Walking lonely along the lonely street situated in the city of Umuahia,
South-Eastern Nigeria at about few minutes past six in the evening on Saturday
10th of March 2007 was all Chukwuebuka cared for at the moment; the
36-year-old slim, dark complexioned and about 5-foot tall young man dressed in
casual attire thought it wise to take a walk having embarked on his not unusual
thinking section all through the day in his humble abode otherwise known as
Boys’ quarters. Chukwuebuka Okere who was definitely headed for an undefined
destination was a graduate of English Linguistics from the University of
Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria popularly known and addressed as ‘UniCal’;
he obtained his Bachelor of Arts (B.A) eight years back, 1999 precisely, and
since he rounded off his compulsory National Youth Service programme in
February 2001, the dude who was actually reckoned as one of the best brains in
his department during his school days was still endlessly roaming in all the
streets and major roads of Umuahia – the capital city of Abia State in search
of a white-collar job, which was seemingly not forthcoming. Owing to his
unending joblessness, he almost hanged himself few months back in the name of
‘frustration’. As he strolled calmly along the apparently endless street where
he resided, so many terrible thoughts dawned on his miserable mind as he was
subconsciously observing his fellow passers-by in their to-and-fro movements,
though in about five minutes intervals which made the street appeared sparingly
lonely.
“Ebuka!” a feminine voice called from behind to no avail. “Ebuka
Okere!!” She reiterated in a higher tone.
He stopped and turned back on hearing the second call, and surprisingly
he sighted a female being that seemed a bit familiar standing about half kilometer
away from him with car keys in her left hand. He hastily took a few steps
backward to meet her.
It was Ogechi. Ogechi Okafor who
was a graduate of Marketing happened to be Chukwuebuka’s schoolmate as well as
girlfriend way back in the university but he graduated ahead of her because she
was two years lower than him in level. Pathetically, Chukwuebuka dumped her in April
2000 during her third year (300 Level) when he was undergoing his youth service
programme; the unexpected and unspeakable estrangement from a man she cared so
much about, which caused her a severe heartbreak, almost claimed her precious
life if not the intervention of her close female friends on campus.
Ogechi who was light-skinned, slim and about 1.5 metres tall was putting
on blue trousers, pink top and high-heel pink foot wears; the high heel made
her appeared taller than Chukwuebuka. Ab initio she was unarguably a pretty
damsel; and at that very moment she seemed extremely prettier to Chukwuebuka’s
greatest amazement.
“Ogechi…Okafor!” He exclaimed, folding his arms while standing about a
metre away from her.
“Surprise?” She enquired, smiling.
“Oh my God,” he said. “You are completely different now.”
She smiled.
“What’s the secret?”
“Well, na God oh.”
“So, what are you doing here?” He inquired. “What brought you to
Umuahia?” He added.
“I live here.”
“You mean,” he said. “You are a resident of Umuahia?”
“Of course.”
“It’s a lie.”
“Honestly.”
“You don’t mean it,” he said. “Since when?”
“Since I finished my NYSC in 2003.”
“Oh my God,” he dished out. “This is getting more interesting.”
“Actually, I live around here,” she chipped in. “In the neighbouring
street, Ekpoma Crescent to be precise.”
“Ekpoma Crescent?”
“Ya.”
Ekpoma Crescent was a residential
corner peculiar to notable personalities.
“And you,” she said. “You live around?”
“Ya,” he replied. “This is my street.”
“Are you serious?’
“Yes,” responded Chukwuebuka amidst a nod. “I reside at the beginning of
the street, Number 3 precisely.”
“Since when have you been in Umuahia?”
“Ever since I concluded my youth service.’
“So what have been happening since then?” she curiously enquired.
There was no response.
“Look at you, Ebuka,” she observed, frowning. “You used to be plump.”
“My dear,” he broke the silence. “It’s a long story.”
Since after his NYSC, he had only been occupied with one menial job or
the other just to make ends meet.
“Well, I’m actually catching fun here with some of my colleagues,” she
abruptly changed the topic. “One of us is marking her birthday.”
There was a relaxation outlet behind her; the sound coming from the
joint was obviously felt by the passersby. That was where she was seated among
her friends before she caught sight of Chukwuebuka in the distance the moment
he passed.
“Would you mind joining us?” She urged.
“Joining you?” He said. “Like this?” He added, pointing at his dress.
The casual wears he was clad in comprised black three-quarter jeans,
green polo and brown leather slippers.
“You are okay,” she admitted. “After all, you are a man.”
“Sure?”
“Of course,” she said. “Besides, this is your street.” She added,
paused. “So, you are equally the landlord or the host.” She declared
cheerfully.
He smiled. “Okay, if you say so.” He said opening his hands, indicating
that he had surrendered.
“So, shall we?” She landed pointing towards the joint with her left arm.
They majestically walked hand in hand to the joint.
She introduced him to the gathering that was made up of various
sophisticated ladies and gentlemen as soon as they got to the point before they
assumed their seats; they were seated opposite each other at one of the free
white plastic tables in the arena.
Initially, he refused to take anything when he was asked to name what he
cared for owing to the enormous guilt his mindset was preoccupied with, until
he was profoundly persuaded by Ogechi to do so. Finally having succumbed, he
ordered for a plate of pepper soup to be accompanied with a bottle of chilled
malt.
The fun lasted till about eight o’clock at night when everyone departed
for their respective residences. Ogechi who was the Marketing Manager of one of
the renowned firms in the city gave a copy of her complimentary card to
Chukwuebuka prior to her departure; she asked him to see her in the office
first thing the following Monday.
On the said Monday being March 12, 2007, Chukwuebuka arrived at Ogechi’s
office as instructed. The moment he walked into her magnificent office, he
knelt down to seek for unconditional forgiveness with tears on his eyes. She
made him understand right in the office that she had forgiven him long ago, if
not she wouldn’t have asked him to join her at the relaxation outlet let alone
inviting him to her place of work; a pronouncement that made the guilty poor
man to develop an abrupt high fever.
Two weeks later, she helped him
to secure an employment in her company. When her friends and colleagues
confronted her for the seemingly silly and unceremonious step she had taken
having learnt what the man in question did to her years back, she categorically
disclosed to them that she bore no grudge for him again, stating that a known
devil was far better than an unknown angel. Ogechi who was still a splinter at
33, unequivocally went further to notify them that she was damn willing and
ready to settle down with Chukwuebuka if he eventually proposed her.
Apparently, she couldn’t forget in a hurry the juicy and remarkable moment they
shared together, and she was of the view that he could not forget either; thus
that remained her motivator.
Amazingly, in about three months later, Chukwuebuka and Ogechi who were
now colleagues re-established another intimate emotional affair to the envy of
all and sundry that were within. Subsequently, six months on, Saturday
September 8, 2007 to be precise, they tied the knot; their ostensibly divine
union remained an interesting story headline to their teeming friends,
relatives and well-wishers.
Thereafter, they were happily married with three kids – two males and a
female.
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