Dilemmas with Lola: TO SPEAK OR NOT TO SPEAK

Ololade Okedare

“Thank God it’s Friday”, was the only relieving thought on Jide’s lips as he waved bye to his colleagues. Weekends were an opportunity to spend the whole weekend out of the house. He often slept over at his professional training centre. As he walked down the street leading home, he got a call from Aunty Tife. Suddenly a feeling of foreboding filled his heart, as he picked up. She sounded excited as she revealed a surprise; she was in Lagos! Briefly, she explained that she was close to the house and had been calling her husband’s number to no avail, trying to determine if he was home or not. Jide stuttered as he replied that he was not home yet but would call her in few minutes. He hung up quickly as he broke into a near run, guessing his uncle was having a tryst at home.

He got home panting, and went straight for the window as was now his habit, to listen for any indication, that his uncle was a lone occupant or not. He was not alone today, and as Jide stepped back from the window, his phone rang again. Aunty Tife was now on the street, approaching the house. He quickly ran inside, banged on door of the room loudly and said with as much scorn as he could, “Aunty Tife is at the gate!” There was a brief silence, few whispers, a sound like a slap on the face, with a corresponding shriek and then sudden commotion as the lovers obviously tried to coordinate themselves. Within minutes, the lady was out, hair dishevelled, half buttoned blouse, her shoes, bag and other accessories dangling in her hands as his Uncle rushed her out through the kitchen to the backyard, almost losing her tooth as she stumbled down the short stairs.

Jide rushed back to check if all was well; all evidence cleared off when Aunty Tife knocked on the door. His uncle opened the door with a fake smile and Jide was disgusted to his bones. There was no telling her anymore, as he was fully an aid and abettor to his uncle’s deception. His uncle soon released his frustration under the guise of hating the idea of his wife leaving the children alone in Ibadan, to which Aunty Tife replied that she had decided to surprise her husband since his schedule hardly permitted him to come home on weekends anymore and her younger sister was home with the kids. Jide wondered if she suspected anything. His uncle began to give him suspicious looks as though silently asking if he had anything to do with his wife’s unexpected appearance.

It was definitely time to move. He gathered money over the remaining months, found a one bedroom apartment in a shanty area, but it was his and he was proud of it. He began to move his things little by little, waiting for the right moment to tell his uncle. One of the rare occasions that his uncle went to visit his family, he found a letter bearing a quit notice reminding his uncle that the rent had expired two months earlier and since he had no intentions of renewing his rent, he had just few weeks left to vacate the premises. Jide was surprised. His uncle had not informed him of his intentions to relocate. Was it to another part of town, or back to Ibadan or even somewhere else entirely? He was not left to wonder for too long, as he discovered the same day, a document revealing that his uncle had won the American visa lottery and his departure date was in few weeks. His shock soon turned to thanksgiving as he mused over his discovery. If he had not taken the bold step to begin sorting his life, start saving more seriously and get an accommodation before now, he would surely have been stranded, begging friends and colleagues to stay with them like a refugee.

His uncle returned and with a smile of satisfaction on his face, he informed his uncle that he would be leaving. He thanked him for his help thus far and walked gallantly away with his shoulders straight. Voila!

Ololade Okedare: She has a degree in Physiotherapy from Obafemi Awolowo University and is a writer (screen and prose) by profession. She is passionate about women empowerment, family institution, child rights and social justice. She is deep rooted in her Christian faith and has a platform where she mentors young women. She is an alumnus of Orange Academy and currently running her post-graduate programme in media and journalism at the Pan African University. She is married to her beloved Fiyinfolu.