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Nigerians have been worried about shows like “Ultimate Search” and “Who wants to be a Millionaire” going into extinction. Well, we might have gotten something to lighten that worry now. Yes, it is the new Courtroom TV show – Judging Matters.
Judging matters is a new courtroom TV show that deals with real cases being heard in court, with a touch of drama which makes it quite entertaining.
Surprisingly, it depicts hearing a court case that requires no Lawyers’ fees nor filing costs from the defendants and accusers and has no adjournment as opposed to the real court system.
It also deals with minor cases in Lagos which might be trivial for the court to handle given the barrage of important cases at its mercy.
The TV Show is run in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and organized by MultiChoice.
It premiered on 27th April 2020 on Africa Magic Show case (DStv channel 151) and will be aired on the station every Monday at 6:00pm WAT and on subsequent Saturdays on Television Continental (TVC channel 193) at 7:30pm.
So many things make this show amazing, not only the settings but also the lead actors; a Judge and the councillor who questions the parties just like what we have in cross examinations.
These actors are renowned personalities in the Judiciary and entertainment scene; they are no other than the phenomenal Justice Olusola Ajibike Williams and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu.
Ebuka and Justice Olusola, the lead actors on Judging Matters.
The Judge in the person of Justice Olusola Ajibike Williams, is a retired Lagos State Judge who was appointed to the Bench far back as 22nd May, 2001.
While her counterpart, the drip connoisseur and a household name in entertainment industry especially when it comes to compering – Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, plays the role of a Councillor.
Ebuka has carved a niche the years, he has been on shows like BB Naija, Close-Up Love Naija, and then rubbing minds.
To crown it all, he is a Law graduate of University of Abuja, who was called to Bar after successful studies at the Nigerian Law school, Abuja Campus. He later proceded for his Masters at Washington College of Law of the American University, Washington DC. He also practices privately in his firm ‘Knight and Sheriff.
Trust me, this is a TV Show that has all shades of edutainment, you don’t want to miss. It will also keep you abreast with knowledge of your rights and demystify many things about Law that you did not know.
She didn’t like being ignored, especially her messages. Anyway, who would have liked?
He replied her tweet through her direct message inbox on Twitter – that was how they met. He later told her how he liked her, was a fan of her content and wanted to be good friends with her, even take her out if she will let him.
She liked him too, he was good looking and his tweets, like most of hers, reflected love for humanity. They exchanged phone numbers and talked on phone, occasionally.
They got along well, turned out they were both Christians and had some things in common. He was not good at keeping conversations, or so she thought. She gave the glue that held their conversations, on phone and in the Dm.
On this day, their conversation blossomed slowly in the Dm and at some point she asked about his family but he did not reply.
A day and another passed, still no response, yet he tweeted and engaged tweets, even her tweets.
The thought that maybe, he did intentionally not reply her, made her gradually loose it.
“Is he a snub? How do I even deal with liking and communicating with a snub?” These thoughts jogged back and forth in her mind. She tried to wave them with thoughts of other things, but no, they peeped through the windows of her mind.
Then, she thought of calling him.
“Why call someone who ignored your message? When did you start forcing yourself on people?”
“Call him and find out if he is fine”
“No, that’s not a good reason to call him. He is fine and you know it. You see his tweets, and how he replies tweets including yours”
“You see, he replies your tweets, shows that he did not ignore you. Call him and have a decent conversation with him, that way, you’ll know about his family”
“No, he did. He ignored your direct message. Why do you have to call to know about his family, why did he not reply your message?”
These two voices in her mind kept countering themselves. The second, louder than the first.
She felt choked up, like her emotions could not breathe again. She could not think straight as thoughts of this man filled her mind and she did not know which voice to follow.
She suddenly remembered how the Holy Spirit had helped her in similar situations, and asked what He would have her do, in soft sincere tones.
Then, she listened to those voices again.
“Simply send him another message, and ask whether he intentionally snubbed your last message”.
