"Attention, please", a robotic voice announced over the public address system. Jerking up from sleep, Diana adjusted her splayed limbs, made sure she wasn't drooling and sat up. "Aeroline flight nine-six-three to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, scheduled for departure at ten-thirty am from gate C-seven, is now scheduled to depart at eleven am, from gate C-four. Please, check the arrival and departure boards for more specific information on individual flights", the robotic voice finished off. She peered at her wristwatch; it was twenty minutes past ten O'clock.
Diana sat in the waiting area of Omagwa International Airport, waiting for her flight to Lagos from where she would fly to Baltimore through British Airways.
You have been selected as one of the beneficiaries of Chief Udemba's Free Oversea Education Foundation.
She reread the letter for the umpteenth time. The joy that filled her heart as she read the mail over and over again was bountiful. Her Mama was the happiest person that day, the thought of one of her children going to a university was something she never expected.
Her stomach was rumbling. She had taken mama's advice, and not eaten anything all morning. Mama claimed that her enemies, as she liked to refer to people out to harm her, are not happy with her university scholarship. She emphasised that some wicked villagers could manipulate poisonous substances into her food, even if she ate behind closed doors. However, Mama had ensured that she packed a small lunchbox for her in spite of her protests. She was supposed to eat it while waiting for the flight.
Mama kept the news of her university scholarship from her fellow traders at the village market. She feared it would breed envy. And, when a few market women became curious and asked what all the preparations were for, she only told them that her daughter was travelling to Kogi, a city ninety kilometres from where they lived, to stay with her aunt.
Papa, on the other hand, always tried to debunk mama's claims. He believed that one's moral standard and uprightness spoke volumes in times of trouble. Papa was however happy, that the veil of poverty that had since engulfed them, had been lifted-- never had anyone dreamed of going to the university, more so, a university in the white man's land.
Diana thought how she was going to miss them especially her little niece, Kamsi. The news of her travel was hidden from Kamsi like bad news until it could no longer be hidden. It was on Friday evening, four days ago that Diana took Kamsi to buy icecream and broke the news to her. They were seated side-by-side at the food court of the shopping mall. Kamsi dropped her spoon and stood up to hug her aunt.
"Oh, I am so happy, Aunt D," she said.
"This is certainly not the response I was expecting," Diana thought but said nothing.
"Let us go home, quickly. I must tell mommy and daddy so that they can help me get ready to follow you to America," Kamsi said.
Diana did not see that coming. She thought quickly about how to dissuade Kamsi about her intention to follow her to the US, but she came up with nothing. There could not bring herself to be responsible for wiping the look of contentment, happiness and excitement on Kamsi's face, so she decided to let the little girl's parents worry about that. She was only six years old, and she had no idea how to explain to her that she could not come.
They finished their ice cream and left the mall. Diana dropped her niece off with her parents and left amidst her excited talk about travelling with Aunty and headed home herself.
It was Kamsi's father that woke Diana and her family members the next morning. It turned out that Kamsi's father had agreed to let her spend the next three days with Diana until she left. As Diana thought of Kamsi, she could not help but smile at her witty remarks and mischievousness.
"Attention, please", the female voice announced over the PA again, "all passengers boarding flight nine-six-three, rescheduled for departure at eleven am, should please report to gate C-four, ready for departure".
She turned to the woman seated next to her, "Madam, e don reach my turn oh. E go be. Bye bye", which was Pidgin English for, "Madam it's my turn to leave. See you later. Goodbye" she said, smiling broadly.
"All right. Farewell!", she said, nodding, with a knowing smile.
She stood, straightened her skirt and picked up her khaki suitcase. With so much pride, she walked majestically towards the C-four gate.
The queue was yet to build up, as she was fourth in line.
"Good morning, Miss. Your passport, please?" the lady at the check-out desk requested. "Good morning, my sister", she said, visibly excited. She dug into her handbag and came up empty. Frantic, she searched and ended up upending her handbag's contents. The smile on her face slowly faded, as she dug into her left and right skirt pocket. Her passport and flight ticket were gone.
"Can I have your passport, Miss?" the attendant asked, visibly running out of patience. "Chai!!", she exclaimed, "Aunty, dem don thief am o! I put everything here!", she said, tugging at her handbag.
Her nervousness, made her switch to Pidgin English again. Someone had stolen her passport and papers. She tried to explain to the boarding clerk. She tried to recall at what point she could have lost those things, but she could not figure out where it happened. Her father had dropped her at Omagwa Airport Port Harcourt from where she was to take this flight to Lagos.
"You may have to step aside, Ma", the lady said firmly. She cringed. "B... b... but... but I'm sure!", it seemed like she was only trying to convince herself.
"Step away, Miss, Or, I may have to call security", she stated, her voice calm but firm.
She staggered away from the C-four gate, not making any attempt to hide the tears that flowed down her cheeks.
She slumped against a wall, weeping like a child, her rumbling stomach adding to her dismay. How could she have been so negligent?Distraught, she called her father to inform him of what had befallen her. He heard how sad she sounded and quickly turned around and headed back to the airport. When he arrived at the airport, he said nothing but hugged his daughter and helped her with her bags.
Kamsi was so happy to see her aunt back, but the frown on her aunt's face changed her mood immediately.
"Aunty D, what's the problem? Do you need a hug?" she asked spreading her tiny arms. As Diana hugged her, she let the tears flow freely. After a few minutes, she carried Kamsi into her room. Neatly arranged on her dressing table where the passport and the ticket together with Kamsi's stuffed bear. Diana was both relieved and angry when she asked Kamsi what she was doing with the papers.
"It has your pretty picture in it, and I just wanted something to remember you by," Kamsi said, wide-eyed and innocent. Diana was disarmed. As she walked into the living room to tell her father, she found him watching the news on the television. Flight number five-six-three to Lagos had crashed, and there were no survivors. Diana could not move.
