November 9, The birthday of a petite black woman

Since the 1st of November 2017, I have been looking forward to the 9th of the month that ushers in the last month of the year. Someone will ask; "why have you been looking forward to the 9th?" I really do not know, but what I know is that my Mama told me that several years ago, when garri was still very cheap and kulikuli was still ten sticks for N10 (I don old o), in Lagos state, Nigeria, she(Mama) had her  third child. This baby who turned out to be a girl looked so light skinned and vulnerable when she arrived planet earth. Mama said that everyone thought that this very girl child is the one who takes her looks. "Oyinbo pikin" everyone at the hospital said (Naija sun don turn me to blacky finish).

Mama told me that as this fine oyinbo pikin grew up, she became a wahala child, she can cry! Soon Mama handed her over to  Uncle  Friday's care (her then favourite uncle, who lived with them). This baby became so used to Uncle Friday that she would always cry after him saying "carry me". Not long, Uncle Friday earned the name " family man" among his peers.

At the tender age of two, the girl child started schooling. Papa would hold her hand, as he walked her down to school. No! She often refused. "Don't follow me, I can go all by myself". So papa would stand in a corner of the street to make sure the little girl arrives school safely.

As the girl child grew (not so much in size anyway), she earned the name 'rebel'. At home and at school, she was often called stubborn, but then she has a sense of humour that makes her listeners roll on the ground laughing. Her intelligence at a young age was rare. As a teen, the fastest way to kill her was to tell her not to go to school. She loved school and the reason was because she had terrible friends whose talent in oppressing people were as good as hers. Still she was a shy teenager, who never talked to anyone first. While some persons think she talks too much, others think she is too quiet. She was a complicated teen no one could understand. University of Benin tried but could not frustrate her, she was beyond frustration.

The girl child grew into a teen and then into a Lady. Over the growing years, she has learnt. She has learnt that life is only fair to those who  make it so. She has learnt that life is neither a bed of roses, nor a pillow of thongs. She has learnt that life without Abba God is like falling into a bottomless pit. She has learnt that it is not how much work you do, but whose help you seek, God's or man's. She has learnt that man is prone to disappoint, only God is constant. She has learnt, she is learning, she will learn.

November 9, 2016, the girl child, now turn Sisi Eko was serving her fatherland in Sokoto, a land filled with onion and nama (meat). The harsh weather just couldn't do anything to the Sisi's skin that had grown tough over the years

Fast forward to this day, the 9th of November 2017. The baby of the 90s has become a woman, a petite black woman. A woman with a blessed past and a shinning future. A woman whose confidence is in God. An independent woman whose only dependence is on God. A virtuous woman. A woman who life can neither break nor mould.

Experiences; some good, some bad, still I stand. I stand firm in God's love. Terrible times, rough times but Abba's love keeps me. I stand tall. I stand strong. 9th of November is much more than a birthday, it is a celebration of life, of purpose and of greatness.

Comments

  1. What can I say? You've said it all. I just love the you I see and admire the rebel I had as a classmate. Happy Birthday

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