The Message

Grace came over to visit and suggested that they should take a stroll round the village. She took Chioma to oputa stream, through the market square and also took her to meet her aunty, Ma Edna. The woman lived a small house with unfinished roofing. There was a small boy who met them at the gate. He ran back into the house to inform Ma Edna that she had visitors. Just as they were about to walk into the house, Grace whispered that Ma Edna is a Prophetess. The woman was dressed in all white and tied a multi-coloured scarf. She also had a big wooden rosary around her neck. She invited them into the sitting room. They were offered soft drinks and groundnuts by the small boy Ma Edna called Ugo.

“This is my childhood friend, Chioma. She arrived from the UK yesterday.”

“My daughter, you are welcome”. After a long conversation, Ma Edna asked that they should say a prayer together. She prayed and spoke in tongues. When she finished, she looked into Chioma’s eyes.

"Hmmm, terrible." Ma Edna said while shaking her head

Chioma was terrified. "Does she know about what Uncle Paul had done to her? " She thought.

She had not told her mum or even Grace about what had happen. It wasn't the right time to tell Grace or the right person to tell her.

“Forget about all your worries, my daughter. Focus on your future. You will become a great woman and dine with great men. But never forget about your family and your people. Before you go to sleep tonight, Say seven Hail Marys and pray for divine directions.”

Ma Edna made the sign of the cross on Chioma’s forehead.

Chioma got home late as they had also gone to see a couple of their friends after meeting with Ma Edna. Her little brother ran up to her and gave her a hug.

“I love you very much, Bobbie! I promise I'l never abandon you okay?” She said to him

Bobbie nodded and smiled.

LIGHTS OFF

There had been a snowstorm and a lot of flights were delayed that morning. Everyone on the plane looked so happy. It was the first flight to Nigeria.

As the plane was about to take off, Chioma closed her eyes. She began to think of how her week had unfolded.

Anthony broke up with her with an unbelievable line, “I don't think we are meant to be together, Chioma”. The truth was, he had found a new girlfriend.

Some days after, she had a fight with her flatmate. Chioma began to sleep with the lights on because somehow she could feel her father's presence in her room. And that was it.

Enoye, her flatmate, kept reminding her to switch off the lights to save energy until the fight broke out. The next day, Chioma called her Uncle, Paul. She asked him if she could stay in his house till her flight on Friday.

“Sure my dear, hope everything is fine?” he asked

“Yes uncle, everything is okay”

She packed her all her things. All she wanted was to go back to Nigeria and see her beautiful mother and little brother.

Uncle Paul is married to an English lady, Kim. Well, he did it to become a British citizen. Kim loved him so much that she wasn’t willing to let go after he got his papers. So they lived together in a three-bedroom house.

He was so nice and caring that she began to forget about Anthony, Enoye and was able to sleep with the lights off.

On Thursday, a day before her flight, Kim had gone to Leeds to visit her mum. Uncle Paul came back late from work that night whilst Chioma was asleep. He settled for a while, ate and went up to her room. He took off her duvet slowly. Then, he gently touched her legs, stroking his fingers to the middle of her thighs.

Chioma woke up in shock.

“Be quiet!” He exclaimed

“Uncle, No, Please!” Chioma pleaded…

“Would you like a drink?” a flight attendant asked Chioma

As she opened her eyes, tears rolled down her face.

“I’ll have a cup of water”

***

The Meeting

This Wednesday was different. The computing lab had two young looking guys and a lady. One of the guys looked like a Nigerian and Yes, he was HOT! When Chioma walked into the lab, the Nigerian guy glanced at her and then he looked away.

‘Hello, have I met you before?’ she thought to herself, hoping she would have the guts to say that to him or maybe something different to start up a conversation. She picked a desk, sat down and began to work on her project. She had so much to do and needed to focus on her work. Afterall, she had made up her mind that she wouldn’t get into a relationship until she finally gets over her breakup with Anthony.

‘Who am I kidding?’ she thought. A month after the breakup, Anthony got a new girlfriend. He had even changed his facebook display picture to a nice picture of both of them in a fancy restaurant. As if it was not bad enough, he change his status from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’. It was about time she had moved on too.

Four hours later, she decided to go home knowing how much time she had wasted thinking about having a pleasant conversation with the guy two sits away from her. Almost exiting the library, she got a tap on her shoulder ‘Hey, you were at the computer lab upstairs. You face looks familiar. Have we met before?’ It was the Nigerian guy! She pretended as though she might have met him before but at the same time she knew he was lying. He wanted to talk to her.

