Road trip

*****************************************

"Why let foreign companies generate more revenue for their country through us! When we have the means, the human resource, the natural resources to make our country great again. We have to start trusting ourselves , we need to start investing in our own people. This is not just about this construction company... No..... this is about a revolutionary process that has begun In Africa. The time is now!

Join us at Pace Construction company as we set the pace for this revolutionary process in Africa. Thank you! "

Obanma believed she clapped more than the other guests as Onyedikachi made his way down the stage .

When he began his speech, she tried not to pay attention. She was a young undergraduate pharmacist in an Engineering world. Most of the people present were investors or engineers. There were cases when terms unbeknownst to her were used and she found herself laughing when the joke had expired, or so she thought so.

She had been the one who helped him with his tie after he finished dressing up. She couldn't help but admire how interestingly dapper and handsome he appeared in his black suit and white shirt. His blue tie, which had been the final ingredient to his classy appearance became a tug of war for him.

Obanma lent her skills and expertise owing to her very innovative uncle's teachings while knotting his tie. He had once told her his disturbance would come in handy. Her hands lasted on his chest much longer for reasons she couldn't tell.

Was Onyedikachi that handsome?

Suits were never appealing to her, it often reminded her of bankers and egotistical law students who were constantly being baked from heat while being stuck in an official attire.

They had left Onyedikachi's room quite early because of the meeting and she hadn't believed Onyedikachi would be one of the men addressing them till he began. She felt certainly odd and out of place but he insisted she stayed behind and watched him after she suggested waiting at the reception.

Onyedikachi tagged it "payback" for saving her the previous night. She managed to sit but didn't let her gaze wander from his phone, the only item of distraction he had relinquished to her. It was until Onyedikachi's name was announced that she finally paid heed to the convention.

He had addressed the people well, throwing in jokes that even got her cracking up at a time.

The boy was good!

His gaze always lingered on her when he tried to drive a point home or so she thought because he was directly facing her.

Obanma was not the only one impressed as hoards of people made their way to Onyedikachi after the event. Obanma made sure to help herself out with the snacks on the table while she waited for him.

A young man approached her as she stuffed her mouth with a piece of meat pie with sensational taste. He found it quite amusing that she was eating the snack most people had ignored.

What was the use of spending money on food and letting it go to waste?

"Not all ladies would fancy eating food on public display"

Obanma raised her hand to signal for him to hold on while she meticulously munched the food in her mouth, his amusing gaze never faltering from her face.

"I am not like other ladies, I mean... Why waste all this food? My daa says it's a sin to waste food, a much worse sin to leave free food at an event "

The young man seemed frankly intrigued by her response. He took a piece of the snack and took a bite out of it.

"It tastes amazing....... I am Engineer Raphael Duru, do you mind telling me your name or should I go with foodie?" He enquired with a grin that drew a smile from her lips.

"Obanmanjuru-chineke-nyawara-onyeoma-n'eluwa"

She fought so hard to hide her amusement as his mouth formed a big letter - O

"Where are you from?" Ralph questioned as he took another bite of his snack. Her eyes glanced towards the direction Onyedikachi stood probably receiving accolades for his words.

"Abia State" She replied heartily

"I am from Imo State but I grew up in the west. Your name is quite a mouthful, it made me realize that I had treated my Benin friends poorly. Remind me to write a detailed and heartfelt apology to my very close friend Engineer Osadebamwen-Osarenmwindamwen- Osagiemwenagbon-Osaretin"

At first, she was stunned by the length of the names but began to quake with laughter almost immediately. Raphael laughed heartily as well while he was instructed to pronounce the names again.

"My name is Obanmanjuru, Oba or Obanma for short"

"Ralph will do, except you decide to add Wreck it. Most girls won't use their native names like this, it is quite impressive that you don't find it.... Not classy"

"The English equivalent would be Beauty. It might be classy to some people, but I believe it would be a source of mawkish lines from admirers.

