Auntie Adiza Tells Her Story

I wrote this while in Senior High School and was published in NEWS-ONE NEWSPAPER and ONLINE at news1ghana.com on the 7th August, 2013 . 

“My Brother, My Friend I love my brother, my brother loves me. My friend, my hero, he always will be. In sundry ways our uniqueness is clear. He likes to go far, but I favor near. He likes to play sports and being outside. I prefer play music and playing inside. Sometimes we fight and scream at each other, but he is my friend for he is my brother.” Michele Cobb quotes  

One day, Auntie Adiza was in her kitchen preparing food for lunch. She was cooking “jollof-rice” with cabbage stew. It was the stew her kids loved the most. The food would be ready in about thirty minutes and all she had to do was to cover it and allow it to warm a little. 

All of a sudden, she heard voices from her sitting room and she quickly came out of the kitchen. 
“What is it?” she asked. 

Ali was holding a television remote at one end while Amina held the other end. They were trying to pull it from one another. 
“Give it to me” Auntie Adiza instructed. Ali pulled it from Amina`s grip and gave it to their mother. 

“It’s okay” Auntie Adiza said while taking a sit on a sofa beside the television. “Sit down my children”, said Auntie Adiza. Ali sat on her right and Amina sat on her left side.

Auntie Adiza was a cheerful plump woman with a round face. She did not take any corporal punishment on her kids to correct them. Despite her giant stature, she only looked at any of them when the person is doing anything wrong and without saying any word you could feel the disapproval. Ali was slim and stood tall. He was two years older than Amina; who was ten years old. Amina stood as tall as Ali but was fatter than him. They both attended the same school and always quarreled with each other.

“My children” Auntie Adiza said. 

“In every relationship, there are ups and downs. When there`s a fight it helps both parties to know the likes and dislikes of one another. This would make your relationship stronger".

"When I was in Secondary School; which is now Senior High School, I had a friend called Rukayatu. She was called “Ruky” for short. We both lived in Nima. I always went to her house to go to school together. When it was time for lunch at school, we eat together. We also did homework together and explained things to one another; things we did not understand".

"day it was time to go home and I was finishing my class work at the same time. Ruky asked me to leave it for the next day else we will miss the “trotro’’. I was so engrossed and I did not give her attention". I was solving mathematics and it was my best subject’’. 

“Which school did you attend?” Amina Interrupted. 
“Presbyterian Secondary School-LA” Auntie Adiza answered and continued. 

“It was a very nice school and I loved everything, the atmosphere, teachers, students, and 'Sir Sammy' the gate man. The Headmistress was very inspirational. Her name was 'Shine Ofori'. Miss Shine brought a lot of development to the school, the three storey building in front of the computer lab, renovation of Science Laboratory and brought good teachers to the school”. 

“Please mum, continue the story” Ali intruded. 
“Oh where was I?” Adiza ask.  
“You were doing your class work and…” Ali replied. 

“Yes! Mathematics! I loved mathematics and I was engrossed in the work so much that I did not pay attention to Ruky. She got angry and left. Before I finished my exercise, she was already on the bus which take-off as I was getting close to it. I had to walk home which took me about an hour. I felt guilty and worried".

"The next day I went to her house and I was told she had already left for school. At school she did not talk to me. I tried to talk to her and let her know how sorry I was but, she did not mind me. I could not eat at lunch and it was guilt all over my face. Later in the day she approached me and told me to let go everything and that she overreacted. I told her I was the one to be blamed".

There was a smell from the kitchen and it meant that food was burning. 
“Let me go and check on the dish I will continue later. Wait for me at the dining table” Aunti Adiza said
Ali and Amina got up excitedly and running to the table on the other side of the room. They seemed as if nothing had happened. When their mother came out of the kitchen holding their favorite meal, it was as if they were injected with joy. Ali was hitting the table with a spoon and Amina singing some weird song. Auntie Adiza placed the food and started to serve them. She lamented “I don’t want to see you quarrelling anymore ok” 
“We won’t mum” they both replied. 
“Mother, continue the story” Ali reminded. Auntie Adiza smiled and said 
“Well, we forgot the past and became friends once more”. 

Fahd Mahama

@fahd_mahama