Omonigho’s Choice

Mama: My pikin come make I tell you something wey go make your mind sweet this morning.

Omonigho: Mama, na wetin be that?

Mama: Sit down, my pikin, make I give you the tory.

Omonigho: I don sit down, mama, oya tell me.

Mama: (clearing her throat) You know Onoriode abi? That man wey dey sell palm wine wey sweet pass for this full village?

Omonigho: Yes, mama, I know am. Wetin happen to am?

Mama: My pikin, when you go for school he come meet me say he wan marry you o.

Omonigho: Ehn? Marry who? Me? Mama, no be me o.

Mama: (Shocked) Wetin happen? Why you talk so?

Omonigho: Mama, you no know the suffer we suffer before I fit pay school fees to start school? Where him dey that time? Ehn? Because I don enter university now, I don good for him eye.

Mama: Hmmm, my pikin, na so the life just be o. No be only him o. Even Chief Ediri sef dey come here since. Na him bring all that yam for us o. Even sef Charli wey him mama dey sell kerosene come too. He bring one full jerican of kerosene come o. Them plenty wey dey come since, my pikin.

Omonigho: Mama, you say who? Chief Ediri with him big belle, rotten teeth and 13 wives? God forbid bad thing o, mama. God no go gree.

Mama: My pikin, I want make you marry begin born pikin for me. You know say na you be the only girl pikin I get.

Omonigho: I know, mama. Even me sef wan marry and born pikin but no be those yeye men wey dey come so.

Mama: Aliright, na which kind man you want, my pikin? Make I dey pray to God to bring am for you.

Omonigho: Hmmm, mama. The kind man wey I want no dey for this village o but I go tell you so that you go help me dey pray true true, and you go pray well well o, otherwise no marriage and no grand pikin for you o.

Mama: Ah, God forbid bad thing o, I must get grand pikin. Oya talk na

Omonigho: Mama, the man must tall pass me, so that I go dey look am for up. He no go too dey talk too much. He no go wor wor at all o, even if he no fine like woman but make he no wor wor ka ka.

He go get enough money to take care of me and he go dey remember my people and him people too. The kind man wey be say I no go even see chance ask for anything because he go give me before I open mouth ask am.

Mama, the kind man wey be say anytime he see me e go be like say na president he see. He go carry me like egg and he no go allow anybody do wetin go pain me. The kind man wey go put me inside show glass, no be on top table.

Mama: (Puzzled) Which one be show glass and table again?

Omonigho: (Laughs) Mama shebi you know say na table them dey take shade tomatoes for market and anybody wey wan buy fit touch the tomatoes on top the table? But as for show glass, na only the person wey dey sell the things fit touch them. Nobody fit touch the things unless the person wey dey sell am bring am out. Na only point them fit point to the show glass. That means he go protect me from everybody, if he no bring me out, nobody fit do me bad. He go be my umbrella.

Mama: Hmmm, my pikin, you get sense well well. I dey hear you

Omonigho : Mama, e get wetin I go talk now wey go make you feel say I don spoil but truth to God, no man don touch me before.

Mama: (Nodding) I believe you, my pikin.

Omonigho: Mama, the kind man wey be say if we lie down together, e go be like say na heaven we dey. He go touch me with him hand and mouth so tay I go dey shake jigi jigi. The kind one wey be say if him body dey inside my body, e go be like say him na me and me na him. We go be one.

The kind man wey go tell me when I make am vex, instead of to carry face and reject food. The kind man wey understand say woman sabi talk well well so he no go dey hold something for mind. The one wey dey forbid to beat woman.

The one wey go dey cook for me once in a while, the kind man wey go hold me and kiss me for public. He go proud of me well well. He go love me scatter, like say na himself he love.

Mama; My pikin, all the things you dey talk so just dey remember me of your papa. I just come dey feel of am.

Omonigho (Hugs Mama) Oh, Mama, no feel of am too much but yes, I want man just like Papa.

Mama: Make God give you as you want am, and you and him go live together until una old well well, with plenty pikins and grand pikins. Not as your papa quick die so.

Omonigho: Amin, Mama, Amin.