SEASON TWO
Bode was the closest to me among all the choir members.I could see
in him a younger brother i never had.
My school was not so far to the church,so sometimes after service
or singing practise he would say “aunty Sewa,i’m coming to your
place to eat o”. I would tell him to come,since i really didnt
know how to prepare one man meal,i was always having leftover.
He was only 20yrs old then,while i was 24.He was a 200 level
student of College of education,Okene,and a native of Oyan
where i was serving.
When i first got to the church,his school was on break,before we
could really got to know each other,the break was over,so he went
back to school.
About a month after he left,i saw him in church one sunday
morning.I asked him why he came home so soon, he told me he
had not paid his school fees and that his parents were not able to
give him the money.
I got to know that his dad was an old farmer,and his mum,a
petty trader at Oyan market.
Money was never my problem,because besides the allowance i was
receiving from NYSC,my dad was always sending money into my
account without my sisters’ knowledge.He would say he didnt
want me to suffer since i was far from home.
So,i asked him the amount he needed.He told me,and i told him to
come and meet me in school the next day so we could go to the bank together and withdraw the money. I withdrew almost everything in my account, gave him his schools fees, transport fare and a token as pocket money, he was very happy. His mum came later to show her appreciation on behalf of her family.
That was what really brought us closer.Whenever he was away in
school,he would be sending text messages to me,thanking me for
helping him.Sometimes,he would send me message that he went to
bed the previous night with an empty stomach,out of compassion,i
would quickly send him any amount i could afford,to buy
foodstuff,and again,he would appreciate me.
Soon,we were on christmas break.I didnt want to travel,but my
dad insisted i should come to Lagos.
After the break,i was supposed to return to Oyan in
january,daddy couldnt give me enough money as he had spent a
lot during the festive season,he expected me to still have some
money in my bank account,he was taken aback when he asked
me how much i had with me and i answered “Nothing sir”.
“You dont mean it!.What are u using money for?.Are you feeding
more than your mouth?.What did you do with the money i sent to your
account last month?….Hun?.Tell me!.”
Mummy and sis Temi heard him as he was talking to me in
annoyance.
Sis Temi came with her husband and daughter to visit our
parents.She was busy chatting with mum,when they heard
daddy raising his voice.
The moment she heard that dad was sending money to me,she said
“Da-dd-y!.So u’ve been sending money to Sewa every
month!!..I was the first person to go on service in this house,i
remember if i didnt ask you for money,you wouldnt give me,and i
would have to give you the details of what i needed the money
for,before you would give it.”
“And you (turning to me) what are you spending money on?.Have you
bought a plot of land?.Oh!..you want to build a house in Oyan? Is that not so?
please Watch out for SEASON Three{...LOADAING}