Lagos was the first time I stepped into the west. I grew up amongst igbos and I must say our tribe does not like them very much"

Ralph had a grin on his face as she spoke, it made her wonder if he was always happy.

"Well if it's any consolation they don't like igbos very much."

"I know that, I've heard stories.. My sister once said she went to look for a job with her friend Kehinde. They were brought into the manager's office and right there she was disqualified for the position for no tangible reason. She came with her friend so she had to wait and when Kehinde came out, it turned out that she got the job. "

" So you think it's because of her tribe? Do you know if she was actually qualified for it? " Ralph opined as he thought about the words

" You didn't let me finish..Kehinde turned down the offer. "

" Kehinde must be rich and probably not in need of a job.. In Nigeria we swoop in and take opportunities even the ones meant for others. It's pure survival instinct"

"She isn't too rich, she's loyal. She didn't like what the man told her. He said she was getting the job because she was Yoruba and he hated the fact that so many igbos are taking up positions in the company."

"So you mean she turned down the offer because she wanted to save her integrity and to some extent dignity. I mean she might have been unqualified"

"She turned down the offer because she is a good person. But personally I would have encouraged her to take the offer. Being jobless in Lagos was rough for my daa, my uncle had to send her money at some point. Did you know that most ladies in Lagos turn to prostitution because of joblessness. And I mean, very intelligent young ladies with educational qualifications?

Most times they were offered positions in exchange for their bodies.

Kehinde did get another job though and she was the one who directed my sister to the place she got a job and a fiancé. "

" Hmmm So... the point is? "

" Some Yorubas are bad, some aren't. Who is to say Kehinde wouldn't be turned down for the same reasons if she came to the east to apply for a job? Some people have just decided to be stuck in the past, others have moved on. My daa believes Yorubas are two faced and would stay where it benefits them irrespective of people hurt. She said they were the reason the Igbos lost in the war. "

" And the igbos are not the same? What our Igbo brothers call being smart, others often see as insubordination. I once lived with an Hausa man and he said all igbos were tricksters who come in as friends but stab you in the back and collect all your wealth. He also kept hammering on greed, I mean we igbos can be quite money conscious "

" I think all the tribes are flawed, I used to to think all northerners were murderers before I got an Hausa friend in school. A good conversation convinced me otherwise, I saw things in their perspective. We haven't gotten over the Civil War and the damages it wrought. So most time we blame the different tribes, holding onto that hatred. I am quite curious about the north, I find myself visiting Kano and Sokoto in the future without my daa's knowledge of course. I fear she'd die from a heart attack "Her statement she ended with a chuckle

" I used to think religion was the only sea that kept the tribes apart "

" It's the hate the older generation instills in the younger. My daa lost her grandfather in the Civil War, her father never got over it. He'd always describe the horrid event of how his brothers were murdered before his eyes. His pregnant sister was torn apart before her husband.. They never truly got over that. Apparently his friend Adebayo opted to only help him if he passed over ownership of his shop to him, which he did. His partner Aliyu was the one who helped him flee the north, it was a gruesome journey. But he left with the knowledge that his friend had betrayed him and would have gotten him killed " Obanma picked a bottle of the juice on the table and helped herself with it.

" The igbos killed northerners too, trust me I know an old woman who lost sons. War is a double edged sword. It doesn't just kill for you, it also kills you. I'm glad your sister found love in Lagos despite everything"

"Me too, His parents are not too thrilled about it. They think she's after his wealth.. You know he does own the company where she works. My people well. You know... Onye ofe mmanụ( a Yoruba man) is not just good enough. The good thing is that their decision to be together cannot not be wavered by their obstacles. Olumide is quite the charmer too, I've seen the way he treats my sister. The man is head over heels... And no matter what my aunt thinks, I know for certain that our Igbo angel is quite safe in the hands of that Yoruba demon. "

Ralph laughed so hard, he held his chest.

They talked extensively while depleting the items on the table till it was down to a bottle of water which was relinquished to Obanma.

"So you came with Onyedikachi, is he your brother?"