It was not the loud voice. She was amazed at how the only voice she heard now, was the calm one struggling to be heard before.
“Dear Holy Spirit, could this be you?” She asked in her mind amidst smiles.
“This option makes sense, This way, if he ignores again, I will see that he intentionally ignored my last message”, she continued.
So she sent him the message and he immediately replied; apologized for not seeing her last message. Then, they picked up from where they stopped.
“Thanks Holy Spirit, how you solve our biggest puzzles in the easiest ways, so that’s how I would have helplessly choked, lol”, she smiled littering her mind with this whisper.
“What do we do now?” asked the MC amidst a heavy sigh.
“Oh My God, who knows his family?” inquired one of the women around
“That’s not even the issue here, are you sure the lad is still alive, because there seem to be no sign of him breathing, or do small children breath silently too?” responded Madam Kofo, the only female graduate in Akpotoma community and the party’s host.
Madam Kofo, a wealthy and rude woman who loved children but had none, was hosting her stepdaughter’s 7th birthday. She also had special packages planned for children who partook in the birthday activities.
“Ahn ahn, why are you this heartless, so you’re wishing him death, is it because you don’t have a child of your own?” retorted another woman.
“Wait wait wait, are you referring to me?Eehn, so when graduates are talking, you too would use that hole in your face to make a sound, mtcheeeew. It’s like your brain is paining you.”
“Are you stu…”
They were about starting a fight when Nne appeared, she had been in the restroom and was alerted by the noise. “What is happening to my son!” she shouted as she knelt down sobbing and trying to revive Obi. Madam Kofo left the scene in anger.
The MC volunteered to take him to the only government hospital in the community with his motorcycle when Madam Kofo stormed out with her car keys and ordered the MC and Nne to enter the car carrying Obi in. She was aware of the bad state of the government hospital and was going to take them to a standard private hospital in town.
The party came to an unplanned end as people went in groups to different corners, discussing how dilapidated the government hospital is, the poor unprofessional services they offer and how their bills are too exorbitant.
Just before Madam Kofo ignited the car’s engine, a loud sneeze came from the back seat, It was Obi. Nne who had him on her laps, gave a loud shout of joy and rushed him out of the car for fresh air. They all came down from the car.
Everyone at the party’s venue was startled and gathered round the scene. Obi was sound and fit, as though nothing had happened to him earlier. The air was filled with rejoicing as songs of praise directed to one in particular, flew around.
The MC immediately resumed his former position on stage with the mic to say something, but came to a halt when he saw Madam Kofo approaching him with an air of pride. There was absolute silence as everyone eagerly looked to hear what Madam Kofo had to say.
She started by thanking everyone for staying behind despite the brief hitch experienced, apologised to those whom she was rude to, spoke highly of her love for dance and commended the dance skills of Obi the winner of the dance competition. She also announced her surprise package for children who participated in the dance competition. The participating children were to get cash prizes while the winner was entitled to scholarship up to university level and enrollment into a dance school to harness his skills.
At the end of Madam Kofo’s talk, Nne burst into uncontrollable tears of joy as a loud applaud filled the air.
Having soup for dinner was a sacrosanct ritual in Nne’s household; a scanty watery dish with little chunks of fish, the size of crayfish. She never thought of becoming a widow at this young age, left with five huge boys to fend for with little or nothing.
The boys always looked forward to having the evening meal, which usually came with a reasonable lump of swallow. The only days they could boast of eating twice a day were on days Nne made good sales of her retail bitter leaf at the market square.
Obi, the last of the five boys was the glutton of the house. Nothing could pass him by, if it was headed for the stomach. He was also the pride of Nne, his mother because he made her feel that her foods were sumptuous, even though they were no more than bits of vegetables and spices that grew on their little farm land located in a small portion of their abode.
This was the only land left for them by Nne’s husband’s people who turned enemies after he died of food poisoning. Obi had not learnt to resist taking anything eatable from a stranger, even after he was told the scary story of how his father whom he never knew, died as a result of eating food offered him outside. This weakness for food, almost landed the poor boy into trouble on several occasions.
