Mama Itohan was in
the kitchen singing as she always did while carrying out her chores. She heard
her name being called from outside so loudly that it made her jump. "Na who dey
shout my name this afternoon" she answered.
She ran to hug her
friend whom she had not seen in at least three years. "Ivie na so you just
waka comot from village, I no come see you since?!" Ivie looked good and
somewhere in Mama Itohan's heart she wondered why the gods had not yet smiled
on her. She had been in the same village with Ivie until her disappearance three
years ago with no forwarding address.
The two women spent
time catching up and laughing heartily like old times. They grew up together
and had been closest of friends for as long as they both could remember.
When Mama Itohan
asked Ivie where she had been, Ivie only told her that she had moved to the
city and quickly changed the topic. A secret she intended to keep.
Mama Itohan's
children returned from school and were equally excited to see their mother's
friend. Unfortunately, they knew their mother would neglect them for the rest
of the day. She had not even cooked for them. Itohan swung into action and made
sure a meal was prepared for herself and her siblings.
Ivie had been
studying Itohan, her mother noticed and asked what the problem might be. Ivie
then told her how Itohan was growing into a beautiful young woman and she would
like to take Itohan to the city. Itohan would be her children’s nanny and in
return, she would ensure that Itohan completed her secondary school. It would
be up to Itohan to choose if she wanted to continue schooling after then. Mama
Itohan leaped for joy, her child would become the star in the village, she
thought to herself. She accepted the proposal without even checking with
Itohan.
