From my paternal side ...
While growing up i was either in umuahia or port harcourt...
i visited Abuja sometimes..
I had over 15 of you as buddies (those around my age bracket) The older ones were fun when they wanted to be... sometimes they were just too strict for me...
We all attended a federal Government college... we no dey use seniority play...
The female ones that were older...you taught me loyalty...
My tongues could not waggle more than they should.... your slaps came to remind me Why i had to be loyal...
Our parents maintained... Respect whoever is older than you... even if it is just by a year..
Chinwe slapped me when i was 13 because i and uche oriaku were playing with that small ball from roll on...
Sister chi said we should come inside, it was the former house in paka crescent ph city... we were playing table tennis.. she said we should bring the ball..
The ball was somewhere next to the plantain plantation....
Uche said he was looking for the ball..
I said "uche even if you see the ball, dont bring it"
Sister chi asked me? What did you say?
I said that i said "uche even if you see the ball, bring it"
She said it wasnt what i said. That i was lying.
She asked uche and i to kneel down.. we did kneel down.
I was 13 or 14... sister chi is older than me with 6 years and i am older than uche with 3 years
Chinwe is older than me with a year.
Chinwe said i was lying. I was kneeling.. my tongue waggled.. it shouldnt have... i said i wasnt lying ... i murmured a lil maybe...
Kpoza!!
It was a back hand slap from chinwe!
I was furious
But they no born me well to slap back...
I had to be loyal.
I was still kneeling
(Children's day was yesterday and i didnt feel like writing about my childhood like i saw people doing on fb.. today i am.. because i was making a post from a picture Aunty Uloma made me save.. she posted it yesterday... she referred to as children... ph holders, doctors, engineers, sociologists, nurses, models, economists, msc holders... political scientists...writers and media and business gurus..... yet true, true, we still be children even though many of us don born children)
My male cousins ... you taught me Loyalty in your own way ... DTC (Damn the consequences) made you exercise your free will you become agile thus... thus you taught me loyalty to one,s self and learning to face your wahala if you f. Up. No carry person along.. no call person name when you no suppose call him name... watch your brother back.. but atimes all man carry your cross...
But then we all learned "balance" after a while... you just cannot keep damning the consequences when the consequences come to damn you... like when they leave you so damned!
This is the Family. 22 are cousins.. 3 are siblings.. 1 is me... 26 in total..
Would have given you details about everyone but that would be revealing too much
But to meet the people on this photo you have to tour the world
Nigeria to south africa to Greece to uk to finland to America
Now i am not even sure everyone is where i mentioned..
You may think meka ekpo is in Nigeria when he is in brazil.. so dont even get it twisted......
La familia extra sophisticated!
How nice! Great post!
ReplyDeleteBut how were your further relationship with Chinwe, did you make good after that accident? Did she ever slap you in the future?
That's an interesting point but quite a few people can admit thankfulness for such discipline regarding cousins and siblings.
Actually, I've read this and understood that I've got the similar experience with my female cousin. How many slaps I received from her when we were teens! But can you believe she was two years younger than me (when I was 16 she was only 14). I remember I used to be rude and disrespective when talking to her but thanks God that tender girlish palm of my brave pretty cousin could knock me down a peg within a second landing a powerful stinging blow on my cheek. Ouch! I went bright red with shame rubbing my cheek while her strict eyes bored deep into my soul asking 'do you want more of that?'. I could do nothing, I never would hit her, I just took her slaps and they taught me to respect younger girls and think before saying smth silly.
And now, as the years past, I'm so thankful to her for those lessons. I've even said this to her when we became adults, and she laughed glowing with pride, however, said sorry for that but noted, as I remember, that all those slaps were well deserved. Oh, yes, my dear little cousin, I agreed, the discipline I've got from you I'll never forget. And we hugged. She was happy to admit that I am a strong person. It was great to hear such words from her and I really thank God for having her as my cousin and the discipline she gave me in our teens. I only wonder how did she manage to discipline me while being my younger sister and how did I succeed to take it for my best!