English Is Not My Father's Language

In Mrs. Olayinka’s right hand was a short broom and on the left a machete. Ify find it absurd. She had heard of things like this. But she has never seen anyone doing such a thing. She could hear the woman’s cries as well. And then the words she was saying in Yoruba were not something she could comprehend. But she could understand what the woman was doing. She was asking the dead to find it’s killers and avenge them of her death. Her grief must be intense for her to be doing such a thing. Ify thought it was not Christian to do such a diabolical thing. As far as she can recall, Lanre’s mother was a bonified Christian who would only calm down when her daughter tells her about her growth in church not knowing they were lies.

Ify wondered if Lanre’s mother would do this if the police had not wave the case aside saying the accident was caused by Lanre’s driver who was allegedly drunk before handling the steering wheel that day. Perhaps she would not do this if the police had taken it upon themselves to find those truck drivers. But they did not bother. How could the two trucks disappear without trace. None of the drivers felt remorseful enough to stay behind. The both of them ran away and they said it was an accident caused by Lanre’s driver. They blamed the accident on the dead.

Mrs. Olayinka dropped the machete and the broom on top the grave. Then she covered it with some sands. Then she turned around to leave when she spotted someone was there.

“Olanrewaju!” She cried. But that was Ify and she had thought it was her daughter. She ran to hug Ify calling her Lanre’s name in full. Ify could not say a thing. Instead of dashing the hopes of a bereaved mother by pulling her back to her senses, Ify hugged her back and consoled her.

“What are you two doing outside?” Olamide who had just come outside of the house asked. He must have noticed something was wrong.

“Mama came outside to mourn, so I followed her not wanting her to be alone”. Ify replied. He just looked at her suspiciously. He did not trust her. He walked up to them and pulled his mother away from Ify.

“Once it is dawn, you should leave. I don’t want to see you in our house. You andy sister’s friendship ended long ago. Besides, she is dead now, you should not be here”. Olamide said to her. Ify wanted to say something, but Mrs. Olayinka’s wails had interrupted her.

“Olanrewaju! Ah! Omomi o!” The woman cried in agony. Olamide gritted his teeth. He managed to carry his mother inside the house. He took out his phone. He searched the internet, but he seemed not to see what he was looking for.

“Why is there no news of senator Ojo’s death yet? I thought Kehinde said it would happen before the end of the day?” Olamide muttered.

“Oh right! I should not trust the son of the man who attempted to kill my sister?” Olamide said shaking his head.

“But he did kill her! That is not an attempt”. Ify said. She had heard what Olamide said.

“English is not my father’s language. Thanks for the correction”. He said and then walked away.