Rabiatu
The new girl in class looked healthier than the rest of them so Gani knew that she was well fed. He knew she had breakfast, lunch and supper each day. No, this one did not have morning, afternoon or evening food. It was breakfast, lunch and supper for her. This one would never miss one meal because it was obvious she was from money. She probably had bread, butter and tea for breakfast, rice and chicken for lunch and yam and fried eggs for supper everyday. This one did not swallow amala with watery ewedu soup without.
His stomach rumbled in protest as he had come to school that morning without any breakfast.
He was dirt poor and would count himself lucky to be able to sneak into Baba Risi's compound every morning to drink water from his rusted tap. That is if Baba Risi left early enough for his kabu kabu business, otherwise, he would rain curses on Gani's father and grandfather, if he so much as smelled him or any other of the street 'urchins' near his dilapidated compound.
Baba Risi was the richest man in Akotun Street. He lived in his personal house, a three bedroom bungalow. He had two wives and fourteen children. He had three wives until last year when his youngest wife, Iya Tolu had run off with Chika, the handsome youth corper who had been living opposite Baba Risi's house at that time. According to Iya Demola, the ogi seller who knew everyone's business, Iya Tolu had confided in her that Chika could 'miliki' better than Baba Risi, who never bothered to touch any part of her body but would collect saliva from his mouth, rub it on his shaft and go straight to his business.
She also narrated how thrifty Baba Risi was. How he never allowed any of his wives go to the market but went by himself to buy all the things they needed at home. He also made sure to pay his children's school fees by himself and would haggle endlessly with Mr Abioye, the headmaster whose attempts to tell him that the fees were fixed by the government never held water with Baba Risi. Out of desperation, the headmaster would threaten to expel all of Baba Risi's children and only then would he pay up the sum, painstakingly counting out each naira note and all the while grumbling about the headmaster's greed and love for money which the governor "did not send him." He would also swear on his father's grave that he would go and see the governor personally and report the matter to him, which he never did. But the same thing would happen again the following term, until the headmaster created the office of the Paymaster; a small, ant infested table and "joko" under the mango tree that stood in the middle of the school compound. He placed Mr Lawal, a strict, retired soldier with bulging biceps and a permanent stern expression in charge. Thereon, Baba Risi had no more access to the headmaster which was a serious annoyance to him and a great relief to Mr Abioye.
After Iya Tola's elopement, Baba Risi had hidden inside his room for days, enduring taunting comments from his remaining two wives, Iya Risi and Iya Sunday, who suddenly became best friends because of the common victory they shared. It had continued until Baba Risi announced one day that he would go to Oshogbo to marry a new third wife. The taunting had ceased immediately, and Iya Risi and Iya Sunday once more resumed their petty squabbles with each other.
Eventually, Baba Risi overcame the disgrace of Iya Tolu's betrayal and went back to his kabu kabu business. He forbade anyone to mention her name in his presence and whenever his other wives misbehaved, he would wave his third wife card, and peace would reign once again.
Baba Risi's kabu kabu business was very successful because every member of his family had morning and evening food every day, eight out of his fourteen children were artisans and the little ones were in primary school. They were Gani's school mates and far younger than him, so sometimes he would catch one of the boys and land a hard knock on his head for the sins of his father.
Baba Risi was a wicked man! One time when Gani went to beg him to allow him fetch water for his mother to cook supper for him and his two little sisters, Baba Risi had spat on him and barked,
"tell your mother to use my spit to cook the food for you!"
Another time, he had thrown a shoe at him for daring to run his 'filthy' hands over his kabu kabu car.
Gani hated Baba Risi and his family apart from Aminotu, his fourteen year old daughter. She was kind to him. She always asked about his welfare and sometimes would bring her breakfast of cold, tasteless moin moin to school and share with him. She would bring it out during break time and carefully peel off the wrap and then with her thumb and index fingers, would divide the cold pudding into two equal parts. She would offer one part to Gani and stuff the other into her mouth.
His friends playfully called Aminotu his wife but he always warned them sternly because he had no romantic feelings whatsoever towards her.
