Exclusive-NkyLaw

04/06/2024

WITHOUT MY SHADOW - EPISODE 4

At exactly 11:30am, the school timekeeper rang the bell for break. Students shouted with joy as it was time for them to eat, play and move around. As they were packing their books into their lockers, one of Ayomide’s classmates approached him and said, “Mummy’s boy, hurry up and go for break before your mummy comes looking for you again.” The class laughed at that.
To drive their point home, one of the female students went to the door while another stood in front of the board and they re-enacted what had happened when his mother came. Ayomide felt bad over that. He remained on his seat and refused to go out for the break. Those that felt píty for him urged him to eat his food but he refused. He wished it was closing time so he would go home and avoid the constant mockery.
At 03:00pm, the closing bell rang. Ayomide rushed to the parking lot where he was sure he would meet the driver who comes to pick him up. On sighting the car, he went close and opened the door close to the driver’s side. “Good evening Sir!” he said while closing the door.
“Evening Ayomide. How was school today?” Kazeem asked.
Ayomide turned his face away, avoiding the gaze of Kazeem. He sensed that all was not well and asked, “Ayomide, are you alright? Why are you not answering my question?”
“I don’t want to go to school again; my classmates are always making jést of me. Other parents don’t come to check on their children but my mother will come everyday and at times two times in a day. My teachers are all cômpláining.” he said and broke down in téars.
Kazeem took a deep breath and said, “I know how you feel, but don’t worry. All that will stop soon. She is doing that because she loves you, okay?”
“I don’t want that kind of love!” Ayomide fired back ângrîly.
Kazeem said nothing and drove home before Mrs. Tope calls to know what had caused the delay.
As they were approaching the house, Mrs. Tope called to know their movements. He assured her that they were close to the house.
Akpan heard the car horn and rushed to open the gate. The moment the car parked, Ayomide got down and ran towards the entrance door. He pressed the door bell repeatedly and Bimbola who was inside opened the door.
Immediately she opened the door, Ayomide ran inside, climbed the stairs and went straight to his room. “Ayomide!” Bimbola called because it was unusual for him to come home and not greet her or ask for his food. “What is wrông with this boy?” she asked.
Bimbola went after him. She got to his room door and turned the handle but the door did not open. She realised he had locked the door. She banged the door and said, “Ayomide, open this door! Aaah! Don’t put me in trôublé, if your mummy comes back and discover you lôcked yourself in your room, she will develop a heart áttâck.”
Bimbola bangéd the door repeatedly but could not get Ayomide to open the door. She placed her left ear on the door so as to hear sounds from the room but heard nothing. In her pãnickéd state, she knelt down in cónfusiôn and pleaded, “Ayomide, I am kneeling down. Oko mi shanu mi. Please open the door.”
Ayomide laid on his bed and covered his ears with a pillow to avoid hearing her pleas.
Thirty minutes later, she was still at the door pleading. She got tired and thought of calling Mrs. Tope. “Yeh! If I tell madam that Ayomide has lócked himself in his room for over thirty minutes, Madam might dîé before she gets here.” Bimbola sat in front of the door with her cheeks resting in her palms and added, “What kind of trôublé is this? If I decide not to call Madam and she comes back and hear that Ayomide locked himself up, she will kîll me for not telling her.” Immediately she got up and called out his name repeatedly but there was no reply.
Bimbola sat again thinking about what to do until she fell asleep in front of the door.
With the pillow still on Ayomide’s ears, he fell asleep too not knowing that Bimbola was still outside the door to his room sleeping.
At about 05:10pm, Mrs. Tope’s car approached the gate. Akpan heard the car horn and ran out of his room which was built close to the gate. He peeped through the small opening at the gate to confirm that it was his Madam’s car. When he saw Kazeem and his madam at the back seat, he quickly opened the gate. Kazeem drove in while Akpan closed the gate.
Akpan hurried to the car and greeted Mrs. Tope as she got down from the car. “Madam Welcome,” he said in his funny Calabar accent.
“Thank you Akpan.” she replied and walked to the entrance door.
She became worried that neither Bimbola nor Ayomide had come outside to welcome her upon hearing the car horn.
Instead of pressing the doorbell, she turned the handle of the door and was surprised to see that the door was not locked. She became ténséd and wondered what was going on. She pushed the door open with her heart béatîng fast. She wondered what must have happenéd to her son. In her cónfuséd state, she ran back to meet Akpan.
“Akpan! Akpan!!” she shôutéd.
Akpan who was urinâtîng in his toilet ran out on hearing his name. He strúggléd to zip his trousers as he rushed out to answer his Madam. Ignoring the urine that was dripping on his body, he rushed to meet Mrs. Tope who was approaching his room.
“Madam wetin happen?” he asked looking worried.
“What happened in this house? Where is my son? Where is Bimbola?” she queried with her hands swinging in all directions.
“They are inside madam. You no see them?” he asked her.
“Inside where?” she fîréd back.
“Madam, inside the house. Maybe they are sleeping.” he replied, still bâttlîng with his trousers.
Kazeem entered the house while Mrs. Tope and Akpan followed suit. Mrs. Tope ran passed Kazeem; she climbed the stairs at the sitting room and headed straight to Ayomide’s room pânting.
As she was walking fast, she almost stepped on Bimbola but stopped and saw Bimbola sleeping comfortably in front of the door.
She became fúrioús and gave her a kîck. Bimbola jumped up saying in her subconscious state, “Ayomide open the door,”
She looked and saw her Madam staring at her énragéd. “Where is my son?” Mrs. Tope asked ángrîly.
“Aaah! Anti mi, Ayomide is inside his room. He lôcked himself up since he came back from school and has refused to open the door.” Bimbola explained with her body shâkîng like someone that was poured cold water.
Mrs. Tope ignored her explanation and tried to open the door but the door was lôckéd. She became ténséd, bángéd at the door and said, “Ayomide, please open the door. It’s me your mother.”
Mrs. Tope faced Bimbola and asked, “What did you do to my son?”
“Ma, I did not do anything. He came back from school and ran inside.” she replied.
Mrs. Tope still banging at the door faced Kazeem and asked, “Kazeem you brought him from school, what happened?”
“Madam I don’t know. He said he is áñgry with you.” Kazeem retorted.
“Me? His mother?” she asked with her hands placed on her chest. Kazeem deliberately refuse to answer her question for féár of saying something that will hûrt her already wôundéd héart.

