Shehu made a stop with Obianuju in the front seat, he parked carefully in front of her lodge, it had been a long and loving night. Shehu whispered something in her ears that made her smile and laugh as she gave him a mild box on the ear.
Little did they know that on the morrow their trials would begin, theirs had been a sweet love at first sight but a forbidden love at that. What would change their lives was about to happen.
As she got into the lodge, the girls were chattering and flushed with smiles they all wanted to know who it was that drove that black sedan. The questions were too much for Obianuju to handle.
Thankfully Agnes her friend and roommate came to the rescue.
“Can’t you see she is tired?” Agnes told one of the girls who had swindled Obianuju’s hand wanting to hear the story up close.
“Tomorrow is Saturday, you can eat her then” Agnes added, and with that helped her friend into the next room which was theirs as these had been going on in the corridor. She quickly shut the doors behind her heaving a sigh as loud as that of a Kenyan marathon athlete.
The next morning the chattering could be heard from the road as the girls did their laundry and Obianuju dished out every detail of her adventure as she called it with Shehu to them.
“Are you sure your mother would approve of a relationship with a Hausa man?” Cynthia said, and two other girls nodded releasing a silent “Ahem” from their mouths.
“My mother is not the one marrying him, besides I love him,” Obianuju said swinging a stray hair off her face as she rose to spread a skirt on the rope.
She had just finished pegging the skirt when someone shouted “Mama Uju” and she turned to see her mom. Mama Uju often visit her daughter in the lodge and on such occasions as this one brought along food provisions and toiletries which she shared among the girls also.
“Mommy you didn’t tell me you were coming,” Obianuju said before hugging her mom who received her with open hands as she had been freed from the box of noodles she arrived with by one of the girls.
“Since when do I need permission to visit my girl” Mama Uju replied, and the conversation drifted to topics concerning her internship and how she was seeing the “spinster life” as her mother called it.
The topic that got more replies from Obianuju was that of finding a man.
‘’Look at your long hair” her mother started, as she traced her fingers through the thick black Afro hair. “When I was your age and had suitors coming for my hand night and day” She added.
“Mommy don’t worry you’ll soon meet him,” Obianuju said, to stop her mom’s bickering. Little did she know that it would come to pass, for a moment later the gate opened and Obianuju was shocked to see Shehu.
Shehu had planned to surprise her and came with flowers and a little shopping bag bearing gifts. He was surprised to find an elderly woman there as Obianuju had told him that the lodge was filled with the “single and searching” when he asked.
Obianuju got up first, then she her face was caught between a smile and a surprise. Her mother noticed the red blush beginning to develop on her fair face and her golden brown eyes were more visible.
“Good afternoon Ma” Shehu greeted and prostrated, his thick Hausa accent gave him away instantly and Mama Uju only stared at him from head to toe without saying a word.
Even after he got a formal introduction from Obianuju who had taken the flowers already from him.
“Mommy this is Shehu, my boyfriend” she had said, her mother only nodded and watched as she led him outside the gate for a chit chat.
Mama Uju would reserve every strength left in her for when they were done.
“Ma I’m leaving now,” Shehu said as he was about to take his leave, and got just a nod from Mama Uju. Only when Shehu closed the gate that she turned to Obianuju.
“Mommy I don’t like what you are doing” Obianuju complained, she stood close to her sitting mother, towering above her, and as such her mother felt the need to pull her slender hand down so the rest of her mother would follow suit.
“I don’t like these Hausa people,” Mama Uju said sounding calmer than expected. She then adjusted herself on her seat.
“I’m sure he is not even a Christian” she added, to which Obianuju refused, calling him a ‘staunch’ Christian.
“Even at that those people are not to be trusted” She continued and even threatened that she wouldn’t bless their marriage.
That night both Obianuju and Shehu were restless in their beds, if only they could see each other being so restless mayhaps they would have comforted each other.
How they got married was a miracle, to say the least as Mama Uju and Shehu bonded closely in the few hours they spent in the jungle which was the reason why Shehu was privileged to walk out the alter with the soft hands of Obianuju intertwined with his.
A few weeks after the ordeal at Obianuju’s lodge Mama Uju was a victim of kidnapping along with other traders on that unlucky day and the unit tasked with the rescue operation was none other than that led by the strong hands of commander Shehu Mamood of the 105th regiment.
The operation was a success but the mile-long trekking saw Mama Uju tired and she was carried by Shehu, she spoke at length of her time at Daura a town for the Hausa and how she loved it then
In the same way, she would come to love Shehu her son-in-law and her rescuer. During those hours of trekking amidst the thickness of the bush, Mama Uju saw the gentleness in the young man.
The wedding that followed was a noisy one as the Igbos were Known for having a good taste for everything food and most of all music, coupled with their new Hausa family it became more than just sounds but loud sounds that went on even till late in the night.