kekere” because of her height. I believe she was an ajase
woman. She sold sweet and stuff like that on our street, she
would not stop calling me oremi timo timo or oremi atata [my
very good friend] with glowing enthusiasm, at first I liked it and I
would stop to buy unnecessary things from her .
It goes on for many months until one day, a supposed friend of
mine made a joke out of it that “you’re a close friend of this
woman? [laughingly]” I didn’t say anything but started to feel
uncomfortable towards iya kekere. it started to become an
embarrassment whenever she called me so, I started to think
how should I be a close friend to her really? Firstly, I was
avoiding her by taking another route because I usually would
pass through her every morning when I was going to uni.
After a certain period, I couldn’t bear the stress of the route
anymore, I thought I would have to tell her to stop calling me her
close friend that I just do not like it and that everything else was
fine. The next morning, I made my way towards her, as she saw
me, she actually screamed because she had not seen me for
awhile, she shouted oreeemi ooo, I was so upset, I angrily
instructed her never to call me so again in her life. She was
shocked and was not sure if I was in the right mood. I further
told her she’s been disgracing me for awhile and that she
should just call me Bukky and that I couldn’t possibly be her
close friend.
I could see the shock on her face but I really didn’t care as I
left.
3 days later. I was asleep, I heard a very loud noise on my door
and I woke up. It was iya kekere shouting “ina ina ina”[fire!
fire!!] I didn’t know what was happening she just dragged me
out of the building through the back door. It was hell of a smoke
and I didn’t gain my consciousness properly as she dragged me
hurriedly out.
When we got outside, a massive crowd was waiting for us,
everyone rushed to me and said our house was on fire and that
the stairs and corridor were not accessible and they knew I was
in my room. They had been shouting my name, throwing stones
at my window but I did not wake.
They probably gave up on me but not until when my petty trader
friend came and heard I was in the burning house, I was told she
went crazy, she shouted Oreeemi ooo [exclamation], and
insisted that she must come fetch me. How she went through
raging fire I don’t know but she saved my life that day. My
supposed friend that asked if I was truly iya kekere’s close
friend was outside when iya kekere’s made efforts to rescue
me.
After I gained full consciousness and I had known what was
happening, I looked at Iya kekere, she was crying and she came
to hug me so tight. my eyes were gushing out water like a
running tap. She uttered "oremi"! i almost collapsed by hearing
that. i intensified the hug, i could only say eehn mondayin lohun
[yes, i'm answering you] she further said adupe emi, olohun
koni gba e lowo awon obi e [thank God for your life, may death
not snatch you from your parents]. I could not utter a word
anymore. I was just crying. Everyone else thought I was crying
because of belongings or so. But I was crying because i once
told my great friend not to call me her close friend again.
My dad soon came, running to my house barefooted from where
he parked his car. He took me away in his car. I told him what
had happened and how I was rescued, he immediately turned
back to meet her, but we were told she had left as it was raining
anyway.
We returned there the next morning but iya kekere never turned
up anymore. Information I heard was when she came to rescue
me, she left her goods behind and some thugs stole them all.
My family made frantic effort to locate her but to no avail. This
is about 15 years now.
My heart is full of apologies, she was ready to sacrifice her life
for me. It wasn’t that others didn’t like me, it’s just that iya
kekere’s love for me was at another level . My pastor said I
would still meet her which I am happy about. Iya kekere is my
own close friend wherever she is. I LOVE YOU IYA KEKERE AND
YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND
Please do not disregard people who show you genuine love, a
friend in need is a friend indeed. I live to regret the day I asked
her not to call me her close friend anymore.
By: Bukola Adebowale -27 Dec. 2012
May we not drive away our helpers
Amin.
No comments:
Post a Comment