₦airaland Forum

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I was in my room for the rest of the evening fumbling on my mini keyboard when mum called me, I reluctantly stood and dragged myself to the kitchen where she was, we are eating pounded yam tonight, so be on standby as you are going to pound, she stated. Mum I started protesting, you know I will have blisters on my palm if i pound, and by the way you should allow my sisters to learn how to pound as you never can tell if their husband to be will take delight in eating pounded yam on daily basis just like my grandpa. I saw a grin on my elder sister's face, any husband that can't make do with rice and other light food should enter the kitchen and pound himself to death, she said.
Jesu.....my mum screamed, how dare you talk like that Kicky, you know you are no longer a baby huh, you are in 200l and yet you reason like someone that wasn't trained at all, I don't know where you got this your foolish behaviour from because obviously I'm not like that and all of you can bare me witness, my mum said.

Mum I can't be anyone's slave o, I meant what I said, infact I can't take half of what you are taking from dad, I would have divorced him since or better still poison him..... She reiterated..... Ah, E gba mi(pls save me), my mum said as she stood from the small stool she always sit on whenever she want to stir amala and the likes and made way towards Kicky, Kicky got the message on time and bolted towards the dining room, if not she would have received a slap that would have taught her to behave in a Christian way. My mum stood still for sometimes staring towards the direction she ran to, and made way back to her stool and sat visibly angry. At this point, I couldn't protest again, I just grabbed the pestle and started pounding not minding the aftermath effect, at that junction she could transfer the anger on whoever within who misbehave. The kitchen was just like graveyard except for the sound of mortal and pestle.
When she was done serving, I picked my food and was going towards my room when she called after me, where do you think you are going to ni ti e? I didn't even argue, I just turned and came to sit. My youngest sister couldn't hold up her laughter anymore, she started laughing and my immediate young sister joined, I looked up to see my mum's reaction, she was smiling lightly... My sister was already back in her room all the while, she knew she wasn't taking dinner with that her utterances, she has embraced her fate .

Mum attends Christ Apostolic Church, and she ensured we all follow her to church whenever there was service, so we are practically prayer warriors in our house if you know what I mean. She wakes everyone up with her bell by 5:30am every morning for general prayer in her room, that was always the most difficult part of the day for all of us, we would be there sitting and dozing when she reads her bible and then proceeded to singing hymns and you would see us struggling to stay awake or else it's a slap that would gear you back to reality and the sleep would disappear immediately.

My dad was never a party to morning devotion, he won't even stand up not to talk of praying. He doesn't go to church, yet he refer to himself as a prophet, he claimed God always appear to him in his dream and show him visions. There was one of its like where he said God showed him Obasanjo would not win the 1999 election, he said he saw another contestant(Falae) with a white robe and God placed a crown on his head. Your guess is as good as mine, I couldn't ask him what happened to the Vision when Obasanjo eventually won the election.

Fake prophets everywhere.......


My dad got home very late as usual, my uncle had to always stay awake to open the gate for him irrespective of whenever he comes back and ofcourse my mum too to always in standby to serve his food. We Men have undue advantage I must tell you, God has placed us to be the head, we shouldn't abuse that power no matter what.....

He was barely in the sitting room when I strolled in, good evening dad, he looked in my direction shocked. Gab, you are still awake, at that point, I knew he didn't even remember asking his professor friend what I told him to help me make enquiry of, I'm still awake, did you see prof? No, he said sharply, he wasn't home when I checked on him, give yourself rest, the result will soon be pasted. If not for my mom's presence, I would have told him I knew he didn't check on prof, but my mum doesn't like confrontation, she would scold/lecture you for being so rude and un-mannered*.
Goodnight, I said as I retired back to my room, then I heard my mum faintly saying she doesn't want me to go to that school, I would rather he goes to same school with Kicky so she could look after him. I was about running back in protest when I heard my dad said " he can take care of himself, when I was at his age, I was already in charge of my father's cocoa business. That response laid to rest whatever argument or reasons she has, I opened my door and retired to my bed.

Hardly was I in bed when I switched into my imaginative world, my comfort zone. I was already in the university in there, calling the shot and being centre of attraction, Cruising with the chics of cream and the big boys on campus....oh my imagination brings all I couldn't dream of having in reality!

..........................to be continued

hahn:
This is a touching story.

When parents cheat it always seems like they totally disregard their kids' feelings.

And to even think little or nothing is being done to create awareness and nip it in the bud once and for all, it has adverse effect on children I tell you sincerely!