Obanma stole another glance at Onyedikachi who's eyes seemed to be locked on hers for a moment, bearing some sort of warning which she didn't perceive. "

She cleared her throat, preparing words to describe her relationship with Onyedikachi.

" We grew up together"

"Is that so? He seems quite protective of you. He has told me to leave you a billion times since we started speaking".
Obanma turned to see if Onyedikachi stood close to them and wondered how he had been communicating with Ralph

"He's a good person, he probably doesn't like you very much" Her hands returned to the phone which she held, text messages had been popping in which she did well to swipe away while she continued playing her games. There a was sudden silence that enveloped the two and for a while Raphael felt he had said something wrong.

"He speaks with his eyes" Ralph muttered standing to his feet.

"Yes, I think he does" She replied making sure to keep her gaze from leaving her point of distraction.

He hesitated about taking his leave for a while, stooped low to scribble what she couldn't fathom and walked away with the last bite of his meat pie.

Obanma did enjoy conversing with him but she knew very well that he was probably interested in her, weren't they all?

She could remember her school graduation very well. The joy with which she marched with her friends, Jackson inclusive. It was the same day that Joshua had asked her out. She could vividly recall how upset he had been the whole day. How he had avoided her afterwards and was practically forced to take pictures with their group.

The good thing was that her family all came and for the first time in years they took a picture that had a semblance to a family photo.

The night ended on an amusing note as Obanma received a package and a goodwill letter from the king of their community.

"Very soon, I'll start cashing out. You caught the king's eye, your bride price just tripled. You are my investment imakwa"Chijioke had whispered into Obanma's ear.

"Obanma! Obanma it's time to go" Onyedikachi declared as he tapped gently on her shoulders.

"Go where?" She didn't quite understand what he meant as her mind was clogged with thoughts.

"I'm taking you home, you may consider it a road trip " His hands already began to draw her up, her hands wiping furiously to get stains off her body. She picked up the napkin where Raphael had written his number and headed out with Onyedikachi.

They managed to pick up their materials from their room, checked out of the hotel and left for Enugu.

The ride was silent at first, Obanma's eyes glued to window. Onyedikachi contemplated on speaking but chose otherwise.

Her eyes blinked rapidly and he realized that she had been battling with sleep.

"Raphael is notorious for being an Incorrigible womanizer. His father owns Pace construction company, so ladies find him quite the catch"

Obanma turned to stare at Onyedikachi with slight amusement.

"He's quite the catch, knows how to properly converse. Most men lack that skill. Besides I would say you have quite the reputation with women. And it is good you're not tribal about it.

Funke says she misses you terribly, Nkem wants to be kissed, Amara wants to know when you'll be leaving Owerri, Joyce says she can never get enough of you and Ese thinks she's had no one like you before, oh! she also wants you to drop by Delta before heading back to Port Harcourt. Their messages kept popping in while I was with your phone and now they're stuck in my head. "

Onyedikachi cleared his throat, his expression like that of a remorseful child caught in a wrong act.

" It's none of my business though, I'm just saying you have to remove the log in your eye before attacking Ralph's speck of dust "

He nodded quickly, exhaling deeply. Why were things awkward between them?

"How can you memorize words accurately and not numbers?"

"I have no idea, besides phones do the storage. I didn't see any need to further engage my brain"

"Write the numbers in words and memorize them then"

She seemed stunned by his suggestion, it had never occurred to her before.

"I will.. Thank you Onyi" She hesitated for a while then added "Great speech by the way"

"Thank you.. Thank you" He appeared quite surprised by the compliment.

Silence enveloped them once again and he glanced at her.

"Are you going to call him?" his eyes were trained on the road this time , his hands gripping the wheel harder than they  supposed to.

What was wrong with Onyedikachi?

"I suppose I will, he seems nice and I don't really judge people based on hear say anymore"

"Ngwanu.... That's okay."

They stopped briefly for plantain chips that were hawked on the highway. Their journey seemed smooth and quiet except for the delay by SARS (special anti-robbery squad) operatives who thought Onyedikachi to be a fraudulent young man.

