Life of a Nigerian Teenage Girl

ONE

Eriola Idowu

The tapping of fingers on my body, the familiar voice I have gotten used to hearing every morning and realization that I have to get out of bed for school!

School? Yaaay!!!

Someone just asked why "yaaay", well, because I love school. I only get to see some certain people at school and somehow, I don't think I can function without them.

"Wake up!" That voice came again and that was my mom! Mummy Tayo, I call her that because I already got used to it since that is how I heard everyone calling her while I grew up, even my brother, Tayo.

"Just one more minute na mummy Tayo". This morning, I was especially enjoying my sleep because.... dang it, my perfect dream was ruined already, it just wouldn't continue. He was just about to kiss....

"Up now!" She yelled at me again making me finally get up.

"Good, wake your sister up, you two have work to do". She told me and walked out of the room.

In all of the movies I've watched, the kids wake up, hop in to the bathroom, bath, dress up and leave the house. Unfortunately, it is not the same here, we have to do some chores before leaving for school. I'm so grateful Iniola now washes plates or else, I'd be crying right now.

I turned my face to find my sister who we share the same room and bed with her eyes closed and her lashes fluttering, I smiled.

"I know you are awake, time to go wash plates". I told her hitting her butt which annoying is bigger than mine.

"Oh no!" She whined as she slowly got out of bed, well, I had to leave her there. Passing through the little passage that connected the whole flat together, I banged on my brother's door as a way to wake him up.

Getting to the dinning room, dad was already seated having breakfast of rice and Titus fish while reading newspaper. I knelt down to greet him like a good Yoruba girl.

"Good morning daddy". I said and he smiled warmly at me replying with a "good morning my daughter".

It was so annoying how I had to sweep the whole house all over again after doing so last night. In our house, we sweep twice daily, morning and night except there are urgent dirts we need to sweep off.

"Why do I have to sweep this morning again after sweeping last night". I complained with mom shaking her head at me.

"Come and wash plates then, sebi me I'm washing three times daily". Ini said from the kitchen trying to make her chores look more hectic than mine.

"I wonder what it is both of you are complaining about. One person work! Something I would do in few minutes and forget I did anything". Mummy Tayo started, making me regret complaining immediately.

"When you get to your husband's house will you be complaining about sweeping, washing or what? You will even have more chores to do that you won't have the strength to complain. You are girls........"

I'm sure you do not want to hear the rest of her story because she continued until I swept the entire house. After pausing for a while, she would continue again, remembering several stories of her life.

Finally, we were done preparing for schools bf at exactly 7:00 am the school bus picked us up in front of our house down to school. I quickly went straight for my permanent seat, it was right beside Inioluwa my best friend.

Since Ini gets into the bus first, she always picks that seat and keep the one beside it for me with her bag. The truth is, no one seats there anymore, they know it's for us. Iniola on the other hand joined her friends too and it was the same for brother Tayo who made noise with his friends all through the ride to school.

Confusing right? My sister and my best friends have almost the same name, Iniola and Inioluwa, it's quite a funny coincidence.

"Hey there". I greeted Inioluwa like I always did but her attention wasn't with me, she had so much on her mind obviously that she didn't even hear me.

"Ini!" I called out to her and she literally jumped.

"When did you get in?" She asked me looking around to see we already passed my house.

"Not long, what's on your mind?" I asked her.

"My dad lost his job and mom had been doing like three jobs for a while now. They keep fighting". She explained to me as quietly as possible to avoid a third ear.

"Is that it? I overheard my dad talking about his company recruiting, I will ask him if he can help, after all, he would be in charge of the hiring". I told her and she gave me a really tight hug.

"You don't know how much that mean to me. Thank you so much". She replied and I only smiled.

Ini and I had been friends since forever and we plan to keep it that way. She had helped out in certain ways as well, it's my turn to return the favor.

The day went fast with several teachers coming to class to take their own 45minutes and get out, it was now lunch time and I brought out my food flask which contained hot rice and egg sauce made by my mom. I couldn't help but notice Ini had nothing with her. Was it that worse now?

"Ini" I called her.

"Yeah?"

"Join me". I told her but she shook her head no. "Come on, or I won't eat as well" I told her and she finally joined me.

I felt bad for her situation and wondered how her parents must be feeling at this point in time. It was even good that they had only her, at least they won't have much burden.

*******

"Daddy now". I was busy begging my dad to help Ini's family out, he could just help make it easy for him to secure the job.

"It is not as easy as that. I need to see his qualifications first!" He replied me.

"This is Nigeria, all the qualifications anyone need is to know someone and he knows you! Or maybe his daughter knows me who knows you because I am your daughter". I told him just tying to persuade him and finally he nodded.

"Okay fine! I will try my best. No promises but I would do everything I can". He replied and I smiled happy that maybe, just maybe my friend can have a happy family again.

I also told mom to always make food for her too so that she can have something to eat as well and we would both be filled.

Gladly it all worked out, it been two months now, her dad got the job thanks to my dad and it's been quite good for them.