UNCEREMONIOUS
STEP
Walking lonely along the lonely street
situated in the city of Umuahia, South-Eastern part of Nigeria at about 06:13pm
on Saturday, 10th 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.
Mr. Chukwuebuka Okere who was
definitely headed for an undefined destination was a graduate of English
Linguistics from the revered 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 National 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 pink high-heeled
foot wears; the shoes made her appeared taller than the dude at the moment. Ab
initio she was unarguably a pretty damsel; and at this 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.
“Surprised?” 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 uttered. “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.”
The said crescent was a reserved 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 am 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 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. The unexpected
pronouncement made the guilty poor man to develop an abrupt high fever.
Two weeks later, she helped him secure an
employment in the 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 spinster 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 years back and was of the view
that he could not forget either; thus, the nostalgia 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.
The rest is history, please.
Comrade FDN Nwaozor
Executive Director, Docfred Resource Hub (DRH) - Owerri
_________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador
