You asked after my father a few days back; well, I am sending him back to Naija immediately after this coronavirus pandemic.
I have received calls from family and friends, people calling me to say he told them I want to kick him out of my house. I will, sis, I will. He doesn’t deserve half of what he has got right now.
The man is such a pain! He is only here because flights into Nigeria have been cancelled.
You know my story sis, you know how I got to where I am now and without this man’s help. But I will tell you a few things you didn’t know.
Of course you know when I was born, my mum and my grandma were the two people prominent in my life; my grandma especially, who raised me because my mum had to go back to school. I was born when she was in secondary school.
Throughout my growing up years, I think I only saw my dad, thrice; the first, was when I turned five, when grandma threw a small party for me and I was introduced to a man they said I should call ‘Daddy.’ He disappeared afterwards till I turned 10. I remember I kept asking grandma over the years where my daddy was? I wanted to see him again but it was one excuse after another, until I completely forgot to ask again. At age 10, he showed up again like a ghost from the past; again, grandma told me to call him daddy, I did, and again, he disappeared from our lives.
I learned not to ask grandma after him. He showed up again when I finished secondary school. I had passed my jamb and waec in flying colours and wanted to study medicine.
When this man came, I told him I wanted to study medicine and become a doctor, guess what he said to me, ‘…we haven’t finished feeding here and you want us to go looking for money to send you to become a doctor, can’t you go do something that won’t cost so much money?’
Has he beeen sending money for my upkeep, grandma said no. So, I asked again, why would he say I shouldn’t bother being a doctor because it would cost so much educating me?’
My grandma told me that day, ‘God will provide.’
Sis, you know how poor my grandma was; you know how many years I survived on hand-me downs, how many times at school, I came close to giving up after not being able to catch up because I couldn’t afford one text book or practical requirements or another. My grandma came to yours several times for loans that she knew she would never repay.
But thats how I finished medical school. I did all the exams I needed to do to qualify for further studies abroad and here I am today.
Then my dad showed up…he showed up to celebrate a daughter he never supported. I wanted to say to hell but grandma said to forgive and forget, even my own mum, who was a shadowy figure in my growing up years is asking for forgiveness.
Because of my grandma, I said ok. When I relocated to the states 5 years ago after working in the UK for two years, I wanted my grandma to come live with me. If anyone deserved to live a good life, it should be that woman.
Only for me to hear that my father had been telling the world that I neglected him after he labored over me, he did this and that. I’m like is that man ok? Is he sane?
But trust grandma, she said, ‘Forgive him, do you have another father on this earth? Maybe God is testing you. You have succeeded so much, don’t let God demand the sin of forgiveness from you,’ blah, blah blah…that’s why I agreed that ok, he too should come with grandma to the US for a short while, only for a short while.
Ase the idiot man had gone to tell people he was relocating to America finally. He even told them he wouldn’t come back, that his daughter would take care of him…
He sold off his household items, practically everything he owned because as far as he was concerened, he wasn’t coming back.
Hummn, I laughed. I laughed in French.
Passports, visas, all ready and I was only prepared to host him for just 2 weeks, maximum!
Once this lockdown is over, I’ll kick him so high, I really don’t care where he lands, just not at my door. He is shameless, asking for everything under the sun. I am just tired of being cooped up with him.
See me see wahala with this corona virus.
(Series written and edited by Peju Akande and based on true stories)