CHAPTER TWO
It was Friday morning when Amara received a message that she has been offered a provisional admission into Michael Okpara University to study Business Administration. She was filled with joy, the fulfillment that she displayed, portrayed how accomplished and happy She was. On closing the message box, she jumped up without considering the phone in hand, screaming at the peak of her voice. The sound was so loud that her mother who was arranging fuel wood at the back of the building, came running towards the direction of the sound, afraid of what might have happened that made her daughter scream in such a high pitched tone.
“Amara! Amara! She called out, as she ran effortlessly towards her daughter.
Mama! Mama! It has happened, God has done it again for us. Amara shouted while leaping around. “I have gained admission,” she said to her mother who has approached her panting and gasping for air. God, I thank you ooh! She exclaimed on hearing the good news. She began to sing, praising God for what He had done in their dialect.
“Mma, Mma eeh! Chukwu ji eme onu mma mma eeh, na ra ekele nara otuto’m eeh, agam aturugi mma mma.” She sang repeatedly with tears of joy flowing down her cheek, as Amara joined her in the chorus of the song.
That night the moonlight was so bright that one can pick a pin from the floor of the veranda. There sat Mr. Chinedum, Amara’s father on an armed chair made from rattan. Beside him was his favorite relaxation drink, Mazi Ukandu’s palm wine. Which Mr. Chinedum always praised to be the best palm wine tapper in the entire village of Oko and its environs. As he was drinking his palm wine pondering on how things are going on in the community, and in his life. He thought of the devaluation of Naira in the global market and the situation of the country’s economy, which has turned the middle class into the poor whose monthly allowance can’t afford a bag of rice or a bag of bean, which are the staple food in the country. Not too long, Nnenna, Amara’s mother came to inform him on the good news that has visited their family and her presence interrupted his meditation.
“My husband, I greet you. My heart has been filled with joy all through the day”. Something good has happened in our family, now no one will say “can something good come out from Chinedum’s household?” My husband guess what? She said looking at her husband who was already tensed and eager to know what the news is all about. “My dear, you know too well that I’m never good in guessing and that it has never been a part of me. Stop keeping me on suspense, because my heart is wondering what it might be that you want to say. The elders usually say that it is always good to hear good news from the bearer of the news”.
“Ok, No need to beat about the bush. It is about our daughter Amara,” she replied. “What has happened to her? Has she found a suitor?” he asked anxiously.
“God forbid any evil that comes her way. She has not found any yet but what I bear is a better news, our daughter has gained admission into the Federal University in Abia state. She replied with a blissful smile.
“Wow! Ome ka Nna ya, the daughter that does just like her father would have done. Where is she, call her for me,” He said as he joyfully drank the remaining wine in his cup. Nnenna ran to the back yard to fetch Amara.
“Amara! Amara! Come here, your father want to see you.” Amara rushed immediately to join her parents.
“My daughter, congratulations. I am proud of you. Nnenna go and get me the dried bush meat I bought from Nkwo market. We have to celebrate this success as a family. I pray that the God I serve and that of my ancestors will never let success and joy depart from this home.”
“Amen! She replied as she hurried to get the meat from the kitchen. Not quite long she has returned with a tray of dried meat, a knife and a sauce.
“Sit down everyone, we have to enjoy this moment together as a family”. They drank and ate the meat until there was no room left in their stomach for more.
In Abia state, Amara arrived at the bus station in Umuahia trying to board a bus heading for Umudike where she got an admission to study Business Administration in Michael Okpara University. At the bus station she received a call from Ure, who has left for Lagos a day before.
“Hello, Ure, how are you today,” Amara said.
“Amy, am very fine, things are really different here,” Ure replied.
“Babe, do you mean it”? Amara asked.
“I woke up this morning to listen to the news at 6.00 AM, you can’t believe what I heard, the lady broadcasting was speaking in Yoruba, saying things like “Lo gbo’ Iroyin,” Ure said.
“Wow, you are now a Yoruba girl, come back and teach me, ok,” Amara replied.
“By the time am through with my schooling, I will be perfect to be able to teach you,” Ure said. “Bye and take care”
She ended the call and boarded a bus going to Umudike. In the bus she was next to an old woman, who looked to her as a trader. The woman was very happy when Amara greeted her and tried to inquire were next she would stop. She was very happy to assist her to locate Umudike.
It was on the second week of September and fresh students where resuming for registration and orientation in the campus. The school environment was saturated with sounds from cars, stereo of the Student Union Government and people conversing in different languages at different vocal length and pitch. As Amara stepped into the school environment, she felt a breath of relieve. She wondered in the bus on her way coming that she might be the only under 20 girl that gained admission. She thought on how the senior girls in her secondary school bullied her and her friends because they are small in stature and young in age. She feared that the campus might be the same. But as she looked around, she saw other fresh students that she is older and bigger