Obi and his siblings attended a nearby community school in which they were superstars for owing school and other related fees. Obi was known for his wonderful dance steps, which was facilitated by the local music store right opposite their house where various songs were played, keeping Obi consciously or subconsciously dancing to the beat of whatever song played.
On some occasions, himself in company of other children would assemble in front of the music store at the tune of a popular song, to watch the magnificent dance steps of people on the television. He was such a fast learner as he would always teach his peers the steps to some songs, this earned him the nickname “Akpa-egwu”, literally meaning “bag of dance”. Nne was really glad that aside food, her darling Obi loved dance too and it brought him so much happiness that she tried in every way not to discourage him from the art of dancing.
As a way of assuaging her children’s hunger, Nne would always look out for parties in the neighborhood so that they can attend for purposes of filling their stomach while they look up to their evening meal, the surest of everyday.
At one highbrow birthday party Obi attended with his mother, when the D.J called out children for dancing competition, Obi was the first to come out with a large grin on his face and tattered clothes. Other children appeared on stage all prim, and he was obviously the oldest of them all.
Three rounds of the dance came and went with a tiny looking boy emerging the winner, but before they could announce him, he was seen gasping for air. He breathed harder and faster and then slumped. The other children who partook in the dance, burst into uncontrollable tears. Other people at the party kept gathering round the young boy even as they were asked to give way to allow him breathing space.
There was serious panic in the crowd, some left the arena while others tried to revive the boy. Water was poured, breeze was blown, and all forms of first aid therapy applied to bring the child back to consciousness. Yet there was no sign that he was being revived.
I laid there in the dirt with my face deep in the mud. Little ants had started to crawl over my face but I couldnât move a limb, I just let them have their fun. âLie down, all of you! You all are national threats, where are your guns you criminals?â One of the men bellowed. When they flagged our vehicle down, we thought we were about to be robbed till we saw the SARS logo on their vests and were relieved.
A few hours ago, I woke up feeling genuinely happy, I felt better for the first time in a very long time. I woke up with a contagious glee and I had never felt better. Alexa my online butler had already started to play me my smooth 80âs playlist and Teddy Pendygrassâs Turn off the lights was first on the list. I bet by now you shouldâve understood how impossible it wouldâve been to make me unhappy.
I had met the most fascinating girl and I had a date with her tonight. âWear blue blazers, I love guys on blue blazersâ i heard her voice ring in my mind over and over again. I didnât have the balls to tell her I hated blue, as a matter of fact, I have no single item that is blue (unless the blue of the $2,000 rainbow painting that stood on my wall counts). So I bought a new blue blazer, looking at it now, it didnât seem so bad. I had never been to the Fela Shrine but I had heard stories. A place where itâs never nighttime, a place where the fires of your soul would be ignited, a place where vibrations never ends, a spiritual place. So I was about to fly all the way to Lagos for this Magical night with Aduke. We met at an art gallery in Abuja. She was the only female her age in the room and I wondered if she really had interests or she just came to poach rich old men who had gotten addicted to buying art because it was their escape from the curse that is wealth. When I decided to go talk to her She was staring at Salvador Daliâs – The Mystery of William Tell and I knew she was too special. The mission was simple, have fun, get high and live a life of 3 weekends in Lagos.
My Uber pulled up in front of the shrine and I saw her, my eyes drifted over parts of her body, and I started to think of things I shouldnât think of. She wore a tight mini gown that made her thighs glow brighter than peppered chicken laps. It was roped by the sides and it gave me the chance to see just the right amount of skin I was permitted to. Her hair was nappy and sleek, I wanted so much to run my hands through it. She wore very light makeup and her lips were arched. I knew she had been smoking from the way she was grinning endlessly. She smelt so pineapple and brandy and it gave me a tingling feeling in my groin.
