters often use it in conjunction with Adenium. It also contains ouabain, and it turns out that humans aren’t the only African natives using its killing power—the African crested rat will chew the flower’s bark and lick his hair with the toxins, turning itself into a scurrying ball of unexpected death.


Oenanthe Crocata
In 2002, eight tourists in Argyll, Scotland decided to forage some choice water parsnips from a nearby stream. Prize in hand, they returned home and put them in a curry dish. The next day, four of them were in the hospital. What they’d thought was water parsnip was actually Oenanthe crocata, or hemlock water dropwort. The plant has mortality rate of up to 70 percent, so the group was lucky nobody died.Hemlock water dropwort has an interesting property. It’s lethal, sure. But the killer toxin, oenanthotoxin, relaxes the muscles around your lips and forces you to smile, even when you’re in the throes of fatal convulsions. The plant has been used in Greece since at least the eighth century B.C., when Homer coined the term “sardonic grin” to describe the grisly smile adorning the faces of water dropwort victims.



http://listverse.com/2014/05/22/10-beautiful-flowers-that-kill-in-horrifying-ways/

Two weeks later, Chinedu, mummy's driver drove us to Anawfia. I really missed going to the village. It had been 5 years since I travelled to the village. The roads hadn't changed, still dusty and narrow. The palm trees had gotten taller than I remembered. We really enjoyed our stay in the village especially when it was just us and daddy. But for some reason, mother never wanted us to have anything to do with the village after daddy died.

Aunty Ojiugo was at home when we arrived. After her husband left her and their 6 children to marry Agnes "the happening woman", she moved back to the family house but she stayed in late grandpa's quarters with the children. Some of her older children were discussing with two other relatives on the bamboo bench at the corner while the younger ones were cooking mud and leaves soup near the stairs when we arrived. I smiled at Obiageli, her first daughter. She was all grown. We heard that she'd be getting married to Ifeanyi, Mazi Akukalia's son and they were going to live at Onitsha where he had a big shop.

"Umu nne m, unu a bia go? Welcome home." she said as she walked down the stairs

"Good afternoon, Aunty" I said

"Afunuu" she replied as she adjusted the mkpuru oka wrapper loosely tied on her chest

"I'll be back by 3pm tomorrow to take Adaugo" mummy said as she walked back to the car

"Won't you come inside?"

"I have an appointment this afternoon"

"See you tomorrow, mummy" I said trying to keep my voice calm

"Take care of yourself, my baby and stay away from your grandmother's house. Don't even eat or drink anything from that place" she ordered as Chinedu drove off.




The next day, Grandma and Aunt Ojiugo took Fumnanya, Nneka, Obiageli and I to the udara tree square. I was one of the youngest girls there. We all were tying white wrappers and had a calabash with fruits in it. We presented it to an old lady, Onyema. She stood in front of the udara tree reclining her head on her walking stick, she kept silent in prayerful meditation. She then raised her head and studied the girls and the older women present with her eyes and in a feeble but steady voice, she said,

"Welcome to this year's Umuada Ikenga initiation ceremony" she moved her weight to the other leg and continued, " I take it that none of you is below 15."

We all nodded.

She continued, "You will be washed in the Alumona river and after that, you all shall offer sacrifices to Onwuelu, the goddess of fertility and another to Mgbeoyibo, the goddess of virgins"

Sincerely, I didn't understand most of what the scary old lady said or did but one thing grandma made sure of was that I never forgot was that the initiation was sacred and that as the first daughter of my parents, I was not supposed to do certain things. •That's bull, grandma!•

"Remember all that Onyema said and never neglect it" she whispered as we got into the compound.

My heart skipped a beat.

Mummy was already pacing impatiently around the compound. She had arrived 30 minutes earlier. Chinedu was inside the car listening to the live football broadcast on the radio.

"Get your things and let's go!"

I ran inside and got my bag, waved at Chikamso, Oby's younger sister, she had kept me company after mummy left and then I ran into the car.

Grandma and Aunty Ojiugo stood near the guava tree looking at us. They said nothing to mother. Grandma waved at me and smiled. Most of her teeth were gone. Daddy said she chewed tobacco a lot and it made her teeth brown.

