THE EXCHANGE

Where is it

@hauwa @softie @olorivicky @promzy @emergencia @victoriouschild @onahsunday631 @invincible @froshberry-2 @mubarak @idrowest @seyskil80 @frankkay @hi-bee-kay @tenniebenson

Where is it?

pls help with the roll call @onahsunday631 et @victoriouschild

ride on

am here oooo

following

Nyc go on

Oya,I Don Borrow Coolval Sit,cntnue

Ride on son

@Eliboy reg plz

Nice one... Ride on.

Good one bro@holakizzo . @eliboy list pls

register @mum @victoriouschild

Hnnn nice one

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omo d reg long o... So na all dis goons wan read ... Ok make we jazz dey go

[b] EPISODE 4 . . My relationship with Tunji was more or less an engagement but nothing was official… I’m sure if people gave engagement rings back then, I would have been wearing one. I was considered ‘marked’, everyone knew I had a boyfriend…my mum would introduce him as “Ǫkǫ Àfęsǫnà” which means Fiancé in Yoruba Language. Later my mum started suggesting that we should get pregnant but Tunji would just laugh and tell her not to worry, that we would give her all the grandchildren she was looking for. Tunji made a vow of chastity with me and had said we would wait till our wedding night before we ‘did’ anything. He would say “ What’s the point of rushing to have a taste when you can easily have the whole pot for keeps ” Not long after that, a cousin of mine, Laide, who lived in Lagos was getting married and it was going to be a big party…that was the first grandchild of my maternal grandmother that was getting married so the whole family was all agog. Laide and I were very close growing up… she would come spend some time with us during her school breaks and I would do the same during my holidays. We kind of drifted apart when she got admission into the University of Ibadan. She came with her mum (my mum’s elder sister) to inform us of her wedding. It was nice seeing her again…the last time I saw her was when she stopped by after my dad’s demise. unlike that visit, this time, we had time to talk and we did for hours. She told me everything about her fiancé. How they met at the University of Ibadan, when he came to visit his younger sister that happened to be Laide's friend, How he studied Medicine abroad but is now working in his father's company How he’s from a wealthy family How they are planning to shut Lagos down for the wedding She went on and on and on about how this was a fairytale come true for her. How she already got a brand new car from her would-be father-in-law for saying yes to his son How she would be travelling abroad with her fiancé to shop for the wedding And finally she said she wanted me to be her chief bridesmaid (we called it ‘best lady’ back then) I couldn’t say No, I was super excited for her…she took my measurements and shoe size so she could get me the things needed on their shopping trip. They were with us the whole weekend and she met Tunji… “ Hmmmn, he’s so handsome” was all she said and they left Sunday evening. My mum and her sister (Laide’s mum) already made arrangements for the “Asọ òkè” (the traditional head gear and cap for family members to wear at the wedding). They would meet at Ibadan some weeks later to go pick one and buy in bulk. Laide told me to come to Lagos before the wedding, she told me when she would be back from her trip and wanted me to come try my clothes and other things on…in case they would need adjustments. After they left, my mum still took a jab at me and Tunji, saying we should get something done soon. My cousin got back and I quickly travelled to Lagos to go see her…the things she brought for me were beautiful. She bought everything needed to be the chief bridesmaid up to undies. I met her fiancé (Bola) for the first time as well. I also met the best man who happened to be the groom’s cousin. I noticed the way he was looking at me...I wasn’t sure I liked it. Bola took us out to have lunch and his cousin came with us…I had never seen such lavish generosity in my life. Poverty is a bastard…the restaurant he took us to… The car we drove in… The people we met at the restaurant…. I was seriously intimidated but I kept it together. I told myself I would just sit quietly and return to my Abeokuta after everything. @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

Am right here!

Bring It On.

Thanks for the beep!

Ok next

Nice one.

Next pls

[b]EPISODE 6 . . When we talked about my late dad he felt sorry for me, I could see the sincerity in his eyes…he said he could imagine life if he had lost his dad and told me the story of how his dad helped him to overcome some challenges that could have gotten him expelled from school while studying abroad. Baba T dropped me off at our own hotel later that evening. As he was leaving he said “ I think I like you”, all I could say was "thank you" as I hurried into the lobby. Laide was already very angry because she had no idea where we were. I quickly apologized and blamed it on the best man. She later told me that Baba T’s mum had been asking questions about me and wanted to know things about my family. “Don’t mind them, they are looking to add an extra to the wife they already got” I said as I made my way into the bathroom. The following day was super busy, it was the day of the traditional wedding and I was with Baba T for the most part. We were running around to make sure everything went on perfectly. At a point, he asked if I could drive and wanted to hand me a car key so I could run some other errands…that way we would be able to cover more grounds before the ceremony that was slated for that evening. I told him I couldn’t drive and he promised to take care of that as soon as we were done with the wedding. In my mind, I was like “Where will you see me?” As we drove around town, Baba T continued his ‘interrogation’ and wanted to know more about my mum and siblings. I told him of my eldest brother that was working with the government and had just gotten the job. Bab-T asked if he would be attending the wedding and I said yes…he said he would like to meet with him and have a chat. The ceremony was nothing short of glamorous…everything was well planned and nothing was lacking. Food, drinks, decorations, clothes, accessories, the band was a high class Juju musician. That was the first time I saw people getting gifts for their traditional wedding. The couple got about 3 brand new cars from friends of the groom’s family. The money I made on the dance floor almost brought me to tears. Baba T and his friends showered me with lots of money as they sprayed endlessly (it was like a planned thing). My mum called me at the end of the ceremony and asked who the “Darosha’ was (Da rocha was the name of a Brazilian merchant that was believed to be the richest Nigerian a long time ago and people used the term derogatorily for a flaunter of wealth). I told him it was the man that gave me the money I showed her the last time I came to Lagos. She nodded her head for a while and told me to be careful (again). Later that night, I introduced my eldest brother (Brother Kola, like I call him) to Baba T and they talked for a long time. I had to go back to the hotel with Laide to prepare for the big day. I thought the traditional wedding was glamorous until I saw the church wedding. Every detail had an aura of affluence…the groom and his family went all out to make the day extra special. Laide just kept shedding tears of joy and I couldn’t help but do the same. The Groom’s father talked about how he (the groom) had been a good boy from childhood and this was just a little way of showing how proud he was of him. It was during the reception that the groom’s father unveiled the secret present…a brand new fully furnished house where the newly wed would start their family. I was in awe of the gifts they received… there’s no way they could have used everything they were given. I doubt if they had enough room in their house to even contain the gifts. I was the custodian of the bride’s money, that people were ‘spraying’ her…it was tiring, as the bags were getting filled up fast. Baba T and his friends ‘soaked’ me in money again at the reception when we were dancing with the couple…he did the same for my mum (I wasn’t sure how he knew that was my mum). There was an all-night party that continued till Sunday morning…people ate and ate but the food and drinks kept coming. There were lots of eminent personalities and dignitaries at the wedding and indeed they shut Lagos down like Laide had said. @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

[b]EPISODE 7 . . Laide told me they were travelling to Paris for their honeymoon and wanted me to stay for a few more days until she travelled. I sent my mum to Tunji to let him know I would be staying for 3 more days and I would see him as soon as I got back. I helped Laide to count how much money she was ‘sprayed’ while dancing…my God! Let me just say that I made close to ten thousand naira (trust me, that was a lot of money back then…I had never even had or handled that much money in my life); that should give you an idea of how much money Laide was ‘sprayed’. Baba T offered to drop Laide and her husband at the airport and I came with them. After they departed, Baba T offered to drop me at Abeokuta; it was already evening so I opted for public transportation. He insisted that he would drop me at home but I was scared as I didn’t want him to know where I lived and I also didn’t want any issues with Tunji. He wouldn’t listen and just kept driving towards Abeokuta…he said his mum would not forgive him if he told her that he didn’t take me home. “ And how would she know?” I asked. He replied that she would ask him. “Don’t you know that my mum likes you?” he added. I had this uncomfortable grin on my face and Baba T continued by telling me the story of how he almost married an ‘oyinbo’ (a Caucasian) while in the United Kingdom and how the lady had introduced him to heroin and how it almost ruined his life. How his father used everything within his power to get him clean and rehabilitated and back to school. How his father helped him to complete his education. How his mum made sure he came back to Nigeria to join the family business after he graduated and how his mum swore that she would see to it that he married a Yoruba girl. He told me he’s an only child and that his mum could not wait for him to get married. I asked what was delaying him and he responded that he tried dating a few girls after he got back but there were issues and besides, his mum had never liked any girl he brought home. I asked what he meant by “there were issues” and he told me not to worry about it. As we were approaching Abeokuta, I was secretly praying that Tunji would not be in our house when we arrived. When we got home, Baba T helped me with my luggage…he also came in and said hello to my mum (who was shocked to see him). My eldest brother was also at home when we arrived and for whatever reason, he was very pleased to see Baba T. They talked for a while and when Baba T was about to leave, he gave some money to my mum; who somewhat hesitated but had to take it because the giver insisted. “What are you doing?” was my mum’s question as soon as I entered the house after seeing my ‘visitor’ off. “Maami, I don’t understand what you are saying” was my response. My mum was not very happy as she went on and on about how greed could cause a person to make wrong decisions. “Be content with what God gave you” “Don’t be distracted because of what you saw at your cousin’s wedding” “Tunji is a good boy and he will make you happy. Don’t let money entice you” I was getting really angry at my mum because Baba T had not even said he wanted to date me. I told her it was our roles at the wedding that brought us together, made us friends and there was nothing else to it. “When a child is cutting a tree in the forest, only the elders can tell in which direction it where it will fall ” my mum said and she stopped talking about it. My mum was never the nagging type; she would say what’s on her mind and let you make your own decision @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

