“Aunty, dis your low-cut fit you kpa kpa!” Was that me? Oh, yes it was. “Thank you. Thank you very much ma”, I said with a smile and took my seat. Wait o! Must I say thank you twice? “But that’s typical you na”, my head teased me. True sha. People wey know me, know say I sabi appreciate anything die. E dey always be me like say di first thank you no dey enough. I smiled again. The woman reciprocated and then turned to face her front. She was lapping a younger woman. They readjusted and she fixed her earpiece. Me too face front.
The next thing that came out of that corner is something you would never have hexperred! Under 2 seconds o! Kworororo! Wait! Na snore be that?! Molue jerk, madam jolt. I turned to look at her; see eye. Na so di two guys for her face don diiim. Ah ah! Even the man sitting on my right was touched too. Just now, just now? This woman must be really exhausted.
Aunty no mind us o. Na so she slap di girl wey sidon for her leg, kpa! I no hear wetin she talk, but it sounded like, “no sleep make dem con carry us pass bus stop o!”. Younger babe was not even sleeping deep at the time sef. Just small small head knocking here and there, na him she collect slap so o.
I was shocked at first, but after a while, the whole thing made me smile. Na my mama face I see, and the face of most Nigerian mothers. Abeg make una doff cap for these women! As a child, you no get di right to make di same mistake wey your mama make, even if na for your front she dey dey make di mistake. She will make hers and spank you while at it when you begin to misbehave. Say she tire or weak no mean say she no go correct. From sleep and with sleep eye, she go put you straight and then go back, no think am.
Our Nigerian mothers are warriors. These women spend their days and nights moulding, framing and shaping the minds of their wards; whether na dem born you or not. One would expect that they will give up at some point, make some excuses and live for themselves when the odds are not in their favour – even if na for one second – but no. You will see that their body is failing them and crying out for rest, but they will still keep the consciousness of nurturing. Twale!
Mama bear will jolt out of her sleep at intervals and slap the younger girl. “Dey alert”, she would say. “But, you ma sef”, I follow di woman up immediately inside my mind. “If we check am well, na di same work you and dis girl do. Why not cut her some slack?” “So dem go carry us pass bus stop, abi?” She respond sharply. Telepathy. “You don forget say no keke or okada again? Ehn, no problem na. Me and her trek di trek. Abi?” I let her rest. Na true she talk. This okada ban in Lagos is taking its toll on everybody. And if you no stand with two legs, it will wear you out in no time. Our only hope now be say things go better. Make we hope say our guy, Sanwo-Olu know wetin him dey do. We don call am to serve, make we trust am.
I turn look dem; serious competition of who go knock head pass. And na so the girl dey collect slap from time to time. At one time, the woman told her to stand up if she know say she no go open eye keep. The girl vex, stand. Tough love. “I’m teaching you to stay awake for the both of us so you can do so for yourself and for your younger ones when I’m not there”, was surely the lesson from the slaps. And the girl understood. I guess that’s the reason she laughed when the woman said something funny. Children. Leave o. They forget their hurt very quickly. Dem no be like adults wey go find am hard to forgive. The two shared another laugh and the woman told her to sit. Babe do small shakara, and then sat.
I raised my head from all that deep thinking; as per philosopher wey I be, and we were already at Costain. I tapped the woman and I have never seen gratitude so pure. She happy say driver no carry them pass. “Thank you, fine aunty”, she said and woke the younger girl.
I don waka go dey find my aya (tiger nuts) customer when I hear her dey quarrel give di girl. And na from di discussion na hin I find out say na elder sister and younger sister, no be even mama and pikin. Talk about batons.
Image: Paradise Planet Earth
CHINA TORI 
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