Another world

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Restitution is a bitter food

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The arrival of dawn was announced by an unknown cockerel even before Obanma's alarm went off. Changing her alarm tone from Cher's believe to the gospel song Onitse Iyanu by Nathaniel Bassey was as a result of sharing the room with Nnamdi's mother, who abhorred worldly Music as she put it.

The chronic snoring from the old woman similar to that of a revving engine in need of lubrication. Her occasional pause and crescendo made sleeping a tug of war for Obanma and she wished she had never insisted on sharing the room with her and swore to be armed to her teeth for the next night.

The anticipation that thrummed in her heart contributed to her insomnia as thoughts of seeing her father haunted her . She tried not to entertain anxiety over being disappointed in her heart, even though her mind kept whispering subtly, unkind words.

Daa Agatha had insisted on her going with her friends as a group without any objection from Obanma. Even Nnamdi had been informed of her plans and he hadn't kicked against it. The news of Agatha' s pregnancy reached her siblings in Lagos the same day, her plans of visiting her father reached Nnamdi's ears.

Adaugo's piercing scream made her aunt hold her phone a distance from her ears. Chijioke congratulated his uncle and aunt, revealing the date he would return to the house as did Adaugo.

Obanma knew Nnamdi loved his wife dearly, but his love grew exponentially with news of her conception. Her aunt was smiling more and Nnamdi's pockets bled from excessive purchase of gifts.

His mother had been ecstatic with the news as well, her arrival marked the beginning of their "Nights of praise",Agatha's pregnancy, a product of God's faithfulness being the topic of her sermons.

Obanma gently leapt out of her bed, knelt beside the caramel frame at the edge , muttered a silent prayer with her hands clasped together in a pleading way. Nnamdi's mother would have insisted on having her hair covered which was why she tried to be as silent as possible.

She sauntered out of the room on her tiptoes, the older woman's snores reverberating behind her . The door clicked shut with echoes of rapid loud farts from the preacher and a chortle escaping Obanma's lips. How she had managed to get an ounce of sleep was a mystery to her.

She had already picked out an outfit the previous day so she quickly began her chores .

This involved cleaning the living room and kitchen and preparing breakfast. She carried out her chores with a strange excitement, humming songs as she fried plantain that Agatha had bought the previous day.

Daa Agatha stepped into the kitchen moments later, yawning from the door till she stood beside Obanma inspecting her handwork. Obanma greeted her aunt who appeared worn out. The heavy eye bags that rested beneath her lower lids evident of lack of sleep. Obanma knew the cause of her aunt's sleeplessness, she assumed it was the same reason they were having a baby.

Lately she could notice things such as the heated glances the couple would exchange, the touches that lingered and how Daa Agatha had made a new habit of sitting on her husband's laps.

The love that they shared often made Obanma day dream

"Nne make sure you ask mummy if she'll eat before you prepare the pap ịnụ, I don't want it to waste " The statement came after she had munched two pieces of the fried plantain.

Obanma withdrew the plate as Agatha reached out to collect another piece. Her aunt laughed heartily, then requested for more pieces which Obanma obliged.

"Where are you meeting with your friends? Are they coming here?"

"Mba, I'm meeting them at the park by 7am. Uncle Nnamdi promised to take me." Came Obanma's swift reply which was accentuated with a nod.

"Ngwanu when you finish, come and call me oo. Make sure you put my own plantain in a different plate" Agatha declared with a huge yawn

"Daa, I thought you would be eating with uncle?

" Yes I would be, our pap....Nnamdi my husband loves me but he probably loves fried plantain more.. So please help your aunt save her Marriage by keeping her own plantain in a different vessel. "

The laughter that came behind the two women, notified them of Nnamdi being awake. He quickly placed a kiss on his wife's forehead and patted Obanma's back.

" Everyone knows I love my wife more than mere food, Agatha this accusation you've laid needs vindication from God"

"Eziokwu! Nwa Enugu a.. You can really lie. Remember the last time we had plantain and rice, I only had two pieces.."

"So.. What happened to the rest?" Nnamdi questioned with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"You happened" came Agatha's stern voice who still reached out to collect more pieces of the fried food while Obanma quickly moved it away.

Nnamdi laughed at his wife as he led her away. They could hear his mother's voice in her morning devotion and he didn't want to join her.

He led his wife a distance away from the kitchen then slipped back in.

"Make sure you put our food in the same plate, else no ride to the park. And when mummy asks why we didn't come out for devotion tell her Agatha wasn't feeling too strong" Nnamdi rapped throwing a piece of plantain in his mouth.

