Her Rise from The Slums

Leaving Zaria again after ten years

I was leaving the house to go to Igwe cafe to register for my post utme that would determine if I would be given admission into the University of Lagos when I saw a boy our neighbor had brought from Enugu a state in the eastern part of Nigeria to stay with her going to the well with a bucket in his hand.

The state he was made me remember something he had done during his early stay in Mama chukwudi's house.
It happened that he was ask to feel the white container in their toilet with water and he had done something hilarious. The boy was very lazy though Mama chukwudi over used him he was still lazy to me.

That day he was asked to fill the container he had gone to the well more than ten times and the older guy who they called uncle Nonso who also stayed in their house had asked him to stop when he wanted to embark on the twelfth journey to the well.

" Kelechi how many bucket you dan pour inside that container(how many buckets have you poured inside the container)" he said in pidgin English since that was the only language Kelechi understood and could speak
" na eleven broda(eleven)" he said already grumbling. " but na eight buckets Dey full that container where you pour the the rest( it takes eight buckets to get the container filled up where did you pour the rest)" he said with amazement laced in his voice. " na there I pour am an e never full( I poured the eleven there and it still not filled up)" the Kelechi boy said
" Oya come show me(show me)" he said stretching fort his hand for the boy to lead the way.

When they got to the toilet it happened that he had been pouring the water into the water closet and had been flushing the toilet unknown to him. The Nonso guy screamed and started laughing which attracted the attention of Mama Chukwudi who couldn't also help but laugh. She had heartlessly asked the boy to go to the well and fetch the water into the right container.

Few weeks later a heavy rain fell and destroyed their half completed fence. The rain shattered the blocks used to build the fence. The rain fell in the night and the next morning what was left of the fence was on the floor but what amazed everyone that went there was that there were many black nylons filled with faeces from human which we wondered were they came from.

It was in this that Uncle Nonso told the story of how Kelechi had been pouring water into the water closet. He said after the incidence he had wondered where Kelechi had been doing his thing but now he had found the answer to his questions. He was asked to take of his uncovered mess alone.

It was then concluded that once a village boy always a village boy. Many people present at the seen were saying the same thing " kei yaro kasa miya( dirty boy)"

Right now  the boy was still grumbling to the well I wonder when he would change.

I got to the cafe and did all the necessary thing I had to do to register for the exam. I got the date for my exam right there and it happened to be on the twenty eight of  this month. Today was  twenty two which meant I would be going to Lagos in four or five days time.

I was very disturbed because my dad had spent almost five thousand to pay for my post utme and he did be spending more than thousand to transport me to and from from Lagos.

"Barawo Kama shi Kama shi ( thief catch him catch him)" it was the voices of women coming from down the hill and immediately a man ran past me carrying a small plasma TV on his head and immediately I knew he was the thief and quickly walked faster to enter the house fast.

It wasn't the first time something like this will happen and I knew what would become of the man if caught especially by Hausa men. He would be beaten to death before he can even be taken to the police station.

Night came and we were all sitting in the parlor with a candle lighted on the table in the room. The NEPA had refused to give us light and we were left to stay with the candle as the only source of light.
Though we had the small gen popularly know has I pass my neighbor it was put on occasionally and tonight was not part of the occasional putting on.

My dad returned very late and I knew it was because of me. Recently he had been staying out later than he do do before.
It was to gather money for my school expenses I was really not happy but the only thing I could do was to pray for him to be safe.

" your exam date is  twenty eight right?" He asked as he was swallowing the morsel of tuwo
" yes sir" I said
" then you will be leaving for Lagos on twenty four with your mum you uncle Demola said he has gotten past question from the school for you so you have to leave early to be able to read if you want to pass"
" okay sir thank so much sir"
I said because I knew that since I was going with my mum my earlier estimate have been doubled.
I was glad that there was hope for a better tomorrow and I prayed to God to make everything work out for good for me.
As I went to bed I dreamt and saw my self sitting in the sitting room of a beautiful house that spoke money.
Perhaps leaving Zaria after ten years would be a blessing.

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