We got home by quarter to 6p.m, I didn't bother asking him if i should open the gate or not, I knew by that time of the day, the day is just breaking by my dad's standard. I alighted and made way for the gate, I was about knocking the gate when he honked and waved in my direction, I went back to him, the he began, Gab ( what he calls me), I know you are not happy, whatever it is bothering you, you've got to face it, you are on your way becoming a man, and I know you are going to be a great man and make us proud eventually, but if you need money, you can always ask me you know that? I shook my head in affirmative, good boy he continued, he dipped his hand in his chest pocket and gave me #100 new note (highest denomination then). Thank you dad, but I need you to help me ask professor (my dad's friend who happens to be a HOD in the school of my choice), when our post jamb result would be pasted. Okay, I will make sure I see him before retiring home later in the night ok? Okay dad, thank you. He watched me knock the gate, my elder sister came to open the gate before he zoomed off to meet his concubines as always. You won't be wrong if you refer to my dad as Solomon the second, you cant quantify the numbers of concubines he has.

Permit me to digress a little....
......There once was a time I was injured in school, I had a very deep cut very close to my right eyes, I needed urgent operation and my parents were contacted, it was hell as all the drugs given to me to make me sleep didn't work on me, the doctor had to instruct able bodies around to pin me down so he could do the needful. After the whole process, I was discharged that same day with half of my face covered with bandage. We were home around 8pm, when we heard a knock at the gate, my dad instructed my uncle staying with us to check who was at the gate, he came back after 5mins with a yellow skin elegant lady, she greeted my mum and my dad mentioned her name asking why she was out this late with an evident smirk on his face, she said she had a flat tyre somewhere far away and she came calling so my dad could help her out...Jesus ,see format! When did my dad become a vulcanizer . All the while, my mum didn't say anything, she knew what was going on obviously but she decided to be cool. My dad was acting like he didn't wish to go but we all knew it was planned, he was home all evening because of my injury and he needed an escape route somehow which he devised and actualized.


Back to when he dropped me and I entered the house, my elder sister(Kicky) saw me stuffing my new #100 note in my jean pocket, she became nice all of a sudden. This boy, you just fine sha, she started...thats why my friends are always talking about you, when is your post jamb result coming out? I trust you are going to clear it efiko.....dont disturb yourself Kicky, if you are being nice all of a sudden because of my money, forget it, I'm not giving you a dime! She pushed my head from the back as she went ahead of me to the sitting room calling me a stingy asshole, I don't mind I muttered.

I greeted my mum as i entered the sitting room, where is your dad was what she asked next, he dropped me and left. She shook her head and asked what i took for lunch, I ate jollof rice and chicken mum, she wiggled on the chair and asked if it was my dad who got it for me, no mum I said as I made way for my room, auntie Laura did... I didn't wait to see her reaction, poor woman, she has been through alot and all she resulted to was always praying day in day out and it looked God has something against her for him not to have answered her all the while...

The gods must really be angry!!!


To be continued......

Dad, I called out gently, he looked at me squeezing his face like he already knew what was in my head. Dad, I called again, he didn't say anything but a little grin appeared on his face, do you want to marry another wife? At this point he busted into laughter, I gave him time to finish laughing when I told him I'm not joking and I need a sincere answer, he stood up and rubbed my head where I sat, and pulled my head closer to his waist, he said he doesn't know what I've been thinking but whatever it was, I should let go. I can never have two wives ok he continued, you can never have two wives? I asked, he reiterated his earlier response, then I asked, so you intend divorcing my mum to marry her? Pointing to the direction of the secretary's office, he seemed shocked, and squeezed his face a bit as earlier, then he started...as much as you are my son, there somethings you shouldn't worry yourself about ok, I'm your dad and I can take care of myself, and by the way, who told you I was dating Laura? (secretary name). I know dad, it's written all over the place. He kept quiet like he was deep in thought, have you told your mum about this, he asked in a low tone... no dad, then he sighed, well I know you haven't told her because if you have done that, your mum would have been here...i kept quiet staring at him, dad you haven't told me if you are going to marry her. Now listen to me carefully, he started, I'm not dating her ok, myself and your mum do have disagreement sometimes but it's nothing you should worry about, when you grow up you will understand my point better. At this point, Laura knocked and entered, she saw us having a tete-a-tete. Oh, dad and son time, she muttered, I got you something Gabriel (my name), when you are done, you can come have it ok and she made way for the door, all this while I was gazing at my dad who doesn't feel comfortable all along, he gave me that look of *don't bother yourself, It's just a fling and nothing more*.

