Mama and Baba Abegunde sat outside their mud house, enjoying the cool breeze, their stomachs full from stretchy pounded yam and flavourful egusi soup. It really should have been a pleasant morning, but they were both worried about their son, Toye. The matriarch had given an unexaggerated account of all that had happened in AbowuContinue reading Abowu District Episode 17
Becky hadn’t seen Toye in almost a week. She wasn’t anxious, rather she simmered with anger, wondering why he hadn’t come home and why his mother seemed to be content with her son’s behaviour. She considered going to his office to make a scene but these days, she was too heavy to go and makeContinue reading Abowu District Episode 16
Babatunde waited for Sewa to return from the children’s room after she had put them to bed, before he began to tell her what was on his mind. “There’s another opportunity to cater for the Ministry of Agriculture. I overheard someone talking about it at the local government and went to ask her what itContinue reading Abowu District Episode 15
Mama Abegunde sat at the back of the house with Mama Adio who was breastfeeding her last child, the child was cradled on her mother’s laps. It was late in the morning, and Becky was still asleep. “But Mama, why don’t you chase her away from your son’s house?”
Babatunde ate the last morsel of pounded yam in his plate and washed his hand in the bowl of water at his feet. Sewa came into the sitting room where he was and began to pack the empty plates. “Thank you,” he said. “Did you enjoy the meal?” “Yes.” Sewa frowned, her husband seemed odd.Continue reading Abowu District 13
Sewa and her neighbour, Simbi sat side by side in the small overcrowded hall. There were about a hundred women listening to the matronly woman who was holding a small pamphlet. Behind her, three other women and a man sat fanning themselves with hand fans made out of raffia. They looked disinterested and irritable, theContinue reading Abowu District Episode 12
Sewa couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened in Mr Olasehinde’s office. She led her children home on the way back from church and wished that Babatunde had never brought up the idea of catering. Her lips still throbbed from the assault and she felt nauseated, despite the fact that she had cleaned her mouthContinue reading Abowu District Episode 11