âAh! The Senator’s son has arrived Eko, welcome your excellencyâ she exclaimed mockingly. She knew I hated being referred to as /the Senatorâs son’. She would go to the Sun to find out new things that would piss me off but not tonight would I be annoyed. âI hear you fine with the extra filthâ I spontaneously replied. âOh but if I donât welcome you who will?, Nobody here knows who you are and a Prince must have his grand reception, so I am the best fit for the job, am I not?â
âOh my God, youâre not even trying to hide the scorn, but then itâs good no one here knows who I am so I would like for you to snap out of it”.
We made our way to the shrine as we caught up on things thatâs happened since we met last. The shrine was what it was called, the place with all the magic. I had never felt so alive. she dragged me to Femi kutiâs performance and I enjoyed every bit of it. His cheeks would bloat as he inhaled enough air to push through the Sax. I donât know what intrigued me the more, from the painted black women that were dancing, to the weird looking guys dancing in circles each with his blunt. People were screaming and dancing, enjoying vibes resonating from the stage, the Sax and Trumpets made the ambience electric. So electric you could almost taste it in the air.
Aduke and I were sitting at a table and enjoying fresh palm wine when she lit her cigarette. I hadnât been smoking but I was already light headed from the fumes that were in the air.
âYou know cigarettes will kill ya right?â. I blurted out teasingly âI would rather have weed to tobacco if I must smokeâ I added. She simply smiled and continued on her phone. I gave up on trying to make small talks and went back to observing the dancers. I was already interestingly fixated on one of the dancers’ waist that I didnât hear her mutter something.
âDid you say something?â I asked
âI said so Fela was right all along?â
âHow is that?â I was already getting curious.
âI mean he said it over and over again and we never listened, we only laughed and danced it to it. We never actually listenedâ.
I was bewildered, I couldnât make head or tail of what she was saying so I replied with an âmm hmmâ.
âBut what would you know about that, right?” She continued, âFela said all the truth there was and he was haunted for it. Blacks killing blacks, Africans killing Africans, that is the colo mentality that Abami Eda (Fela) sang about. The corruption, the killings, the looting, the wickedness shall never cease until we get rid of that colonial mentality, until we get rid of the suffering and smiling mentality. Let us be angry, if we are suffering, let us cry out in anger and let our cries be heard. But this Naija, some are born in suffering, with suffering and live in suffering. Time feeds the pain, as we grow bloats it till youâre one piece of walking agony. People like your father are one of the reasons why this pain will never end, do you deny?â
All the while I had been inadvertently admiring her ardent tone. I found it soothing in an utterly reliable fashion. She was right, I knew nothing of what she said. All my life I had everything I ever wished for. I was deprived the pleasure of hunting my own game. I always had other hunters kill at my doorstep. Before Harvard, I already had properties in my name which is more than I can say, necessary for 95% of men my age.
We always knew it, saying daddy was overpaid was such an arrogant understatement and even at that we knew his looting schemes but nobody actually cared because we would end every year with a new property in our names. I thought the heat was almost over before she dropped another bomb on me. âYou cannot deny the cries to ENDSARS. You cannot deny you do not know that young people of your age group are harassed, killed, shot, disgraced in their homes, on the streets, in the club, name it! Just for having an iPhone or maybe their hairstyle or even for breathing. Youâre a youth and you could actually fight for a good cause with your father’s name but of course its not your business. It won’t end until its you on the receiving end then your father will be interested. itâs never your problem until youâre concernedâ.
I felt like I had been asked out on a date just to slap my life on my face. I wouldâve told you what happened next but that would be you knowing too much.
The time was 1:57am and we were in a cab that would drop her at home and me at my hotel. The air in the car was tense and silent. We had not said a single word to each other since I told her she was just a bitter woman. The cabman said he picked a tail and was about speeding up before he saw another truck in front flagging us down. The driver cleared by the road side and I thought we were about to be robbed before i saw the SARS logo on their vests.