When it was 4:30pm, he told me to get ready so he could go drop me at home, your mum would have been expecting you, he said. And truly, if there was global system for mobile communication(GSM) then, she would have been calling him to bring her son home. The only reason why she allowed him to take me to his office is due to the fact that she was worried at a point, I could stay in my room from morning till night without talking to anybody, I only get called whenever my food is on the dinning table, no friends visit me though I went to a boarding school, I don't relate with family members, and sometimes when they are having family time gisting about uncle's, cousins & aunties, and my mum forced me to sit in the sitting room with my three (3) sister's for this special moment, I just kept on smiling and staring at the tv set, she would call on me sometimes to give my opinion on smth I wasn't even listening to in the first place, and my reply would be well, I don't have a personal relationship with them, so my opinion doesn't count mum. She would look at me like she should slap me, she would then say, either you like it or not, you have to relate with them, they are your family and nothing would deter you from associating with people, not when I'm alive. My sisters would then come for my jugular, leave him alone, he is a recluse, he doesn't even have female friends not to talk about galfriend, they always chorus, and my mum would then come to my defense saying I don't even want him to have a girlfriend yet, so leave him alone. And all the while, I was lost in my own world of imagination, my comfort zone, there i found solace, I could decide to be a king, a playboy, a Michael Jackson, dating the most beautiful gal in the world, just name it... The day I discovered this fantasy world was the best day and my greatest achievement so far!




To be continued....

Which of your family members has attained half of what I've achieved in life? Who are you to stand up against me questioning my authority in my own house? If not for me in your life, would you have amount to anything in life?

That's the voice of my dad echoing and trying to stampede and register his authority as always over my helpless mom.

It was 7:13a.m, I was in bed though awake, thinking & meditating, trying to figure out when my post jamb result will be out, I just need to leave this house for good. It's better I'm away than keep hearing your parent arguing and fighting on the simplest of things, things they could sit and iron out in their room without the children hearing about it, that's the most emotional torture a child can ever wish for. It was tough I must tell you.

Phew, I knew my elder sister wouldn't bulge or pay attention to them as usual, she's tough emotionally or should I say un concerned, she is never bothered about anything of such, even if you wanna raise a point regarding that, she will just wave it off like it's nothing. I don't know where they got her from. Being the only boy among them, I wouldn't want anything to happen to my mom, she is not perfect, but I love her.

Pushed off my duvet, sat upright to listen to them more and see if it's something I can wade into or better still leave them to their trade, then I heard my mum, "what do you think you even have, is this the kind of house your mates are building? My father built nine houses before he died, you built a bungalow and you are here cursing my family members, I won't take that from you never.

I stood up and walked briskly to the direction where the noise was coming from, I saw my dad sitting and my mum standing over him lecturing him on how to treat a woman and not just a woman, but mother of his children... I didn't bother greeting, not that they would have answered if I'd done that anyway, I just leaned against the wall with folded arm watching them with contempt and all anger I could muster within me. They didn't care if i was there or not as they both continued exchanging banters, my dad doesn't talk much but when he does, it hits my mom so hard that she raised her voice more telling him if not for her children, she would have left him long ago. I'm sure most people are used to that sentence when growing up, it's sad!

Sigh, I decided to wave in as I don't talk too much myself, not that I don't envy boys who talks too much, but it's not just part of me, this has made alot of my peers to term me as being proud when in secondary school, do i need to say I'm a shy type too. All my friends had girlfriends in secondary school, not that i dont wish for that either, but I couldn't because I did not know what to tell a gal despite my good look, pocket money & intellect. A gal I've had crush on since SS1 walked up to me one hot afternoon In SS3 after church service and told me i smell nice, ��my legs nearly failed me, I was shocked to the marrow, I really embarrassed her cos I was just staring not knowing whether to dance or laugh, she walked away smiling. I avoided that gal till we graduated. Now you have a glimpse of who I am now. I wouldn't say introvert cos some introverts knows their onions when it comes to relating with opposite sex, I would term mine as having a weak balls!


Dad, mum.....i started slowly, they kept quiet like they just noticed I was there, what sort of example are you setting for us now? All the neighbours would say they've started again this early morning, if this doesn't stop I will leave this house and not return again. My mum waded in, don't mind him, it's your dad, he's always looking for excuses and faults, I don't know what I've done to deserve this treatment from him. My dad said in a very low tone, don't bother yourself ok? Just go back to bed, everything will be fine. That's who my dad is, all his friends call him EAZY, a tall, light business man and also a civil servant, he is comfortable and caters for all our needs, drives a mercedez benz, but he is an adulterer, rumour has it that he once dated his secretary, though he always try to conceal it from me whenever I followed him to the office, and the said lady was always overly nice trying to impress me with everything at her disposal except her body ofcourse.

What could she be up to? Was she trying to prove a point to me that she is better than my mum or perhaps trying to tell me she could be a caring step mum? So many thoughts on my mind as a teenager, it nearly messed up my head a bit. I couldn't hold it one afternoon and I ensured I was alone with my dad when I asked the question I've always wanted to ask..




To be continued....