An issue he quickly resolved with right papers and his company identification card.

"I wonder if they wish our youths to only bask in poverty" Obanma had declared angrily as they were asked to move 

"You can't blame them, the system doesn't permit us to be successful. We are supposed to be...young, dumb and broke. Except the lucky few with rich daddies"

She smiled at his reference to Khalid's song, taking a wholesome bite out of her chips.

"You shouldn't have given that man one of my chips"

Onyedikachi couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips and she soon joined in.

"He was salivating"

The rest of the journey from then revolved around random topics, both refraining from talking about their families.

They got to Enugu quicker than she expected, quirks of private transportation. Onyedikachi made a quick stop at a place she didn't quite know.

He came out with food items and other things she couldn't see clearly.

Obanma gave him directions on how to reach their residence and they arrived the street where she had grown up.

She had advised against parking close to their gate to avoid arousing suspicions and he moved few houses away from theirs.

Obanma thanked him for his hospitality, while he fished out her belongings from the car. He opened her bag and inserted items into it. When she retrieved the bag from him, she dug her hand into it and fished out an item that looked like a sealed phone.

"I can't accept this" She declared tossing the item back at him.

Onyedikachi ignored her, as he reached into his pocket to retrieve a white handkerchief. He wrote his number in words, nearly folded it and handed it over to Obanma.

"Keep it away from your uncle this time and call me first before you call him. It's not a request... You owe me"

She chuckled lightly retrieving the item from him. She was still smiling when he pulled her in for an embrace. She stiffened because it was unexpected. It felt quite soothing and she found herself holding on much longer. His body coupled with his cologne gave her a strange warmth.

When they pulled apart, he had a smug smile plastered on his face.

"I know you put the phone back into my bag" She declared

"It's either you go in alone with it or you go without it with me trailing behind you. I bet Chijioke would be pleased to know that you spent a night with me at a hotel. I have nothing to lose , we are at war you know"

Her lips were clamped shut and she decided to keep the phone as a souvenir from their time spent together .

"Take care of yourself inu" He bade her farewell and turned to leave but was stopped by her voice

"Onyi.... Everyone else might be at war.. But we aren't right?"

"Of course not. .. Fate has taught me the hard way."

Her heartfelt smile accentuated his and he quickly got into his car and left. He feared that somehow her charms had roped him in so much that he did not want to leave.

She waved at him as he drove away and he did the same. Obanma marched into her house, exhaling and inhaling deeply on the way. She feared she would be scolded for keeping them worried but was surprised when they all attacked her with hugs.

Nobody scolded her but she could see they had been terribly worried. Her aunt called Oluchi and her sister to assure them of her safe return rubbing her hand on her protruding belly. An act she often did unconsciously.

That night as everyone lay asleep she snuck out with her aunt's phone and fished out the handkerchief Onyedikachi had given her. She dialed his number and when it ended unanswered, she tried for what she termed the last time and his groggy sleepy voice answered.

"I called this time" She began

He grew quiet, probably because he did not know who he was speaking to.

"Did you call him first?" Came his reply in a tone that hinted a little bit of jealousy.

A stifled laughter was her response, followed by the clearing of her throat.

"Well you called this time.. So it's a start"

Hello Everyone!

How are we doing?

This chapter was filled with conversations I know, but I hope the underlying message was passed across.  I haven't viewed the civil war from a westerner's perspective and I'm hoping to, much sooner than expected.

Some of the things discussed in this chapter were actual conversations with the elderly, the civil war was quite gruesome and it has fueled most of the hatred in the society till now. I really hope to hear from all of you concerning this matter

Do you think religion is our problem in Nigeria? Or is it purely fueled by hatred shared by the different tribes owing to our past.

This goes without saying my favorite chapter so far. I hope you enjoyed it.

Am I the only one seeing three possible contenders for........? 😉

Anyways remember to comment, vote and share.

I love you all

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Michelle