âCome out of the car with your hands up now!â One of the men cried. He had hands as big as chimps and his face was looking too mean with a scar across his face.
âLie down flat, lie down flat. You are threats to national security. Flat I say, lie flat!â It was all playing out like a movie when they said âsee this one, him wear apple watch, na yahoo boyâ.
As they hit my leg with the butt of their gun and said âoga cab man take your motor and leave here, I think this one is proving stubbornâ He was looking at Aduke and I knew he was right.
The last thing I remember before the loud bang that rang in my ears and the stars in my head spinning, was Aduke was resisting suppression and screaming at the top of her voice. Kicking and biting, she was screaming my name. I couldnât do much, I had a gun pointed to my head. I heard the shots, 2 shots that changed every thing. The gun canisters dropped first, followed by a thud on the floor. Her body was laying lifeless on the ground, her eyes were still open and I felt they were looking at me accusingly. Her phone tumbled right to my side and I saw that her camera was open and recording. She had tried to video the men harassing us and they shot her. I was engulfed with enough rage needed to boil a volcano while losing a few billion brain cells. It did not matter if I had a gun pointing at me because I was standing already, cursing and fighting.
âYou will pay dearly for this, oh I will make sure you will suffer for this evil you have done. Do you know who I am?â I went on and on as I kept reaching for the throat of the man that had shot her. Everything was moving too fast, I was talking too fast. I reached oneâs gun, my hand was still on the holster when I heard another shot. I couldnât believe I was the one that was shot. It was too wild for me to imagine. I still didnât believe when I saw the blood on my shirt. A sharp pain followed and I lost my balance and found myself on the ground. I watched my blood soak what was once a $800 Moschino shirt.
As I faded away, I heard the ape man ask one of his boys to put a gun in my hands. Self defence he called it. I wondered if dad would imagine where I got a gun from, his poor little boy.
In an instant it all made sense, I could see it clearly now. I understood the colo mentality. I understood how African we all are, I now see how we are a lost people. I now understand its never your problem till youâre concerned, for how can he who is meant to save you be the person whom you need saving from. If I could send a final note to dad it would read ENDSARS! There I heard a faint voice whisper âLet us not show our face till the end, till our dreaming slows, till nothingâs left. When we meet the angel of death do not show weakness for he feeds on fear, your fearâ. It played in my mind all the time while I walked towards the light.
Šď¸Mr. Nwachukwu. â˘PURE FICTION⢠This piece is a story, an exposition, a letter, a direction, a fellowship. Listen to me like Africans. All copyrights reserved. IG: @Daddys_dna. Dahformulh@gmail.com
“Hello pretty, where are you headed?” “Eeerm”. I was still contemplating the response to give before the same voice came again to ask if I was scared. “No, how can I be? Well, I’m headed to UNICAL hostel” “Ooh, Ok we won’t get to that side, but let’s drop you at the junction” “Ok, no problems Sir”, I replied with no second thought. I hopped inside the car unafraid as usual. Accepting a lift offer was part of UNICAL school life just as it was common with many other Universities. There was the driver with a man in front, another sat with me at the back. They were dressed boyishly and then literally looking old. The transit was a slow one filled with boring discussions. I was asked of my view in some of their discussions which I gave in a carefree way, praying not to entertain any other question from them. Before I was dropped at my destination, the driver requested for my number which I gave out with so much ease that even surprised me. “Do you have transport fare to the hostel, baby?” He asked with the ‘baby’ pronounced in a slurry tone. I guess he was trying to be boyish, but old age was written boldly all over him. “I do sir” “Are you sure?” I hesitated before I threw in another “yes sir”. I wondered how ridiculous it would be for me to wake up and embark on a journey back to my hostel without transport fare. I was offended that he asked me such a question but I managed to hide it before greeting them goodbye. My phone rang when I barely reached my hostel. I guessed who the caller was and your guess is as good as mine. “Hello! have you gotten home?” was the question that came from the other end. “Eeerm yes sir, I have”. “Hope you know who’s talking?” I did, but decided to follow the script I had written already in my head. “No sir”. “It’s me, the man who picked you on your way to the hostel this evening”. “Ooh, is that you?” “Yes”, he said sounding happy. “Hope you’ve gotten home?” “Yes sir, I have and thanks again for the ride”. He replied with the normal “don’t mention” line. I was impressed with his show of kindness, but I wanted it to end there. Just then, the main show began. “What is that your name again?”