Mama Fatia sat at the front of her house while she observed so many women who were passing by her house, carrying some items on their head and wearing smiling faces.
After watching closely for a few minutes, Mama Fatia tried to locate where the crowd and the gifts were coming from but she was unable to.
That was enough discouragement for Mama Fatia after going to three different locations to be sure what the women of the society are doing but her efforts were futile.
Exhaustedly, she went back to the front of her house and watched those women as they carried their gifts.
Mama Fatia, the latest neighbor in the society was not able to ask anyone. She’s not familiar with anyone in the society and the only person who she knows, Iya Lekan wasn’t around at the moment.
Raimot!!! she calls her second daughter, the younger sister of Fatia to come see how some women were passing the front of her house with gifts on their hands.
In a minute, she thought of calling her best friend, Iya Lekan.
Iya Lekan knows almost everything that happens in the society and she may know about this as well so Mama Fatia put a call through to her friend, Iya Lekan.
Let me call my best friend. She may be aware of what is going on. You know she’s everywhere so let me call her to ask, Mama Fatia dialed Iya Lekan’s line continuously for over eight times but she wasn’t picking up.
Since that was unusual of Iya Lekan, Mama Fatia stopped calling hoping that her best friend calls back but for the whole of two hours, she didn’t hear from Iya Lekan.
The women were still passing by with their gifts so that puts Mama Fatia’s mind to rest hoping that there is still an opportunity to get a gift just like other women joyfully did.
Finally, Iya Lekan called back.
Oremi (my friend) I missed your calls but I was busy, she said to Mama Fatia.
Yes oh, my friend. I saw some women who passed by my house. They were carrying tailoring machines, water drums and so many items that I can’t even remember. I even tried to trace where the gifts were coming from but I didn’t get it. I was even calling so that we will locate the place together, Mama Fatia said to Iya Lekan.
She never had the idea that Iya Lekan already knew what was happening in the society and that Iya Lekan is part of the women who got gifted.
Yes oh. I was there as well. The government came to the community to empower so many jobless women and I was lucky to get a pepper blender and a tailoring machine, Iya Lekan said.
Mama Fatia who was hoping that she shares with her friend what was going on in the society felt betrayed after her friend heard such information and didn’t share with her.
But I kept calling you and you know how much I need a job or something I can engage in everyday to get some money, Mama Fatia said, broken heartedly. Out of the blue, tears dropped out of Mama Fatia’s eyes.
I’m sorry. I was busy carrying my items and I even forgot to call you back, forgot? Mama Fatia said in her mind. Is there anyone who will ever forget a struggling friend in such situation?
She’s surprised that she tells Iya Lekan how much she needs a job everyday and the greatest or best excuse Iya Lekan could give was to say that she forgot to call her back.
Mama Fatia hung up the call and went inside the house to cry.The most painful part of it was the weak excuse Iya Lekan gave to her.
I don’t think anyone will forget their struggling friend in situations like this and if the person actually did, it has to be intentional just like Iya Lekan did to me, Mama Fatia said to herself while Raimot, her second daughter was rubbing her head with her hands and consoling her mother not to feel bad nor cry anymore.
That’s how Mama Fatia missed the opportunity of having a job or being gifted some items by the government. There may be more opportunities to come but till now, Mama Fatia is still jobless and hopes for the best or hoping that the government creates an empowerment program for women again.
She’s still friends with Iya Lekan but till today, she will never forget what Iya Lekan did to her.