[b]EPISODE 8 . . In the middle of our argument, Brother Kola...who had stayed outside to discuss with Baba T, said he had some good news. He said he had a chat with Baba T during the wedding and he promised him a job at their company. The job was in Lagos, paid like four times what he currently earned, and came with an official car and some other benefits. He was to come over in a week to have a formality-type interview as Baba T already offered him the job. “Now I can finally get married” my brother screamed as he jumped up and clenched his fist in celebration like someone that won a race. I could tell that my mum was confused and happy at the same time. “How? When?” those where my questions for Brother Kola. He said Baba T asked what he studied, when they met at the wedding and said he would be a good fit for their company. " He confirmed it just now when I saw him to the car " my brother continued. There was another brother of mine at home (brother Dipo); he rushed out to check what the noise was all about…he wasn’t really impressed when we told him. “So what? Do they think we are their charity project?” he said. That statement almost turned to a physical brawl between my two brothers but my mum was able to quell it. She said we had to be thankful for every blessing; as God could use anyone to deliver answers to a man’s prayers. Brother Dipo apologized to our eldest brother but said “ I know there’s more to this sudden ’no strings attached’ philantropism and I will remind all of you when it’s time to pay back ” Brother Dipo took after my dad; he’s not easily swayed or impressed by anything and had trust issues with strangers. We forgot about the whole thing and I settled in for the night. Tunji came the following day…it was really nice seeing him again; I didn’t know I had missed him that much as we almost broke our chastity vow. When he was about to leave, he told me the real reason he couldn’t attend my cousin’s wedding. He said he had applied for a job with a multinational company a while back but they finally reached out to him and scheduled the interview for Friday and Saturday, same days as the traditional and church weddings. The interview was in Ibadan and it went really well. He was really certain that they would consider him for the position. The job required a 3-month new employee orientation training in Germany and there were just two of them left in the process. He said he didn’t want to tell me earlier, so as not to get my hopes up unnecessarily since he wasn’t sure if he would scale through the initial qualification. “ If I get this job, I am going to marry you right away” he added. I was excited for him…howbeit, angry that he did not keep me in the loop. He said he was sorry and asked how the wedding went. I had to give an edited version of the story and cut Baba T out of it. Life was back to normal, my customers had missed me as I went back to work. I also gave my salon a facelift from the money I made in Lagos and it looked really beautiful. Brother Kola got the job as promised and had to move to Lagos…he came back the following weekend with his official car. It was a brand new Citroen CX 2500 and it was really beautiful. All my other siblings were home that day and they all wanted to take the car for a spin. Brother Dipo congratulated Brother Kola but you could tell he was just being civil. My mum got in the kitchen and cooked like it was Christmas, just to ‘wash’ the car. Before my brother left for Lagos, he handed me a little note from Baba T and said “ This guy must really like you, he is always talking about you and asking questions”. The note was just to let me know that he (Baba T) was out of the country and would be back in about a week. He also said he would try and come over to Abeokuta to see me once he got back. After reading the note, I began to wonder what Baba T really wanted from me. The wedding was over and I had thought parting ways would put an end to his infatuation. I found myself thinking about this all day…I let my imagination run wild, playing all the different scenarios in my head and I decided I was going to stay with Tunji. He deserved it, he had been a good boyfriend and I had never regretted dating him. Baba T was nice too but he was a little arrogant (although he liked to call it confidence). Two weeks after my brother came home, Baba T showed up at my salon. It was a Saturday afternoon, he had gone to our house and my mum told him I was at the Salon, so he drove down... @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

[b]EPISODE 9 . . I almost screamed when I saw him…Tunji had been with me at the Salon all morning and had just left. Baba T could tell I was jittery “Are you not happy to see me?” he asked. I told him I was just shocked to see him. He asked if we could go somewhere and talk, I quickly obliged as I did not want any drama if Tunji came back. He said he had missed me and just wanted to see me again…he also brought me some gifts from his trip to the United Kingdom. He said he really wanted to spend some time with me and he also had some important things to discuss with me. We talked for a while but I just wasn’t comfortable, I had to tell him about Tunji and that he also lived in Abeokuta and I didn’t want any trouble. He laughed and reminded me of a Yoruba adage that means “A woman is permitted to be wooed by a thousand and one men, but can only marry the one on top of it”. He said he understood and that Laide (my cousin) already told him about my ‘boyfriend’. “He is more than just a boyfriend” I quickly added “We’ll see about that” Baba T responded He asked if I could come see him in Lagos the following weekend so we could talk. He also said he had a big surprise for me regarding my business. I agreed to see him in Lagos and wouldn’t let him drop me off at my Salon; he got a cab to take me back however. By the time I got home, my mum was curious to know what was happening. I told my mum that Baba T came to share a business idea/opportunity with me and would like me to come to Lagos to discuss it and all she said was “ Mo ti gbọ o” (I hear you). I told Tunji the same thing but left out the name of the person I was going to see. He actually wanted to drive me to Lagos but his car needed to be fixed and he didn’t want to risk driving it to Lagos. I told him I would be fine and I should be back in a couple of days. When it was time to travel to Lagos, I told my mum I would stay with Laide and Bola or my elder Brother. I got to Lagos around 12:30 pm and took a cab to Baba T’s office (he had given me his card and told me to show it at the reception). I tried to look my best that day because I knew the kind of company that Baba T kept…I wore one of the dresses that Laide brought from her honeymoon and really looked like ‘one of them’. As I stepped into the building, the coolness of the air condition reminded me of a Nigerian banking hall…the office was tastefully furnished. I was lost in the beauty of the art decors until I heard the receptionist’s voice “ How may I help you ma’am?” For a moment I thought to myself “Me? Ma’am?” “I am here to see Baba T” I replied. She asked if I had an appointment and I handed her the card She quickly picked up the intercom and said something like “ She is here sir” Then she told me to follow her…I later found out Baba T had told them he was expecting me and that they should take me to his private waiting room. There was nothing they did not offer me; tea, coffee, juice, water but I didn’t want anything. Baba T showed up like 15 minutes later; he said he was in a meeting but had to end it. He looked at me as I got up to say hi to him, helped me up with my right hand and kind of spun me around “Hmmmn, you look good…I really like what I’m seeing” he said. I blushed and said thank you. I asked where my brother was and he told me he was in one of their offices on the mainland, overseeing a new project. “I’m famished…let’s do lunch, then I’ll show you a place and see what you think of it” He said as he grabbed his jacket and car keys. I noticed that he held me by my waist as we stepped out of his office and the building. I could tell that all eyes were on me. He introduced me to one of their managers (the guy he was having a meeting with before I got there) as his ‘very good friend’. The guy smiled and said jokingly that I must be very special for Baba T to end a meeting abruptly because of me. After the meal, Baba T drove us to a location in Ikeja and parked in front of this huge store-like building that was being renovated. It was right in the center of a very busy commercial area. He asked me to come see the inside…the contractor came to greet us, likewise the people working on the project. We went inside and I was shocked. It was an almost completed mega hair dressing salon…so beautiful and lavishly equipped. I could see the dryer stands being installed in the walls (in the walls). I saw glass ceilings, beautiful sets of furniture, and all sorts of high-end fittings. “Do you like it?” Baba T asked with a smirk I was so confused so I asked if he was planning to start a beauty salon business. @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

[b]EPISODE 9 B . . He responded that it was for me if I would consider moving to Lagos. “I love your entrepreneurial spirit and I want to help you become everything you can. I want to support your dreams and aspirations. You have so much more in you than that little place in Abeokuta…I see potentials and I can picture you as a successful business woman. Move to Lagos…please. There’s a whole world of opportunities for you here ” He added as we sat in his car to talk. “Why…why are you doing this? What’s in this for you?” I asked…I was so confused I did not know what to make of it. Trust me, there’s no way anyone would see what was being built and not want it to be theirs. I could only imagine how much money was put into the project. @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

interesting next episode please

Landed

[b]EPISODE 10 , , Baba T started to talk about how he liked me from the first day he saw me. How he had pestered my cousin, Laide, to help talk to me but she kept saying that I had a fiancé. How no girl had ever been acceptable to his mum, but somehow she was crazy about me. How his mum would always tell him “I don’t know why, but I just like that girl. You better don’t let her slip out of your hands” How his mum suggested the new salon move, just to get me out of Abeokuta How after he told his mum that I was already engaged to another guy she said “ B’ómǫdé bá r’óyin a s’àkàrà s’ígbó” meaning when a kid tastes honey, he/she has to let go of the bean cake How I deserved a beautiful and comfortable life and how he would see to it that I got it. How he was not looking for a girlfriend but a wife…because his mum was on his case to get married. How he would never hurt me and how he would take care of not just me but my entire family. We must have talked for hours…I was doing more of the listening though because I really didn’t know what to say. It was already evening and Baba T suggested that we went to my cousin’s place to chill and talk some more. I agreed because I seriously needed to talk to Laide about this. As soon as we got to Laide’s place, I dragged her to a corner to talk. She confirmed everything that Baba T said. “Na serious matter o” Laide said. She told me how Baba T’s mum had actually asked to be brought to Abeokuta to come see my mum. “But I have a fiancé” I said, trying to put up some kind of protest “I know, but you are not married. They have not broken any laws. They are simply trying to get a seemingly ‘available commodity’. If Tunji had already married you, I wouldn’t even be part of this. Until a woman is officially married, she is not off the market o ” Laide responded, as she told me the story of the guy she was dating back in the University. Their relationship started in secondary school and they attended the same University. It was a serious relationship but the guy was always saying he would never settle down until he had made a certain amount of money. Laide said the guy was her first love but in their 3rd year, he said he would need like 5 to 7 years to sort things out. She was actually willing to wait for him until Bola came into the picture. She was snubbing Bola until the day the other guy told her she didn’t have to wait for him. That was what made her decide to go with Bola. “Do I need to tell you that you are coming into comfort, if you consider Baba T? Can’t you see it already? I know that money is not everything but it is the main thing…It makes life easier and makes the marriage sweeter. I know you like Tunji, he’s handsome and promising but Baba T is also handsome and he’s got more than promises to offer. Don’t forget the wise saying of our people ‘ bà ò r’ęni b’álà, ọlà kìí yá’ (it’s easier to make it, when connected to those that have made it). Maybe God is trying to pay your family back for the good deeds of your father…I cannot lie to you, you can never regret choosing Baba T ” Laide continued. I was more confused after my chat with Laide. I had to tell Baba T that I needed time to think and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. He said it was okay and regardless of what I decided, I would still get the Salon, if I wanted it. He left and promised to see me the following day. For the most part of that evening, Laide kept trying to convince me…her husband stayed out of it though. All he said was “ She’s old enough to make her own decisions”. I couldn’t sleep all night as I weighed my options…the thought of being Baba T’s wife sounded interesting and enticing but I had my fears and reservations. What would Tunji do? How would I tell him? Would my mum support it? I also thought of staying with Tunji…but what if he didn’t marry me at the end of everything? What if he got that job, travelled to Germany and never came back? Something in me knew he could never do that and I sensed I was just trying to paint him black. But every woman wants and deserves comfort…everyone deserves a shot at affluence and prosperity. Opportunities usually knock just once, what if this was it? What if this was my one and only shot? What if God truly sent Baba T my way to turn my life around? What if this was my own fairytale come true? Something in me wanted to be with Tunji but another thing in me kept questioning if he’s worth giving up everything Baba T was offering I finally slept off around 3:30 am and when I woke up I knew I had to leave Lagos. I knew I had to be somewhere neutral where I could clear my head and apply sound judgment. I told Laide I had to go and that she should tell Baba T I would let him know my decision about everything. I got to Abeokuta and went straight to my mum’s room “Maami, I think I’m in trouble...” was my opening line [/b]