. My stomach suddenly became tightened, the question really freaked me out, but I stood my feet. “Ugomma” I replied, pissed for the first time about the fineness of the name and how easily people coin lovely pet names out of it. “Oh Ugom, I really love that name’. There we go again. “I would really love us to hang out one of these days, I stay at 8 miles and I would be free tomorrow”, he quickly added. “Uuhm”, I was already scratching my wig and surprised how cool I suddenly became with the man on phone, because I usually have a rude way of taking care of unprofessional philanderers especially the oldies among them. Oh! my good heart, was it the cheap lift? “No sir, tomorrow is Sunday”, I replied swiftly. “Yes nah, I know, that was why I asked, you’re not going to school nah. I can come and carry you from your school with my Lexus 350. You know the one I used today was a Venza” I imagined his guts and asked myself where I left mine. “or maybe I come with my wife’s Murano”. Did that just escape from his mouth? I could swear he mentioned his wife. That’s what pride gets you into, leaving your mouth ajar. “Sir, my schedule tomorrow will be very tight, sorry I won’t be chanced”, my voice came off like a drizzle. “Wait, am I really pleading? I’m really disappointed”, was the thought pacing round my head. And then came the bomb. “Aahhh baby, I’m really falling for you ooh” “You’re very beautiful” “I love you” “I really want to…” At that point, I checked my phone as if to ensure network failure. Honestly, I was tired of the conversation, such a waste of time. I figured out the best thing to help the man with, was to hangup the call. put the phone on flight mode for sometime and restore. Mark the man’s number and avoid his calls because I didn’t know how to block numbers with that phone yet. Suddenly and thankfully so, my guts appeared from nowhere. “See Oga, e don be for you. If na the ride wey you give me today, baba come drop me back, let me start coming back or even trek…” I really got choked up and found myself stammering, but I ended the call successfully warning him not to, and daring him to try my line again.
Shola and Tobe were good friends from University, they met each other in their final year in the University where Shola studied Banking and Tobe, English. After graduation, they were posted to the same area for their National Youth Service Corps. There, they attended the same church and also became members of a choir that had its rehearsal three times a week. He would walk her to her lodge after rehearsals, and there, theyâd sit under the mango tree to gist about various things ranging from work to family, dreams, business ideas and the pettiest of gossips in town until the security guys would come to announce that it was time to close the gate. This routine continued, though Shola didnât frequent the rehearsals like Tobi did. They never went out on a proper date but at times, Tobe would on his seldom visits to her lodge bring her cooked food, fruits and sometimes monetary gifts â a token out of his pocket money. This made her feel special and loved. For her, Tobe was a perfect gentleman and her dream man.
At some point, Shola stopped coming for rehearsals, and it was at this period that Tobe was made the choir director for corpers band and Kate a petite girl with the most charming smile, his assistant. After rehearsals, Tobe would walk Kate and her younger brother home. In fact, he was such a sweet guy to almost every lady in the band and, was the kind of director that made rehearsals fun to be in. Some ladies took turns in asking him to walk them home after rehearsals and, with all pleasure he usually accepted. Itâs been a while since I heard from Tobe, Shola thought as she called him one morning. She congratulated him on his appointment as choir director for corpers band, Tobe on his side apologized for not calling for some time, explaining that heâd been really busy. She understood his predicaments and wished him the best in all his dealings, when he asked her the reason for her absence at rehearsals, she replied that she had travelled for an eye treatment outside town.