Obanma chuckled lightly at his threat them started peeling more plantain as the ones she had prepared had drastically reduced.

Nnamdi' s mother finished her devotion an hour later before joining them in breakfast. The fib Obanma had let out in her uncle's defense was taken very well by the old woman. Obanma could tell she had waited for grandchildren for so long that she would let anything that had to do with endangering Agatha's wellbeing slide.

Their breakfast was quick, she barely ate but watched in amusement as her aunt and her uncle dragged their food. His mother had even reprimanded him for such. It seemed Agatha was winning all battles without fighting because of her pregnancy.

Obanma sought no means to hide her amusement as her uncle bickered about being treated poorly by the women in his house and how he missed his one true ally, Adaugo.

Nnamdi's amusing harping ended when his wife relinquished her own portion of the fried plantain. Obanma knew her uncle only bugged his wife for fun. They still had ample food stored in their flasks which he could have easily requested for.

"Agatha you are letting him bully you" His mother had hinted, her glares directed at Nnamdi who was laughing profusely.

"Mummy don't worry let him enjoy his own moment, mine is coming" Agatha replied quickly slapping her husband's hand off the final piece of plantain she had reserved for herself.

Both Obanma and the old woman couldn't hold back their laughter as Nnamdi withdrew his hand and drummed on the dinning table with a piteous look on his face.

Obanma loved her uncle for this reason, his ability to be funny and quite playful around the people he cared about.

"Uncle I can get you more from the kitchen ooo" Obanma chipped in scooping a spoonful of pap and emptying it in her mouth.

"I don't want that one... You betrayed me"

Nnamdi's mother brought more food for Agatha who smirked at her husband.

"I need to make sure you and my grandchild feed well" She replied taking a seat beside her son.

"I'm just so happy that Adaugo is coming back soon. That's all I have to say"

Breakfast ended on a happy note, the family dispersing to carry out their tasks for the day.
Nnamdi drove Obanma to the bus park where she met her friends, Eberechukwu and Joshua. They knew Oluchi would have loved to go with them if her maniac of a father approved but he never truly approved whatever his daughter did. He gave her money for her transportation and feeding, extra cash was also made available for her which he Informed her was for an emergency. He also handed her a packet of handkerchief which he always stored in his car. Obanma couldn't really tell why she'd need that much cloth to wipe her sweat.

They left Enugu after an hour of waiting for other passengers to board the vehicle. Joshua and Eberechukwu had bought enough snacks which they shared and ate happily chirping like overfed birds in the vehicle. They ignored glares from older passengers as the talked.

Eberechukwu and Joshua had revealed that they had told their parents that they were embarking on an excursion and even extorted money from them.

Eberechukwu made fun of her friends as they continued their voyage, creating amusing stories about people they drove past and constantly making sarcastic comments about their driver who was almost toothless.

They arrived Abia roughly three hours after their departure, exiting the vehicle at the exact location their aunt had instructed. Eberechukwu did not seem impressed with the tower as they made their stop. It was her first time in the state and envisaged the Umuahia tower to be much bigger

"Why are they even calling it a tower, Eiffel tower is a tower. This is a storey building with no rooms" She taunted.
"Well to be fair they pronounce it as Torwah so this one is not a tower" She added and Obanma playfully slapped her shoulder

Joshua seemed to only pay attention at the structure, the iron gates that had been casted around the yellow structure probably to hinder people from entering. The names in black inscribed at the base of the structure which he assumed were constituent regions of the state.

"They are the local governments that make up Abia state" Obanma hinted and Joshua nodded.

"Where's yours?"

"Osisioma" Obanma promptly replied, pointing to hers as she led them across the road.

"Well.... I... I... I do hope to visit there one day." Joshua declared with a grin causing Eberechukwu to roll her eyes

"Welcome to Abia, God's own state. That explains the hands" Eberechukwu declared loudly.

They saw the yellow tricyclists which her aunt her aptly described to her lined up on two sides of the road. They were supposed to board one there but she hadn't quite recalled which side Daa Agatha had told her to go to.

"See if we start asking them questions, they'll know we're strangers and they will Increase the price. Trust me I know how these people think" Eberechukwu stated with much conviction as she led her friends toward the right side of the road.

"Joshua rememeber it's Igbo all through else they'd think we're JJC' s" She added making her way to an empty keke (tricycle"). JJC Johnny just come was a popular name for amateurs or newbies.

"Isigate direct! Isi gate!" The man in the keke bellowed and they all hopped in.