[b]EPISODE 11 . . I told her everything and how I didn’t know what to do…to my surprise, my mum did not flip out. She told me to get myself together and that I needed to know what I wanted in life and in a husband. She told me not to make my decisions based on money because “money does not guarantee happiness”. “You are the one that will live with the consequences of your choice. That’s why you have to choose wisely and not allow unnecessary sentiments cloud your judgment. Tunji has been with us through thick and thin…this new guy also seems to like you. Look deeper, look beyond the surface, and beware of ‘Greek gifts’… hopefully that will help you. I will keep you in my prayers but you have to make this decision on your own. I also want to be ‘àna olówó’ (A wealthy man’s in-law) but not at the expense of your peace and happiness” my mum added as she hugged me and said she had to go out. I was home for 3 straight days, trying to figure out what to do…Tunji didn’t even know I was around, likewise the people working at my Salon. Bro Dipo was also around and he tried to encourage me in his true, but harsh way. On the 3rd day, Tunji came over…I tried my best to look like there was nothing wrong. He however was acting strange. He wore a frown and snapped at everything. I had to ask what was wrong with him. He said it was nothing…he didn’t stay for too long. After he left, I started to wonder what could be wrong with him. The following day, I decided to let things be and play themselves out…so I went back to work. The thought of the Salon I saw in Lagos, the mental picture made my shop undesirable. It was like comparing sleep with death…my heart wanted to own the Lagos Salon; especially since Baba T said he would give it to me without any strings attached. “But would that be possible? Would he really hand that kind of investment over to me without a motive or with nothing to benefit ?” I kept questioning myself. I was so uninterested in my immediate surrounding that one of my customers actually said I looked “detached”. She asked if everything was fine …I laughed it off and told her I was just going through a rough patch. Tunji came over later that day and his demeanor had not changed. He said a quick hello, stayed for a while and said he had to go. He didn’t even ask how my Lagos trip went or what the business proposal was about. “Could it be that he was being suspicious? Or was he just trying to make this decision easier for me ?” I was beginning to get angry at Tunji. The following day was a Friday…I had only been at my salon for a few hours when Laide walked in. I was surprised to see her…she said she did not like the way I left Lagos and just wanted to come check on me. Besides, Baba T had been bothering her to come find me. I asked where she parked and she said Baba T drove her down…he was waiting in the car and didn’t want to come in because of my ‘boyfriend’. I didn’t want him to come in either so I picked my bag and quickly followed Laide to the car. Baba T said he was sorry if he scared me with all the things he said back in Lagos…that maybe he said too much too soon and he just wanted to come clarify that he meant everything but would give me time to work it out if I needed to. He begged me to come back to Lagos on Monday to check out the Salon as it would be completed over the weekend. I could see Laide in the rear view mirror smiling mischievously. After the brief discussion, Baba T drove to our house to see my mum, but she wasn’t home. He had brought her a lot of ‘provisions’ (Milk, Milo, Corn Flakes, Corned Beef, Titus and d likes) and dropped them off with an envelope that I could tell had money in it. He left for Lagos after making me promise I wud come on Monday. As at that time, I wasn’t sure if I wud go to Lagos but I didn’t see Tunji for two days. I went to his house and he wasn’t there….he finally showed up on Sunday evening and when I asked where he had been, he got angry and said I didn’t care about him or his future. I was shocked at his reaction “You are d one acting up since I got back from Lagos…you are d one that did not ask what became of d business proposal that took me to Lagos…u are the one that has been incommunicado n unreachable n u dare say that I don’t care abt u ” I yelled at him. Tunji got up and started to walk away “ When you know what you did, you know where to find me” he said and walked out [/b]

[b]EPISODE 11 B . . I was so angry that I almost ran after him to make a scene but my parents taught me better than that. I could think of a thousand and one things to say to him as he walked out on me. “ Ęni tí à ń’to rí ę gbàwę…tó ń’jǫ sán” (the irony of someone you’re fasting for but was caught eating like a glutton). In annoyance, I left for Lagos as early as possible the following morning and went straight to Laide’s house. My mum was wondering why I couldn’t wait till it was daybreak…I didn’t want to tell her what happened between Tunji and I. She would have wanted to intervene and I didn’t want that. I knew it couldn’t be because of Baba T, there’s no way Tunji could have known. Even if he had any concerns or I did something, I would have expected him to be more mature and just tell me what it was...not even after I asked if anything was bothering him. Laide called Baba T from their home telephone and he said he would come get me on his way to work…he got there in about 30 minutes. He said he was dedicating the whole day to me. He drove me to the Salon and my god! It was breathtaking. It had the exact name of my salon back at home but in lights and with grandeur. Laide came with us, although she kept saying “ three’s a crowd”…she hugged me and was jumping up and down as we toured the completed project. The interior was something else, I thought it was beautiful from outside until we stepped inside. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream…I didn’t know when I jumped at Baba T and hugged him real tight. “I guess that means you are moving to Lagos?” He said. I wasn’t sure how to respond “She doesn’t have a choice o…when she is not stupid” Laide quickly cut in @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

[b]EPISODE 12 A . . I kept quiet and smiled…I was too happy and dazzled to say anything. We were there for a while as Baba T shared his ideas on how the Salon would work. There was also a part of the store that would sell beauty and hair products. He said he already talked to a friend of his in the UK that would be helping to ship the products. The area set up for manicure and pedicure was bigger than my entire salon back home…the comfortable seats would make anyone sleep off during a pedicure session. “I want people to step in here and never bother to try another place for their haircare needs again. I want this to be a one-stop shop for everything haircare and beauty product. I want to help you build a beauty empire not just a business. I want your name to be synonymous with beauty. I have done the analysis and from my estimate, considering the location and all the services you would offer, this place should pay for itself in 2 years ” Baba T said The confidence with which he spoke and the ideas he shared, his business acumen and the excellence he exuded…all these things, endeared me to him. I was amazed at this side of him; he sounded like a man with THE plan, like someone that knew where he was going and how he intended to get there. “This must be what I saw in him as being proud, this isn’t pride? This is confidence” I thought to myself. I had to ask him if he had ever invested in anything like this because he sounded like a pro and he responded that “ Business is business, it is all about providing services and cashing in...it doesn’t really matter what your products or services are ” Baba T later took us to a restaurant somewhere close and spoiled us silly…he said he was ‘washing’ the project. It was at the restaurant that he said he wanted me to meet his mum (again)…I was kind of reluctant because I didn’t know what we would call our relationship. “ Don’t worry, I’ll tell her you are my ‘very good friend’…you should know that she really likes you and she practically begged me to bring you ” Baba T responded, it was as if he was reading my mind. Laide opted out of our arrangement…she said she had to go make dinner for her husband. We drove back to their house and dropped her off…She hugged me, as she was about to walk through their gate and whispered in my ear “ I’m so happy for you…you have no idea how happy I am”. Baba T told her he would come drop me off later in the evening but it might be a little late because his mum would most likely not let me leave anytime soon. We got to Baba T’s house…I found out that day that he lived with his parents; although he had his own apartment within the same compound. “My parents are a little overprotective. After my UK issue, my dad never wanted me out of his sight. So they made me stay with them ” he quickly informed me. He also told me that marriage would be his freedom from that ‘bondage’ as that would be his dad’s only acceptable/valid reason for moving out of the house. When I stepped into the sitting room, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes…I’m not exaggerating, but I never knew there was a sitting room that beautiful in Nigeria. It was like a page in one of those luxury furniture magazines from outside the country. There was a huge picture of Baba T’s dad with the current Head of State hanging on the wall. There was a staircase in the sitting room that led upstairs. The floors were sparkling clean and shining like someone polished them. Baba T told me to make myself at home and took the stairs to inform his mum that I was around. There must have been like three domestic staff that came to ask if I was okay and if I wanted anything within a period of like five minutes. Baba T’s mum called me from upstairs “my dear, máa bọ” meaning come upstairs. I was scared-stiff as Baba T came to take me upstairs but she was so nice to me, she kept using endearing words and phrases for me. She said she was really happy to see me and that she had ‘accepted’ me whole heartedly. I looked at Baba T, who made a gesture that I should just go with the flow. Her room was like an apartment on its own…she told me to come sit by her on the bed. She was bringing out clothes and jewelries for me to try on. She told Baba T to leave us and go find something else to do. From the things she was saying, it was as if she already saw me as her son’s wife. ”I’m sure you know that Babatunde is our only son…the wedding will be one in town. I will go all out to make that day memorable. Lagos will know that someone is getting married.[/b]