From then, he sent her some âIâm checking up on you, with romantic scentâ texts almost everyday, she replied the ones she could, and sometimes they spoke on phone, she was a lover of words, so gradually his words got to her psyche, and she started expecting his soothing texts often, she was gradually falling in love with him without her full knowledge. For days, she imagined how good a boyfriend and husband Tobe would be, she found herself stalking Tobeâs pictures on social networks, she became obsessed with the thought of him to the extent that sometimes sheâd be lost in the middle of discussions with her friends, they would often shout to bring her attention back to their discussions on love and life. After about two months of Tobeâs constant messages, he abruptly stopped messaging her and Shola saw herself being greatly disturbed by this development.
Shola resumed rehearsals after three months and Tobe was really surprised seeing her. âHey babe, whatâs up na, itaff tey o,â came Tobeâs voice with a slight tap on her back after rehearsals. Shola who had one ear of her earpiece on, turned and her smile turned to a frown. âTobe the director, na wa for you o, naso you just forget me,â she said pouting her mouth. âMy dear, no be so o, my phone got spoilt, and some other thingsâ. âYour phone got spoilt indeed, well wahrefa, I missed you shaâ. âAwwn, me too o,â replied Tobe as he exposed his whole dentition. âAre you going now?â she later asked him. Tobe hesitated before he answered in affirmation. When they were about to go, Kate showed up, like a flash of light.
âHeey Shola!â she called out, amidst smiles. âK baiby!â Shola replied, âyou are not looking bad,â she added as they exchanged a warm hug. âWhat happened na, you just disappeared from rehearsals,â Kate asked looking so much concerned. âMy dear o, I wasnât aroundâ. âEeya, welcome back,â she said as she turned to face Tobe, âhow far na director, lil bro is waiting oâ.â Oh ok, letâs go, wait fess lemme get my thingsâ. Shola watched in awe as Tobe left her muttering âok dear, Iâll see you next tomorrow, please come on time o,â he added as he walked away with Kate. Shola was a bit disappointed as she bade them goodbye and left for her lodge.
Sunday came and she took a solo rendition of special numbers and led in the worship, that was the first time she had done that since she joined the corpers band. After service, many complimented on how good her voice was and, some even collected her number. âWow, I never knew you had such a gorgeous voice just like yourself,â that was Tobe unknowingly intercepting her phone call as he approached her in smiles, she ended the call and turned to face Tobe. âAwwwn, thank you darling,â she said. âAnytime love, youâre set to go?â Tobe asked. âEerm yes, this one you want to walk me home today, it will be a good week oâ. âWho told you I wanted to walk you home, I just asked a simple question,â Tobe replied giggling. Sholaâs heart skipped, âOh, I thought as much, these days youâve been walking other ladies home after rehearsals totally forgetting that I exist,â she managed to say. A bit shocked, Tobe retorted, âhian babe, you didnât tell me you needed a walk home after rehearsals nau, how was I supposed to knowâ. âDid I ask for the ones you used to give before?â Shola asked. âHaba, babe it hasnât gotten to this nau, oya letâs goâ.
âDirector T, Pastor asked to see you now,â came a voice from behind them, it was Alabi, the Pastorâs driver. âBabe, Iâll call you later, I have to go now Iâm very sorry,â Tobe said as he ran behind Alabi. That was how she went home alone again on the second Sunday since she returned from her eye treatment. It was unlike other Sundayâs before she traveled for her treatment when Tobe would voluntarily walk her home. On her way home, it dawned on her for the first time that Tobe didnât owe her a walk home after rehearsals and, that many other things he did for her, he did them out of his goodwill and nice guy-ness. It dawned on her too, that they had been nothing other than very good church friends as they mostly saw each other in church during church activities, and all her reminisce of good memories shared with Tobe was just an exercise of her imagination prowess and nothing more.
Ps: Dear Queens, some guys are naturally caring and nice to the opposite sex, donât expect much from a crush who hasnât let any intentions known to you. If your crush is overtaking your psyche, ask the Holy Spirit for help to tame it.