"You hol your change?" was the first question he plagued them with, ready to dump them for other passengers if they had none.Obanma quickly nodded,while the young man sped away blasting a popular old Nigerian song jaga jaga by African China.

The driver seemed to enjoy the song a lot because it was on repeat and his passengers already grew tired of his rough voice.

"Poor man dey suffer suffer!
Gboza gboza!

Mmmmm ina the air!" The swallowed words were probably because he did not hear the last part well.

"We dey stop here" He announced to the teenagers and they slipped down gently.

They paid him with the notes from Joshua's pockets and he led across the busy road. Obanma and Eberechukwu stopped briefly to purchase fruits and bread from vendors beside the road. She bought a nylon and carefully packaged them. Daa Agatha had advised them against buying food for her father, for reasons she could not quite fathom.

Getting another keke

They made their way to the next location which was the Federal prisons in Afaraukwu. They had only mentioned prison and the young man quickly agreed to take them.

Obanma fidgeted as they zoomed off, her stomach growling uncomfortably. The events of the last time she saw her father replaying in her head. The lifeless body of Obinna with blood oozing out his head, the deafening sound of the gun shot as it hit Chidozie and the thud his body made as it connected with the ground. The devastation in Onyedikachi's and her mother's eyes.

She quickly blinked away tears as the realization hit her. "She was suddenly terrified about who she would see in that prison, a mad man who had murdered two people."

"Oba.. Ọ dị kwa mma? Is everything alright?" came Eberechukwu's concern laced voice. Obanma gave her a weak smile then looked away immediately.

They knew they had arrived the prison when they saw the words inscribed on the wall coated with the colors green, yellow and green respectively . The Nigerian coat of arms was situated in the middle. THE NIGERIAN PRISONS SERVICE, AFARA ROAD UMUAHIA. A brewery was situated beside the prison, the golden Guinea breweries with its symbol inscribed on top of its building.

The keke man drove off after collecting his payment, leaving behind three terrified youngsters.

They approached the deep green colored gate with anxiety, Joshua led them through, after the officials properly interrogated them. It was times as such that they appreciated having a male friend. Obanma knew Joshua had bribed some of the officials with meager amounts. The three of them received tags after they were identified as students even without their identification cards.

They were directed to the next gate which was surrounded by very high walls. The fact that Obanma's father had spent 12 years of his life in a secluded place made her gloomy.

The gates opened to a very large compound. Bungalows scattered around painted in yellow with force men patrolling at each end. It was a familiar setting as the government owned schools in the state.

They tagged behind the woman who led them to the yard where the prisoners were allowed to roam freely. She had cautioned them about losing their tags as Eberechukwu and Joshua decided to stay back. Obanma knew they were according her the privacy she needed with her father.

Different oozes of unpleasant smells hit Obanma's nostrils as they progressed. She noted how utterly depressed the Inmates they passed appeared, some looked terrifying . She tried not to focus on their faces and kept her eyes glued to the ground as they progressed.

The woman kept muttering about the incompetence on the part of the government on the maintenance of the prison. The buildings did appear old and dilapidated she could tell. She was only impressed with the fact that some prisoners were being taught certain skills and they showed enthusiasm.

The predominant smell as they approached the waiting room was that of urine and she wondered if the prisoners urinated on all corners of the yard.

"You said he's your what again?" The next official unenthusiastically enquired. She had a predominant frown on her face as she conversed with the officer beside her.

Obanma's bags and those of her friends were confiscated at the entrance and she was left with the food items she came with.

"He's... He's my uncle" Obanma lied suddenly embarrassed for herself.

She revealed her father's name and they led her to a waiting room which appeared to be a chapel. The altar fueled her assumption. A part of her wondered if there was also a mosque around.

"How can you be a relative of such a beautiful girl and still be wicked?"

Came a voice behind Obanma who's hands began to shake uncontrollably again.

She could feel the presence behind her but she was terrified of what she would see. Slowly she turned to see her father clad in his dirty and worn out uniform.

She kept her gaze below his face, while listening to the information the warder passed across.

"Wetin dey that bag?"

She was instructed to chew on all the things she brought, a precaution made against poisoning of inmates.

She chewed nervously while her father made his way to the seat opposite her.

Satisfied with the outcome, the official left the two.

Obanma's lips quivered uncontrollably as she greeted her father. Her greeting met no response, making their situation more awkward. Her eyes on the desk between them. The dangling sound of the chain on his wrist she could hear as he coughed profusely.