To be continued...

Written by NkyLaw (Maryanne Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam)

04/06/2024

WITHOUT MY SHADOW - EPISODE 3

Mrs. Tope could not get over the déâth of her husband and first son. Most times she would sit and stare at the ceiling, çryîng, or would not eat her food. Family members became wôrriéd as they féaréd she might lôsê her mind if she continues the way she was going. Yewande called a psychologist to come and talk with her but she refused to see the psychologist. Yewande tried to explain the essence of her meeting a psychologist, but she got áñgry and yélléd. “I am not måd! I just want my husband and son back.” She said.
Another psychologist was called and this time, she agreed to meet with the psychologist. She meets with the psychologist every Tuesday and Thursday of each week.
After a month, she was able to come round and accept her fáté. She decided to forge ahead with her only son. To avoid lôsîng her only son, she quît her job at the Insurance Company and had to continue to manage her husband’s company until her son grows up to take over.
Mrs. Tope would always ensure that Ayomide takes his breakfast and is set for school before she leaves the house for work. Most times, she would take him to school herself. Even when she is in her office, Mrs. Tope will always call the class teacher to know how Ayomide was faring.
On a Tuesday afternoon, while she was in a meeting with her staff, to discuss how best to move the company forward, all of a sudden the thôught of Ayomide came to her mind and she got up quickly and said, “Excuse me please, this meeting is pôstpóned. I want to go and see my son and ensure he is wéll.” She carried her bag and went straight to her car.
The staff nodded in pity as it was not the first time a meeting will be pôstponéd because she wants to see Ayomide or hear from him.
Upon sighting her coming, Kazeem the driver started the car. She entered into the car and before she could say where she was heading to, Kazeem asked, “Should I drive to Ayomide’s school?”
“Oh yes! Please do,” she replied.
He looked at her from the rear-view mirror and said in his mind, “Hmm! Oga and Tunde’s déáth has really affécted madam. She is so scâréd of lôsing Ayomide too. God help this woman before she díês of worries. I think I will call Aunty Yewande, madam needs to see a doctor.”
He drove straight to Ayomide’s school and parked at the lot. She got down and headed straight to Ayomide’s class. The Social Studies teacher was writing on the white board when she entered. The teacher turned to her right and saw her standing at the door waiting to be ushered in.
“Good morning ma,” the teacher said. The teacher knew who she was and who she came to see as her visit to the school has become frequent in recent time.
“Good morning,” she replied calmly with smiles when she saw Ayomide copying his note with so much interest.
“How may I hélp you ma?” the teacher asked. Ayomide turned and saw his mother entering. He put down his face, émbârrasséd that his mother has come to check on him again.
“I am sōrry for interrúptíng your class, I came to check on Ayomide to know whether he is alright,” she said when she approached the teacher.
“Ayomide is fine,” the teacher replied.
Mrs. Tope nodded in agreement and waved at Ayomide. He waved back réluctântly. She turned and went back to her car feeling relieved that Ayomide was fine.
Kazeem started the car the moment he saw her approaching. She opened the door and entered the back seat. “Drive back to the office.” she ôrdéred. Kazeem did as instructed.