"My friend, move this car" she yelled at Chinedu.

"When we get home, we'll talk" she said with a calm voice as we drove towards the expressway


Unbelievable how things can change in just one day. You can't believe it right? I know, I still find it hard to believe myself. I thought it was an episode in a soap opera in African Magic or even Telemundo. It couldn't be happening now that things were getting serious with Frankie and I. Grandma had ruined my teenage experience of love.... if not my whole life. So much for having a reunion with her. No wonder mummy didn't want us to have anything to do with her. She referred to her as "o bata osu" some time in the past ''whenever that woman gets involved in something, everything goes wrong'' she blurted out, after answering a call one evening months after daddy's burial.


To be continued.....

I'm sincerely sorry for the late update. I've been busy with school iss. I hope to update promptly now that I'm kinda done with the iss

Lobster Claws

Supernumerary Nipples

Neurofibromas

Hypertrichosis

Cutaneous Horns

Aniridia

Backward-Bending Knees

Prune Belly

Whether deformities are caused by genetics or environmental factors, they spark curiosity and awe throughout the world. Many who have them have accepted their differences and led fulfilling lives. Some have undergone risky surgeries to change their appearance. Others have concealed themselves to avoid people’s reactions.


10. Cutaneous Horns:
Cutaneous horns (cornu cutaneum) result when keratin manifests in a conical shape and protrudes outward from the skin. Lesions found at the base of these horns may be malignant or benign.When cutaneous horns grow, they tend to be on people with fair skin, at an average age of 50. Sun-exposed areas of skin are most susceptible. A biopsy can help determine the cause because cutaneous horns are related to a variety of medical issues. Possibilities range from verruca to Bowen’s disease. The majority of horns are benign, but about 20 percent are cancerous, and another 20 percent are pre-cancerous.Some people even choose to let their benign horns grow. If a horn does sprout on your forehead, you can at least now rest assured that you’re probably not turning into a demon.

9. Aniridia:
Black eyes aren’t necessarily a sign of pure evil. A condition called aniridia can cause absence of color in the iris, which may lead to weakened vision and sensitivity to light. This figures, as the literal translation of aniridia is “without iris.” Further conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts, are likely to occur along with aniridia. Sufferers may be legally blind, may see well enough to drive, or may even have 20/20 vision. A gene mutation causes this condition. It occurs around the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, as the eye develops. Aniridia can be inherited; a parent with this condition has a 50-percent chance of passing it on to his or her child. Parents who each have a mutated copy of the PAX-6 gene may be at risk for having a child with Gillespie syndrome (autosomal recessive aniridia) and related cognitive disabilities.

8. Backward-Bending Knees:
People with genu recurvatum have knees that bend backward surprisingly far, sometimes creating an animal-like appearance. The most severe cases involve a congenital dislocation of the knees. Other cases involve differences in leg length or diseases such as cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. Another cause is physical trauma to the knee. It could happen while playing sports or in a car accident, for instance. Surgery and physical therapy can help treat the condition. Leg braces may also be used. Depending on how well treatment works, this condition may become a permanent disability for some individuals. To date, the most well-known case of genu recurvatum is that of Ella Harper, born in Tennessee circa 1870. Ella preferred to walk on all fours. She was dubbed “Camel Girl” and found great success in the role. She even starred in W.H. Harris’s Nickel Plate Circus in 1886 and used the profits to better her life.

7. Prune Belly:
Known more formally as Eagle-Barrett syndrome, prune belly syndrome causes extreme weakness in the abdomen. This leads to severe wrinkling and a prune-like appearance. The bladder of an Eagle-Barrett patient becomes permanently expanded and difficult to relieve, leading to further medical challenges. The Instruments, internal organs, and skeleton may also be negatively affected. The cause of this condition is currently undetermined. It’s possible that prune belly syndrome is hereditary, as multiple cases have been noted within families. Parents usually have fair warning. When a fetus is affected, the prune-like appearance of the belly is often visible through prenatal ultrasound, allowing for early diagnosis. Undescended testicles are another symptom. Nearly all Eagle-Barrett syndrome cases involve males—95 percent, to be exact. Children with this condition are often stillborn, and those who make it past delivery may die soon from related complications, but some do survive.


