Book Three
Ayetoro village,
Saturday, 14 August, 1976.
Five p.m.
After two years, Ademide had a deep relationship with Mr. Ajifowora; he acted as a brother and uncle to Mide and assisted her with every difficulty she had. He introduced Western religion to her, though she was still young and didn’t pay much attention to this new religion. She was in between – she was practicing Christianity and was also worshipping Orisha Obatala (Yoruba’s divinity).
Ademide was excited because she passed her WAEC exams; she ran to her friend’s house (Abebi) to share the news with her since her parents were not interested in her education.
‘Congratulations.’ Abebi paid less attention to Mide.
‘How was your result?’ Mide gave a concerned look.
‘It was fine; I was also awarded a scholarship.’ Abebi cried bitterly.
‘Is there anything wrong?’ Mide questioned.
‘My parents told me that they can’t further my education into the university,’ Abebi wiped her tears, ‘they said my job is to take care of the house.’ she couldn’t control her tears.
‘But we were awarded scholarships.’ Mide was surprised.
‘I do not know what to do,’ Abebi wept out loud, ‘they want my brother to go to the university.’
Ademide consoled Abebi and thought about how her parents would react to her news. She decided to go to Mr. Ajifowora’s house to let him know about her success. She found his door wide opened and she was shocked to see Mr. Ajifowora convulsing on the floor.
‘Mr. Ajifowora! Mr. Ajifowora!’ Mide shook his body. Ademide ran out of his house to call the attention of the nearby villagers.
‘Where is his Jesus?’ A woman laughed uncontrollably.
‘I saw Baba Mide leaving his house some minutes ago.’ Another woman gossiped.
‘Please help him.’ Ademide cried out to them.
‘He is an abomination.’ The first woman snapped her fingers over her head.
Ademide noticed that the villagers were not ready to help Mr. Ajifowora and she ran out to the outskirt of the village to call the missionaries.
Mr. Ajifowora gave up the ghost before they got back to his house; the men who followed Mide wrapped his corpse in a white wrapper. It was a black burial because he was a young man and his death was a mystery.
‘Mama Mide, try to talk to your husband.’ Mrs. Jejelaye hummed.
‘He won’t listen to me and Mide cannot be wasting her time in school, she needs to assist me with chores and help me sell my tomatoes in the market.’ Mrs. Ajisafe frowned.
“‘Don’t you want your daughter to be the first graduate in the village?’ ‘Mama Mide, please think about this again o.’ Mrs. Jejalaye folded her arms.
‘Jejelaye, I don’t want my daughter to go to school again.’ Mrs. Ajisafe demonstrated aggressively.
‘Mama Mide, I have a friend in Obantoko, her son is the first graduate in that village and he brought fortune back to his village.’ Mrs. Jejelaye said gently.
‘He is a man and Ademide is a girl; she belongs to the kitchen.’ Mrs. Ajisafe remained adamant.
‘That is not true, your daughter has so much potentials and she can make Ayetoro village proud.’ Mrs. Jejelaye convinced Mide’s Mother.
Mrs. Ajisafe discussed it with her husband and Mr. Ajisafe eventually agreed because his junior brother (Mr. Ifabomi Ajisafe) begged him.
University of Ile-Ife, Osun.
Monday, 17 January, 1977.
Ten a.m.
Ademide was the first girl in Ayetoro village to further her education to the university and that caused a lot of envy from other villagers.
Ademide prepared for school and her parents made her to perform some rituals for protection in the herbalist’s hut before she left for school. She was offered a scholarship to the University of Ile-Ife; she was so excited and anxious to get to her new school in order to learn new things. She opted for Industrial Chemistry as her field of study.
While she was in the school premises, students mocked her because she was on aso-oke (Yoruba attire). She met a man in the administrative block when she went to process her admission. His face was gentle as a dove and he was a thin man with a dark complexion, he was 6’2 feet tall. He walked straight towards her direction, his face held forward in a steady gaze, and had an air of authority that was palpable.
‘Hi,’ the man approached her, ‘My name is Dotun.’
‘My name is Ademide.’ She could not stop staring at his eyes, his glow was irresistible.
‘You have a lovely name,’ Dotun smiled, ‘Where are you from?’
‘I am from Ayetoro village.’ She smirked.
Dotun smelled like fresh baked cookies and she had a tingling sensation which felt unreal. Dotun was in his second year and he was a student of Microbiology; he assisted Mide with her admission process.
“‘I love your attire,’ he gave a flirty smile, ‘but, you can’t wear it for lectures’, ‘do you have English wears?’”
‘I don’t.’ She felt shy.
Dotun took her to Ife market to get her some clothes and he assisted in renting a room for her in an apartment where he lived at Modakeke. They became close and Mide was always free with him.