My name is DANIEL WINNERS,am 18years old,my mother told me am an indign of Delta state.yes my mother told me because i dont know who my father is and my mum had refused discusing anything concerning him with me.well i had no reason or what so ever to bother my head over it because my step father Mr Clinton Winners had been a loving and caring father all the way.he provided me with anything i want and everything a child should have to make him live a commfortable live,although that really doesnt stop my urge of wanting to know my real father.
Today we are travelling to Edo my steps father’s home town.for the last 16 years that mama got married to my step father she had been disturbing him for him to take her to his home town so she would get to meet his people by my step father had always posted her till today that he can no longer give excuses.he is a wealthy man but i am still wondering why he had insisted in us travelling with public transport instead of in his car.mama could not argue with him so he would not find any excuse not to travel again so she had accepted.mama already had two boys and a girl for him and she wouldn’t want a situation whereby their father would die without his children knowing where their father came from.the boys looks very much like their father and the girl looks just like mama.we started our silent journey from lagos to Edo state so we could all know his home town.i was the only one looking different in the family because i dont look like mama.mama had told me i looked like my grandfather(my dad’s father) whom is now late but still i dont feel different from them because i got anything my step siblings get.
Like play like play who arrivalled Edo state where we took a taxi to my step father’s home town,we got to a junction and my step father asked the taxi driver to stop.the gentle looking taxi driver pulled over
Step Father: (directing the taxi driver)you see that green house close to that pole?
Taxi Driver:yes sir
Step Father:that’s where you would drop them ok?
Taxi Driver: okay sir
Mama:are you not getting there with us?
Step Father:no no no let me greet my best friend over there(pointing)i would join you people later
Mama:get home first na
Step Father: (opening the car)i said am coming(goes down i shut the car)
Mama:men eh(sighn)driverabeg go…the driver got to the place and stopped,we all come down,i was quick enough to notice a cemmented grave by the side of the house,people were seated outside,i could tell the father of my step father was the one on white singlet and wrapper wrapped round his waist,two other elderly men where seated with him.they all turned with their eyes fixed on us
Mama: (referring to me)help the driver bring out the load
Me: ok ma…oh had i known today was the end,had mama known what awaits her she wouldnt had bothered her head knowing where her husband was from.
I had the man i suspected to be my step father’s dad say to the other elders “those two boys looks like clinton” i could tell he is educated but what the other elder replied him back was what i didnt hear because he was almost murmuring the words out.we went closer to them and mama smily greeted
Mama:my fathers good afternoon…we greeted too
Elders:good afternoon beautiful lady.hw are you children?…theone i suspect to be my step dad’s father asked “my daughter who are you looking for?”
Mama:the family of Sir Winners sir…the man answered “this is the compound of Sir Winners and am sir winners,may i help you?”
Mama:ah sir am Clinton’s wife sir…i saw the eyes of the elders rotate,looking at each other before one of the elder’s asked
1st Elder: (almost whispering)my daughter which of the clinton
Mama: (ignorant of the obvious message that something is wrong) Clinton Winners sir
Sir Winners: (called out)mama clinton (a woman answered from the backyard)come come come and hear(a midle age woman of about 60 years of age came out)you said you are clinton’s wife?
Mama Clinton:eh? Which clinton or have you come to mock me?(looks at the children)ewo ewoo this two boys looks like clinton
Mama:mama why would i mock you,am Clinton Winners’s wife and this three(pointing the children) are his children,i know it been long he came home but he came with us because i insisted in knowing his home town
2nd Elder:so where is he now?
Mama:he stopped at the junction to go see his best friend befriend before coming home…mama clinton fell on the ground and began to shout,this act surprised me and mama,even my step siblings
Mama:mama what is it(scared somehow)did i say anything wrong?
Sir Winners:my daughter (shakes his head)you see that grave over there was where we burried the person you are claiming his your husband 17 years ago…mama passed out why i stood confused within me,this people probably dont know what they are talking about
To be continued…
