Looking through the recent advert
for Alexander McQueen dresses brought back this memory. Its one memory I will
not forget in my lifetime. Things we do because we are ignorant and we want to
belong.
Christmas was fast approaching and
every family was busy buying clothes and shoes for their kids. The fragrance of
Christmas breezed past my home and we also needed to get the once in a year “Aso
Odun and Bata Odun”. However, there was a little problem. Dad has been the one buying our Christmas clothes
and we staged a demonstration against that. We told him we needed our money in
cash so that we can go to the market and sort ourselves out.
I knew I led the family Aluta as
little I was and quite unusual of dad, he gave in and gave us our money. I was
in secondary school. Boarding school to be precise. The money dad gave us was
quite on the high side in respect to the year in question, it was enough to get
us a nice dress for Christmas celebration.
The second day, typical of every
harmattan period when you have the sun basking in the freedom of the universe,
my sister and I set out for the market.
On our way, my mind did 360
degree. I thought about what I will buy, how I will look and topmost was the
sense of freedom I got from dad for collecting that cash. I told myself as I smiled
sheepishly, enough is enough jare. Dad is a man. How can he understand what I need
as a young girl. How foolish was I. The same dad, who has bought my clothes
since I was six when we lost mum, the same man who knows the in and out of the
markets in my area, the man who took it upon himself to raise four girls without
fear or trembling…
The list is endless but…I never
cared. I reassured myself that it was never his job to buy clothes for girls.
He can do well in the boys department but for me, I know my needs and taste so
he should give me my money.
In less than 20minutes we were in
the market and that was where the temptation started. You will agree with me
that during festive periods, there are usually large turnouts of traders and
wares and it will take a lot of caution to stick to your list.
Suddenly, I saw the Radio. It
looks good. A radio? Like seriously? What else do I need to feel among in my boarding
school? What else. I was never among the richest so my provisions are limited.
I wasn’t that pretty (wasn’t ugly either. I was in the middle range. Don’t try
me now o. Time can change a lot of things). The only thing that set me apart and
made me popular and even gave me a post as a prefect was because I was
brilliant. Yes I was. Nobody can argue about that. I was damn straight brilliant
for my age and class and all the rich babes still comes to me for help
So I thought to myself, if I buy
this radio, I will take it to school when we resume and boom, I will be the
next big thing on campus. At least, people will talk about me for two weeks. So
I cunningly asked my sister about her opinion.
While she held her money tightly
in her palm, she told me how sonorous the voice from the radio will sound, she told
me how I will suddenly become the “big girl”, she told me to go for it but she
held her own money like it was going to disappear.
She is my elder sister and I looked
at her for that approval. She gave me and supported me. So timidly, we both
went to the seller’s store. We greeted her, told her we wanted the radio, she
gave us her price, we bargained and I bought the radio.
I tried switching it on but I noticed
it wasn’t working until my sister told me I needed to buy a battery for it to
work. Funny enough, the little change left with me was just enough for the battery
so I looked at my sister to see if she
can do me a favour by paying for the battery from her own money but she didn’t
bulge so I had to use my remaining change.
I was so excited that I didn’t even
bother to put the battery inside the radio. Instead, I jumped into the next cab
and headed straight to my aunt’s place. My aunt, she is a drama to behold. A
lot of people think I‘m dramatic, wait until you see my Aunt. Drama is her
middle name.
We got to her house and I was
excited to show her my new investment. Her kids were young, they were in
primary school. As we stepped into their
living room, the kids were so happy to see us and they rushed to embrace us. I
love them so much. My first cousins. Adorable kids back then and lovely ladies
and mothers now.
The first sound that came out of
the radio was not sonorous. It was deadly and annoying. The sound was “jim jim”.
I told myself no way. I pressed the second button and I heard the second sound “Ton
ton ton”, I said no way. This is just preamble. When radio want to work, they
first do testing testing…I pressed the third button and I heard “dan, dan, dan,
dan”…The most annoying part was that, as the radio was making those kids
sounds, my aunt’s kids were dancing and laughing away. They saw a toy, I saw a
radio.
How on earth can I be that
foolish? Even children saw toy. How did that multicolored children toy looked
like a real radio to one of the brightest students of Unity? I have never felt
stupid in my entire life like I felt that day. My world suddenly stopped
moving.
My sister, who was my cheerleader
suddenly turned around to say, “Oh I told her, I told her ...She will not listen” Wait self…We should
really have permission to beat up our elder ones once in a while. I was not
even moved by her sudden change of tone. I needed my money back and the only
way is to take the radio back to the seller.
Oh my aunt, she talked and talked
and talked. She abused me, abused my senses, abused my inquisitive nature, and
abused everything that I stood for. I really didn’t care. I just wanted my
money back and the only way Is for her to follow me to the seller.
After a lot of pleading and
crying and begging, she reluctantly followed me while I tucked my tail between
my legs and followed her like a lost sheep. The trip to the market nko? I don’t
wish it on my enemy. My aunt started the whole story inside the taxi. It was as
if ground should open up and swallow me.
Eventually, we got to the market
and I pointed the seller to my aunt. My aunt just screamed. Olamide, Ki lo wa
de odo obinrin yi (Olamide, what did you find to this woman’s place?) She is a
troublesome person. She is the 5th wife of Kabiyesi.
In my head, I was like; let her
be the 100th wife of Kabiyesi. Just get me my money but my mouth
couldn’t say it because of the igbati oloyi
My aunt moved closed to her and
started her story, I mean my story by telling the woman how Olamide is an Omo
Oku Orun…( The child of a dead person)…Before I could blink an eye like this,
my aunt started crying. She started mentioning how good my mum was. She was
saying things like “Iku lo bo la je, Iku lo se ka, Iku mu eni re lo, Iku this,
Iku that….Sincerely, I still don’t get what Iku has to do with my foolishness
however, since I needed my money back, I also joined her in crying.
Come and see drama that day in
the market o. Eventually, she gave me my money minus the battery money. Like I care?
The journey back to my aunt’s
place was a quiet one. Immediately we got to her place, I begged her not to
tell dad. Begged her with everything I had. She obliged and we left.
Two weeks later, Dad, passed a
comment at me for trying to act like I know it all and he used my radio saga.
My sister?...I showed her pepper
and I still let her realize her role was not Christ-like even after 15years…..
My cousins? Graduates, Married
etc but they never stop teasing me about my chinchong radio
My dad: I can never fault his judgment.
Lesson learnt:
- Don’t be in a rush to buy anything. Impulse buying is a bit dangerous. When you eventually buy anything, explore it before leaving the store
- Don’t try to be like every other person. Stay in your lane. If you can’t afford it, Don’t stretch your limit.
- Most “big girls” are debtors. They live on debt. Don’t be moved by all the shining stars you see around people. Not all glitters are gold. If it glitters, it’s not gold. If it’s gold, it won’t glitter.
- Take time, seek counsel. Seek counsel. Seek counsel
- Don’t be in hurry to take advice. Sample opinions.