To be continued...

Written by NkyLaw (Maryanne Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam)

04/06/2024

WITHOUT MY SHADOW - EPISODE 2

Three months after the déâth of her beloved husband and first son, Mrs. Tope could still not get the whole încidént off her head. She sat on the bed with her back resting on a pillow with folded hands, she recalled how her son during dinner before the day of the fâtéful incîdént had said, “Daddy, my glasses are no longer effective. I can’t really see with them and they are causing me a severe héâdaché.”

“Really? No prôblém son, tomorrow we will go and see the doctor for a change of your glasses,” his father assured him.
“Yes!” Tunde said púñching his hands into the air.
“Daddy, I will follow you,” Ayomide said in a pitîáble manner.
“But you don’t have an eye prôblém dear,” his mother commented. “You have to go to school tomorrow and stay with mummy when you return okay?” she added pulling his chin. Ayomide expressed his dísâppointmént with a frôwñ, but got óver it.
The next morning, Ayomide prepared for school. Bimbola was set to take him to school but he cômplainéd saying, “I am twelve years old and no longer a baby. I am in JSS 2 yet I am being taken to school like a child. My friends are always lâughîng at me.”
“Don’t mind them, they are jéalôûs of you,” his mother would say.
Mr. Ade came down to the sitting room with Tunde ready to leave. He hugged his wife and said, “See you later dear,” and then he left the house with Tunde.
Mrs. Tope was the only one left in the house; she tidied up the house and was at the sitting room listening to néws.
After a while, the doorbell rang. She got up to open the door. She peeped through the opening on the door and saw it was Bimbola. “You are back, welcome.” She said as she opened the door.
“Thank you ma,” Bimbola answered.
Bimbola entered and saw how neat the sitting room was. “Aunty, you have arranged the house for me,” she said smiling.
“Since I did not go to work today, I became bored and had to do something.” she said while sitting on the three-seater.
“Ese ma,” Bimbola knelt and thanked her.
Bimbola entered and was doing the little work she could do until she heard, “Bimbola!”
“Ma!” she replied and rushed to meet her at the sitting room.
Mrs. Tope sat up and said, “Please you will go to the market and get things for the house. Kazeem will be here soon to take you. When you are coming back, stop at Ayomide’s school and bring him home. I am sure they must have closed by the time you get there.”
“Yes ma!” Bimbola rushed in to prepare for the market. She later came out prepared to leave for the market. Mrs. Tope gave her the list containing what she would buy and further instructions. Bimbola took the list, folded it in her purse and left the house to meet Kazeem the driver waiting for her outside.
To keep herself búsy, Mrs. Tope lay on the seat and was listening to the music coming from the television when she heard some knocks on the door at about 11:05am. She wondered who it was as she was not expecting Bimbola or her husband and Tunde to be back at that hour. She walked to the door and peeped to see who it was.
She became cónfuséd when she saw three men in pôlicé uniform. She opened the door and said, “Good morning. Please, how may I hélp you?”
“Is this the residence of Mr. Ade Adebowale?” one of the pôlicémèn asked.
She nodded wondering what her husband has done to warrant three pôlicémén coming to their house. One of them asked, “Are you his wife?”
“Yes I am.” she answered looking at them closely.
“Can we come in madam?” one of them asked in a polite tone.
Without saying a word, she opened the door for them to enter and asked, “Officérs, what is going on?”
“Madam please relax. An hour ago there was a rôbbéry âttâck along Marina Expressway...” one of the pôlicémén was saying but she became ténséd knowing fully well that her husband would pass through that way to the clinic at Victoria Island, Lagos. Cúrióusly she asked, “Yes? What happénéd? How is that related to my husband?” uncônsciôusly râisîng her voice.
“Madam câlm dôwn,” the officér said and continued, “Well...he was âttâckéd by the robbers but according to the eye witnessés, he was not coôperâting with them so...”
“So what?” she asked approaching the officer.
“They shôt him and the boy he was with just as they saw the pôlicé were approaching.” the officer said.
Mrs. Tope stood still watching the officers and he added, “But before we could get to the scene, they were already déâd.”
“No o!” she scréamêd at the tōp of her voice.
Mrs. Tope came back to réality and crîéd her eyes ôut saying “Aaah! My life is fínishéd! What will I do now without my husband? Déâth! Déâth!! Iku!!! You are wîckéd! Tunde...”
“Mummy!” Ayomide called out when he heard his mother scréám. He ran into his mother’s room, saw her cryîñg on the bed and said, “Mummy!”
Mrs. Tope extended her hands and he climbed the bed to join her. He hûggéd his mother and holding him tîght she said, “Ayomide my son, you are all I have in this wórld now. Your father and brother are góné. Ade oko mi o.” Mother and child crîéd with no one to tell them that all will be wéll.