Abatagom

[b]EPISODE 12 B . . Don’t worry my dear; I will so take care of you. In this our house, you will give us twins, triplets and many more”. She was just saying all these things and I had to just laugh along…although puzzled and very confused. She said she would take me to Italy to go buy the lace material for the engagement party “ Shèbí you have your passport?” (Do you have an international passport?) she asked me. I said I didn’t. “ Don’t worry, we’ll take care of that when the time comes” she responded She called on the chef and told him to make Pounded yam and egusi soup. She told him I was an august visitor. “ Ìyàwó Túndé nì yí o” (This is Tunde’s wife) she said, as she pointed at me. The chef bowed and greeted me…I didn’t even know how to respond. Baba T came to check on me about two hours later…was I glad to see him. I was almost getting suffocated with affection and gifts. I had tried on like 40 pairs of shoes after we realized that we (his mum and I) had the same shoe size. Baba T said he would be taking me to Laide’s place soon, as it was getting late. “No o, she is not going anywhere o. She is sleeping here tonight. I will call Laide and tell her myself. If she doesn’t want to stay in your apartment she can sleep here in my room. Or you don’t want to spend the night in our house? ” Baba T’s mum said as she looked at me “It’s okay ma” I responded “Ǫmǫ dáa dáa (Good girl) ilé ni’lé ę o (do feel at home)” she said with a satisfied look on her face Baba T’s dad arrived before dinner was served and he was such a gentleman. He reminded me so much of my father. He was also funny and made dinner delightful. He asked me a couple of questions and when we got to my educational background, Baba T jumped in and said I had an OND (ordinary National Diploma)in Accounting from the Polytechnic of Ibadan but I was running my own business. “That’s interesting. I support entrepreneurship…because businesses create wealth. So I always admire anyone that can take that bold step to start their own thing ” Baba T's dad added. He later said he had to turn in early as he was traveling the following morning. He said in case he didn’t see me before he left, he would ‘send’ his wife to me. After Baba T’s parents went upstairs, we moved to his apartment and the first question I had for him was why he had to lie that I attended the Polytechnic of Ibadan. He responded that he knew his dad and he didn’t want any form of prejudice to mess up what he was trying to build. I wasn’t very satisfied with the answer…he told me not to worry about it and all I needed do was let my success speak for me. I also asked why his mum was already planning a wedding when we were not even dating... "Well, that's not my fault...she's just trying to show you how much she wants you to be her daughter-in-law. But really, would that be a bad thing? I mean being married to you. I will be so happy if you can do that for me " Baba T responded. I figured the best thing to do at that point was keep quiet so I let it be. Baba T asked if I was ready to sleep or if I wanted to watch a movie with him. We already agreed that I would be sleeping in his room and he would sleep in another room as there were three rooms in his apartment. I decided to go to bed, so I went in the room…it had a master bath. I took a shower and put on one of Baba T's T-shirts that he left on the bed for me…I was just about to lie on the bed when I heard a knock on the door. It was Baba T; he wanted to know if I wanted some ‘Suya’ ((Spicy grilled meat)). I could perceive the aroma and I stepped out to have some. The movie was already playing, it was a romantic comedy…there was also a bottle of wine on the table. Baba T asked if I wanted some, but I had never had alcohol in my life. He said it was sweet and that I should just take a little, if I wanted to. He poured me some and we started to watch the movie together. He came and sat next to me and we started talking. He started to say nice things about me and how much he liked me. It was as if he knew the things I wanted to hear and he was saying them, verbatim. For whatever reasons, I liked what I was hearing, I liked it a lot. I just kept blushing and giggling as he said those things. It must have been the mix of joy and happiness from visiting the salon, a little bit of lowered inhibition from the wine I had, the sweet words from Baba T and the sensuality of the movie we were watching… one thing led to the other and we ended up sleeping together ....HMMM (IF U WERE TO BE IN HER SHOES,WHAT WOULD YOU DO @READERS) @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80[/b]

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help with the reg pls @onahsunday631 et @frankkay et @mubarak et @idrowest et @emergencia

Hmmm. I will insist on going to laide's house or sleeping with his mom in hher apartment

Nothing more nothing less... Baba T has sealed it

[b]EPISODE 13 . . I snapped back to my senses later but there wasn’t much I could do. I started to cry because I was a virgin and had promised to make that a wedding gift to Tunji. Baba T started to apologize…he said he needed to let me know that it was not an ‘arranged’ thing; that it just happened and that he never knew I was a virgin...which was a good thing because I had just cemented my place in his heart and he would go to any lengths to marry me. I told him about my chastity vow with Tunji and how I felt like a betrayer. “Well, if I had been in your life for as long as this Tunji guy, I would have closed the deal a long time ago to avoid something like this. You are a very beautiful and intelligent girl, why would anyone leave you for so long and not expect more serious suitors to take over? ” he said, trying to justify what happened. “If you want me to, I can tell my folks to come see your family as soon as possible and we will make it official. I told you I was not here to play…I want you for keeps ” he continued as he knelt next to me. All the sweet words from Baba T wasn't really ‘do it’ for me anymore, as I felt really bad and sad. He took me to Laide’s place after breakfast but I just wanted to go back home at that point. He wanted to take me to Abeokuta but I rejected the offer…I just wanted to be by myself. I told him I would see him but I had to go take care of a lot of things back home. I got to Abeokuta and the moment my mum saw me, she knew something had happened. She kept asking if I was okay but I told him I was not feeling too good and I needed to just rest. She said Tunji had been coming every day since I left and had even begged her to help talk to me. Tunji had said something about taking out his frustrations on me and getting me angry…I told my mum I couldn’t deal with that at the moment and she let me be. As soon as I got in my room, I just started crying…the fact that Tunji had been trying to find me to fix things between us even made it worse. After about an hour in the room, someone knocked on my door…I hurriedly wiped my tears and cleaned my face. I asked the person to come in and it was Tunji…before I could say anything, he went on his knees and started begging me. He said it was because I never bothered to ask about his follow-up interview with the Oil Company that he had been acting up lately. He continued that he never shared it with anyone except me and he specifically told me the date of the interview; but when that day came, I never said anything…I didn’t even wish him luck and it was obvious I had completely forgotten (apparently, the interview had fallen on one of those days that I visited Lagos to go see Baba T). Tunji said he was sorry for not communicating and for acting like a child. “I could have just asked you or told you why I was angry but I chose to be immature about the whole thing ” “I just can’t imagine my life without you, fighting you was like intentionally choosing not to breathe. I tried but couldn’t do it…I felt like I was fighting myself ” Tunji said, as he looked straight into my eyes. He paused for a moment…he could tell that I had been crying. He held me and told me he was really sorry for making me cry. It was as if he flung open the floodgates of tears with that statement. In my mind, I knew I was the one that should be apologizing, and here was this guy begging the person that should be begging him. The fact that I couldn’t tell him what had happened made me cry even more. “I’m so sorry for hurting you…I’m really sorry” he continued as he held me. After a while, I calmed down and asked how his interview went. He said it was really great and they told him to come back in about 6 weeks to find out. Tunji was with me for the rest of that day as he was doing everything to make me comfortable and happy…I think he even made me lunch at some point. He asked how my investment opportunity in Lagos was going and I told him I wasn’t sure I wanted to pursue it…as it required moving to Lagos. Tunji said it was okay to move to Lagos if that was what I wanted to do. He explained how Lagos had more to offer than Abeokuta and how he saw himself moving there as well. He told me he moved to Abeokuta solely because of me, he added that if he got the new job, it could require moving to Lagos after the training in Germany. I had a lot on my mind and I finally decided not to tell Tunji what happened in Lagos…at least, not yet. I would have to think of a way around this, as I was still torn between the two of them but Tunji’ s approach to issue he had with me (which was totally justified by the way) made me feel very guilty and the guilt, somehow bought some soft spot for him. I was still nursing my conscience but would pretend to be fine anytime Tunji came around…things were a little awkward between us and Tunji would apologize again and again, every time he noticed this. Because of the weight of the guilt, I finally decided I would tell Baba T that I didn’t want to date him, and everything that happened was a big mistake. I had thought he would come over that weekend, as usual, but he didn’t. I was a little worried and angry that I had not heard from Baba T, it made me feel very cheap and used and I had rehearsed how I would give him a piece of my mind, and some more, anytime I saw him. I had a little something for Laide as well. About a week after this, Brother Kola came home to introduce his girlfriend to us and told me Baba T had to travel out of the country for some kind of emergency but he did not have the details A couple of weeks after that, I woke up with a terrible headache and was feeling nauseous. My mum had to come check on me in the bathroom as she could hear me throwing up. She asked jokingly if I was pregnant… ”How could I be?” I answered scornfully; my period started 2 days before then and she was the one that bought me sanitary towels. My mum gave me some medicine and advised me to stay at home for the day and rest. Tunji also came around when he checked on me at the Salon and was told I didn’t come. I wasn’t getting better so about three days later, I decided to go to the hospital…Tunji couldn’t come with me because of work and thank God he didn't. The Doctor asked a couple of questions and decided to run some tests…after all said and done, it was confirmed that I was pregnant. I still did not want to believe it and I showed the doctor the extra sanitary towels in my bag. “ My period started 5 days ago and should end today…I can’t be pregnant. I am not even sure if I have really had sex before ” I protested The Doctor laughed at the latter part of my statement and gave me a lecture on the basics of sex education. She also told me that it’s not uncommon to confuse bleeding during pregnancy for menstrual period. She advised me against terminating the pregnancy as she could tell I was not very happy about it. I left the hospital totally confused…what would I tell Tunji? I had not even seen Baba T for weeks, what if he denied the pregnancy? I wasn’t sure if I should tell my mum or not. As sick as I was, I decided to leave for Lagos the following morning. I figured Laide would be the best person to talk to at this time. I told my mum and Tunji that the doctor diagnosed Malaria and gave me some anti-malarial medicine. My mum did not look convinced but I went straight to my room to avoid more questions. Tunji wanted to stay but I told him I needed to rest and I would see him the following day. I couldn’t tell my mum I was going to Lagos because she would have kicked against it so I had to wait until she left the house and I took off… [/b]

@hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80

Kia pregnant for baba T u messed up jare

Luke I said before... No need to dance shoki for highway.. Baba T Don cement concrete and seal your mattet

