MORENIKEJI

   “Morenikeji!”

     My mother’s baritone voice echoed through the walls of our incredibly large hallway. No, the house wasn’t a big one, just badly shaped with the plan drawn by an half-baked draftsman that was Papa's friend. I remember how I lurk in the shadows whenever I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Mama knew to find me there.

“I knew you would be here ohh. Look at you, acting like a big baby. You’ve still not changed.”

    I ignored her and just stared at her badly coloured skin, blemished by dangerous chemicals she called body cream.

“Mama. When did you start bleaching? It is bad for your health ohh”, I whispered, “Cancer.”

‘Cancer ko. My dear, stop worrying. Everybody’s getting light-skinned these days. You better adjust and let me get you a very nice one for your skin. Dark child like your Papa. Before you divert my attention, you know why I am here oh.”

     I didn’t reply and I could sense her temporary calmness seeping away.

“Papa can’t do this to me, Mama. He would never. Tiamiyu? Of all people? That man is like a hundred years older than I am.”

“It is not the age that matters, omo mi. He cares for you”, She replied.

“I refuse to get married to that old hag Mama! Can’t you see how he looks?”, I cried out.

“No oh. It’s because I am blind now”, raising her voice, “Your father has spoilt you. I’ll continue to say so. Your father is after all ten years older than I am.”

     Shaking my head, I said ,“I bow to your superior self-justification, Mama.”

 “I’ve informed you a number of times, I already love another man and I intend to build my future with him.”

“That Oyinbo man? Clark abi? You must be joking my dear.”

“Mama!”

“You know I do not have time for cajoling. I have to be on my way to the store. So, fix up.”

     Swaying her round buttocks, she sauntered out of the hallway in her new swaggering manner. Just three years ago, we were that normal family, same financial position as over two million  people in this country. Now, Papa has a chieftaincy title and little to no time in the world for anyone. Mama has a huge business with several headquarters along with thousands of owanbe parties every weekend. Something she used to detest. My parents are now elites. I’m still surprised we haven’t moved houses. How easy is it to change a man’s heart when money waddles its beautiful but ugly self in.

     Two weeks ago, I arrived into the dusty streets of Ibadan that remains adorned with beautifully set rust roofing sheets and loud utterings alongside blaring horns. Need I say these past weeks have been the most unbearable time of my young life. It wasn’t unbearable when we were struggling neither was it when I landed at Heathrow airport years back.

     Papa had called and instructed me to make my way back to Nigeria as soon as school was on break. It sounded rather urgent, was Papa ok? This ran through my mind a million times right from the moment the instruction was given till the plane touched down. I discussed my fear with Clark but he assured me nothing could be wrong. He also offered to go with me. Then I arrived and found Papa looking very comfortable, healthy and fresh. His normally long stretched out neck now plum with steps of full flesh as his beads caressed the ridges with each movement. Papa's badly arranged set of teeth with a slight chip now shone as bright as the reflection of the sun against my window back in Birmingham. To his right stood Tiamiyu, a well- known visitor that frequented our house since my junior year in secondary school. His presence made no sense but I didn’t take it to heart. Maybe he happened to be around when Papa was on his way to get me? I flashed him a smile as I tried to ignore his piercing gaze. Ruining the light mood as I beamed at changes in the city, Papa didn’t waste time in announcing my engagement. Not just the engagement but the ceremony was to take place in a week’s time. Who does that?

    Recovering from my train of thoughts, I noticed Papa was home which was rather too early. I hope I could seize the opportunity to appeal for a change of mind. On getting to the sitting-room, Papa was seated there, waiting patiently for me. I remember when he used to sit on his favourite armchair with me. As cramped as it was, there was always space for me. We would discuss, argue and sing melodies together. All that gone along with the armchair. In its position stood a rather enormous but ugly one. I hated it the moment I set my eyes on it.

  “Papa. Welcome. I-,” Tears filled my eyes as I struggle to piece my words together.

“Moreni, Omo mi. You know I’ll never choose wrongly for you. This marriage must hold. Tiamiyu has been generous to us. We’re indebted to him.” He still spoke in his richly soothing tone.

“ Indebted? How? Can we not pay back? Clark has offered to pay. He asks that you allow him speak with you.”

 “ This white man you keep on mentioning. I hope you know there’s no way you’re getting married to him. As the smart girl I know you to be, you should’ve ended things with him.”

   Papa shook his head, kept mute then sighed deeply.

“I figured you would’ve pieced things together. How else did you think we became rich? How did we afford to send you to school in the white man’s land?”

