Just when I
thought I had seen It all in the city of Lagos, a man selling groundnut wearing
a bespoke suit appears, k—a—I!!
well creativity should not be limited to white collar jobs but ‘brother
packaging’, me don get customer, my customer ran to meet me, sold my usual
portion, I gave him extra cash as always, there was something charming about
him, I don’t know why I have not helped him get off street hawking, maybe fear, all the stories I have heard about people helping and getting killed
wont probably let me ply that route. I chewed the groundnut passionately and
pondered on how to go about it. My husband would not subscribe to having a
stranger in our home, especially because he has no elite status, I think he’s a
good boy and diligent too, come rain and sunshine he’s always here.
My husband is
a super strict, a no-nonsense man, even his kids are always careful to act prim
and proper when he is home, my first daughter asked me the other day, why did
you marry daddy? I laughed so hard, A—l—e—x is quite tough but I know how to
handle my thing? No be me marry am. When we first got married I really wanted a
driver, for Christ’s sake I was married to a money bag, I had to show off in
school, my husband gave me the first shock of my life, ‘’he simply asked why I
needed one when I could drive? I don’t encourage wasteful spending and I never
want to be reminded of this silly request, get me my food woman’’ he said. I
just stood there like a fool.
I woke up
super early one beautiful morning, I had gone shopping the previous day, I slid
into a bodycon teal gown, I made breakfast and made up like I was just about to
say ‘I Do’. Then I ran off to the car started reversing, brought out my phone
and began my snap chat video I made sure I did both simultaneously, I was
praying he followed me or watched me from the window. His call interrupted my
video and yes he assigned his driver to me while his HR fixed him another, from
then on, I learnt how to play my cards strategically.
Tonia my very
good friend, actually thinks my man is seeing someone else and wants me to
monitor his every move. She has no clue that I don’t give a flying hoot,
provided I don’t catch them on my bed, I am cool with his side chicks besides
he is too serious minded to engage in such dirty activities and even if he is,
nothing can make me leave all this fortune, mbanu! Alex has changed my life,
built houses for my parents, sent all my siblings abroad to study, my bank
account keeps increasing by the day, I cannot leave him ooooo if he likes he
should straf all the women in the world he should just not bring HIV home.
I was driving
home one Thursday evening when I saw my groundnut seller arguing with another
an okada man who had hit him and thrown all his groundnut on the floor, I
packed beckoned on him to let the man go asked him to come into the car and off
I was driving him to my house, he told me his story and I could relate we were just
a little above their condition in my home
before Alex found me in my third year and married me, God bless the
organisers of those career talks in my school. On getting home, my security guard briefed me, my man was back, I already explained to my groundnut seller my
husband is a bit of a harsh man and we immediately cooked up a lie that he’s my
distant cousin from my mother side and I sent a text to my mother on the spot
so that she can corroborate my story.
We entered my sitting room, B—r—o---d---a!!!!!!!!!!!
The groundnut seller yelled and started to weep, My husband walked out of the
living room angrily. I was confused and asked him to explain what he meant by
brother because my husband is an only child. He cried some more, he explained
how their parents were suffering in the village and my brother ran away from
home at the age of 15 and never looked back, one of their uncles got his
contact and when he called him, Alex told him bluntly never to reach him again.
I was in shock, the person he described was totally different from my man, he
married me despite my poor background although my packaging in university then
did not depict that, but he didn’t leave me when I revealed my financial status
back then instead he bought us a new house and changed our lives, why couldn’t
he do same for his o-w-n people. Wait a minute, so his relatives at our wedding were r-e-n-t-e-d!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I summoned up
courage and asked him to get straight with me and alas my darling Alex lied to
his guardian that he was an orphan, in other to keep up with this lie he
severed his relationship with his biological relatives. Poverty is truly a
bastard! I couldn’t get mad at him, I forgave him before he asked, I just made
him promise never to keep any secret from me while I made the same vow.
My mom, Alex’s
brother and myself landed in Delta, I couldn’t believe Alex’s parents
languished in poverty while their son flourished in abundance, my husband is
e-v-i-l, he could have found a way to reach out to them. We apologised on his
behalf, they forgave him, more like they forgave his money, we moved them to the city and from that day on their life
changed.
I collapsed on
getting to Lagos that evening, as the drive was a tedious one, the doctor said
I needed blood and giving my rare blood group, getting my father was the fastest solution. I woke up suddenly to hear my mother and Alex’s father in a heated
conversation. My unknown secret came to play, I realised that very minute, my husband was my half-brother (multi-taking at its peak) the sad part is, all I could think off was how to act like the information received was not understood all because of money, chai! I have finally sold my soul to material things and my mum swore me to secrecy, only if she knew I had no plans of telling a soul, she wouldn't have bothered herself but really I feel sorry for my dad because I'm his favourite child, I just wonder how many humans are in similar situation or should I tell him??????????????????????????????
CREDIT
IMAGES: Google
INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @Temielsie
YOUTUBE PAGE: Elsie's diaries
