En route PH to Lagos
Haba! I wonder why this driver is acting in this manner. We’ve passed various places worthy of stop over, yet he refused to stop. The armies of worms within me already crying foul, and do I blame them? With few crumbs in my belly, and dusk gradually approaches…”A call from Kayode, my friend, interrupted my thoughts, “no hope in yonder” he lamented! I wonder how I got myself in this seemingly messy situation on a day like this, 25th December, 2011…Christmas day.
My idea was to spend Christmas in Afikpo, Ebonyi, with some of my students and friends. That was meant to be my ideal Christmas, until Monday morning when the whole plan changed.
Initially the idea was to go to Port-Harcourt for few days, the I will come back to Afikpo for Christmas. I had already settled with my siblings at home in Lagos, or so I thought, that I will not be going to Lagos for Christmas…Never knew that Nature has her own plans for me.
Afikpo, Ebonyi state. 19th December, 2011.
“Hello! Jide, bola has been admitted, she is in labour. ”Sha be praying for her”. A call from my eldest sister, my immediate elder sister was in labour…I got to my kneels and muttered a few words of prayer, I also contacted some of my friends, and we commenced a prayer chain…
Tuesday 20th December, 2011…Afikpo to PH.
“Jide, how long is your journey gong to take”, like 6 hours I replied!.”Hey ya, well, no wahala”.Bro Ben my host in Port-Harcourt replied. A lot of thoughts still ran through my mind, and top of the list, Abolanle, my sister, still in labour, two days now. All around me, friends and well-wishers, all encouraging me with words like, “we are praying for her”, “don’t worry”, “its well”. Various sentences that brings succor in a time like this…Oh! God, you are our hope, I pleaded.
My journey to PH was successful; Bro Ben really took care of me from day one of my arrival, till now I had no regrets coming over. On Thursday 22nd December, I was all by myself in Woji, an area in PH, lost in thoughts with mixed feelings. Just called Abeokuta, a while ago, to ask about the situation of things. After listening to all the Jargons of the Doctor, the conclusion was that by Friday, they will have to perform a caesarean section on her. Oh! Boy, what a way to enjoy a peaceful Christmas, by now I was already feeling jittery.
Christmas day…PH to Lagos
Everything happens so fast, 23rd December welcomed to the world a bouncing baby girl and the rest was history…my plans already altered, Abeokuta here I come. No more”xmas made in Afikpo”.
The driver eventually stopped at a fast food joint on Benin-Ore road. I almost let out a Christmas curse. My mouth already watery for a decent meal. ‘Abi’ today is Christmas, if no chicken with fried rice, suya with gala will do.
Later in the day I got home to meet a real shocker. Daddy in Sango-ota, my sisters in Abeokuta, no Christmas chicken, no fried rice, ‘haba!’ what a tragedy called King Joe, a friend, who was more than glad to see me when I got to his place. By the time he offered me rice with chicken, the only thing I could say was “merry Christmas”.
Good attempt, but story seems disjointed in some places.
You just ran through the story! Why? Anyways…
Good luck.
This looks like something you rushed, to beat time. @scopeman60 and Lawal have raised points that are really valid.
I suggest and hope that you rework this piece as it has potential to be far better if better polished and also expanded with links to some points added.
The meeting of your sister in the hospital (if you met her); birth of the child and your takeoff in order to meet Christmas at home and things like that would make the story cleaner. Plus, how come the other sisters travelled and didn’t go to see your sister too?
There are a few grammatical problems here and there…which I would love to attribute to the rush too.
This can be made far better…hoping to see the new form someday. Well done @jekyll
This wasnt so good. Lots of wrong tenses.
Kpele.
Hmmmm….