[b]episode 14 . . .Laide was about to drive out of her house when I got there “O ti ko ba mi o” (you’ve gotten me in trouble) I screamed as I started to cry. She quickly drove back in and asked the gateman to close the gates. She took me inside with a very confused look on her face. She asked what the problem was and I told her I was pregnant. Before she could start asking ridiculous questions, I told her the Doctor already confirmed it. She was quiet for a while, and then she smiled “What is funny?” I asked in annoyance “If you are planning to plant a Cocoa tree and it sprouts at the same spot, would you be angry? ” she responded. I was still trying to make sense of what she said when she asked “ I hope it’s Baba T’s o” “Of course…I’ve never been with any other man in my life and this was just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time ” I retorted. Laide tried to make light of my plight and encouraged me to see the good in this. She teased me for a while about how ‘going to see someone’s mum’ could turn to pregnancy but I was not amused. “Your mum desperately wants a grandchild abi? Likewise Baba T’s parents; they will be so delighted because he’s all they’ve got. Even Baba T will see this as winning, because now you’re going nowhere ” Laide continued. I told her I was scared because I had not seen nor heard from Baba T after our unfortunate one-night stand. I was scared because I couldn’t bear to tell Tunji…I didn’t even know how to tell him. I was scared because I would ruin relationships and burn bridges. I was scared because I wasn’t even sure I wanted to marry Baba T. I was scared because something in me was telling me it wouldn’t end well….I went on and on and on until I started crying again. Laide tried to allay every fear that I pointed out. She said Baba T had to travel out of the country for medical reasons and it was an emergency. Before I could probe any further, she said he was okay now and would be back in a couple of days. She went inside and brought an envelope…it contained a letter and some money. Laide said Baba T had sent her to me, before he traveled but she was indisposed and couldn’t come to Abeokuta to deliver the message. She told me she discovered she was also pregnant right around that time and the first few weeks were not very pleasant…she was even admitted at the hospital for some days and her husband almost flew her out of the country. The money in the envelope was a gift from Baba T’s dad as promised the day I visited their house. The letter was not too long but it said something like he (Baba T) was sorry he couldn’t come see me at home because something came up and he had to quickly travel, he would see me as soon as he got back and we would try to resolve our issues. “Okay o, but kíni màáse s’ọrọ Tunji? (What would I do about Tunji)?” I asked rhetorically “Ǫlọrun l’ómọ ọkọ ìyàwó ojú ọnà (regardless of the length and depth of a relationship, only God determines who the groom would ultimately be)” Laide answered. She tried to convince me that some things are beyond our powers as humans and that God works in mysterious ways. “ God will give him his own wife…ìná òwọ, kò sí ìjà ní bę (when a bargain falls through, it doesn’t have to become a fight)” After hours of going back and forth and weighing different scenarios, we decided to let Baba T return before taking any actions...the plan was to keep this between the two of us and not to even tell my mum yet. Laide promised to come with Baba T as soon as he gets back. I left for Abeokuta but still had some heaviness in my heart. I went straight to my Salon and somehow, nobody realized I had traveled to Lagos. Tunji came later that evening and was looking very sad, I asked what the problem was and he handed me a letter. It was from the Oil Company he was trying to get into, the letter said something like they appreciated his interest in their company and although he was one of the strongest candidates during the interview process, they would not be moving forward with his application and that they wished him luck in his future endeavors. As I read the letter, I could see Tunji wiping streams of tears from his eyes. It was as if the letter broke him. “I was so sure of this…even the hiring manager said I was the strongest candidate for the position. I scored 96% in their aptitude test and they promised to contact me with the next step in the process and I got this. When will I ever catch a break? Why is life so cruel to me? ” He said, tears still streaming on his face “I thought this was it, I thought this was the big break…I already planned my life and future around this. This was going to turn everything around and lay the right foundation for tomorrow ” he continued “I have failed…I have failed you” at that point, he was not even wiping the tears anymore. That was the first time I saw Tunji break down. He was always optimistic and had this positive approach to life. “Don’t give up on God…I know He has something better for you” was all I could mumble…I felt really bad. "What better thing? You are the only thing I have now" he responded The thought of what I was also about to do to him, someone that’s already at the brink of giving up on everything, froze my heart. I tried my best to encourage him, I made him follow me to our house so we could talk about it. My mum also tried to encourage him “Wọn ká ęní wọn ni, Ǫlọrun á tę Rug (they merely removed a mat, God can replace it with a luxury carpet)” my mum told him. She also added that Tunji did not need to get a job at an Oil company to start living his life. She told him stories of people that did not start moving forward in life until they got married. It was as if their marriages opened doors that were hitherto shut. Tunji somehow managed to man up and later went home but tears really flowed. He traveled some days later and said he would be back in about a week. He needed to go see a friend about another job. My mum was getting really suspicious because of my morning sickness but luckily for me, Laide and Baba T came over that weekend. I was in the room when my mum called my name and said I had a visitor. Baba T looked like someone that was just recuperating…I greeted him but he went for a hug and said he had missed me. He talked a little about his medical emergency and why he had to travel but did not give details. He said he had been dying to see me and that Laide told him there’s an important issue that we needed to talk about. I told him we couldn’t discuss it there and he advised we could go somewhere to talk…I didn’t want to leave the house so we chose to go talk in the car. Laide went inside to meet my mum while we stepped outside to talk. I didn’t mince words at all, I just told him I was pregnant and started crying. He quickly held my hand and smiled, he said there was no reason to cry. He told me he decided on his medical trip that he would ask me to marry him the moment he got back…and was hoping I would say yes. He started to promise all sorts and that he would take good care of me and I would not regret carrying his child. I told him it didn’t feel right and I was not sure of what to say or do because of Tunji. “Give me some time to figure this out; I can’t just leave Tunji like that. Not this way… nobody does that ” Baba T agreed but said “the pampering had begun” and that I would hear from him soon. He also said he would have to tell his mum. We went back inside and after a while, he left with Laide. After they left, my mum came to the sitting room and asked if I was pregnant…I was shocked and didn’t have any answer. “I’m a mother, I’m your mother…I have watched you for some days and I concluded when your visitors came. You are pregnant for the Lagos boy abi? And you are in a dilemma…tell me I’m lying ” my mum said…I was just looking at her and couldn’t say a word. “Kò dáa o (it’s not fair)…what are you going to do about Tunji?” “I warned you when this started…olójú kòkòrò ni ę (You are a greedy person)” my mum just went all out to show her dissatisfaction at the turn of events. I started to cry and her motherly love wouldn’t let her scold me any further. She held me and cried with me. She assured me that we would find a way to resolve this. I tried to explain how it all happened and she told me not to worry. She said abortion was not an option; we would just have to find a way to break it to Tunji and not break him in the process “Rírò ni t’ènìyàn…a ję pé b’Ǫlọrun se fę nì yęn (Man proposes, God disposes…this must be how God wants it)” my mum said and she started to ask me about the pregnancy and how I was doing. She also asked what Baba T was planning to do...I told her he was asking me to marry him. “T’ęlę n’kọ? (Does he have a choice?) If he’s man enough to cause the trouble he must be man enough to handle it ” We were still working on what to tell Tunji when Baba T showed up two days after his visit with Laide... @hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80 [/b]

