The night in which he died, All of nature stood still.

The night in which he died,
All of nature stood still.

Mama's last child.
He had just returned from yonder- 'obodo oyibo'.

Where he had studied to become a dental surgeon.

Fifteen years apart from when he left home.
To the Tuesday on which he returned to Nigeria very early in the morning.

Mama went wild with joy, when she heard that her 'husband and first love' had returned.

She ran all the way to the akara junction very close to the family house where the taxi would most likely drop him.

She even took a thick scaff so that she could carry his load on her old head.

But, Akanji! He too dey Waka.

He called to say that he had to see someone in lekki, by the bustop.

His old friend, Coleman.

Then Coleman was so happy to see him and so they went to see Wale. Secondary school friend whom he always chatted with on WhatsApp. Even while in yonder.

And then to Jasmine's.
And then to Hooper's.

It was on one of these visits that day, that Jasmine insisted on driving.

She drove.

And they ran into a truck by an unexpected sharp bend.

All the other people in the car died at once.

But he, mother's long gone husband, fought hard for his life.

At least so that he could say a final farewell to mama.

But he did not make it too.
He gave up that night.

Mama ran that night.
All the way from the 'keke' at the gate of the hospital, into the ward, where his body now lay lifeless.

Omor! 😥

How her wrapper fell off her Waist as she sprinted in careless regard,

revealing the white , red-oil-stained, flowing underwear.

She saw his body and she ran back outside.

Blood was streaming from his cracked scalp.

It was drizzling outside.

She kept on running and wailing. In the rain.

Not knowing when to stop.
Not willing to stop.

If death was a life, then that day, she really did live his death.

I'm so sorry I told a sad story.
I wish I said a story that made you glad.

But this was Mama's pain. 😥

NB: "obodo oyibo" means, white men country e.g, UK, Canada, US etc.

--llo