Look who's talking - By K Jinadu

Tolu looked around the dark room and sighed heavenly, just another pitiful look at Mama as she lay helplessly on the shredded mat covered with shabby Teru material. 
The room felt cold and damp.  Is Mama going to die like Papa? Would we ever experience a better life in this family? Is our family cursed? Tolu thought, a drop of tears rolled down her cheeks, Tolu quickly wiped off her watery eyes before Mama noticed, and immediately put up a countenance that showed bravery.  

Mama moaned and Tolu hurried to her side, "Mama! Mama! Mama," Tolu called out. "Toluuuuuu am fine," Mama muttered as she turned and lay on her side facing the unpainted chipped, dented, cracked wall marked with dirty hand prints.  

Another gaze at mama, my mother is dying, slipping away by the second, the hour, the day.  She is not going to die like Papa, no no no no no Tolu thought as she shook her head sideways watching mama steadily drift into sleep. 

Engulf with a strange feeling, a feeling of bewilderment, pain,  perplexity, misery, dejection, misery, yet of promise, confidence and determination.  So funny how one could be going through this fusion of emotions at once.  

Tolu got up from the mat, on her way out she saw Gbemi her elder sister holding and swinging an empty tray.   

“Is really busy today, I guess” Tolu said, “Yes it is I can’t find Boye so we could go and fetch more firewood to sell, I’ve looked everywhere Boye was nowhere to be found and we need the money,” Gbemi retorted.  

Tolu began to walk away from Gbemi as she spoke, “check the bus garage Boye sometimes assist the Agberos or check Mamaput, your brother sits around the Buka to unwind”. 

“Where’re you going now? Somebody needs to stay with mama," Gbemi asked. 
“Checking on a friend," Tolu shouted out as the gap between her and Gbemi widened.  
This girl is up to something, but she could not just figure out what it was Gbemi thought.

Bare bodies were visible in the dim dark room, a strange feeling overcame Tolu as she remained still on the bed.

Tolu trembled, she waited for the unknown her eyes closed, quivering of cold oozing out of the noisy air-conditioned waiting for the worst to happen the wait seemed to go on for ever. 

Finally Tolu felt Alhaji ‘s heavy weight on top of her then she forced her mind to focus on anything else other than the current situation, she struggled, fought with her mind playing games, eventually switched and escaped into the land of denial.  The land where black was white, pain was joy, sorrow was happiness, the only way out of the present inevitable act was to appear normal without destroying her last hope for Mama’s survival. 

Alhaji’s inconsistent breathing with a loud moan calling out Tolu’s name woke Tolu from her trance, bringing her back to reality as he dropped on top of her and everything around them seemed to stop.   His breath stank of beer.

Alhaji later picked up his phone and gave Tolu’s family name “Falomo” to the recipient; wads of Naira was given to Tolu who shamefully accepted the money and dashed out of the hotel without listening to Alhaji calling out her name.  
Tolu did not respond to Shina either, Alhaji’s driver waved to get Tolu's attention so he could drop her as Alhaji had earlier instructed.

The discernible sight of a huge Iroko tree isolated from the bushes, but closer to the free faded tarmac road with big and small pot holes lifting up dust every-time cars and Lorries drove past suggested a perfect location for Tolu to ponder.  
Tolu sat beneath the Iroko tree then wept, Tolu could not stop crying, inundated with disgust, a feeling of self-irritation, pity, ignominy and hatred; not sure who she hated most herself or Alhaji?

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Alhaji had made intimate advances towards Tolu but she had always refused.  Alhaji lived in Lagos and visits the village occasionally during holidays and festive period.  

Every-time he visited Ewekore he always made an effort to drive past the Falomo’s house which was way out of his route just to have a glimpse of Tolu or sometimes tried to talk.

Tolu would ran and hide behind the Guava tree at the back of the house as soon as she spotted Alhaji’s car from afar; Gbemi would call out her name but Tolu ignored. 

Although, Tolu had for months contemplated seeking help from Alhaji but way before Mama's sickness Papa’s health deteriorated so she summed up the courage to seek Alhaji’s help.  
On her way to Alhaji house Tolu spotted him in his Black C-Class Mercedes-Benz car Tolu waved, Alhaji instructed the driver to stop as the automatic window slowly slide down.

“Hello, Omotorewa! My fine lady,” Alhaji said in his distinct husky voice as he lustfully looked Tolu up and down.  

Alhaji's eyeballs wandered up and down Tolu's wrapped jeans skirt and a poka-dot white and black V-neck long sleeve blouse leaving a bit of cleavage perceptible to the eyes; an outfit handed down to her by the Ojo’s who she prayed and wished they come to the village more often than twice a year. 

The Falomos are ever ready to help and assist the Ojos with menial work when they are around for Christmas and Easter.  Papa helps with the gardening, water pumps, Gbemi and Boye fetch firewood for the big “agbariojuku” cooking while Tolu helped with the family cooking inside the house. 
Access into the house gave Tolu the opportunity to get more money and anything they no longer needed or wanted; which she joyfully shared with Gbemi.  

“I am happy and surprised to see you my queen heh…”  He sensed aloofness. “Kilode? Is everything all right?” Alhaji continued.  