[b]episode 15 . He said his mum was outside…so I stepped out to welcome her. It was more of an entourage. They must have come in like 5 or 6 cars because they brought gifts and things that made it look like they came for a traditional engagement ceremony. I noticed a brand new car (a 1982 Subaru GL) the only person in it was the driver. Baba T’s mum almost swallowed me as she hugged me and kept showering prayers on me. “Èmi lo sè yí fún tán? (You considered me worthy of such a wonderful gift?) Wàá gbá dùn mi (You will be glad you did this for me). Don’t worry o…consider us, Babatunde’s dad and me, your husband and the father of this child...anything you need, just let us know ” Baba T’s mum said. I was too dumbfounded to reply or respond. She said her husband was out of the country but she already called and informed him. She just couldn’t wait for him to return and that was why she made sure they came over to see us as soon as possible. She said they would have come the day before, but they had to get some things as they couldn’t come to their ‘in- laws’ empty-handed. They came into our house and met my mum. Baba T’s mum was obviously very happy with the turn of events, her joy could not be contained. She hugged my mum and called her ‘Àna mi’ (my in-law). Brother Dipo was also at home; he came to get some money for his final year project and was really confused at what was going on. He excused himself and went inside Baba T’s mum was already talking to my mum about ‘the wedding’ and how they would make it memorable. My mum was as confounded as I was, at what was happening. She had to tell Baba T’s mum that she didn’t have much say in this and would have to contact my dad’s relatives to set something up. “No problem ma, just let us know what you want us to do and when you want us to come…tí isę ò bá pę ni, A ò kí ńpę isę (We are ready whenever you are)” she said in response to what my mum said. My mum promised to get in touch with members of my dad’s family and that she would send me to Baba T’s mum once something concrete was agreed on. My mum offered them food and to my surprise, they stayed and ate. Baba T’s mum said we’re family now and although she wasn’t really hungry, she would eat the food all the same. I went with my mum to prepare the food…she didn’t say anything but I could tell she had lots of questions. When it was time for our visitors to leave, Baba T said the new car was for me and that he wanted me to be comfortable and not have to walk around or stand at bus stops in the scorching sun. I reminded him that I once told him I couldn’t drive…he asked if I could get a driver in Abeokuta and he would pay the salary because it wouldn’t be sensible getting a driver from Lagos. He promised to come back in a few days to see me, so we could arrange how to go about the ante-natal care. I was really startled and couldn’t say much because of how fast everything was happening. The moment I got back in the house, it was a torrent of questions. My mum wanted to know what was happening. She said it looked like someone already planned everything out and was merely following the scripts. It took a while to convince her that my story was true and that the pregnancy was a result of one reckless night. I told her that Baba T was an only child and that his parents almost lost him some years back. I also told her what Laide told me about how Baba T’s parents could not wait for him to get married so they could have grandchildren. My mum responded with “ Okay o, if you say so…Ǫlọrun òní ję a kábàmọ (I pray God will not let us regret this)” “You sure will regret this…it’s not a matter of prayer” Brother Dipo yelled as he stepped out of his room. Apparently, he had been listening to our conversation and had been trying to make sense of what was happening since the visitors came. “I reject it in Jesus’ name…none of my children will regret in life” my mum fired back. It became a heated argument between them…Brother Dipo was never the sentimental type. He said things the way he saw them without caring whose ox was gored. My mum told him that the role of family was to support one other especially when options were few. “That’s sentiment Maami, what if Tunji was your son…would you have said the same thing? You don’t do that to people… Karma has a way of coming back to get you ” “Nítorí owó? (Because of money?) I knew this was going to happen…I said it when the ‘Father Christmas’ era started ” My brother was really angry and he promised not to be part of it in any way. He even threatened not to attend any ceremony or gathering for the cause. He left the house in anger…I could tell that my mum didn’t like what was happening but she kept encouraging me that everything would be alright. My mum decided to go talk to members of our family (both paternal and maternal). She said there was no point wasting time as we needed to come to a conclusion and reach out to Baba T’s family with definite answers and dates. I couldn’t go to work because I was avoiding Aunty Betty (Tunji’s aunt who trained me as a beautician)…also because the morning sickness had gotten worse; I would throw up till there was nothing left in me. Brother Dipo was not talking to me and he would just walk by when he saw me throwing up. My mum said he would come round and I should not make a fuss about it. I was wondering why I had not seen Tunji (since he said he would be back in about a week) but deep down was hoping he would just walk away. May God forgive me for this, I almost wished he got involved in an accident so that I would not have to face him and explain myself. I wasn’t sure how my mum did it but that weekend, all my brothers came home. After being brought up to speed, Brother Kola couldn’t hide his excitement…it was obvious he was on Baba T’s side (Can you blame him?). My other two brothers had some questions but still showed their support…however, Brother Dipo would not budge. He lambasted everyone for supporting an evil plot and reminded them that my dad would never have supported something like this, if he was alive. My mum argued back that she knew her husband would not have supported having an abortion either. “Tí ędá ò bá gba kádàrà à gba kodoro (people that struggle with the tide of fate, end up drowning)” my mum argued. Brother Kola stepped in and said as the eldest son and heir to my father, he gave his support and blessings. My other brothers had to hold Brother Dipo down as he was ready to fight our eldest brother In the middle of the brouhaha, my worst nightmare came true…Tunji walked in and I could tell that he knew what was happening. The look on his face said more than a thousand words could have said. Somehow, Brother Dipo in his anger had visited him (not knowing he was out of town) and left a note at his house telling him what happened and how he (Brother Dipo) wasn’t part of it. With the silence in the room, one could almost hear hearts beating…Tunji looked at me for a while and went down on his knees. He wrapped his arms around my waist with his face on my belly. “Please tell me it’s a joke…tell me it’s a dream and that I would wake up at some point ” “Tell me you are not leaving me for another man…tell me it’s all a figment of my imagination ” “Tell me we can go back in time and fix this…tell me there is a way around this” “Tell me this is not the end…it can’t be, it just can’t. I was told love conquers all; tell me Love can conquer this ” “Tell me life is worth living…tell me my ‘Ajike’ (a pet name Tunji called me) is not becoming someone else’s ” When I didn't respond he said “ Okay, tell me the pregnancy is mine… please do, nobody has to know it’s not. I promise never to tell anyone ” He kept asking all these questions while crying…he would sob, hyperventilate like he was having a panic attack and continue. My cloth was drenched in his tears…I couldn’t push him away, I couldn’t hold him either. I couldn’t help but cry with him but I didn’t say a word. “When I met you, I promised myself that life had taken enough of my loved ones and nothing would take you away from me. Please don’t leave me, I will do my best to also make it in life…I will take care of you. Àjíkę má se bá yĭ (Àjíkę, don’t be cruel)” He turned to my mum and started to plead “Mummy, Ę bá mi bę (plead with her on my behalf) I know she listens to you. Tell her it’s me Tunji…tell her to say something, anything…tell her to talk to me. If it’s because I delayed marrying her, I will marry her. I can even marry her tomorrow ” My mum did not know what to say or how to respond to him. She was only able to say “ Tunji ní sùúrù (Tunji calm down)” “Don’t let me calm down ma…this is where ‘calming down’ has led me. Ę kàn bá mi bę ni (just help me plead with her)” Tunji turned to my brothers too and started to beg them, promising to never make them regret supporting or vouching for him. They were equally stupefied while Brother Dipo stayed aloof from us all “You just have to be a man” Brother Kola said as he tried to pull him up “Don’t let me be a man sir…I just want to be with Àjíkę. Let me stay like this…Ę má ję kí n'dìde sir (don’t let me get up sir)” Tunji responded…sobbing, slobbering and panting It was so sad watching him go through this but I didn’t have anything to say. I couldn’t even make a sound…I only had tears running down my cheeks. I knew this day would come but I didn’t expect it to go like it did. My mum had said we would think of a way to break the news to him but we had not even started thinking, so it was shocking and I was totally unprepared. In the middle of this, my dad’s immediate younger brother walked in... [/b]

@hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80

long time dudes

Worst nightmare.. Let's who he support

What happened wen he walked in?

Following...

@hauwa @softie @tenniebenson @olorivicky @victoriouschild @promzy @emergencia @froshberry-2 @frankkay @onahsunday631 @invincible @idrowest @mubarak @seyskil80

where went he???

Change

Eeyaa.... The only man that is able to control his anger is a goner

No doubt things gonna change from bad to worse

hmmmn,,, speechless

speechless,,,, just get ready for d worst

Episode 19 Baba T was shattered, that was the first time I saw him cry, he cried like a baby. My mother-in-law was devastated too; she kept saying “ Ta ló máa bá mi to gbogbo nkan? (Who will help me structure things?)”. We buried my father-in-law in grand style; in spite of the grief and pain. It was really a tough time for the whole family. My mother-in-law’s health took a big hit because of it. Most of the people that came kept encouraging Baba T to be strong and to step up to the responsibility that fate had thrust upon him. Baba T went back to work almost immediately, because the company was in the thick of a rebranding process when his dad died. The whole purpose of the rebranding was to woo some foreign investors that were going to make the business international. It was worth a lot of money and there had been talks back and forth. Based on where the talks were heading, the company decided to make some changes and that must have been where my father-in-law got the exhaustion from. Coming home late, working even in the middle of the night...I could tell that Baba T was really stressed. I did my best to support him but he never liked to be disturbed when working. Unfortunately, when the foreign investors finally showed up, the deal fell through because of some huge discrepancies in the financials of the company. It was a downward spiral for Baba T from there on, he just couldn’t handle it. At a point, I had to remind him that his family had done this business successfully before the foreign investors showed interest and it wasn’t doing badly and all he had to do was revamp it and hopefully it would catch the attention of some other investors. That was the first time he insulted my intelligence “ What do you know? Your common hairdresser brain cannot even begin to comprehend what happened here…do you know how much money went down the drain? Do you know how much manpower went into this deal? My father died working this deal and I couldn’t even honor him by sealing it ” he said, looking at me with disdain “But I was just trying to help…” I responded “Please don’t…this is not your forte. We are talking about acumen, business intelligence and lots of money here ” he interjected I felt so stupid and hurt and I decided to let him be. He started acting very irritable in the house, everything pissed him off. He would go to work, come back in the evening and just go to bed (in the guest room). I didn’t have a mother-in-law to talk to, as she was out of the country for medical reasons…so I talked to Bola about this. He said he was aware of Baba T’s emotional state and was already encouraging him to get over the failed deal and move on. He advised that my support was all my husband needed and I should not let his attitude stop me from encouraging him. So that night, I put on my sexiest lingerie, and went to the guest room to ‘support’ my husband as advised. I sneaked in because I was planning to just crawl into his bed and it was supposed to be a surprise...but guess what I saw? My husband had some kind of bubbling brown substance in a spoon with a lighter under it; he was so engrossed that he didn’t notice that I had come in. He pulled the content of the spoon into a syringe, tied one of his ties around his left arm and injected himself. I didn’t know what to say as I just froze in one spot. I knew it was hard drugs so I shouted “ Tunde what are you doing?” Boy, did I get the beating of my life… he was so mad that he even slammed my head in the door. He boasted that he would kill me and nothing would happen, I curled up on one side of the room and there was blood dripping from a cut on my head. He got out of the room and was yelling and cursing…he didn’t even consider the sleeping children or the domestic staff in the Boys' Quarter. He came back in the room, picked his car keys and said “if not for my mother that talked me into marrying a peasant like you, you dare question what I do in my own house? I should be your god… unquestionable and sovereign. I made you, I can end you ” You know when you are sobbing and your tears are in one accord with fluids from your nostrils? that was me…I was hurt more by his words than the physical assault. I never knew he could say those things to me. I could hear the gateman opening the gate for him and he left the house that night. I must have curled up in the same position for over an hour…I finally gathered enough strength to get up. I cleaned my wound, got in the room and cried all night. I couldn't call his mum so first thing in the morning, I called Laide and she came over with Bola…they were shocked and appalled at the things they saw and heard...I didn't mention what I saw him doing, I only focused on the physical abuse. Bola said he never knew Baba T was that kind of person; and if he had heard this from another person, he would have dispelled it and vouched for him. Bola promised to track him down and talk to him…Laide stayed behind and advised me to take things easy “ ìwọ náà máa ní sùúrù ni (You have to exercise patience) You already have 3 children, where do you want to go now? We will pray and God will touch his heart ” Laide advised I told Laide I wanted to discuss this with my mum but she advised against such. She said I might not be able to remediate the damage that it could do. Laide left in the afternoon and Baba T showed up later in the evening. He looked at me and said if I ever discussed him with anybody again, he would make my life miserable. He was not remorseful at all and the plaster/ band aid on my forehead did not mean a thing to him. He said I was a mistake that he was forced to make and he would find a way to rectify it. I didn’t say a word and he kept taunting me, I could tell he wanted me to say something so he could find an excuse to hit me. He asked how I thought I deserved someone with class and level of education...he also talked about how he couldn’t even tell anyone that I was a mere ‘School Cert’ holder. “What’s the difference between you and the house help? Tell me a fundamental difference apart from the fact that you married me ” he asked. “ But you were the one that came after me” I said “That wasn’t me…that was my mum. She was the one that saw and liked you…she literally begged me to ask you out. She made me give you all those things so you could leave that pathetic boyfriend of yours. Did I even talk to you the first time I saw you? Maybe I should take you through my dating hall of fame. There are girls I dated, that would cringe if they found out I ended up with someone like you ” he responded His words hurt like crazy and I could tell he was doing it intentionally…hot tears flowed down my cheeks but I kept quiet. I never knew a day like this could come; I knew we lacked synergy but that was better than what it had become. Somehow things skewed and took a plunge, a sharp decline…it happened so fast that I didn’t even know how it happened. After the fierce bout of tongue lashing, Baba T left the house again and didn’t come back to sleep. I decided to get my mum involved…so the following morning, I travelled to Abeokuta and opened up to her, I tried to gloss over the drug part and just said he had suddenly become very temperamental and abusive. To be continue......

@ebube @hi-bee-kay

nawa ooo.....owo ni iyonu

final end is here

my cousin @holakizzo come and finish this story naw... biko,please, e Jo.......

THe exchange (conclusion) I , , Baba T was shattered, that was the first time I saw him cry, he cried like a baby. My mother-in-law was devastated too; she kept saying “ Ta ló máa bá mi to gbogbo nkan? (Who will help me structure things?)”. We buried my father-in-law in grand style; in spite of the grief and pain. It was really a tough time for the whole family. My mother- in-law’s health took a big hit because of it. Most of the people that came kept encouraging Baba T to be strong and to step up to the responsibility that fate had thrust upon him. Baba T went back to work almost immediately, because the company was in the thick of a rebranding process when his dad died. The whole purpose of the rebranding was to woo some foreign investors that were going to make the business international. It was worth a lot of money and there had been talks back and forth. Based on where the talks were heading, the company decided to make some changes and that must have been where my father-in-law got the exhaustion from. Coming home late, working even in the middle of the night...I could tell that Baba T was really stressed. I did my best to support him but he never liked to be disturbed when working. Unfortunately, when the foreign investors finally showed up, the deal fell through because of some huge discrepancies in the financials of the company. It was a downward spiral for Baba T from there on, he just couldn’t handle it. At a point, I had to remind him that his family had done this business successfully before the foreign investors showed interest and it wasn’t doing badly and all he had to do was revamp it and hopefully it would catch the attention of some other investors. That was the first time he insulted my intelligence “ What do you know? Your common hairdresser brain cannot even begin to comprehend what happened here…do you know how much money went down the drain? Do you know how much manpower went into this deal? My father died working this deal and I couldn’t even honor him by sealing it” he said, looking at me with disdain “But I was just trying to help…” I responded “Please don’t…this is not your forte. We are talking about acumen, business intelligence and lots of money here ” he interjected I felt so stupid and hurt and I decided to let him be. He started acting very irritable in the house, everything pissed him off. He would go to work, come back in the evening and just go to bed (in the guest room). I didn’t have a mother-in-law to talk to, as she was out of the country for medical reasons…so I talked to Bola about this. He said he was aware of Baba T’s emotional state and was already encouraging him to get over the failed deal and move on. He advised that my support was all my husband needed and I should not let his attitude stop me from encouraging him. So that night, I put on my sexiest lingerie, and went to the guest room to ‘support’ my husband as advised. I sneaked in because I was planning to just crawl into his bed and it was supposed to be a surprise...but guess what I saw? My husband had some kind of bubbling brown substance in a spoon with a lighter under it; he was so engrossed that he didn’t notice that I had come in. He pulled the content of the spoon into a syringe, tied one of his ties around his left arm and injected himself. I didn’t know what to say as I just froze in one spot. I knew it was hard drugs so I shouted “ Tunde what are you doing?” Boy, did I get the beating of my life…he was so mad that he even slammed my head in the door. He boasted that he would kill me and nothing would happen, I curled up on one side of the room and there was blood dripping from a cut on my head. He got out of the room and was yelling and cursing…he didn’t even consider the sleeping children or the domestic staff in the Boys' Quarter. He came back in the room, picked his car keys and said “if not for my mother that talked me into marrying a peasant like you, you dare question what I do in my own house? I should be your god…unquestionable and sovereign. I made you, I can end you ” You know when you are sobbing and your tears are in one accord with fluids from your nostrils? that was me…I was hurt more by his words than the physical assault. I never knew he could say those things to me. I could hear the gateman opening the gate for him and he left the house that night. I must have curled up in the same position for over an hour…I finally gathered enough strength to get up. I cleaned my wound, got in the room and cried all night. I couldn't call his mum; so first thing in the morning, I called Laide and she came over with Bola… they were shocked and appalled at the things they saw and heard...I didn't mention what I saw him doing, I only focused on the physical abuse. Bola said he never knew Baba T was that kind of person; and if he had heard this from another person, he would have dispelled it and vouched for him. Bola promised to track him down and talk to him…Laide stayed behind and advised me to take things easy “ìwọ náà máa ní sùúrù ni (You have to exercise patience) You already have 3 children, where do you want to go now? We will pray and God will touch his heart ” Laide advised I told Laide I wanted to discuss this with my mum but she advised against such. She said I might not be able to remediate the damage that it could do. Laide left in the afternoon and Baba T showed up later in the evening. He looked at me and said if I ever discussed him with anybody again, he would make my life miserable. He was not remorseful at all and the plaster/band aid on my forehead did not mean a thing to him. He said I was a mistake that he was forced to make and he would find a way to rectify it. I didn’t say a word and he kept taunting me, I could tell he wanted me to say something so he could find an excuse to hit me. He asked how I thought I deserved someone with his class and level of education...he also talked about how he couldn’t even tell anyone that I was a mere ‘School Cert’ holder. “What’s the difference between you and the house help? Tell me a fundamental difference apart from the fact that you married me ” he asked. “But you were the one that came after me” I said “That wasn’t me…that was my mum. She was the one that saw and liked you…she literally begged me to ask you out. She made me give you all those things so you could leave that pathetic boyfriend of yours. Did I even talk to you the first time I saw you? Maybe I should take you through my dating hall of fame. There are girls I dated, that would cringe if they found out I ended up with someone like you ” he responded His words hurt like crazy and I could tell he was doing it intentionally…hot tears flowed down my cheeks but I kept quiet. I never knew a day like this could come; I knew we lacked synergy but that was better than what it had become. Somehow things skewed and took a plunge, a sharp decline…it happened so fast that I didn’t even know how it happened. After the fierce bout of tongue lashing, Baba T left the house again and didn’t come back to sleep. I decided to get my mum involved…so the following morning, I travelled to Abeokuta and opened up to her, I tried to gloss over the drug part and just said he had suddenly become very temperamental and abusive. “Mo dáràn (I’m in trouble)” that was my mum’s first reaction. She must have noticed that her reaction wasn’t helping so she calmed down a little. She said she would help me beg him as there must have been something I did that he wasn’t telling me. My mum decided to go back to Lagos with me so she could talk to my husband. I wasn’t sure I liked the idea but I didn’t know who else to talk to.

:unsure: Is that the end?

nope @froshberry-2

(conclusion) I a , , We got to Lagos in the evening but Baba T did not come home that night…my mum kept telling me to believe that all will be well. He finally showed up in the morning and was shocked to see my mum. He greeted her but said he couldn’t stay because he had a meeting and only came home to pick a shirt and tie. He promised to be back later to have a talk with my mum. My mum was in Lagos for 3 days and Baba T did not come home. My mum had to leave on the third day because she had some other appointments to keep. I could tell she was disappointed but downplayed it and said maybe Baba T already knew what he did and was too ashamed to come home. She left a message that he should come and see her at Abeokuta unfailingly that weekend and be prepared to pay a huge fine. Baba T did not come home until that weekend; he didn’t greet me and didn’t even ask of my mum. He got the kids and said he was taking them out. I wanted to ask where they were going but he wasn’t even looking at me. They were out for about 5 hours, I was almost freaking out for the period that they were away because I didn’t know what plans Baba T had or where he took them. When they finally got back, the kids had lots of gifts and toys and they were really excited…they talked about all the places daddy took them to and how they had so much fun. He then watched a movie with them till very late and tucked them in. I just sat in the dining room with my left hand supporting my head…it was as if I was invisible. Baba T stayed at home that night but in the guest room…with so much fear, I gently knocked on the door. He asked who it was and I mentioned my name, he was quiet for a while, then he asked what I wanted. I told him I wanted to talk to him…after about a minute, he unlocked the door and I entered the room. I knelt down and asked what I did to deserve what he was doing to me. I reminded him of how I had been supportive and faithful to him…how I gave him 3 beautiful boys…how I respected him and his parents and how I never complained about anything just because I wanted a peaceful home. He looked at me for a moment but didn’t say anything. I then told him what my mother said and pleaded that I would like him to honor her by going to see her. The last statement must have triggered something in him as he started to rant again. He said he chose to leave me and be on his own because of peace but I had to come disturb him and remind him of things I had done for him. Then he started to remind me of the things he did for me and my family…he said since I was keeping scores, he could mention a few things he did for me as well. I felt worthless when he was done with his ‘lecture’…I couldn’t hold back the tears so I got up and scuttled out of the room. He slammed the door behind me and locked it. A few minutes later, I started to smell the vinegar/rubber stench like the odor in the guest room the last time I walked in on Baba T and I could tell what he was doing inside the room. I couldn’t let my children live like that, I had to do something fast…and I had to do this on my own. The following morning right after Baba T left the house, I went to an Estate Agent around my salon and asked if he could help me get a 2 bedroom flat on the mainland, I told him it had to happen fast and had to be kept between the two of us. I figured if we went away for a while, it would make Baba T rearrange his priorities. I didn’t tell anyone my plans because I didn’t want them to tell my husband. So I gathered all the money in my bank accounts, got the apartment, furnished it and strategized my move. The day we moved, I waited for Baba T to leave the house…it had been weeks since we said a single word to each other. Then I took my children and we moved to the new place. I had arranged for a van to come get us because I didn’t want to use our driver. I actually sent him to go get something for me so he wouldn’t see us leave. I also packed some of the things in the house but I didn’t take any of the cars as I did not want Baba T to track us with that. The maid and the gateman were wondering what we were doing but they couldn’t ask me any questions. That was how I left Baba T’s house…I didn’t go to the Salon, neither did I contact anyone. My kids did not get it and they were not happy. They kept asking for their dad. I told them we would be going home soon but we had to be at the new place for a while. This fell within the long vacation period and I had believed that the issue would be resolved before the kids went back to school. The thought of how troubled Baba T would be, gave me some form of good “gotcha! Deal with that! In your face!” … , , , To be continued

