'Tiki taka', 'tik-taka' - the sound of destiny pushing my landlady to issue me a quit notice without reasons. I was left wondering, "Where do I go now?" With three brothers aged 12, 14, and 16 depending on me, finding a new home felt daunting.The cost of living was already suffocating me, and now accommodation uncertainty loomed. 'How dare she bring up this issue now? Time was ticking, and every passing moment amplified my anxiety.My current home wasn't perfect, but it was fair, and I cherished my privacy. Finding a similar house within my budget seemed impossible. Would I settle for a cheaper rent? That wasn't a bad idea, but finding a decent place in a better environment became a puzzle.
My mind was made up: wherever I found a new home, I would move in. The notice had lapsed, and after days of uncertainty, I started looking for an apartment.
After a long while in sun, on a particular day, I walked into street, looking for vacancy. I later saw, 'room for rent' it's usually a house advert in the ghetto or villages. It is written in charcoal or white chalk on the particular house. In fact, no house agent needed, just a direct link with the house owner. Hmm, not what I wanted. The noise back and forth was a red flag. The sound of motorcycles on the semi-tarred road together with voice over from hawkers of goods and services was another thing. Suddenly, I encouraged myself and moved closer to the house. I was introduced to the landlord and as I thought, the rent was affordable. Same day without hesitation, I paid the rent, like a desperate tenant. I was tired of walking in and out the various streets.
I moved to the house two days after, with my brothers. People were greeting us left and right, welcoming us to the neighborhood. The youth in the neighborhood rushed to our aid. They joined us in moving our belongings from the truck to our room. Out of observation however, I noticed a middle aged man that wasn't smiling at us the way others were. He was comfortably sitting at the varendah of the house. Unbothered, I appreciated all that helped us move our belongings and entered our room for proper arrangements. The following day, we got to know our neighbours. Alas! This man's room was next to mine. I greeted him and he barely nodded. Oh my head! 'What is this?' I thought within me. Even though I love my privacy which was actually seeming impossible in this new place, I wouldn't want a cat and rat relationship with my neighbours. As days passed by, this particular neighbour started greeting us but he always had a complaint at every point in time. Imagine, my neighbour used to complain that my brothers were speaking too much of English Language. Funny, right? Maybe!
These were the children that spent the first years of their lives in another man's land. They were from Yoruba parents but born and earlier lived in the south and only had to rely on English Language to communicate with their peers over there.
'How do I take English out of their mouth? Just when I tried to explain to my neighbour that it's not that we despise our native tongue but circumstances had made the children like that, he brought up another complaint that the children were too quiet, then I realised my neighbour wanted friendship. He wanted people he could freely communicate with. He wanted people that would understand him without an interpreter. In fact, he thought we were proud individuals because we were speaking in foreign language. Oh! Prejudice! I clearly understood. I started teaching my brothers our native language. Little by little, they started expressing themselves and my neighbour was becoming friendly and fond of my brothers. Excitedly, they offer to also teach him to express himself in English, which he didn't even hesitate. It was indeed a trade by barter.
He bought the boys some native attireIn fact, his orientation started changing about us.
Surprisingly, he became so passionate about learning English language, he didn't even start small_ but with some wall breaking vocabularies as oppose the little ones my brothers were teaching him. In fact, I became confused on whom the teacher was, as my brothers were always asking him for the meaning of each vocabulary blown. The house became so interesting, rivers of peace all round. Everybody became bilingual as my neighbour started catching up months after. He discovered we're simple and not haughty in heart as he thought. I also realised that understanding, patience and love can mend fences and turn anyone to a gem.
My neighbour is a farmer, he started bringing all sorts of farm produce for us to eat.; from pawpaw, to yam, vegetables, palm oil and bushmeat.
My brothers and I were eating fresh food every now and then. Undoubtedly, having this man in our lives in this difficult time is a blessing. In fact, I consider it the handiwork of destiny. Fate pushed us away from our former house and moved us to our helper. I am glad to say, there's love in the neighborhood more than ever. I spend less on food and my boys are looking fresher.
All photos were taken by me.