By Victor Edegbai
This my bank story will never be full without reference to a few persons in my life before the Bank adventure.
First let me remember Maria. Maria the daughter of the Haura food vendor at the Nigerian Law school, Kano campus. She showed me the speechless warmth. Perhaps my meeting with her gave me an orientation of kindness. I always heard stories of how wicked Hausa people are, but Maria painted a different picture. That time, money no dey to chop food. Maria will just see me from afar, smile through her almost covered face (muslim girl face no dey show complete ) and say “WELCOME VIKTOOAA“. The way she will call the name sef dey make me bellefull. Then I will ask for Beans 5 Naira, rice 10 naira and fish 5 naira, all equals to and not more than 20 naira. Yarinya will bring food and plate will full. My friends will be asking me if I ordered N4,000 food. She showed me food kindness consistently for a whole one year and I never even got the chance to do any thing in return for her. So when I found my self in Aba and some people came around for one help or the other, I could relate and thus ensured that people problem ended once they were before me, though this got exploited later on.
Before law school, I had many people setting me in the right direction. I was a community pikin. That is to say, pikin wey different people for outside dey help because me and my papa no dey see eye to eye and my mama don die. Not that I was stubborn or any thing oh, the man just no like see my face.
I can never forget Egbefumere Clementina Ohimokhare. She was one of the community helpers I had that time. We were like family friends and the brothers and me dey play ball, fight and find trouble together, but when ever the boys got back and she is giving us food, na me she dey first serve. She strong like man, with a very independent will power than positioned her for greatness. Na so she go dey chance us eh. Enaifoghe go dey yab am say “SHEY YOU KNOW YOU DONT HAVE SISTER, BUT ME I HAVE SISTER AND BROTHER”. She was the only girl amongst 5 boys. I cant forget how she diligently managed the CHEMIST. She go give me books read when I no fit afford to buy. She go encourage me to prepare. She go tell me say SHEY YOU KNOW SAY YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO FAIL. And those words pushed me to be able to write the bank aptitude test wey I pass take get job.
When I remember your blue skirt Egbe, your voice that we couldn’t differentiate from momsy’s voice, when I remember how many times you give me vitamin C make I tes the yellow vitamin C oh, and you always smiling as our tongues enjoyed the smoothness, when I remember many more, how will I juxtapose it with remembering that while you were giving birth, you decided to leave us and be with God?
Like every one must have said to your mom, God knows best . Rest in Peace my friend, my sister
Barr. Victor Edegbai AKA Grandpa is a father of many nations, positive thinker, and friend of many. I like trouble, because I be lawyer.
Nice story my brother.i never knew you were a lawyer