"See you tommorow!" Sam
waved at the security guard. After a hectic day it was a relief to finally go
home. Tommorrow was thursday and the good thing about tomorrow was that the
next day was Friday! Sam mouthed a "whooohooo" and pumped his fist in
the air. Just then he heard his phone ring...
"Hey babe!" He answered
"Hey dear...how are you doing? He could hear worry in his fiancee's voice
"Am good, I just closed from work. I hear that worry tone in your voice, what's the matter?"He asked
"You won't believe! The dressmaker is yet to finish the bridesmaids' dresses! To think I have been calling to let her know I need them this week o! I go there today and after much para! it seems I won't get them till sunday!" She was frantic. They were getting married in two weeks.
"Aww! See dear, please calm down okay? We would intensify follow-ups on her and ensure it gets ready by sunday..." He rubbed his temple, if it isn't the dressmaker its the DJ or the caterer or..
"She will see ghenghen if she no finish am by sunday" she had entered pidgin levels.
"Ema binu se! Atleast smile for me now...don't worry sunday we would go there together"He cajoled her and stifled the urge to laugh.. "nobody but me can withstand your 'ghenghen' o!"
"Hey babe!" He answered
"Hey dear...how are you doing? He could hear worry in his fiancee's voice
"Am good, I just closed from work. I hear that worry tone in your voice, what's the matter?"He asked
"You won't believe! The dressmaker is yet to finish the bridesmaids' dresses! To think I have been calling to let her know I need them this week o! I go there today and after much para! it seems I won't get them till sunday!" She was frantic. They were getting married in two weeks.
"Aww! See dear, please calm down okay? We would intensify follow-ups on her and ensure it gets ready by sunday..." He rubbed his temple, if it isn't the dressmaker its the DJ or the caterer or..
"She will see ghenghen if she no finish am by sunday" she had entered pidgin levels.
"Ema binu se! Atleast smile for me now...don't worry sunday we would go there together"He cajoled her and stifled the urge to laugh.. "nobody but me can withstand your 'ghenghen' o!"
At that she laughed and said
"for your mind!" he could sense that she was smiling from her voice.
She briefed Him about her day, apparently the dressmaker was the only hitch in
her day. He told her about the dramatic clients he had to deal with and they laughed
over it. They spoke for some minutes and ended the call.
He flagged down a taxi and got in. There were three other men plus the driver in the taxi already...
"...na 100naira I take marry that time! 1974! That time one naira be money sef!" The driver was narrating and the other men were laughing and snickering. Obviously the story wasn't just starting.
Sam ears stood! 100 naira for wedding ke?! When He and Tolani were seriously managing near one million naira to organise their wedding added to assistance from family and friends...it would have been almost impossible without their assistance.
He flagged down a taxi and got in. There were three other men plus the driver in the taxi already...
"...na 100naira I take marry that time! 1974! That time one naira be money sef!" The driver was narrating and the other men were laughing and snickering. Obviously the story wasn't just starting.
Sam ears stood! 100 naira for wedding ke?! When He and Tolani were seriously managing near one million naira to organise their wedding added to assistance from family and friends...it would have been almost impossible without their assistance.
"Yes na! 100 naira na my salary that time naw!" Another man added, he sat by the right passenger window. "Bride price wey I pay that time na like 4 naira and my wife still dey kampe!"
Sam thought to himself "and they understood the essence of marriage in those days...4 naira bride price?" He scoffed and then took time to study their faces, the driver looked as old as the time he was referring to, same with two of the other men. Himself and the passenger seating in front appeared to be the youngest in the car. Sam celebrated his 28th birthday two months ago.
"That time 100 naira na money naw! Over money sef! Na my salary that time! I dey save my salary...I no dey rely on my salary because after I do security work for NTA wey I dey work that time I go do mechanic for all my oga dem" the man beside Sam was grinning with joy "I buy my 1st car 1000 naira...brand new!" at this Sam flinched and rearranged himself. He had about 600,000 naira saved up for a car and he still need to keep saving for what he wanted and of course it could never be enough for a brand new one. With the wedding around the corner he has been tempted to pinch his car savings.
Sam knew he had to look bewildered...why was he born now? He took out his phone and pinged Tolani..."Babe! you wont believe it, 100 naira was just enough to organise a wedding in Nigeria around the 70s! Now I wish we were born then" and added the shocked smiley. Tolani replied with a sarcastic look "and maybe you would not have met me!..are you just knowing about the glories of the old Nigeria? or you just wanna depress yourself this evening?..."
As they alighted at the junction the man in front hailed the driver.."Baba na you biko o! Na you enjoy pass o! 100 naira for wedding kwa! Na where we for see am today?"
Sam paid the driver 50 naira. You can't get a good biscuit today for 50 naira in Nigeria...Sam was already deep in thought and stared mindlessly at his blackberry phone.
The driver laughed at the man hailing him "My brother! Na so me sef dey ask! Where that time we been dey, go for this naija o!?".
3 comments:
Where is tht time rily?
Are you actually asking where those days has gone when the trend u Nigeria is to burn the bridge immediately they cross to the other side forgetting that they may need it on their way back. All these adults in political offices schooled for free or just for a token yet our education system and most areas of our economic life are suffering from their neglects. In all these we must not loss hope sha better days ahead.amaka
What can onE do? Finding yourself in this gEnEration. its rEally sad and depprEssing that in all spheres of life was much bettEr theN than it is noW. We all neEd sensitization and reorientation sO as to try and EnsurE that the next generation would not tell a worse tale Of woe than we are telling now.
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