THE EXCHANGE
EPISODE 4
My relationship with Tunji was more or less an engagement but nothing was official & I’m sure if people gave engagement rings back then, I would have been wearing one. I was considered ‘marked’, everyone knew I was in a relationship & my mum would introduce Tunji as “?k?
Àf?s?nà” which means fiancé in Yoruba Language. Later my mum started suggesting that we should get pregnant but Tunji would just laugh & tell her not to worry, that we would give her grandchildren at the appropriate time. Tunji made a vow of chastity with me & promised that we would wait till our wedding night before we made love. He would say “Why be in haste to have a taste when u can easily have the whole pot for keeps”
My cousin Laide, who lived with her parents in Lagos was getting married & it was going to be a big party & as the first granddaughter of my maternal grandmother, the whole family was involved. Laide & I were very close growing up; she would come spend some time with us during her school break & I would do the same during my holidays but we drifted apart when she got admission into the University of Ibadan. She came with her mum (my mum’s elder sister) to inform us of her wedding & it was nice seeing her again. The last time I saw her was at my dad’s burial but this time, the visit was different & we had time to talk for hours. She told me everything about her fiancé. They met at the University of Ibadan, when he came to visit his younger sister who is Laide’s friend. He studied Medicine abroad & is now the head of the medical team in his father’s company. He is from a wealthy family & they are planning to shut Lagos down for the wedding. She went on & on about how this was a fairytale come true for her & she already got a brand new car from her would-be father-in-law for saying yes to his son; she would be travelling abroad with her fiancé to shop for the wedding & she wanted me to be her chief bridesmaid. In all she said, she never once talked about love between her & her fiancé; I was curious but I was also focused on the wedding bcos she seemed so happy & I was super excited for her. She took my measurements & shoe size so she could get me the things needed for the engagement & wedding, on their shopping trip.
They were with us the whole weekend & she met Tunji…
I could see immediately that she was not impressed with him & all she said was: “Hmmmn, he’s so handsome.” She didn’t talk about him again until they left Sunday evening.
Laide’s mum had made arrangements for the “As? òkè” (the traditional head gear & cap for family members to wear at the wedding. They arranged to meet at Ibadan some weeks later, where they can buy the one they choose in bulk. Laide told me to come to Lagos before the wedding, she told me when she would be back from her trip & wanted me to come try on my clothes & other things, in case they would need adjustments. After they left, my mum still took a jab at me & Tunji again, saying we should get something done soon.
My cousin got back & I quickly travelled to Lagos to go see her. The things she brought for me were beautiful. She bought everything needed to be the chief bridesmaid up to undies. I met her fiancé (Bola) for the first time as well. I also met the best man who happened to be the groom’s cousin. I noticed the way he was looking at me. I wasn’t sure I liked it. Bola took us out to have lunch & his cousin came with us; I had never seen such affluence & lavish spending in my life…the restaurant he took us to…the car we drove in…the people we met at the restaurant….I was seriously intimidated but I kept it together. I told myself I would just sit quietly & return to my Abeokuta after everything, but Laide was flowing perfectly… Hmmmmm, it is good to be burn rich.
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