6. Lobster Claws:
People born with ectrodactyly tend to have deformities of both their hands and their feet. Varying degrees of surgery are used to correct this condition. Known commonly as split hand/foot malformation (SHFM), lobster claw syndrome involves missing fingers or toes along with gaping clefts in the sufferer’s hands or feet. Fingers or toes are fused with other digits or webbed. If only one limb is deformed, it likely occurred due to a non-hereditary genetic mutation. If the hands and feet are all deformed, the condition was inherited. Parents who carry the gene have a 50-percent chance of passing it down to their offspring. Some choose to have children despite the high risk. Lobster claw syndrome is not related to more complicated medical conditions or mental barriers. The only challenge is learning to function with hands and feet shaped differently than most.



5. Neurofibromas:
Those with neurofibromatosis have tumors (“neurofibromas”) on their nerves or under the skin. The tumors can often be removed. Even when they can’t be excised, they’re benign and won’t cause physical harm in the majority of cases. Of the two types of neurofibromatosis, Recklinghausen disease is the most common. It can be, and often is, inherited. Parents with Recklinghausen have a 50-percent chance of passing it on to their children. If there is no family history of the disease in a Recklinghausen patient, the condition is caused by a genetic mutation at conception. Cases of this disease range from mild to severe to debilitating. The bulbous lumps can absolutely blanket skin in more extreme cases.

4. Supernumerary Nipples:
When more than two nipples grow on a body, the condition is known medically as polythelia. Extra nipples typically form along the milk lines, which run from the upper torso to the groin area. Cases have been recorded in which supernumerary nipples appear elsewhere on the body, though. Other places they may occur include the thighs, face, and neck.Regardless of where these abnormalities pop up, they are physically harmless. Underdeveloped nipples are often mistaken for moles, so removal is typically done for cosmetic reasons. Celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg have famously accepted and embraced their third nipples. Harry Stiles of the band One Direction admitted to having four altogether. However, not everyone shows their supernumerary nipples so much love. Carrie Underwood had hers removed, which she admitted at her American Idol audition.

3. The Caudal Appendage:
A caudal appendage is a human tail, which is not like an animal tail. Human tails don’t help people balance better or swat away flies. In some cases, they’re symptomatic of much more serious conditions, such as spina bifida. All humans have a spinal protrusion in the womb. It’s typically absorbed in utero, but not all fetuses develop predictably. When a caudal appendage is not absorbed, the child ends up with a tail. It consists of fat, muscle, nerves, and blood vessels without any bone or cartilage. Fewer than 40 cases of this medical rarity have been recorded. It affects males twice as often as it affects females. A caudal appendage may be removed if surgery is deemed safe.


2. Polymastia;
When an unexpected breast grows on the human body, the condition is called polymastia. Extra breasts tend to appear in the same place supernumerary nipples grow: the milk line, which runs down the torso and to the groin. They can, however, also appear on the buttocks, the back, the hip, or even the face.Accessory breasts contain the same tissue as typical breasts. This means that a third breast can harbor a malignant tumor and threaten the patient’s life. It’s also possible for third breasts to feature nipples and lactate, though it’s not guaranteed. These are simply possibilities that come with all breasts, wherever they happen to grow. Polymastia is an anomaly of nature that extends beyond the human species. A few primates have been diagnosed with this condition. It’s rarer in the animal kingdom, but science has confirmed there’s such a thing as a three-breasted monkey.


1Hypertrichosis:
Hpertrichosis is also known medically as Ambras syndrome and cheekily as “werewolf syndrome.” Genetics cause people with hypertrichosis to have an excessive amount of hair, which may grow all over the body or only in concentrated areas. Ambras syndrome may also be acquired later in life—in relation to cancer, for example. Fewer than 60 cases have ever been recorded, but this is not just a rarity for the history books. People with hypertrichosis live today. In 2010, Supatra “Nat” Sasuphan of Thailand earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the hairiest teenager. She’s one of many who’ve made the best of especially unique physical traits. People can embrace and find success through their differences, especially when those oddities are strange enough to be seen as extraordinary.

http://listverse.com/2014/10/08/10-real-deformities-you-have-to-see-to-believe/

I'd heard so many stories of how some girls were drugged and raped. Mummy also me that Obiageli, her friend's daughter was raped by some boys she met at a party. I was really scared as we drove in silence.

