3 Months to Thirty by Sarah Adeniji
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EPISODE 1
I'M MJ!!!
Dear special person that needs to read this diary, this is the first day of the 90-day journey I had to take to 30 years. Let me introduce myself, I'm MoniJesu Akeju, my friends call me MJ.
I had several nicknames while growing up, Mean Moni, Big Mouth, Queen Bee, and other terrible names my enemies came up with but to my beloved mother I'm simply MJ, her miracle child.
I wasn't that bad while growing up, but my dad spoiled me terribly. I got whatever I wanted on a platter of gold and I could manipulate him to get just anything I needed; I almost got a car at ten. I would have gotten the car if I hadn't changed my mind.
There are two things that could bring out my mean side while growing up: Scolding me or messing with Bobby. Bobby (Bernard) is my precious little brother and I can kill anyone that dares make him cry, I almost killed his best friend when I was 14.
I have the most adorable mother ever, she's the only one that could scold me and get away with it. I wondered how she could even bear to scold me considering the fact that I was her only child. She had a mean slap, that was the only thing the Queen Bee was scared of while growing up. It all started about 40 years ago in the University of Lagos.
My Mother Foluke Ajao was born beautiful and brainy even though she came from an average family. Her parent could hardly afford to send her to school because they were average and uneducated: her mom a petty trader sold provisions while her father repaired generator. After her secondary education, the owner of the school she attended decided to sponsor her University education. Foluke was their trophy student, she had both beauty and brain and was the pride of her school.
Nobody knew why the Wilsons decided to sponsor Foluke's University education, considering the fact that they had been subsidizing her secondary education since SS 1. However, everyone could make a good guess because there were only two plausible reasons they could think of. The first reason could be that they were afraid of Folu turning into a petty hawker due to her poor background; they couldn't stand someone seeing their trophy student hawking around the neighborhood. The second reason could simply be that they were using Folu to advertise their school. A big overblown picture of Foluke graced their school gate with the caption "Education is Light says Folu our student on Scholarship".
Mom was elated when she heard that she was going to be granted scholarship to study in any University of her choice, and she made a vow to use the opportunity to upgrade her family status. Folu knew there were just two options available if she wanted to change her family's status: it is either she gets a good job after school or marry a wealthy husband. The chance of landing a good job was slim because she lacked the right connection, so, she decided to go for the former.
She was stunning and every man she met wanted to date her but she kept rejecting suitors, she had intended to marry early so she didn't waste time with aimless dating. She was 17 when she gained admission to study Economics in the University of Lagos, her goal was to land herself a wealthy husband by the time she is 21. She poured herself into her studies and kept getting good grades until her name was on everyone's lips at the University. She was elated by her popularity and was waiting for her chance to carry out her plans. Her goal was to marry the richest man she could find and luck smiled on her in her final year in the University.
Mom spent all the petty money her parent gave her on clothes. She knew how to pick her clothes; all her clothes were second-hand but you won't know if you were not told because she was always looking gorgeous.
The only weakness Mom had was her temper, I got the hot head and no nonsense attitude from her. She narrated the story of how she met dad severally that I could picture the scene in my head. She was on her way to the library one day when a black jeep almost ran her down. She chased the car and was cursing on top of her voice holding the cheap wig that fell from her head. The driver stopped to apologize and what happened next was destiny.
Solomon Akeju the only son of the Akejus met Folu that day and it was love at first sight; nobody could blame Dad for being swept away by Mom's beauty as she was a sight for sore eyes. He was about 25 and naive,: his gentle and quiet nature made him an easy prey. He was madly in love and couldn't say no to Mom. He was on his way to pick up a friend who had come to Unilag to conduct research on his project, his car broke down and he called Dad to pick him up. Dad was a fresh graduate from one of the top universities in England and a promising engineer then.
To say the Akejus are wealthy would be an understatement; they came from family of engineers and Dad's father owns a popular construction company. Dad and Mom got married after her youth service and it was a dream come true for Mom. Dad knew about her humble background and didn't care, his parent tried to stop him and was forced to give their approval when they saw that Dad completely refused to consider another lady.
It was a fairy tale wedding and the talk of the town, the Wilsons were proud of mom and used the opportunity to promote their school. Grandma and Grandpa shed tears of joy the day they gave out Mom's hand in marriage, they were overjoyed at their complete change of status in just a short time.