Mr. Ade’s láwyér was invited to the house to read his Will. All members of his family were present, including distant relatives. When the láwyér was sure all those that needed to be present were there, he opened the sealed brown envelop for all to see. He brought out the sheets containing the distribution of his assets and read out the contents to the hearing of all. Mr. Ade willed all he had to his wife and children and made substantial provisions for Bimbola, Akpan and Kazeem.

To be continued...

Written by NkyLaw (Maryanne Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam)

04/06/2024

WITHOUT MY SHADOW - EPISODE 1

“No, nó, no,” Mrs. Tope scréamêd. She closed her ears with her hands to stop the nêws from entering her ears.
One of the pólicêmén approached her to cônsôle her but she faîntéd. The three policémen rûshéd her out of the massive sitting room.
“Opén the gate!” one of them shôutéd at Akpan the gatekeeper. Akpan stood in front of his room with fôldéd arms wondering what policémén came to do in the house.
Instead of opening the gate, Akpan rân to see his madam being carriéd into the policé van. When it dawnéd on him that his madam has faîntéd, he rån back to the gate in cônfusíôn and opened the gate.
The van zoóméd off, and the nóisé of the sirén was all that was heard in the Estate. She was rûshéd to the hôspîtâl for immediate médicál attention.
Upon hearing the noîsê from the sîrén, the nurses at the hospital reception rushed out to know what was wrôñg. “Strétchér!” one of the policémén shôutéd. The nurses rûshéd back and immediately brought a strétchér. They brought her out of the van and placed her on the strêtchér.
The nurses pûshéd the strêtchêr straight to the émérgéñcy ward. A nurse rûshéd to one of the dôctôr’s office to notify him but as she was approaching his door, he was also coming out holding his stethôscôpe. “Dôctôr, you are needed at the émérgêñcy ward; a woman who collápséd is being whéeléd in.”
The dôctôr and the nûrsé rúshéd to join the other núrsés at the émérgéñcy ward.
After being laid on the hôspîtal bed, the dóctôr checked her héârtbéat. He also chécked her blóôd préssuré and témpéråturé. He collected a note pad from one of the nurses and wrote down his findings. A drìp was later passed on her and the dôctôr turned to the nûrsés and said, “She is in shôck but she will come around in a shôrt while. Please keep a close wâtch on her,”
“Yes dôctôr!” the nursés chorused.
“Who brought this woman?” the dôctór asked.
“Pôlicémén brought her,” one of the nûrses answered.
“Where are they? We need to know what happénéd and someone has to sign an undértâkíng.” he stated.
“They are at the recéption.” the núrse informed him.
The dôctôr went to the recéption and saw the policémén walking réstléssly. The moment they saw the dôctôr, they approached him and the dôctôr asked, “Are you the ones that brought the woman?”
“Yes dôctor,” one of them replied.
Extending his left hand towards the direction of his office, he said, “Please follow me to my office.”
They followed him and when they entered his office, he offered them seats. He asked what hãppénéd to the woman and they narrated their version of the story to him. He felt pîty for Mrs. Tope and promised to ensure she receives proper médicâl attention. They thanked the doctor and left, promising to call him later to know her state of héâlth as they have to report back at the pôlice stâtiôn.
Three hours later, she régainéd cônsciôusnéss. She opened her eyes and looked round the room wondering where she was at that moment. She recalled what the pôlicémén had told her and scréaméd in âgóny.
The nurses on hearing her scrêåm rûshéd in to cãlm her down but she résîstêd every attempt to be cãlméd. When she was becoming too hard for them to cõntrôl, one of the nurses ran to call in the dôctor.
The dôctôr came and quickly administered anaésthésia on her to make her sleep for a while. Eventually, she fell asleep. The dôctór stood watching her and nôdded his head in píty.
She woke up two hours later but this time a nûrse was with her in the room. Turning to the nûrse she said, “Núrse, tell me it is not true, tell me it is a lîé, tell me...” she críéd out. The nurse sat beside her on the bed and offered her shoulder and she léanéd on it çryíñg uncóntróllâbly.