"Dear God, please protect me" I prayed.

Frankie drove into tasty delight's parking lot. There were so many cars parked there and I hoped not bump into anyone I knew.

"Please gimme 5 minutes" he said as he turned the engine off.

"Frankie, it's getting late and it will soon rain"

"This won't take time. I promise"

"Alright" I said in between my teeth.

When he left, I tried hiding my face so that those passing won't see me. I was a bit scared as I was waiting. I knew Meksy usually went there with Kay, his girlfriend but I didn't see his car in lot as we were driving in. So, I was safe.....kinda.

Frankie came out few minutes later carrying a bag. He didn't take time as he promised. He gave it to me. It had meat pie (my favorite), cake, doughnuts, and 2 plates ice cream inside it.

"I hope you like it"

Smiling, I said "these are my favorite. Thank you"

"I'm glad you like it" he said as he drove into the busy federal housing estate.



At dinner, Salome was surprised that my helping was unusually small.

"Ada, mmadu akpasu gi iwe taa?(Ada did anyone annoy you today?) Why did you corret small fudu" she asked.

I smiled and replied, "no aunty. I'm not that hungry today"

"I di sure?" (Are you sure?)

"Yes aunty"

I couldn't wait for the grace to be said before I left the table. In as much as I loved fish stew and rice, meat pie and ice cream were my favorite. Ziko and I helped Salome clear the kitchen and then we went to my room.

I ate the meat pie and ice cream with Ziko. Praying that Mummy or Eddie didn't have any reason to come to my room then. As we were eating, Frankie called. He wanted to know if I enjoyed the treat. I sure as hell did! But I didn't let him know

"I'll eat it tomorrow. I'm already filled up with dinner. Thanks a lot though." I lied

" I'm glad you appreciate it"

"Mmh-hmm. I really have to go to bed. Good night, Frankie" I said in a calm but dismissive voice

"Good night, my love"

I giggled and then ended the call.
••I know, I know it's very wrong but it felt so right••

"Who was that?" Ziko asked

"It's none of your business" I replied "in short, go to your room before mummy finds out that you're still awake on a school night" I continued.


I woke up every morning grateful to God for having Frankie in my life and with my jamb months away, I'll get to enter the university and move to the hostel. With that, I'll get to see Frankie all I want.


"Adaugo!"
"Yes mummy!" I answered as I got out of bed. I wondered how many times she had called my name before I woke up. I felt light-headed and my eyes were so weak. I looked for my slippers as I rubbed my itchy left eye with the back of my palm. The doctor had prescribed glasses to correct it but I wanted contact lenses, it looked so good on my brothers' university girlfriends.

I glanced at the wall clock in my room , It was 6:15am. I was up all through the better part of the night. Frankie called and we spoke for long. He told me so many stories about the university and how he couldn't wait for me to join him. Sincerely, I couldn't wait too.

"I wonder why mummy will not allow somebody to sleep and wake up at his own will in this house" Meksy swore as he got out of his room. It was adjacent to mine.

"Good morning, brother Emeka"

"Won't you go and answer her before she wakes the entire neighborhood up" he said angrily

"It was an innocent greeting. Why would you want to cut my head off. It's not like I'm the one that woke you up sef" I mumbled as I went down the stairs.

My mum, Anne Mbanugo, was a tall, dark and slim woman. She was in her mid-fifties but it was hard to tell because she used several age defying products. She wore a low cut hair with jerry curls. She refused to let it grow after daddy's burial. "It's a sign of respect to my late husband" she always said. She worked as the head of operations in a bank at McIntyre avenue and had a boutique that aunty kelechi, her younger sister managed at Achala street.

She was in the kitchen with Salome when I got downstairs.

"Mummy, Good morning ma" I greeted

"Won't you go to the bakery to get our bread or have you forgotten we have to eat this morning?"

