UNMARRIED AT THIRTY
CHAPTER 1
“I’m only a spinster, I’m not sinister, stop looking at me like I’m a monster. You think I’m possessed and inhabitable, that’s why I’m still unmarried right?. For God sake, I’m just 34 years and i don’t see any reason why you people should act this insolent at my presence?. Oh because you’re married with children?. You, Jumoke, does being married at 25 with a child gives you the effrontery to be this impetuous?”. Toluwani fumed, she cackled with a weird laughter as her younger siblings looked at her with discourtesy. She breathed heavily and her eyebrows rose, her heart burnt and anger Welled up in her brain. She knew if she wanted to avoid further uproar in that parlour with those unscrupulous siblings of hers that has lost manners since they got married, she must exit the house immediately. She angrily threw her bag on the table and was about closing the door behind herself when her mother came in. “Tolu, they’re married women, stop talking to them in such tones”. Her mother said flapping the hem of her wrapper dusting the yam floor stain.
Toluwani couldn’t believed what her mother had just uttered. Instead of warning them of their injudicious character, her mother cheered them up?. Tolu lost it and she flared into rage questioning her mother why she was encouraging their act of insanity. Jumoke and Fumilola, the two siblings stood up frowning at their elder sister for shouting at their mother in such manner.
“Eh is mama lying, you’re 34 already and not married, yet you find it impossible to respect those who are married. Is it because you’re jealous or what!!” Fumi said mockingly. ” Mama, can you hear what Fumi is saying? ” She asked hoping her mother would cautioned them but rather she told her to go and get married. “go and get married Tolu. Maybe i should take you to prophet for delivery”. Tolu couldn’t understand why everyone of them had become so irrational, she tried to controlled herself but the jests they made at her forced the monster in her out. As jumoke opened her mouth to say something, she was shut silenced by a hot resounding slap. Jumoke’s jaw stung, she placed her palm on her left cheek and gave out a loud deafening cry. Her mother tucked her in her embrace and cursed at Tolu. Fumilola chickened to the corner and kept quiet at once.
The people’s unreasonable remarks towards Toluwani’s singleness has turned to a desperate maniac. Recently, she constantly was unable to sleep, even when she managed to closed her eyes, she always had nightmares where she sees people jeering and pointing distorting fingers at her. Now , her own younger siblings were openly calling her unmarketable spinsters.
Mr Akimbode was alarmed by the disturbing cacophony erupting from the parlour. He tuned down his FM radio and called upon his wife. “Mama Tolu, what’s it this Sunday afternoon”. His call was useless as no response followed. He stood up from his chair, walked to the door, it was then that Tolu stormed out of the house in a pace unmatched. “Marriage is not the only thing in a woman’s life” she said in-between her breath as she walked past her Dad. When she reached her car, she stomped her foot to the ground disappointedly when the car door refused to opened, she realized she had forgotten the key in the handbag she dumped on the Chair few minutes ago. She rushed inside still raging with inaudible murmuring, she rummaged through her bag for the car keys. Everyone stared at her cautiously.
They had witnessed her anger severally but never had she been physical with anyone but ,today she was provoked beyond the limit button.
Toluwani, a 34 years old daughter of Mr and Mrs Akimbode was a graduate of mass communication from the university of Lagos state Nigeria. She graduated from the university 6 years ago. After searching unsuccessfully for a good paying jobs for two years, she was able to secure a very lucrative job as the head of media department in Ajayi and co. travel agency.
Mr Akimbode was a 68 years old pensioner, he was a commandant in the Nigerian army with four children, three girls and a young boy of 14 years old. His wife Ifeoma was an Ibo woman from Anambra state. She married her husband Mr Akimbode when she was just 19 years old, Akimbode was 30 years then. They had their first child Toluwani after four years of marriage. Akimbode’s immediate younger sister was a wealthy lawyer who had made quite a great name for herself. Even at 66 years, she was never married. According to her, “the institution of marriage is like a dome well decorated outside but adversely infested with pains, agony and many more unpalatable tales which she wished never to partook of its feast”. It was her decision to not married despite the number of men that queued asking for her hand in marriage but unlike the aunt, Toluwani wasn’t against getting married.
The Akimbode family wouldn’t be called a wealthy family but definitely wasn’t a poor one. They were the second class family living in the heart of Lagos state, Ikeja to be precised.
Jumoke was just 25 years old, she got married a year ago to a young engineer whom she met during her youth service at Sumok enterprise Sururele. He was the head surveyor on the construction going on in the company. They had a child recently, actually she was five months pregnant before the wedding was performed. The young couple were doing okay financially though Jumoke had no source of income. Since she gave birth to her son, she had become disrespectful towards Toluwani. “It doesn’t really matter if you’re older, married people are more responsible and should be treated with more respect” she d’ remarked. Jumoke’s recent contumacious display of characters was actually fueled by her mother’s incessant snide reminder to Toluwani to get married.
TBC
I’m Victor Achegbulu Oinu your local writer
©Oinu Victor Achegbulu
**** You’re above 30 and unmarried. So what?. Is that why you abandoned living and have become a desperate maniac running from Mallam Waheed to prophet Timothy?. Sister, brother, relax first. Take a deep breath and follow me.
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