Something lived, Something felt

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 46

Ahmad was having an amazing week; first, they found out they were having twins and secondly the company he worked at had finally finished paying off their debts. It couldn't get any better, two kids at a go, he glowed as much as the woman carrying them. He was thankful to Allah for blessing, he couldn't help but wait to be a father. He walked to their bedroom, Zinar was dusting the room and having a call on speaker with Khadijah. He barely said hi to his wife before rushing to the bathroom to ease himself.

"Ke, its serious fah, hmm! Yesterday they had a meeting with the Sanusi. The girl doesn't even have a problem fah but..." Khadijah informed

"Him sef, where did he go and find a half Ibibio, half Igala girl?" Zinar asked. Sanusi was there mothers' cousin, he had brought a girl home and no one was accepting her because apparently, her tribe was on the other side.

"So what's the problem?" Ahmad asked when he was let in on the gist.

"There is no problem its just cultural differences. It's hard enough to deal with an Igala person but this girl is mixed. I don't even know the kind of people Ibibios are," Zinar said arranging the dresser and he squinted in confusion.

"Says the person who is married to an entirely different race," he pointed

"It's different, we probably have more in common with Arabs than we do with those people."

"Are you listening to yourself as you talk right now?" He looked at his wife, "Those people?" he repeated

"It's complicated" she simply said as she continued what she was doing and he raised his brow.

"Is it though? Because it sounds like discrimination to me" he shrugged.

"Am not discriminating her, am just saying that her tribe is not..." she trailed realizing she was on a tribalistic train. She looked at Ahmad who was giving her a really look, she raised her hands in defence, "Fine but am blaming this on the community" she said sassily. "We were all raised to believe that we all have flaws but our flaws are better" she defended and Ahmad had the same look as earlier. She sighed and sat on the stool by the dresser "I know it's hypocritical coming from me. Maybe am not as open-minded as I thought" she said and Ahmad nodded in agreement and she rolled her eyes. He shrugged and raised his hands in mock surrender,

"You said it not me" he said and she looked at him with disbelieve, "You avoid almost all our white neighbours"

"Because I don't like their jokes" she defended

"Um-hmm! Because their jokes are too white for you" he quoted

"I didn't mean it as an act of bigotry"

"I know, I know, but little things like this are what breed bigotry" he imparted. She hated that he was attacking her but she also knew he was right. "But hey, it's good that we've realized it" he cheered.

"That makes me feel soo much better," she said sarcastically and he chuckled at her sulking face.

"Prejudice and bigotry are everywhere and in different forms. It's easy to stumble upon. Hate speech on religions, light skin people thinking they're more superior to dark-skinned. You told me about the dispute you had at work about mixed African races thinking their better than Africans and vice vasa" he declaimed "tribalism, xenophobia the list is endless. The least we could do is," he held her face "be more aware" he finished sounding wise.

Realizing she was being tribalistic was a shocker to her, growing up she always had friends from different tribes, her best friend was Yoruba but apparently, that was it. They would dance and cheer and share a meal with the tribe next door but when it came down to share ties, everybody preferred their own. Even between the Hausas and Fulanis or the Igbos and the Efik or the Yorubas and the Itsekiri. She sighed, "I feel no different from my Saudi in-laws" she whined.