What Goes Around

WHAT GOES AROUND

    ‘She’s talkative, brainless, possessed and troublesome, though naturally pretty.’ That was the apt way the 17-year-old Funke could be described by anyone who knew her person to the core. The annoying teen who was still in J.S.S-3 owing to her several failures during exams wasn’t just a nonentity but a girl everyone saw as someone who was mistakenly created. When others were learning, she would be busy disturbing the class. Every effort displayed by her teachers and kin to reshape her unbearable lifestyle were all in vain. The most worrisome was that no one including her helpless parents could prevent her from doing whatever she intended to. She was indeed naughty.

    The good side of her idiosyncrasies was that being the first child of the parents among their six children she was a good cook, though she could help her mother, Jumoke in the kitchen only when she felt like. She was really giving her mother hell; to assert the least, she detested Jumoke unconditionally with passion. Going by her actions, it seemed as if Jumoke was sharing the same man with her. She had been like that from birth, but the attitude was ignored or laughed over hoping that she would definitely turn a new leaf when she grew up.

    ‘What could be the problem?’ ‘Something must be wrong somewhere.’ everyone wondered. In spite of the gravity of the insinuations accompanied with wonders, the bone of contention remained to see who could unravel the mystery.

     The unfortunate intrigues proceeded unendingly to the extent that one fateful day she framed an unspeakable lie against her mum. She falsely notified her dad, Mr Biodun that her mum had been sleeping around with several men.

     “What?” Mr Biodun exclaimed at the top of his voice right in his sitting room the moment he got the forged news.

     “Dad,” she called passionately. “Have I lied to you before?”

     Mr Biodun who was still shocked shook his head.

     Another good side of Funke who was her parents’ only daughter was that, although talkative, she hardly told lies and everyone to include her parents could attest to the fact.

     Both of them were seated in separate upholstery chairs in the sitting room. It was about 3:17pm; she had earlier in the day told the dad that she had something very tangible to discuss with him when she returned from school. The man in question couldn’t wait for her arrival because that was the first time she would engage him in such appointment.

     Jumoke - a hardworking civil servant and an industrious housewife, was yet to return when the lamentable incident was transpiring.

    “So I wouldn’t start now.” Funke claimed.

    “But why haven’t you said this all these while?” Mr Biodun queried.

    “Dad, there’s time for everything.”

    “Oh my God!” the confused Biodun lamented. “Are you very sure about this?” He added.

    “Since you don’t seem to believe me,” she furiously said, stood up. “I’m out of here.”

     “Hold on, hold on, hold on.” He urged.

     “What’s it?” the brat ranted, stood still.

     “Sit down, my daughter.”

      She hastily resumed her seat, frowning.

     “Since when have you been noticing this?”

     “Dad, I have told you all I know,” she responded unfriendly. “No further questions.”

     Thereafter, the successful trader, Mr Biodun couldn’t wait for his wife’s arrival to confront her with the breaking news. In less than fifteen minutes time, the awaited guest whom could best be described as ‘the most wanted’ arrived home just as her intended host anticipated. Therein without much ado, she was confronted with the weird allegation, which she refuted frantically in a depressed and shattered mood. He never disclosed to her the source of the information.

     Consequently, despite the frantic rebuttal from the accused person, within 24 hours Mr Biodun got estranged with her. He sent her back to her paternal home that was virtually deserted owing to her parents’ eternal exit.

     None of her male siblings was residing at home; three of them were all resident in the city. Only members of the extended family could be found within the vicinity. Jumoke was the last child and only daughter of her departed parents amidst their four children.

     Biodun’s abrupt divorce, though informal, with Jumoke was the greatest mistake he had made so far. Jumoke was reckoned to be virtuous that everyone within saw her as an epitome of a real housewife, and every bachelor that knew her longed to settle down with her like. Owing to this, he was severely blamed by all his friends and kin for the unceremonious action taken by him. He never told anyone, except his intimate pals, the genesis of the whole brouhaha. The deed had been done; the most valid question then was who could proffer a remedy to the unwanted scenario.

     Funke later blamed herself for the wicked lie told against her mother. Apart from the guilt, Jumoke’s absence was seriously telling on her alongside her younger siblings; that was when she understood the inevitable impact of a mother, even a cruel type, on her children.

     In spite of the overwhelming speculations as well as blames, Biodun remained firm in his decision, even though the situation was also telling on his person. And, the circumstance lingered unbearably for several months.

     Those who knew the origin of the incidence were of the opinion that Biodun really went astray. To start with, how could he have listened to a girl who was believed by all and sundry to be a member of a coven?

     Jumoke was left with no choice than to go in search of the root cause of her predicament. With the help of one of her childhood friends, Kemi who was deeply touched by her condition, she was lucky to meet a genuine soothsayer who told her the story of her life that was seemingly forgotten.

     “My daughter,” the soothsayer called Jumoke in the company of her friend. “You are the cause of your problem.” He frankly hinted.

     “What?” Kemi exclaimed in awe.

     “How do you mean, Baba?” Jumoke enquired apprehensively.

     “Many years ago…” the soothsayer began the awaited tale.

     Jumoke being the only daughter of her late parents, prior to her marriage with Biodun, she was the only companion her mother had when she was still alive, after her father’s departure. And, she was a very stubborn and wild girl, though she later calmed down the moment she tied the nuptial knots, that in most occasions she ended up nagging with or talking rudely to her mother; she never cared a bit for her (the mother). Her endless unconditional hostility towards her aged mother was giving the woman invariable sleepless nights. The series of intervention coupled with severe warnings from her elder brothers whom were visiting home at intervals, proved abortive. The awful experience lingered till one fateful day when the old woman cast a spell on her (Jumoke); she was told that her daughter would definitely treat her in a similar way when she got married.

     kemi and Jumoke were left dumbfounded after the narrative essay; it was really an untold story. Truly, what goes around comes around. All the men of God Jumoke and her estranged husband had consulted regarding their daughter’s plight never disclosed such tale.

     “What do we do, Baba?” Kemi said.

     “She needs to appease the spirit of her late mother.” The old man landed succinctly.

     After all said and done, Funke was delivered from the attack and her parents were happily married again. The reunion as well as the deliverance ushered in a totally different era in the family of eight.  

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