I Will Offer You Mine

Ify frowned. “But I didn’t look for trouble na. Chibuzor is always boasting of what he doesn’t have and what he has not achieved. The worst part is that the money he is asking of you, I gave it to him last week!” Ify said to Lanre.

“So what if he boast of what he has or gas not? Shey I warned you to stay away from victory and her likes that do not mind their business, always nosy. Now you got a well addressed slap. Next time na sand you go chop”. Lanre said ending her speech by telling Ify that if she repeats such, she will be fed sand.

“Lanre, if it’s you, I will try to defend you! Do you know he even refer to you as a Yoruba demoness!?” Ify said pointing at Lanre. “Oshey! Defender, striker, keeper, it’s a goal! Them don dash you slap!” Lanre said sarcastically. “Anyway, that is his problem if he thinks I’m a Yoruba demoness. Because, odikwa very very right. He will be sorry he knows me. He should thank his stars I am not the person he slapped”. Then she went out of the house asking Ify to follow her. Ify was reluctant. But she later dragged her feet along with Lanre.

Ify wondered what Lanre was up to that she stood on front of the caretaker’s room. She opened her hands in a questioning manner wanting to know why Lanre has brought them there.

Lanre knocks on the caretaker’s door. She knocked on it so lovely that one would think she has come to offer him a gift. After knocking a few times, the caretaker came out of the house. “Osinogini?” The caretaker asked, meaning what.

“Chibuzor, why are you acting as if you don’t know us? Abi no be your girls we be again?” Lanre asked him. She asked him if they were not his friends anymore.

“This Yoruba girl, me I do not like you o. You look quiet, but me I know say you be small ogbanje o!” Chibuzor said referring to Lanre as an ogbanje. An ogbanje in the Igbo belief system is someone who is possessed by an evil spirit and is influenced by the spirit. Lanre just laughed. Then she places her finger on Chibuzor’s shoulder and slowly trace’s it down to his chest.

“Chibuzor, would you like to eat rice and chicken stew? Ify made it. But I will offer you mine as a way of apologising to you on her behalf for insulting you. You know say you na guy!” Lanre said praising Chibuzor at the end. Chibuzor was weary of Lanre. But when she said they had come to apologize, she straightened out. Then he said if they wanted to apologize with food, who is he not to accept their offer.

Lanre asked if he wanted her to bring it to his place, or he would like to eat over at their place. He told her to bring it over.