But this new girl, Rabiatu, with her large and soulful brown eyes, healthy brown skin and neatly woven suku hairdo, made his stomach flutter and his heart pound. In all of his seventeen years he had never known anyone as lovely as this Rabiatu. He liked this Rabiatu and ached to speak to her but he knew she was forbidden him for she was rich and he was poor...
His stomach rumbled in protest as he had come to school that morning without any breakfast.
He was dirt poor and would count himself lucky to be able to sneak into Baba Risi's compound every morning to drink water from his rusted tap. That is if Baba Risi left early enough for his kabu kabu business, otherwise, he would rain curses on Gani's father and grandfather, if he so much as smelled him or any other of the street 'urchins' near his dilapidated compound.
Baba Risi was the richest man in Akotun Street. He lived in his personal house, a three bedroom bungalow. He had two wives and fourteen children. He had three wives until last year when his youngest wife, Iya Tolu had run off with Chika, the handsome youth corper who had been living opposite Baba Risi's house at that time. According to Iya Demola, the ogi seller who knew everyone's business, Iya Tolu had confided in her that Chika could 'miliki' better than Baba Risi, who never bothered to touch any part of her body but would collect saliva from his mouth, rub it on his shaft and go straight to his business.
She also narrated how thrifty Baba Risi was. How he never allowed any of his wives go to the market but went by himself to buy all the things they needed at home. He also made sure to pay his children's school fees by himself and would haggle endlessly with Mr Abioye, the headmaster whose attempts to tell him that the fees were fixed by the government never held water with Baba Risi. Out of desperation, the headmaster would threaten to expel all of Baba Risi's children and only then would he pay up the sum, painstakingly counting out each naira note and all the while grumbling about the headmaster's greed and love for money which the governor "did not send him." He would also swear on his father's grave that he would go and see the governor personally and report the matter to him, which he never did. But the same thing would happen again the following term, until the headmaster created the office of the Paymaster; a small, ant infested table and "joko" under the mango tree that stood in the middle of the school compound. He placed Mr Lawal, a strict, retired soldier with bulging biceps and a permanent stern expression in charge. Thereon, Baba Risi had no more access to the headmaster which was a serious annoyance to him and a great relief to Mr Abioye.
After Iya Tola's elopement, Baba Risi had hidden inside his room for days, enduring taunting comments from his remaining two wives, Iya Risi and Iya Sunday, who suddenly became best friends because of the common victory they shared. It had continued until Baba Risi announced one day that he would go to Oshogbo to marry a new third wife. The taunting had ceased immediately, and Iya Risi and Iya Sunday once more resumed their petty squabbles with each other.
Eventually, Baba Risi overcame the disgrace of Iya Tolu's betrayal and went back to his kabu kabu business. He forbade anyone to mention her name in his presence and whenever his other wives misbehaved, he would wave his third wife card, and peace would reign once again.
Baba Risi's kabu kabu business was very successful because every member of his family had morning and evening food every day, eight out of his fourteen children were artisans and the little ones were in primary school. They were Gani's school mates and far younger than him, so sometimes he would catch one of the boys and land a hard knock on his head for the sins of his father.
Baba Risi was a wicked man! One time when Gani went to beg him to allow him fetch water for his mother to cook supper for him and his two little sisters, Baba Risi had spat on him and barked,
"tell your mother to use my spit to cook the food for you!"
Another time, he had thrown a shoe at him for daring to run his 'filthy' hands over his kabu kabu car.
Gani hated Baba Risi and his family apart from Aminotu, his fourteen year old daughter. She was kind to him. She always asked about his welfare and sometimes would bring her breakfast of cold, tasteless moin moin to school and share with him. She would bring it out during break time and carefully peel off the wrap and then with her thumb and index fingers, would divide the cold pudding into two equal parts. She would offer one part to Gani and stuff the other into her mouth.
His friends playfully called Aminotu his wife but he always warned them sternly because he had no romantic feelings whatsoever towards her.
But this new girl, Rabiatu, with her large and soulful brown eyes, healthy brown skin and neatly woven suku hairdo, made his stomach flutter and his heart pound. In all of his seventeen years he had never known anyone as lovely as this Rabiatu. He liked this Rabiatu and ached to speak to her but he knew she was forbidden him for she was rich and he was poor...
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