Erinma was a
bright girl with high hopes for the future. Right from when she lost her mother
to the cold hands of death due to medical neglect, she made up her mind that
she would be a doctor when she grew up. She wanted to save lives. Her diligence
in her studies showed that she was serious about her dream. However, her dream
was dealt a heavy blow when her father lost his only source of income.
Mr. Osita,
was a merchandiser in Main Market, one of the busiest markets in town. He was
doing well until the government decided that part of the market would be
demolished in order to build a city monument. This did not go down well with
those whose shops would be affected, and Mr. Osita was one of them. They
called their bluff, saying that such a thing could never happen. However, as
the date given for the demolition drew near, it was obvious that the authorities
were serious. Market Unions swung into action; delegations were sent to try to
talk the authorities out of their decision, but they were determined. Other
delegations were sent to plead for more time, but their plea fell on deaf ears.
Even request for assistance to relocate the shop owners who would be affected
by the demolition to another place was rejected. Mr. Osita, like other shop
owners, was left with no choice than to source for funds to rent shops
elsewhere. Those who could, did and left. Mr. Osita was unable to raise enough
funds to get another shop. Shop owners had hiked their rental fees due to the
desperation they sensed.
On the day of
demolition, in less than an hour, all the shops in that section of the market
were brought down. Mr. Osita and his sons were only able to remove the goods in
the shop on time. It was a sad day for the shop owners.
That was when
Mr. Osita’s finances began to go down, until he could not afford to pay his
children’s school fees anymore. Erinma and her three brothers; Ekene, Ugonna
and Udochukwu, were told to stop coming to school until they paid their school
fees. It was harder on Erinma and Ekene because they would soon write their Mock
WAEC exams.
“Daddy what will we do?” they asked their father one night.
“I am working towards it alright?” he reassured them calmly.
“If we miss this exam,” Erinma said. “We will not be able to write it
again until next year.”
“My daughter, I know.”
The
boys seemed unperturbed. They didn’t have as much interest in education as
Erinma had. They just wanted to make money as fast as possible. This was why
Ekene who was the first child was in the same class as Erinma who was the
second child. He failed a promotion exam and had to repeat class.
“Go and sleep,” Mr. Osita told them. “Let’s see what tomorrow will
bring.”
The
following day, Mr. Osita went to see an old friend, to see if he could borrow
some money. It was an uncomfortable thing for him to do but he had no choice.
When he got to the friend’s house, he was told that he was not at home but would
likely be in his favorite joint not
very far from the house.
Mr.
Osita stood for a while, wondering whether to go on looking for the man or just
go home. He thought of his children’s plight and he went to the joint. As he
got closer, he could hear his friend talking loudly. When his friend saw him,
he left the people he was talking to and got up to meet him. They shook hands
and exchanged pleasantries.
“What brings you my way today,” Mr. Fred asked.
“The toad does not run in the daytime for nothing,” Mr. Osita responded.
“Which is why I am surprised. The last time we saw was several months
ago. And you were in a hurry.”
“The demolition of my shop really dealt a big blow on me. I have been
trying to survive since then.”
“Let’s sit down please.”
Mr.
Fred looked around for a table that was away from other customers. He saw one
and told Mr. Osita to follow him.
“Sit down,” he said when they got to the table.
Mr.
Osita sat and he sat also.
“What would you like to drink?” He asked.
“Whatever they have is okay,” Mr. Osita answered, uninterested.
“What about your regular?”
“If
they have it, okay.”
Mr.
Fred told a waiter what drinks they were ordering.
“What about Peppersoup?” he asked.
“No oo,” Mr. Osita said. “In this economy?”
“Don’t worry, I will pay.”
“Okay if you say so.”
Mr.
Fred told the waiter to add two plates of Peppersoup.
“So how have you been coping?” he asked.
“It has
not been easy at all,” Mr. Osita replied.
“So government has not compensated you up till now?”
“They have not.”
“These people are heartless.”
“If someone told me that I would be struggling to feed my family, I would
not believe.”
The
waiter brought the drinks and Peppersoup.
“Eat first and forget your sorrows,” Mr. Fred said.
“If only food can make the sorrows go away,” Mr. Osita said sadly.
“My friend, no matter what, eat. After eating, you will have the energy
to face the problem.
Mr.
Osita sighed and took the first spoon.
“Do you like it?” Mr. Fred asked.
“Yes, it is tasty.”
“That is why I always come here.”
When
they were done with the Peppersoup and were sipping the drink, Mr. Osita spoke
up on what brough him.
“Thank you for the Peppersoup,” he said.
“Do you want another plate?” Mr. Fred asked.
“No. I am full.”
He
adjusted himself on the chair.
“Actually, the reason why I came to look for you is to see if I can
borrow some money from you.”
