AMINAT - A MODERN LOVE TALE
(An inside the box story)
Episode 1.
The first time I saw Aminat, she would have been a little below 12yrs old, she had accompanied her elder sister Rukayat to my mum's shop to buy some provisions for her mum. (they had lost their eldest brother yusuf in an auto accident the previous year,so it was just the two of them left as kids) Her elder sister Rukayat was probably in her mid teen age, the signs of woman hood were already quite visible in her, I was close to the last stages of my teenage hood (unofficial adult jorh - I was going to be 18 that year) as a young budding unofficial adult, I was already familiar with that special tinge of admiration and sweet feeling that strike young men when they encounter beautiful young girls. Rukayat smiled at me revealing those beautiful set of teeth as she enquired about my mum and siblings. My mum had gone to school (she was a principal at a government secondary school) my sisters had gone to school too. I answered her accordingly and attended to her shopping needs, trying all the time to take my eyes off Aminat and concentrate on Rukayat as she tried to keep the conversation going.
As they made to depart, i couldn't take my eyes off Aminat, I watched her as she swayed her little hips left and right like she was trying so hard to shake what wasn't there.. As they walked away, my eyes trailed them till they were eventually out of sight. Aminat was barely a kid but I could already fortell that she would grow into a very beautiful woman.
Don't call me a prophet, I just had the ability to fortell some things. By the way, my name is Hassan Muhammed, We weren't from the North though, we were frm the northern part of Edo state, Auchi precisely, my parents had being muslims before we got converted to christianity. My christian name was David but I was already used to my muslim name Hassan and since our church had no problem with me retaining the name, I preferred my muslim name. Rukayat and Aminat were from northern Nigeria but they weren't muslims and to correct a point, that wasn't actually the first time I saw Aminat, we had being family friends since I could remember, our parents had maintained long term friendship and our houses in Benin city were not so far from each other's. I only recalled that special day as the first time I saw her cos that was the first time I took such a huge notice of her.
It was probably six years later that my prophecy began to materialize and manifest. I studied computer and statistics at the university of illorin and so was away from home for quite a very long time. Even after university days, I spent most of the time hustling in Lagos, till i eventually received my call up letter to undergo the NYSC program in Nassarawa state. During my schooling/NYSC period, I had a fair share of dating, I dated the good, the bad and the ugly as well. Now it was roughly six years after, that I returned home,I returned back to Benin after the successful completion of my NYSC program.
I had high hopes of receiving a presidential welcome when I arrived home. I could picture my mum and younger sisters Zainab and Halimat shouting my name and running helter skelter trying to hug me,trying to do my every wish, hmmmm... I just couldn't wait to be home. Indeed I was anticipating a presidential welcome *** come on,I was the only son of my parents nau,and i was a graduate at that, indeed I deserved more than a presidential welcome.
I arrived home on a bike ( hmm,dem neva ban bike for Benin city as at the time of this story). I got down from the bike anticipating sound of music,shouts from neighbours, family, friends and well wishers.
omo!! i nor hear anything, even cock nor gree crow. I got my bags n opened the gate and entered the compound, still no noise ** abi, dem wan prank me? I walked towards the door,found the outer protector locked,walked to the other flat and knocked on our neighbour/tenant's door (hmm,tenant would be better, na my papa get the house jare). Mama Dafe shouted like someone who had taken a few shots of whiskey 'Na who be that jare?' When she opened the door and saw it was me, she exclaimed 'Haa!!! Corfer corfer,you don come? Welcome o!!' I understood she meant to say Corper cos i was fully kitted in my NYSC ajuwaya outfit *** for my mind, i wan intimidate my street people - infact none of them even see me, e be like say dem plan me run comot for house- msheew, all anticipation in vain.
'Your mama, follow that her friend comot early this morning o,even Zainab and Halimat follow them too' Mama Dafe was speaking now 'but she keep key wait for you o' she went inside,came out again and handed over the keys to me. 'Welcome o,corfer corfer!! You nor buy bread come?' I looked up at her and smiled as i spoke in my mind **Na bread go kill you just now,my presidential welcome, i nor c,u dey talk of bread,msheew* 'Hmm, Mama Dafe, nor worry, the bread dey come' I replied her as I snatched the keys from her and went into the house.
I went into the kitchen with high hopes (fried rice,chicken and malta guiness on my mind) omo, no food o, the only food i saw was one very small refugee kind of jollof rice wey meat or fish nor even dey,and from the way the rice take yellow,I sure say na Halimat cook am. What can a man do? I settle down chop that one first o, begin fume they wait for my mama and sisters, omo,we go fight today...
PON! PON!! PON!!! It was the familiar sound of my mum's toyota corolla that woke me up from sleep. I rolled over from the bed and went outside the verandah to meet them, I saw my sweet mum (yea sweet,if u too jealous,go kal ur mama sweet and chewing gum join).. I saw my sweet mum coming out of the car, she had already parked in the garage, looking at my mum's pretty face melted my anger, I swear I loved this woman so much. 'Davido!!! My pride and My strength' that was my mum in her usual style,she loved to call me that ** omo,my head don dey burst small small. Zainab and Halimat ran out of the car,screaming my name ** I begin feel like jayz.. Zainab hugged me so hard, little Halimat was trying to squeeze hersef into the hug too, I released myself from their grip before them go suffocate the 'GRADUATE' *winks.. I walked towards my sweet mum and as i was about to hug her, someone else came out of the car.....
(To be continued...)