“I need help, money to treat papa, papa is seriously sick” Tolu replied as she seemed to slowly jump up and down on the same spot without actually moving a leg. 

“Come on Omoge everything will be alright you know how it is, you’re special but I don’t have any cash with me now and I am on my way to the Chief's meeting come back in the evening okay, chief said.” 

Tolu caught a glimpse of Shina discreetly stretching his neck to steal a glance of her, their eyes met and he immediately composed himself “Yes sir” Tolu replied as she rushed off. 

As Tolu walked closer to the house, she could hear voices of cries and screams, then she spotted a crowd in front of the red brick-mud house her whole body felt numb. 

Tolu heard a lady shouting “Otunba oooo” a name her Dad was fondly called by villagers; her worst fears was confirmed, her world has just come to a standstill as she sunk to the floor, rolled on it, let herself go not minding the dirt and sand her body gathered then she uncontrollably wept out loud. 

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After forty-seven minutes of sitting under the iroko tree, staring into space, crying and watching yellowish leaves fell, blew into the wind, then dropped on the floor, consistent echoes of distance birds resonated in her ears. 
Suddenly Tolu pulled herself together wiped off her tears and put on her usual facial expression of valour and confidence as she walked towards home.

Tolu looked in and out of the house and she did not find Mama, she began to hit her head with hands, hit her thighs, stamped her feet simultaneously as she ran around the house. 

Tolu heard a roaring car engine and she ran towards it, it was Shina, Alhaji’s driver and Gbemi seated inside the car. 

“Where is Mama?” Tolu asked, she put both hands on her head as she jittered. 

“She is in the hospital Alhaji sent his driver to take Mama for immediate medical treatment, I came to get Mama’s stuff” Gbemi replied, she hugged and thanked Tolu. 

Tolu held her sister, if you know what I just did you won’t be hugging me, Tolu thought.

Mama gradually recovered from sickness and was forever grateful to Alhaji she wished and hoped to pay him back someday.   Alhaji visits to the Falomo’s family became more frequent any-time he was in the village; Tolu was indirectly forced to give Alhaji some attention anytime he visits. 

Tolu sees sparkle of joy and hope in Mama’s eye whenever she set her eyes on Alhaji, he bought Mama gifts from Lagos and gives Mama enough money to feed and take care of the family. 

Gbemi stopped going to fetch firewood and she started an apprentice course with a fashion designer in Abeokuta so she wakes up early and comes home late.  
Boye also started training as a mechanic assistants out-skirt Ewekero just before Abeokuta, but his vision was to become a successful business motor part dealer.

Alhaji helped Tolu into University of Lagos to study mass communication even though she was a bit older than the other students. 
Tolu did not know any other man in an intimate way other than Alhaji; immediately after Tolu’s graduation Alhaji made his intention to marry Tolu known.

Regina advised Tolu to pray vehemently about marrying Alhaji because of the difference in religion and background.  Regina, a Christian sister Tolu met in the Pentecostal church she punctually attended. 

Tolu noticed Regina the first day she attended the church, Regina’s voice was loud enough to distract ones concentration as the constant shouts of “Oh yes! Amen!” in sync with “Hallelujah” kept gobbing out of her mouth in the middle and at the end of every sentence the pastor uttered.

During prayer session Tolu could not keep her eyes off Regina as she jerked forward, backward bent to the right, left, perpetual clapping of hands, with a raucous Shebobobo! Shebababa. 

Tolu looked around but nobody seemed to be disturbed or bothered, she quickly bowed her head and pretended to be praying though she could not focus.

Average height, slim, light skin complexion with an hourglass physique Regina could be describe as a caring church sister that goes around and greets every sister in church she was so warm and friendly. 

Tolu and Regina bonded as they both walked out to get a public transport during the mid-week service; they became very close that Regina became Tolu’s confidant.

After so much contemplation Tolu decided to go ahead and marry Alhaji, Alhaji gave her permission to continue with her religion-Christianity while he remain a Muslim. 

Alhaji did so much for Tolu and her family; both families started preparing for the traditional wedding.

Five weeks before the perpetual preparation of the engagement Tolu did not hear from Alhaji in forty-eight hours which hardly ever happens, his phone rang without answer; Tolu became worried and decided to check on him at his Ikoyi house.  

Tolu was dumbfounded when Kasali the gateman refused to let her in. 

“Oga said no, commot for here o, me I know wanti to-ro-ble” Kasali said; emphasising each syllable as he ignorantly pronounced the last two words.

Tolu ignored Kasali, she assumed the weeds he smoke fervently had begun to take severe effect on his brain.  

Overwhelm with a feeling of determination Tolu refused to move as she kept dialling Alhaji's phone at the hundredth or maybe ninety-nine times Alhaji picked up the phone and said, “You heard him go away, prostitute!!! I don’t have any business with whores!!!! Get away!” 

“Is me Tolu, this is Tolu sir," Tolu kept reiterating.

“I heard you Tolu prostitute! Tolu whore!” Alhaji answered.

Click here to read part two

Written By Kemi Jinadu
Beautiful portrait by Djele


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