She held on to the nurse tîghtly and shôutéd, “God! Where are you? Are you watching me? God! God!! Nô o!”
The núrse felt her páín. She tried her best to reassure her with words of cônsólatión but that seem to further tríggér her emótiôns. She púlled off the injéctíng needle at the back of her left palm and discõnnêcted the drîp.
The nurse felt she was going çrâzy and shôutéd, “Dôctôr!” She faced Mrs. Tope and said, “Madam, please calm down.”
She approached the núrse with râgé and said “Calm down? Did you just say cãlm down? I want to go home nôw! Take me hôme! Take me home!!” she scréâméd and thréw hérsêlf on the floor çryiñg.
The dôctor and two other núrsés rúshéd in. They also tried their best to console her but she kept shôutîng, “Take me hôme!” The dōctór called his driver, gave him Mrs. Tope’s address and asked him to take her home in company of a nûrse. She câlméd down at that moment and was taken outside to enter the car.
They got to the house and Akpan péeped through the gate, he saw the car and quickly opened the gate.
It was about 06:20pm. The driver drove in and she got down, placed her hands on her knéés and shôutéd, “Ayômidé! Ayomide!!”
Ayomide, her only son came out from the house and hûggéd his mother. Cônfúséd as to why his mother was çryíñg, he asked, “Mummy why are you çryîñg?” she held him and crîéd bîttérly.
Seeing his mother çryîñg bîttérly, he joined her without knowing what was wrông. Amidst his téârs he asked, “Mummy, where is Tunde and Daddy? They are not back yet,”
“Hah! Mo gbe! Jesu o. Ta ni mo se? Who did I ôffénd?” she crîéd oût and sat on the floor holding her son tîghtly as if to prevent anyone from snátchîng him from her.
She held his chins with her hands and said, “My son, we are now alôné in this world, your father and elder brother are déâd.”
“Mummy, it is not true, they are not déád. They went to the clinic for Tunde’s eyes check up and will be back soon.” he replied with his eyes blínkíng ceâselêssly.
Bimbola, her house help came out and saw her madam on the floor çryiñg. She faced the nurse and asked, “Ejo, please what is going on?”
“Who are you to her?” the nûrse asked.
“I am her house help but she is like a mother to me. I have been living with her for the past fifteen years.” Bimbola answered.
“Well, from what the pölicémén repôrted at the hôspitâl, her husband Mr. Ade was ãttâckéd by árméd róbbérs on his way to the clinic but because he was not côoperáting with them, they shót him and his son. Before people could come to their réscué, they gave up the ghôst.” The núrse narrated.
Upon hearing, “They gave up the ghôst,” Bimbola thréw herself on the floor and crîéd. “Yeeh! Tunde! Hah! Iro nla! Big líé! They cannot díé! The boy I nurtured from birth fourteen years ago cannot just díé like that.”
Akpan showed his gríéf and just as the téârs were becoming unbéárable, the nursé and the driver decided to take their léave. They urgéd Bimbola to cônsôlé her madam.
Bimbola tried cônsôlîng her madam but to no avail. She rán inside the house, took her phone and called Mrs. Tope’s younger sister Yewande. She passed the néws to her and pléadéd with her to come right away.
Two hours later, Yewande arrived. She cônsóléd her elder sister and before night fall, the néws had góne all over about the déâth of the father and son.

To be continued...

Written by NkyLaw (Maryanne Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam)

29/04/2024

27/04/2024

How to make delicious stew

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Preparing spaghetti for breakfast

06/04/2024

I want to clean up this page and start afresh. If you know you won't engage with my posts, please unfollow me. 🙏

14/02/2024

Valentine's Day

09/02/2024

It's another 9th of February and I am grateful to God for the gift of a new year and a new chapter. My life has been a clear definition of God's grace and I give God all the glory for the woman I have become.🙏

Happy gracious birthday to NkyLaw , CEO of Initiative for Women and Girls Right Advancement-IWOGRA , the voice of the voiceless women and girls, the women defender, the Boss Lady and the lover of peace. Cheers to a prosperous year!💃💃💃💃🏼💃🏼