The coughs came once again and she was forced to look at his face. He sounded like someone who needed serious medical attention. It was a deep cough and his face seemed strained from trying to hold it in.

Her father appeared older, his cheeks lean from hunger she could tell. His eyes were heavy and reddened instantly. Different scars had made their way to his face, some she could tell ran deeper than they appeared. His hair was fuller than he usually kept it when she was younger and his beards had started turning white.

Was it prison that made her father age faster? His lips had scars running from them to his jaw. He appeared pale, sickly and worn out.

Her eyes descended on his hand which also shook nervously. He didn't feel comfortable being with her.

"It's Obanma" She began with a weak smile hoping he would respond this time.

Obanma cleared her throat biting back the tears that clogged it.

"Adaugo and Chijioke are in Lagos now. They've finished school. My graduation is next month and I wanted to come to see you" Her voice was the only one heard in her one side Conversation. She fished put pictures of herself and her siblings which she had slipped into the bag where the food items were.

She tried touching her father's hands as she kept the pictures on the table but he withdrew them like she was a leper.

"Do you.. Want food? I came with food"
She didn't wait for a response but instead started spreading butter on the loaf of bread she had brought.

"Were take" The conflicting emotions his face bore told her that he was hungry but not certain about collecting the food from her.

He finally took the bread and began to chew hungrily, she fished out the drink she bought and handed over as well.

"Do you want to give me some? " Came her squeaky voice and Iheanyị paused. She tore a little piece from the one he held and began to chew.

She could tell that he was swarmed with relief as she chewed the food. She also sensed the amusement that danced in his eyes when she requested for some.

He had been the one who taught her that trick

It felt as if she had given him a gift and somehow decided to share the gift with him.

"I passed my Jamb I'll be writing my aptitude tests next month too."

Exasperated with the lack of response Obanma kept quiet while her father stared at her. It felt like she was being scrutinized under his gaze.

The tears brimmed in his eyes once more and he quickly rose from his seat, beckoning on the official.

Disappointed Obanma rose with him. "It's not time yet!" She yelled

"You need to go and don't come back again for your good"

"I think I have the right to visit my father!" She retorted.

The glare she received made her blood chill. "Go home"

The officer came and took Obanma away and the tears she had been holding back began to flow effortlessly.

She met her friends in the yard crying as well. Eberechukwu couldn't stop talking about the youths and teenagers she had come across and how some were only victims of injustice but never guilty of the crimes they were convicted of. Stories of abuse and the poor health conditions they were in. They were used for menial jobs in the state but weren't properly fed and clothed. Many had given up on freedom and some often dealt with mental illnesses after a while.
Eberechukwu had gotten a glimpse of the rooms where they were kept and how overpopulated they were.

Joshua was the only one who held back his tears but his eyes appeared like the wanted to relieve themselves of their tears. He kept swearing never to commit any crime that would bring him to such an environment.

He had insisted on them taking selfies for remembrance purposes and they obliged his request. They knew they wouldn't share such pictures with people because of how bloated, red and puffy their eyes were

The friends who had bickered endlessly at the beginning of their journey never spoke a word till they arrived Enugu. Even the money they had supposedly extorted from their parents were given away to prisoners even after smuggling the money in through their handkerchief. It was then that Obanma realized why her uncle had given her so many. They had established one important fact, American prisons which they saw in movies were ten times better than what they had witnessed.

Her father had told her not to come back but she swore she would return again and this time she was going to make him talk. She needed to know exactly what he saw that made him ruin his life.

Exhaustion made her new roommate's snoring and farthing oblivious to her as she slept, dreams of her father resting predominantly in her mind.

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Iheanyị couldn't stop staring at pictures of his children. He had once told Agatha never to show him pictures of them because it reminded him so much of all that he had lost..

Seeing Obanma earlier was a shock he hadn't gotten over. The semblance the little girl bore to her mother. Watching her made him think of his other son who had died that morning. He began to wonder what he would have looked like at Obanma's age and the fact that he had a hand in his death riled up emotions he thought he had buried. One thing was indisputable, he was proud of his children.

The next day he insisted on getting medical attention for his sickness. If only he could point out the reason for his change of heart.

Hello Everyone!

How are we doing?

Hope we enjoyed this chapter! This is the second time I'm writing this chapter after an incident occurred with the first.

The descriptions in this chapter were gotten from different friends and little info from google. I haven't ever been to a prison before and I would truly like to go to witness certain things. I'd probably edit this chapter in the future

Do you think Iheanyị has paid enough for his crimes?

Do you think Obanma should keep going despite his warnings?