However, the joy and victory Mom tasted was short-lived because she couldn't conceive after her wedding. All their efforts to conceive both medically and spiritually proved abortive. My paternal Grandparents wanted a child and Mom knew that her position in the Akejus' household was not secure. She had all the wealth she could dream of but there was no peace for her, Dad had brought the idea of them adopting a child but Mom rejected it outrightly.
If money could buy a child Foluke would have bought one; she couldn't fit into the circle of her husband's friends and her in-laws didn't want her because of her childlessness. Mom was a shadow of herself despite all the love and devotion her husband showered on her. She knew Dad would never consider being with another woman because he was madly in love with her but it was no comfort to her. She tried all the new medical inventions because her husband could afford them but they all proved abortive.
Mom endured for about ten years, until she couldn't bear the shame anymore. Dad was still madly in love with her and couldn't bear to lose her but she was becoming a shadow of herself. She packed few of her belongings one day while Dad was away on a business trip and returned to her parent in the village. She had built a house for her parent at their hometown in Oshogbo after her marriage and they had moved there happily. She got there late in the night to avoid neighbor's inquisitive gaze.
When Grandmother saw her she was alarmed, Mom couldn't say much and kept on shedding tears. What Mom didn't inherit from Grandma was her faith in God, her alias in the community was "Iya Aladura". When Grandma perceived what was happening she told Mom to return to her husband's house, the statement she made that day was "Waa loyun, Mo ni Jesu" the translation is "You'll get pregnant because I have Jesus". Mom refused to go back but she later went when Grandma assured her that she was going to conceive this time around.
Grandma told Mom she was going on seven days fasting and told Mom to fast with her. I believed Mom's incessant fasting and prayer those period was borne more out of desperation than faith. Mom conceived for the first time in her ten years of marriage the following month. She ran back to Grandma in the village and Grandma danced round the community, she told Mom she made a pledge to Jesus and she would pay it after her daughter give birth.
Dad was the happiest man on earth when he learnt about Mom's pregnancy, he showered her with much care and placed her on bed rest throughout the duration of her pregnancy. His plan was for her to deliver the baby abroad and they were counting days and months. Mom was supposed to travel to US three weeks before her due date, and she was preparing. She had packed her baggages and was waiting.
She began to experience labour pains two days before she was due to travel and Dad drove her to the hospital for checkup because he was sure she was not due for delivery. She was checked by the doctor who told him she was already 4cm dilated and would give birth soon. Dad was alarmed because he was afraid of the baby being pre-matured but the doctor told him it'll be dangerous to delay the delivery.
When Dad discovered mom was going to give birth in Nigeria against their plans he opted for CS and told the doctor his wife should not be allowed to go through labor pains. He could not bear her screams anymore and hurried the process. The theater room had been prepared and mom was being wheeled in when she gave a loud scream; she was holding the baby's head in her palm and Dad almost fainted.
The nurses surrounded her and helped her into a comfortable position for delivery. She gave a mighty push and I slided into the world. Dad swore that I was the cutest thing he had ever seen, I gave one mighty scream and Dad burst into tears. He was right there in the theater when mom delivered his princess.
I wasn't just mighty cute and drop dead gorgeous as a baby I was also unusually strong. When Grandma was informed that her daughter delivered a baby girl she rushed down to Lagos from Oshogbo. She held me in her arms and danced, she kept chanting "Mo ni Jesu, Mo ni Jesu, Mo ni Jesu". She told Mom I should be called MoniJesu because that was her vow to God. Dad threw a big society party on the eighth day and I was named Sandra, MoniJesu, Tiwatope, Akeju.
I was the splitting image of Dad; I inherited his tall frame, slender body, and dark skin. Because of the striking resemblance nobody could accuse Mom of birthing a bastard and her place was secured in her husband's family and in the society. My cute little brother Bernard was adopted eight years later and our family became complete.
Mom singled out MoniJesu from all my names because she was scared of Grandma's vow, the name became the only name people got familiar with out of all my names. I was her beloved daughter but for some strange reasons she didn't like the fact that I inherited her hot-headednessess and sassy attitude.
I'm MoniJesu Akeju, the princess of the Akejus household and the queen of my world. I don't tolerate nonsense and it is in everyone's best interest to remember that.
To be Continued...
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