Dear Bolanle,
I know you may be wondering why I have decided to do you an open letter on the occasion of your 40th birthday! Why write an open letter when I can easily pour out my mind to you in the closet of our room? The decision to do this is two-fold. One, to appreciate your unconditional love for me and two, to inspire others who may be in 'pikin love' (ala Buchi Onwudimegwu) that there is nothing as interesting as building together as a spouse!
Undoubtedly, I have caused you pain and joy ever since we came together as one. I have been naughty, typical of boys of my age who set forth at dawn. We have been through thick and thin together. In all, you have always been there, indulging my excesses, forgiving without remembering and cheering me on when I feel like giving up. I will forever bless that fateful day when I ran into you very close to the Amphitheater on my way to Oluwasanmi Hezekiah Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. What a day! It was a day Providence brought you my way, a child born in the ancient city of Kano meeting with a boy given birth to in the sleepy town of Ikire! Let me make this open confession before I proceed. Your coming into my life has taken away the 'village boy' in me. I used the telephone for the first time because I needed to speak with you. The preparation leading to my conversation with you on phone is a story for another day as I had to ask a lot of questions so as not to put the earpiece in my mouth! Such was how 'villagic' I was! Darling, I am grateful.
Dear, as I fondly call you, I see you more as the woman who saw tomorrow. What will make a young pretty lady with so many admirers from the upper social class settle for a young man, being trained by a petty trader mother and whose only valuable was 'hope for a better tomorrow'? You were mocked for settling down with a 'pikin' when you had the world at your feet. As if that was not enough you threw caution to the wind by pitching your tent with a Youth Corp member on a N7500 stipend! What manner of woman are you? You are such a rare gem! Your ilk is not common. You belong to the older generation of women who see true love as sacrifice. You have sacrificed a lot for me - your pride, your career and your background!
In your 40 years on earth I have known you for more than 18 years, first as a classmate, later as a friend and eventually as your husband. You have never ceased to amaze me. You have a larger than life character. How many women today could have gone through what you have been through with me:
1. We got married as Youth Corp members on a stipend of N7500.
2. You stayed with me in a face me and slap you apartment where we had to share kitchen, bathroom and toilets with others despite the fact that you have never lived in such a building until you met a village boy like me!
3. You decided to follow me to Ede, Osun State, a town whose only knowledge I had prior to that time was reading about it in Ola Rotimi's The Gods Are Not to Blame, simply because I told you it was God's leading. We left certainty for uncertainty!
4. You accepted me the way I was by taking soaked gaari when you just put to bed simply because I couldn't afford to buy you beverages! To worsen the situation, it rained cat and dog that day! Baby, all these for love? You are too much. I feel like crying right now.
5. You quit your job to take care of Oluwatobiloba Washington OLUYI, our second child when he was seriously indisposed. Your 4 years of toiling in the university meant nothing to you when parental duty came calling. Till today that singular action has disrupted your sterling career. It was one huge sacrifice! Your joy I believe is that Tobiloba is alive today and doing very well, even to the point of being your second husband!
6. You have been a pillar of support to me, my number one fan. I remember many times I will come back home dejected because of one disappointment or the other. You are always there to cheer me up and encourage me.
7. You joined me in turning a backyard hobby into a Multi-million Naira investment that is taking me all around today. You are indeed the bone of my bone and the flesh of my flesh.
I don't intend to make it so long a letter like that of Mariama Ba, I could have continued to chronicle all your sacrifices for me to be a better person in life and to make our 'pikin' love a success. Today, when people attempt to tell a story of us they know little of I just grin and walk away. If I buy you a private jet today , you are worth more than that. After God, you are next. I prayed for a woman like my mother, but God gave me the one with double portion of her anointing! Do I deserve a spouse so dedicated, diligent and dutiful like you despite my imperfections and naughtiness? I am not sure, but God has been gracious to me with you in my life. I pray for you today, my dear that God will exalt your horn like that of the unicorn. He will lift your head up. He will shine His countenance upon you and be gracious unto you. You will live to see your children's children in good health and prosperity in Jesus name (Amen). Happy birthday, my sweetheart! Let the party begin!
Your love,
Isaac Oluyi
This love of a thing sef...! Mrs Oluyi, your husband could not have had a better woman to live for! Give him much more doses of love and you won't but shed a tear when he writes about it in 10 years time.
ReplyDeleteYour love for each other will not fade!