Mr.
Fred nodded like he was listening.
“My children were sent out from school because I have not paid their
school fees since last term.”
Mr.
Fred still did not say a word.
“My main concern is that Ekene and Erinma are about to write their Mock
WAEC.”
“It is a pity,” Mr. Fred said.
He
kept silent again as though he was thinking about what to say. Mr. Osita hoped
he would respond favourably.
“I wish I can help you,” Mr Fred finally said. “You have helped me many
times before. But I don’t have that kind of money right now. As you know, I
don’t have any source of income at the moment. It is only what my children give
me that I can boast of.”
Mr.
Osita sighed and shook his head.
“Come to think of it,” Mr. Fred said. “Why are you bothered about education
when there are other things your children can do?”
“I did not go to the university,” Mr. Osita replied. “So my children
have to.”
“It is not a must. There is no law anywhere that children must achieve
what their parents did not achieve. Don’t create unnecessary problem for
yourself and put pressure on your head.”
“You will not understand.”
“What is there to understand? If you had the money, no problem. But now,
you don’t. And I don’t have to assist you. What will you do?”
“Is there nothing you can give me at all? I will pay back.”
Mr.
Fred picked hit teeth for a while. Then he said, “Okay I will help you pay one
of your children’s fees.”
“Thank you so much,” Mr. Osita said gladly, but his countenance changed
almost immediately.
“What is the problem again?” Mr. Fred asked.
“Nothing. It is just that Ekene and Erinma are in the same class, about
to write the same exam. Who will I pay for and leave the other?”
Mr.
Fred burst into laughter. Mr. Osita felt embarrassed.
“Why are you talking like this?” Mr. Fred asked. “Pay your son’s fees of
course.”
“What about my daughter?”
“School is not for girls. Just train her to be domestic and she will
make a good housewife. Then pray she marries a good and rich man who will take
care of her and you too.”
“It will break my daughter’s heart if she drops out of school.”
“She has to accept it. That is the only
thing to do.”
“But my daughter has dreams. She wants to be a doctor.”
“So did mine. Akudo wanted to be a Media Personality. Today, she is
doing well in her husband’s house, with three children that call me grandpa. What
else can you ask for?”
“So she never became the media…”
“Media indeed. Who will pay? I can’t make that kind of investment on a
girl who will not bear my name and will not get any inheritance according to
customs and tradition. After training her, she will still get married, change
her name and become tied to her husband’s inheritance. So why not hurry the
process of getting her settled in her husband’s house.”
“Things are changing. It is no longer as it used to be.”
“What
exactly changed? Do girls retain their father’s name after marriage?”
“Your daughter is your daughter, no matter the name.”
“What about inheritance? Is there any place where daughters have a
share?”
“Those were days of ignorance. Now, you can always write your will and
leave inheritance for your daughters. Let’s see how customs and traditions will
take it away.”
“The law is not effective in this Nation o. It tilts in favour of the
highest bidder.”
Mr.
Osita sighed again.
“My friend, send your son to school,” Mr. Fred said. “Let your daughter
prepare for marriage.”
“She is too young to be thinking about marriage right now.”
“Akuda was 17 when she got married.”
“17?”
Mazi Osita was
shocked.
“Yes,” Mr. Fred replied. “Why do you sound surprised?”
“That’s too young.”
“Says who? I wanted her to marry at 15 but…”
“Ah ah!”
“Any girl that can conceive and carry a baby is old enough to be
married.”
“That is wrong.”
“You are shocked. What will you do when you go across the Niger and see
how young girls are when they are married off? At the end of the day, everyone
is happy.”
“Everyone is not happy. I can tell you that.”
“Well, I am happy. My daughter and her husband are taking care of me.”
“At the expense of her dreams?”
“She is living my dream for her and she is happy.”
Mr.
Osita was silent for a while, trying to process what he had just heard.
“So her mother was in support of the early marriage?” he asked.
“Does she have any choice?” Mr. Fred retorted.
“As her mother, she has a say in what happens to her daughter.”
“A woman I married into my house cannot decide what happens in my house.
I give the rules, and everybody abides by it.”
He took the
last sip of his drink and called on the waiter.
“Bring us another round of drinks,” he said. “Let me enjoy my daughter’s
husband’s money.”
“I am not in the mood for another bottle,” Mazi Osita said.
“If you say so.”
“Infact, I need to go. Thank you for the drink and Peppersoup.”
Mr.
Osita got up to leave.
“Consider my advice,” Mr. Fred said. “That is the best way forward. It
worked for me.”
At
the door, Mr. Osita turned and asked, “About the promise,…”
“I will call you within the week,” Mr. Fred said.
“Ok thank you.”
Mr.
Osita left.
[To be continued]
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