"I'm sorry, mummy" I said as I left the kitchen.

I wasn't just in the mood to walk down at wait the long line at the bakery. As I walked down the street slowly, I thought of Frankie and all that he told me at night. We talked about our future together, how we'll tell my brothers, how he'll help me get a room in a lodge close to his in school and so many other things. He had also professed his love for me severally.


Mummy and Eddie were ready for work when I returned from the bakery. Salome had already fried the eggs and sausages.

"What took you so long?" Eddie who was sitting on one of the chairs in the dining
questioned angrily.

"People were much and it was only oga Sunday that was attending to all the customers" I replied as I dropped the two loaves of fantasy buttered bread on the kitchen counter

"Nne, Go and baff and come down and have ya breakfast" Salome said as she served Eddie.

The rest of the day was like every other day. Eddie went to work. He worked as inspector in a pipeline routing company. Meksy was in his 400 level in the university and he lived in a lodge there, although, he spent most time at home than in his lodge and Zikora, my sweet younger sister was in her third year in the in secondary school. The house was always quiet during the day, so, I read and did my assignments then. I usually leave for lesson by 2pm, walked down to Udoka crescent and meet up with Menky in front of Vincent, our tailor's shop. We then walked down together to wait for Mara at mama Chidera's shop.
*************************************






Frankie and I had been meeting secretly for weeks and I couldn't help falling head over heels for him. I really wanted us to tell my brothers, I was tired of sneaking around to answer his calls and all but he insisted he will do that after my matriculation....... C'mon Frankie! That's several months away

With my UTME months
away, I couldn't afford any distraction. I tried cutting Frankie off but I couldn't. Arrrgh! Things would have been better if it were just the crush thingy, right? I never thought Frankie of all people would have a thing for me. Not like I wasn't pretty but I've seen meksy's female friends from their school and they're all pretty. 4 years ago, Adanna "the I-know-all" in my class said that universities admitted only pretty girls and so we should try as much as possible to look pretty if we ever wanted to study in a university.


For several weeks, Things went on well between Frankie and I. We were as discreet as possible. We didn't talk much whenever he came to the house to see my brothers, meksy and Eddie. I was living the dream until.....

One evening after mid-week service, as Mummy drove into the compound, we saw an elderly woman waiting for us at the patio. We all knew her very well. The elderly woman was aunty Ojiugo. She was my daddy's sister. She and mummy weren't the best of friends but they got along. She was the only one mummy talked to whenever she decided to go to the village. That wasn't often but whatever reason that made her go must be of great importance, she usually went alone or maybe with the boys. Grandma too was sitting with her. The two were waiting patiently for mummy. Ziko and I ran to greet grandma and aunty Ojiugo. Mummy never expected to see them in our house. She greeted them and told Ziko and I to go upstairs and freshen up. We couldn't hear much of what they were saying but one thing was for sure, my mother refused to agree to whatever they had to say.

"I'm a Christian!" She shouted "My children and I will not engage in idolatry. So, go back and take your other grand daughters to the initiation ceremony"

Aunty Ojiugo talked to mother calmly. She told her that it was the family tradition and it had to be upheld. She explained every detail of the ceremony to mother and told her to think about it. After talking for about 15 more minutes, the two ladies left.

Later that evening, mother called me to her room and explained everything that happened earlier to me. She told me that I'll be going down to the village to stay with aunty Ojiugo in two weeks time and Ziko wouldn't be going with me since she wasn't of age yet. I was actually surprised that mummy agreed to that.

"O ga di si mma" she added when noticed that I hadn't said anything.

I smiled and turned to leave the room.

"Please tell Salome to hurry up with dinner. I'm totally famished" she said almost to herself

"Ok". That was actually what I could say about the whole thing. Not like my opinion was welcomed.

"It's just one day" I thought to myself as I walked down the hallway "Frankie won't even notice my absence that much."

nanauju:
It's a nice story.

Thank a bunch, Uju

Dopeyomi:
Is tHis a Diary or a story




I'm confused tHo

"My name is Adaugo. I was born and bred in the eastern part of Nigeria. I'm currently an undergraduate in the university and this is my STORY"

It's journal.....kinda