      Flashing back to my senior year in secondary school, I remember an agency paid for international examinations for ten of us. I was lucky to be among. But when results were released, I couldn’t make the scholarship point but I did pass. Papa was dejected to see me sad. I was rather optimistic, who wouldn’t want to study abroad? Knowing the situation of things at home, I couldn’t complain. A month after, Mama walked into my room radiating with joy. She informed me I would be able to study abroad as Papa had gained access to his long-lost inheritance. She said Papa would pay for my tuition.

“ But Mama said your inheritance. She assured me. Was it all a ruse? Papa, what did you do?”

“ I did what any man would do. Tiamiyu was always here to ask for your hand in marriage. I didn’t refuse neither did I accept until you had to go to the university. He was willing to help, he assisted and still is.”

   Anger surged through me and my head span several times. I looked at Papa in disbelief but his head was lowered. In shame, I hope.

“What kind of man would ask to marry a child? I was but a little girl of thirteen years when that bastard started visiting. How did I not notice his dangerous stares and rather alarming approach. That man is a predator! How could you, Papa, how?” I lowered myself I’m tears and I couldn’t help but wail. 

    Papa took my hands and drew me in his warm embrace. 

“I am sorry Morenikeji. There was no other choice”

“No other choice? Papa I could’ve studied here in Nigeria. I understood our financial position and I didn’t blame anyone for it. How could you? Was that why you sent Mama to deliver the news that day?”

“I couldn’t bring myself to lie to you, Omo mi. Someone had to do it”

“But you did lie. The past three years has been nothing but a lie. Everything you and Mama have acquired is nothing but a lie!”

                                                               *       *       *

    Papa had cajoled me to spend a number of days in order to familiarize myself with Tiamiyu. I agreed based on the fact that I’ll be allowed to finish my degree before any marriage was to take place although the traditional wedding was to hold. The particular night I arrived, Tiamiyu appeared rather nice but I refused to be phased. Everything was going on smoothly until he knocked at my door in the midnight. Luckily, I had bolted the door and added extra furniture to keep it locked. He pounded away and growled in anger then left. Cold sweat made me shiver as various thoughts ran through my mind. I put a call through to Clark and he managed to calm me down. Just yesterday, while having dinner, he enquired about life in the United Kingdom which I answered accordingly.

   “ Nice. Maybe when we get married and you’re in the family way, you'll give birth to our kid over there.”, He grinned happily and I watch in disgust as his face separated into dozens of wrinkles.

    “Alongside school?”

 “Yes oh. We’ll make sure you get pregnant before you go back.”

“No!”, I retorted, “I do not plan on getting pregnant while in school.”

  Whispering, I added, “That’s even if  I’m getting married to you at all.”

     As fast as a beast, he rose up, barked and made way to my side of the table. I was scared but refused to budge. He looked deep into my eyes, pulled me by my hair then rushed into his room. My eyes were dotted with tears as I hurried into my room before anything else could go wrong.

    Clouds were gloomy and darkness filled the sky this fateful morning. Morenikeji looked out and couldn’t contain the determination that  surged from the depths of her heart. A man she didn’t care about, a potential wife-beater. She had to act fast and return to Birmingham. She made her decision.

     She prepared a sumptuous meal, pounded yam with Egusi soup stocked with assorted meat and fish. She placed it in front of him as a peace offering and apologized. Happiness was written all over his face as he devoured the food and called her Omo daadaa, that is, Good child. She stared deep into his eyeballs as they begin to turn read and fluids streamed down his nostrils and foam from his mouth. He held tightly to his throat as he managed to squeak out her name. As he slumped into his chair in final submit, she packed my bags and made way to the airport. I’m coming, Clark.

           

                                                                               *     *     *

     Papa stood in his warm hallway, his face in distraught as he paced up an down. His beads set askew as sweat dripped down his face. His assistant had informed him of Tiamiyu’s death and the fact that all hands pointed to Moreni. Tiamiyu had been found dead days after and his body was bloated and black, a sign of poison. Autopsy was to be taken but the truth was obvious. Moreni was also missing as she had ordered the staff of Tiamiyu on a week’s leave initially. Regret was all he could feel as he blamed himself for the unpleasant turn of events. He was planning a way of escape for Moreni when his phone beeped and a message from a particular Clark surfaced. The white man stated he was on his way to Nigeria to pay his last respect to his beloved.

    He screamed in anguish as his phone dropped to the floor and he remembered his little girl’s face. A divine replica of him, dark with button nose and slightly silted eyes. Moreni's flight out of the country had been reported to have crashed with no survivor. His baby was gone all because of his greed. He desired wealth and affluence which he got after his alliance with Tiamiyu. He sold out his daughter for pennies and now she was no more. He was going to take the bold step as there was no reason to exist if there was no Morenikeji.

AMONIMO IKEOLUWA STELLA