The thing about hypocrisy is that sometimes it is not loud, it always hides inside normal conversation, inside advice, inside “I just want the best for you.”
That was how it was with Aunty Shade.
If you meet her for the first time, you will just like her immediately, She has that soft voice, always smiling, always sounding like she has wisdom for every situation, “Honesty is everything,” she would always say. “No matter what, always tell the truth.” That line? Everybody in the compound has heard it like alot.
One evening, her niece, Tola, sat beside her in the sitting room.
“Aunty, I need to tell you something,” Tola said, playing with her fingers, Aunty Shade adjusted her wrapper.
“What is it, my dear?”
“I broke mummy’s plate this afternoon.”
Aunty Shade nodded slowly. “Okay… and did you tell her?” Tola shook her head. “I was scared.” Aunty Shade held her hand. “Listen to me, Tola, No matter the situation, always speak the truth, even if it’s hard.”
Tola sighed. “Okay Aunty… I will tell her.”
“Good girl,” Aunty Shade said, smiling proudly.
Now if the story ended there, you will that think that everything is balanced.
But life doesn't work like that.
Later that same night, Aunty Shade’s phone rang, she checked the screen and quickly stood up, moving to one corner.
“Hello?” she said in a lower voice.
It was her friend, Ngozi, “Shade, that money you promised me, you go send am today?” Ngozi asked , Aunty Shade paused. “Ah… Ngozi, I am not at home right now.”
Meanwhile, she was literally standing inside her house, Ngozi sounded confused. “But I thought you said"
“I will call you later, abeg,” Aunty Shade cut in and ended the call.
From where she was sitting, Tola heard everything, she didn’t say anything, but her face changed a little, the next day, the compound was lively as usual, Children were playing, people were gisting, life was moving.
Tola was outside with her friend, Sadiq.
“My aunty said we should always tell the truth,” Tola said.
Sadiq laughed. “All these big people sef.”
“What do you mean?” Tola asked.
Sadiq shrugged. “My dad too talks like that, but last week he told someone I wasn’t at home when I was literally inside.”.
Tola blinked. “Same thing my aunty did yesterday.”
Both of them just looked at each other.
“Na wa o,” Sadiq said.
That evening, something happened, Aunty Shade was in the kitchen when her younger brother, Kunle, walked in.
“Shade, that money mummy gave you to keep, where is it?” he asked.
Aunty Shade froze for a second, “Which money?” she said casually, Kunle frowned. “The one she gave you last week.”
“Oh… that one,” Aunty Shade said quickly. “I gave it back to her.”
Kunle nodded slowly. “Okay.” But from the doorway, Tola was standing there.
Watching.
Listening.
Processing.
Later that night, Tola walked up to her.
“Aunty,” she called.
“Yes, my dear?”
Tola hesitated. “Why did you lie?”
Aunty Shade blinked. “Lie about what?”
“The phone call yesterday… and the money today,” Tola said softly.
For a moment, Aunty Shade didn’t speak, then she laughed a little. “Ah ah, it’s not like that.”
“But you said we should always tell the truth,” Tola said, Aunty Shade sighed.
“See, life is not that simple. Sometimes you have to… adjust.”
“Adjust?” Tola repeated.
“Yes,” she said. “You won’t understand now, but as you grow older, you will see.”
Tola was quiet for a while, Then she said something that hit harder than expected, “So when I grow up, I should be saying one thing and doing another?”
That question just hung there....
Aunty Shade opened her mouth… then closed it again.
For once, her usual words didn't come.
Outside, someone shouted, “Light don go!”
People started complaining, generators coming on one by one.
But inside that room, the silence was louder than everything.
Aunty Shade sat down slowly.
She thought about all the times she had corrected people , alll the times she had said, “Be honest.”
All the times she had acted like she had it all figured out, and now, small girl like Tola don hold mirror show her herself.
She looked at Tola.
“My dear…” she started, then stopped.
Becaude the truth is that explanation does not always fix things.
Sometimes, it's realization that you need.
After that day, something changed a bit, Aunty Shade still gave advice… but not as quickly as before, And sometimes, when she wanted to say, “Always tell the truth,” she would pause first.
Because now she knew something she didn’t admit before, Hypocrisy is not only when someone pretends outside, Sometimes, it's when your words and your actions don't match..... and you don’t even notice it and the worst part is ...
It is when someone like Tola notices it before you do.
