The announcement came for the last time, he just hoped that they would let him have a glimpse of her, just a glimpse would heal his aching soul.
They made sure to hide her, far from him. Chike got up. He stood at the entrance, when he was about to enter the gates, he turned back, and there she was, for the last time.
The Wedding
The priest looked at him again, in a questioning way; he pointed at the time, but Chike looked helpless. They were kept waiting for more than two hours, the church was full, but there was no sign of the bride. Few of Oluchi’s people were around; they too looked confused. They spoke last night, over the phone, but she never told him that she was sick. At that point, he cared less about the murmuring or the walk-out by many guests; they had other occasions to attend, and his shouldn’t keep them idling about. Tobechi, his best man touched his shoulder, and asked:
“Have you called?”
He looked at Tobe as though he were nuts. He had been on her line for more than five hours, and it never connected. He sent texts, but they all bounced back. His parents came once, and twice to tell him to be patient, he knew how traffic jam could be in a place like Lagos, but her house was a stone throw from the church. His pores sweated, he didn’t want to believe what his mind told him, but he had to find out for himself. Chika removed his jacket, handed it over to Tobe, got up, and walked to the exit end of the church, amidst loud murmuring, and bewilderment.
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Love at First Sight
It was love at first sight for them: Chike and Oluchi. Chike had never visited Nigeria, and his parents were not worried about it. Most times, they would dissuade him from going home whenever it came up. He never met any of his cousins, except those that live in the states with them; they too never travel back to Nigeria. It became a thing of worry for him after so many years, but one day, his office sends him back home.
Chike was a computer engineer, and worked as a supervisor for a computer engineering firm. The last board meeting proved that the new money was in Nigeria; this was due to the huge demand of ICT and electronic devices in the country, and as a result, Chika was the right man to send home. He was commissioned to find out avenues through which the company could buy into the Nigerian market. Obviously, they would make their goods and services too appealing to the eyes and mind, and later hike the price to the detriment of those concerned. Chike agreed to go, but he knew nobody in Nigeria, much more, ever travelled back home since he was born. But his boss just said:
“We already did the homework for you. We have established a good contact, and she would pick you up at the airport”
Chike knew Mr. Jones better; he would go to any extent to get whatever he wanted, even if it means to burn some asses or clamp some crabs.
The news of him leaving for few months terrified so many people: friends, colleagues, neighbours, and most especially, his parents. It was as though leaving the States was a taboo. It made him feel too uncomfortable, that he began asking questions about Nigeria, Googling, and Facebooking, after all, he was going home, at last. His parents offered to come along, but he adamantly refused. They dropped him off at the airport, and watched his flight leave for Nigeria.
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Oluchi
She was a butterfly in a colourful print. A short sleeved knee-length gown, that showed off her slim curves in the right places. She was his African queen. Oluchi pinned his name on the right hand side of her shoulder, and when he saw his name, he walked up to her, and it just clicked. Oluchi helped him settle in, and then left, because they had a lot ahead of them.
An Adventure
A heavy knock woke Chike from sleep. He looked at the bedside clocked, and jumped up. He was late for their first day. He took a quick shower, and they were already on their way to computer village.
The first few weeks were tedious: he had to get used to the heat, the traffic jam, and the mixture of loud music and happy voices. In fact, he loved the night life, and the dance halls. He never had the time to spoil himself for a very long time. Oluchi was an all rounder; she took him around, introduced him to everybody, and made him feel at home. The first day she found out that he didn’t know how to communicate in his dialect, she didn’t hide the disappointment on her face. He felt there was something wrong, because it was the first time someone told him something different about himself.
During his three months in Nigeria, he got to meet Oluchi’s family; he found out how nice and hospitable the Akubundus were. They asked him so many questions, especially, about his background which he had little idea about. Before he left, he did one right thing for himself: he proposed to Oluchi, and she accepted. He called his family from Nigeria, but they didn’t sound too happy for him. His parents kept on asking him so many questions, and at the end, they asked him to come back home when they felt he sounded upset.
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The Pains of Goodbye
It stung; she was in tears as the words left her lips. She said it, and ran far away from his sight. He couldn’t chase her, because the gates were already being shut against him. Theirs was a love that could not live. Everything became clear to him: her parents’ inquisitiveness, his parents’ restlessness, and the fact that he never came home. He didn’t blame her. He was on his way home with a knowledge that was hidden for years: he was an Osu, an outcast.
Written by Udemezue, Oluoma
Udemezue, Oluoma loves to read and write, you can catch her on udemezueoluoma@yahoo.com, udemezue, Oluoma Judith –Facebook, oluomaudemezue on Instagram, and @Udemezueoluoma on Twitter.