The uncertainty of happiness

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives when the agreement too many each other started. The couple has dated for eight years. Before their university education Ekene had been with many men, she had dated so many that the villagers gave her names.

On one faithful night, a ritualist dated her; she was almost used for money rituals when a hunter discovered the hide out of the ritualist he asked them to release the girl or else, he would report them to the police. In the hide out of the ritualists which was a very thick forest was an old lion on this faithful day, the lion roared, the hunter threatened and the ritualist were so frightened that they released Ekene. She acknowledged that she was saved by the Almighty. This event made her to join the Christian faith. She became an usher in one of the churches, she attended every programme. Every member of the church recognized her; she was so diligent that every one gave her respect. After a while she started dating the choir master. Tongues started wagging; she was excommunicated from the congregation. Her mother, who had become happy because of her change in character, fell ill again she was the only child of her parents. Her new character led to the rise of her mother’s blood pressure (B.P), she gave up the ghost after a while. Her father became fragile, always thinking about her, he would see her mates who have finished school and were married with kids. He wondered where he failed in raising her.

After five years of graduating from a university, she could not get any permanent job; she would work for six months in a company and be laid off. Continuously her life went on like that, until one faithful day, she got a job in an oil company she tried to behave herself in the new job. She was liked and admired by everyone because of her beauty and diligence. She worked in the personnel management office. Many influential people used to visit the office, on one of the interview days, a young man who grew up in the United States of America, who has re-located to Nigeria came back with the intention of looking for a wife. Also he found Ekene very attractive. One thing led to another and they became friends, Ekene behaved very well. Despite her fine behavior people still abused her because of her past life; Obi did not mind whatever people were saying about her past life. Their love grew stronger and stronger; Obi decided to meet Ekene’s parents for the first time, as the tradition of her place demands Obi had to go with a friend. On reaching, the girl’s place, they were welcomed with open arms. They made their intentions known to her father, with mixed feelings; he agreed that Obi’s parents should come. A date was fixed. On the fixed date, Obi’s parents came, there was exchange of pleasantries. The villagers gathered, there was a lot of eating and drinking. The day ended with both parents agreeing that their children should come together as husband and wife.

Those who thought that she could never marry became confused. Market women going to the market will talk about her, the girls of her age who had married before her became jealous. They would talk about the good look of her husband to be, they would talk about the cars that came to her father’s house on that day of Introduction. They would say, if ‘introduction’ is like this, how will the marriage ceremony be? Ekene and Obi became the talk of the town. Another date was fixed for their traditional marriage; the father’s compound was agog with preparations. The dance groups at different locations practicing rigorously. Every caterer in the villages and towns sort jobs from the bride and groom, younger girls wished to get grooms like Ekene’s own. Her father was happy and sad at the same time, he wished his wife was a live to witness the oncoming occasion. People who were coming to congratulate him noticed his emotional changes.

Some would say, what is the matter? He would simply say, nothing with tears running down his chicks. Obi parents on the other hand were not totally happy; they have heard the gossips of how she has been living her life. The mother would call the son, while he was discussing with his friends about his upcoming wedding and she would ask- ‘’Do you really want to marry this girl?’’ I have heard a lot about her escaped with men. Will she be able to give me grand children? Obi’s answer would simply be ‘mother, I love her that is what matters to me’. Obi’s father on the other hand, would ask the wife to leave everything in the hands of the Almighty God.

The day reached, friends and relatives who were invited dressed beautifully. Buses were hired for the occasion from Obi’s family the best man dressed Obi very well. Kegs and kegs of palm win were brought. Hot drinks were much (I mean alcoholic drinks). There were also baskets of fruits, yams, dry fish, stalk fish and boxes of wrappers etc. according to the tradition, any missing item as listed by Ekene’s family will be replaced with money. All these items were packed in cars and buses, Obi’s family set off at 8:00am because the journey was a journey of five hours.

At Ekene’s family, the ladies in uniform have gathered around the bride. The make-up artist was seen very busy, dressing Ekene, the forks and knives made a lot of noise, smock and pleasant smells of cooked food filled the air, and young men were busy setting canopies. The atmosphere was filled with pleasantries; from afar one would smell the coming of a happy occasion.

The fixed time was for the ceremony to begin was four o’clock in the evening, by three thirty pm, many guests have arrived. There was exchange of pleasantries here and there, joy and happiness filled the air. Finally Obi’s family arrived, but Obi was not there. He had forgotten the wedding ring on his table. The driver was asked to turn the car. They went back home, Obi picked the wedding ring from his dressing table and headed back to the car in a hurry, the driver had a head-on-colluding with a bus. All the passengers in the bus with the occupants of the car were seriously injured. They were rushed to the hospital. Obi bled too much. The news of the accident got to Ekene’s family, everyone headed to the hospital, by the time they got there, they doctor told them that they brought him too late.