‘No, I’m afraid I haven’t met you before’ she replied.

‘Well, I thought I have seen you before, my name is Jude by the way’

She was filled with delight but kept a straight face.

‘Nice meeting you Jude, I am Chioma, Chioma Nwankwu’

Hoping that he would recognise her father’s name. Mr. Princewill Nwankwu was the former Minister of Education who had died two years before she started her law degree in Nottingham. Jude didn’t seem to recognise the surname but he kept smiling and she liked it.

‘Chioma, that’s my mother’s name’ Jude replied.

***

Her Lioness

The Feminist

She is the one who laughs gracefully

Yet speaks with authority

Lioness

Strong

Humble

Refuses to fail

Even if she does

She will try and try again.

Fierce but Tamed

Love and is loved.

She will say,

I have a dream… just like you

I have an ambition… just like you

I can do it better than you

Release the chains off my neck

I have a voice

Let me SPEAK!

Your Type

I know your type
You are so nice and friendly
Or let’s be honest now
This is you, pretending ...
Wanting everyone to like you
But still gossip about the place
In a nice way ...

I know your type
You are insecure and arrogant
You think you know it all
You pick on everyone’s insecurities
To make yourself feel better

You are not my type
You don’t have a car
And you don’t even have a job
You cannot afford to buy me a new Prada
People like me do not date your type

I know your type
Claim to be rich when you are not
Very rude and disrespectful
Looking for a husband
Yet sleeps around with different men


Are you sure you know my type?
Seems you are the type that knows everybody’s type
The type that segregates others because of their ‘type’
You should be part of a ‘type’ too
I think I have heard about you
Aren’t you Stereotype?

God Loves You

It was a massive clinic. I compared it with the clinic close to my apartment in London. The only difference I could see was the friendliness of the staffs, doctors and nurses. As I stepped into Cook County Hospital Chicago, I could feel an accepting atmosphere. My sister and I walked toward the reception after being lost a number of times. We were given visitors cards to take towards the sixth floor to Theresa’s room. It was just between the third and fourth floor that my sister pointed out the girl we were both visiting was my name sake. It made me more eager to see her. We got lost again before we finally got to room 6533. Theresa laid on the bed smiling on seeing our faces as I held a box a donuts and a card.

Theresa had meningitis which left her with little ability to walk and to talk properly. As she tried to say thank you for the present but she stammered and repeated her sentence over and over again. She was so happy we could make it. My sister and Theresa’s sisters talked and reminisced about places and people they knew. Most of the conversation was directed towards me, the newbie in Chicago. I had about two weeks left before I travel back to London but it seems like they wanted to tell me everything all at once, all that I should know. My attention, however, was directed to my name sake that was busy speaking by herself. I soon later grasped that she was speaking to God and saying to herself “God loves me, He loves me”. She kept pointing to the ceiling and smiling to herself.

A nurse quietly opened the door holding a tray of food packed in a plastic bowl and a small cup with a bottle of water. The nurse took it towards the table, greeted everyone in the room and turned to Theresa “Your hand, painful?” she asked Theresa. Theresa looked at the bandage tied around her hand and answered “No, No, No” but she didn’t stop waving her hands. The Nurse smiled and worked out of the room. Theresa sisters brought the food to her while she prayed over it repeatedly.

Suddenly, all I could think was how my life would be if I were in her condition. I thought of the fact that she puts God first and prays to him continuously. Even if the doctors say she would not make it, I don’t think that would separate her from God or stop her from loving Him. She would even be happier that she would be going to a better place where everything is perfect. It will have no beginning or end. No pain. No hospitals. Just love. I asked myself, “wouldn’t it be better to be in this hospital than have good legs and speech but go to the wrong places that lead us to sin or let sinful statements out from our lips and be uncertain where we will end up?”.

Two hours had passed and there was a sudden silence in the room. My sister picked up her handbag and I knew it was time to go. She stood up and walked towards Theresa, smiled and said “God loves you”. Theresa was so happy you could see excitement written all over her face as she kept on waving goodbye. I wished I had said something but while I stood in front of her, I became speechless. I just smiled. We said our goodbyes and headed back home. I could not stop asking myself all sorts of questions on our drive back home. I didn’t suppose my sister could see the many expressions on my face. That night I had a nightmare. I wanted God.

S'engouer

My heart Your love

You kiss I kiss

The love The greed

I need You need

Touch I touch

The honey The sweet

Season Season me!

You want I want

Selfish!

You Me

Fantasy Reality

Lust? Love

S'engouer!

S'engouer!

S' aimer