I was thirteen years old and living with my mom and dad, my sister Sandra and my big brother David, in the city of Abuja. There had been more of us children--two more, so I once heard mom say but the others had died as babies. Our home was two rooms in a large building, with so many people squashed into the building. Usually, my dad worked for a bakery, happened to be known as the chief baker. When dad started to talk about the war between Ile-Ife where we originated from and Modakeke the neighboring village, my Mom would get fearful and say to him, "hey! Not in the front of the children." She was frightened because the war got many killed.
There was much to talk about on the streets where I hawked. If I was lucky I sometimes earned extra pennies a day, from the hawked goods. We were lucky with my dad working as a baker, we usually had bread in the house. One day in May, I was coming home early from the hawk, as there was an outbreak between okada riders and taxi drivers. Most people decided to take covers in their homes.
As I trod the stairs up to our rooms on the first floor, I could hear Mom and dad's voices. Dad was in an angry mood, and mom was trying to calm him down "please James" I heard mom plead. But Dad cut her off and snapped, " This is my home Ella! I pay the rent and I will say what I like. And I say it is time that David leave home to fend for himself! He is an extra mouth we can't afford to feed!".
"David just finished high school days ago," My Mom protested. Replied my dad angrily, "when I was his age I had left my parents for three years!''. But children are different nowadays, said, my Mom. Lots of children are still at home with their parents when they are seventeen. "At seventeen he should be out earning his living and looking after himself like I was!" Insisted only dad. I sighed, turnaround I saw David and Sandra. We walked back down the stairs. I do not fancy going home when dad is in that kind of mood. I suspected he must have had a bad day at work.
We decided to sit downstairs for an hour or so and give Dad time to calm down before we return. Truth is said, most times my dad was in bad temper. Mom once said to is he was like this because we are poor and Dad worries about finding the money to feed us all. There was never enough money, all I knew was that other people were poor and their dads do not complain about them all the time.
That night after mom had gone to sleep in the small room with Dad. Sandra, David, and I settled ourselves down on the floor and think of the way forward. Sandra was fifteen. Next two years to come she will be through with her high school. I, Stella I'm only thirteen but can't stand the life that we are living because dad isn't making it enjoyable with his all-day nagging.
David said he will be following one of his friends to his uncle's house in Lagos, where he will get himself busy in one way. Sandra worried that Mom might not oblige to his idea. While I worried about how he will further his education. He said once the results are out, he will apply for a part-time University course there in Lagos.