0kay

THE EXCHANGE FINAL CONCLUSION it was nothing compared to the pains I had endured but it felt good fighting back in my own little way. It was a totally different experience, my kids were not used to it at all and it wasn’t long before Junior caught Malaria. We couldn’t go to our family doctor so we treated it in-house…it spiraled and he had to be admitted at a hospital in the area. At a point; I was so scared that I thought of going back home. Resources were dwindling but I held the fort. After about 5 weeks, someone rang our door bell and it was Baba T, he had some police officers with him. He had reported an abduction/kidnap incident with them and they had been on our tail all the while. The way the officers handled it, I could tell he had ‘settled’ them because they did not care to hear my side of the story. Baba T was able to track down the van that took us, because somehow, the gateman remembered the License plate number. The kids ran to him and hugged him…they were so happy to see him. The officers asked what they should do with me, he told them not to worry about me as he had gotten what he came for. The Officers took the kids to the car they brought…Baba T stayed behind, he looked at me with so much disgust in his eyes and said “This is the life you deserve, continue to live it…but if you dare touch my kids again, I will use everything I have to fight you and your wretched family” as he walked out. It felt like transient paralysis, because I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t even move...I could hear my last child crying and asking for me but they drove away. I must not have thought this through; this was not the outcome I had envisaged. Lots of thoughts flashed in my head. How would I fix this? How would I get my children back? Who would help me? The following morning, I went to Laide’s place…I hadn’t taken a ‘Danfo’ (commercial bus) in a long time but I couldn’t really afford a Taxi. Laide was visibly mad at me; she said there was no justification for what I did because there were better ways of handling it. She said I could have come to their house instead of absconding with the kids and getting everybody worked up. She told me of the showdown between my mum and Baba T and how my mum accused him of kidnap and murder and that he was only pretending not to know our whereabouts. How Brother Dipo and Baba T got physical and made a huge scene at Abeokuta. How my mum had been worried sick, running from pillar to post to find us. How I got brother Kola (my eldest brother) fired because Baba T would not buy the story that nobody knew where I was. How all the drama had caused a considerable amount of friction between her and Bola because Bola found it hard to believe that she didn’t know where I was either. I tried to defend my action but Laide made it sound like I killed a fly with cannon… “Are you kidding me? Moving my children away from a house where drug is abused openly is wrong? What would you have done if you were in my shoes?” I snapped back Laide kept trying to rationalize it “After all they are his children, you can’t just take them away like that…baba ọmọ ló l’ọmó. Even your mother-in-law is not very happy with what you did. Her state of health cannot handle that. When I spoke with her; she said you didn’t inform her of what was happening” “I didn’t inform her? She knew about all of this even before I found out. She hid he truth from me just to get grandkids…” I went on and on about the things I had heard and seen and how they begged me not to tell anyone. All the dirty secrets I did not divulge earlier…even what happened in London the first time. Laide was speechless, she asked me to wait for her husband to return. She was mad at me for hiding the most important part of the issue. She scolded me for not making adequate preparation for this. “When you knew you were going to do this, you should have informed me. We could have executed it better. We would have waited for you to gather enough money. Maybe you could have travelled abroad with your children…we could have done a lot of things differently" "Did you even remember to take your passport when you left the house?” Laide asked. That was when I realized I didn’t. When Bola got back in the evening, Laide shared everything with him and he decided to go with me to see Baba T. When we got there, the gateman would not open the gate…he said ‘Oga’ told him not to let me in the house or he would lose his job. Bola had to get off the car and walked in through the small gate. He was in for a while and when he got back, the look on his face said it all. He got in the car and said we needed to leave and that he would explain things to me on the way. I insisted that I wanted to see my children; I started to cry and was banging on the gate. Baba T came out and threatened to get me arrested if I didn’t leave. He said he was just considering the fact that I was the mother of his children, otherwise he knew exactly how to deal with me that I would never step foot in that house again. Bola convinced me to get in the car and that we would resolve this. It was on our way back to their place that he told me what happened when he was inside…how Baba T almost fought him and finally asked him to stay out of his business. Bola said he also threatened to go to any extent to deal with me if I ever tried to come near his children. When we got back to their place, Bola and Laide advised that I would have to get my family involved as I could not fight this on my own. I stayed there that night and travelled to Abeokuta the following day. Bola gave me some money…I guess Laide informed him of my cash situation. As happy as my mum was to see me, she still scolded me for doing what I did. I told her everything this time, there was nothing to hide anymore. She said “You should have seen what that lunatic you call your husband did when he came here. Of course, it had to be drugs. Normal human beings don’t act that way…I knew he was definitely high on something” Long story short, everything we tried, to get the children back didn’t work. At a point, Laide had to withdraw from the ‘struggle’ because her husband’s family did not want to be involved anymore. I noticed that my brothers that got jobs through Baba T were treading with caution but Brother Dipo was ready for war…he was a Students’ Union activist back in school and was known for his ‘no retreat no surrender’ stance in the face of anything he saw as injustice. He didn’t have money to fight Baba T but he was able to get some competent lawyers that got the case to court and gave Baba T’s lawyers a run for their money. However, Baba T produced “evidences” even “witnesses” to “show” that I was emotionally unstable, had mental issues, and therefore was an unfit mother…and how this prompted them to take the children from me after I had forcefully taken them away from their father’s house. They “proved” at the court that Junior almost died when I had him in my care and his sickness was due to my negligence and incompetence. They “proved” that I was the abusive one and that I once threatened Baba T with a knife. They wouldn’t let the children come to the court or testify because of the emotional scar it could give them. We argued back that Baba T was on drugs and thus, was the unfit parent…but all the test results showed that he was clean…I don’t know how they did it. At a point I almost went crazy and had an emotional breakdown at the court, I started to yell and curse Baba T and his entire family; I almost got punished for contempt of court. Baba T’s lawyers killed the case with that and he got custody of the children. We appealed but he won again…this time around, he got the judge to allow him move them to the United Kingdom for a while so they could be with their grandmother and away from the traumatic experience. The judge said I could come back in a year for another hearing and gave me the requirements I had to meet to do this…the requirements were so ridiculous that I knew it would take God to get my children back. I cried like my world had ended…the injustice and oppression was too much for me to handle. I didn’t know where to start from or how to piece my life together. Baba T already locked off the Salon he opened for me and I wasn’t allowed anywhere near his house. When my rent expired at the house I rented on the mainland, I saw people for who they really were. Everyone I turned to for help wanted something from me…even people I considered family friends when the going was good. Men that once placed me on a pedestal, even the estate agent that got me the house wanted to sleep with me to help persuade the Landlord to give me more time to source for funds…even Laide started avoiding me. That was when I decided to move back to Abeokuta as I didn’t want to go live with my brothers…they had their own families and I didn’t want to be a burden. My mum supported the move and I had to start from scratch… I asked about Aunty Betty but was told she had left Abeokuta and nobody knew where she moved to. It wasn’t easy at all but what could I do. I got a shop and went back to my hairdressing, it was better than prostituting under the guise of staying in Lagos. It took a while to get past all the jeering, mockery, ridicule and questionings. It’s been years and I have only seen my children a few times; mostly on their visiting days at their schools. They are in boarding schools in Nigeria and once they are on vacation, Baba T sends them out of the country. My last born somehow still loves me genuinely…he shows it and he’s always promising to take care of me when he becomes an adult. He’s the only one that bothers to call me when they are out of the country. He eats whatever I bring for him with relish, even if they are not as expensive as his dad’s gifts. I don’t know what they did to the other two or what they told them…Junior hardly talks to me anytime I visit him at school. But I haven’t allowed that deter me…I still go there on his visiting days and bring things that I can afford. He will graduate from secondary school later in the year and he already told me he is getting his first degree abroad as he already passed GCE London. Enough with my predicament…let me get back to why I shared this story I was walking down the road to my shop yesterday morning when an SUV pulled up next to me. I couldn’t see the person driving until the rear passenger side window was rolled down. I could never forget that face…It was Tunji. He was still as handsome as the first time I saw him. I could see a couple of grey hair strands on his beard but they only made him more handsome. He said he could tell it was me but he didn’t want to believe it. He asked me to get in the car and I did. He asked his driver to drop us at an eatery so we could talk and sent the driver to go withdraw money at the ATM. Tunji said he wanted to know what happened to me…as something must have happened for me to be in the state he found me. I didn’t know what to say so he broke the ice by telling me his own story. He said he was in Abeokuta for a wedding and was just driving around to find his Bank’s ATM. He told me how he had to leave Abeokuta after our breakup and how the Oil Company reached out to him not long after that, because there was a mistake during the recruitment process. Someone else that shared the same first name with him was offered the position in error. They apologized for the error, gave him the job and sent him to Germany for the training. He told me how the breakup made him bitter and resentful to women but God used a lady he met while in Germany to start the healing process and how the lady showed him the path of righteousness and brought him to know Jesus. He told me how God has favored him within the organization and he’s currently the Regional Head of Business Development, West Africa. At that point, I started to cry, he consoled me and said he already forgave me and was willing to help me in whatever way he could. I told him my story...everything, without sparing any details and he couldn’t help but shed tears with me. He said he wanted me to meet his wife as he couldn’t do anything without talking to her. The driver took us to the hotel where they lodged…Tunji asked me to wait at the lobby and went in to get his wife. He came back with his wife after a while and she greeted me, she was really nice to me. She told me she had heard so much about me because Tunji never stopped talking about me. At the end of everything, they wrote me a cheque for N250,000…I couldn’t stop crying. Tunji encouraged me that everything would be alright and shared a lot from the Bible. He promised to check on me anytime he drove through Abeokuta but he didn’t give me his number. They asked the driver to go drop me off and as I was about to leave, Tunji’s wife smiled at me and said “Thanks for not marrying him” . . . . QUOTE ; The statement “You will not ‘shi-marry’ (sounds like she-marry)…It sounds funny, grammatically incorrect but it is a powerful prayer. As a single person, looking unto God for a life partner, one of the most powerful prayers anyone can pray for you is "you will not 'shi-marry' in Jesus' name". Another English word that is close enough, to capture the full meaning, is mismarry which means to marry an unsuitable partner..... .. . MAY YOU NOT SHI-MARRY . . . . THE END

KINDA DONE HERE

Bueno.

@ebube @hi-bee-kay u made me cum back here ... Already left coolval for u guys

Thanks for the beep

Wish the story has continuation. Learnt a lot from this piece

@jummybabe im back

Amen ooo A great story with a great lesson

I pray make anyone of us SHI-MARRY oooo IJN