Must Read: Ade

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: Ade

According to Shola, her boyfriend, Tokunbo, was a cantankerous and aggressive individual whose tenets and view of life could be said to be warped. She had met him at Oyingbo in his younger sister’s shop. Nike, Shola’s former course mate, had taken to selling provisions at the Oyingbo market immediately after service and her business was doing fine.



She had happened to be visiting Nike that day, two years before then, when she had met Tokunbo almost beating up his younger sister because she had refused to give him some money he requested for. Shola had played the Good Samaritan and had given him the money to sue for peace. He had collected her number and later called to say thank you and then things had progressed from there till that time.



She described Tokunbo as a fair and handsome young man who was already in his marriageable age, – every girl’s dream man- tall, muscular with six packs abs, hairy with a neat goatie and always spotting a clean shaven skull. She had stuck to him because she thought her actions can’t leave her if Tokunbo should find out and leave her, hence, she had been putting up with all his ill manners. Tokunbo had read Business Administration and had squandered the capital given to him by his parents to set up the business he had dreamt of owning. After Shola came into his life, she had also set him up twice, the first one going down the drain while the second is now what he is managing with three employees to his name. He deals in electronics and mobile phones at the Alaba market. He adored Shola who in turn had been coping with his deeds till her dream man entered her life, she had said.


She had refused to tell us who her dream man was. She just added that she was fed up with Tokunbo and his antics. He had almost beaten her up on four occasions and all he could say was sorry. She said she had stuck to him because she was getting happiness elsewhere (that was in her pedophilic acts) but now that those had stopped, she needed to take a decision on her life with Tokunbo. She then told us what Dr. Tanimowo had told her the previous night I had eavesdropped on them. She concluded saying that he ought to have proposed to her to show his seriousness but she did not know what had been holding him back and each time she had broached the subject with him, he had always called her a desperate chic, which always hurt her. She prayed that he gets annoyed and breaks up with her after telling him her past action because if he should do otherwise, he would torment her with it all through the rest of their lives together. She said she preferred to be single and free of guilt than living with someone who will torture her to death with extant memories which she was trying to bury.



Rotimi and I had just been looking at her as she talked as if she dropped from heaven. Shola was indeed free. My heart tingled at her prayer.


I prayed it was answered and that her dream man come for her. Then I chided myself for the prayer. ”What’s your business?” I had said to myself.


Then she had brought out her phone to call him.



”Hello dear,” Shola said as she touched the speaker icon on the screen of her Samsung phone.



”Hello ma boo,” Tokunbo shouted.



It seemed that he was somewhere where he could not hear her properly.


”Where are you?” She asked.


”I am in the market o but I will soon leave jare.


Those boys I told you about complained about the new product I just ordered, so I want to go to those people’s office today and complain too.”



He explained.


”And I need to see you o and it is very urgent.



Can we see today?” She asked an obviously wrong question.


”Mba o. We can’t see today. Since you said it’s urgent, let’s meet at my place tomorrow after church service. Is that fine by you?”



Tokunbo offered.



”It’s okay. Tomorrow then. Take care of yourself o. And don’t do what I won’t do.”


”You too take care o. I will do what you won’t do o. Cos dem no even born you wella make you try am.” Tokunbo said jokingly.


”I know say I no fit o. Love you dear.” Shola said.


”I am at work. I won’t reply that sentimental bullshit. You are too romantic. Bye bye jo.” He said ending the call.


Shola heaved a sigh and gave me a ‘didn’t I tell you’ kind of look. She smiled and shook her head.


”Why are you shaking your head now?”

”Tomorrow won’t be holy, Ade, how I wish you guys would go with me.” she said sounding worried.


”We would go with you, but we would hang around while you go in to meet him.” Rotimi said and she brightened up.


We got home, freshened up and had another decent meal before hitting the streets in the evening cool air for a stroll that eased off all tensions of the last few weeks totally out of my being. How I loved that cool evening breeze!


Night came and so was dinner. It was eaten, forgotten as we played games.


What Shola had said about Tokunbo seemed to me like a child’s play and I never understood what her fears were until the next day after the meeting with Tokunbo.