CHAPTER SEVEN
Catherine was dazzled at the scenery. The city nightlife was an amazing sight to behold. From the seaport, Catherine and Deji, together with a man she later came to know as Abubakar, the family chauffeur walked them to where he parked a Peugeot 504 among other cars in the space cut out for parking cars. Before driving out of the lot, Abubakar squeezed in a naira note to one of the lads standing guard at the park appreciated the lads, then drove out.
"they look car"
Abubakar explained, navigating into the open street.
Behind them, Catherine could hear some indistinct comments. She turned to Deji as if to asked what the noise and excitement were about but instead, Deji pulled her into his arms and held her there.
It was a long ride from Apapa seaport to Ikeji. During which Deji took the time to prepare himself mentally for what awaited him. Deep down he replays what the conversations with his folks will be like. The thought of things going south scared him. He loves Catherine and wanted more than anything for these parents to accept her. He hoped they'd give her a chance. A chance to see what an amazing and kind-hearted woman she is.
Deji was so drowned in his thoughts he hadn't noticed the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Catherine didn't take her eyes off the streets, it was beyond anything she'd anticipated. The streets were beautifully lit. From the car window, she could see how busy the streets were, the sight was breathtaking and the thought of it being different from her initial conception made every moment on the road worth her while.
"Just admit it, I won't judge, well not too harshly"
Deji interrupted, reading her thoughts. He could read the expression of bewilderment on her face and could guess correctly what her thoughts were.
"ok I admit"
She confirmed. She just couldn't hide anything from him she thought. And smiled at him. Here she was with the man she had come to love and accept wholeheartedly.
"This isn't what I'd imagined"
"Well then, get ready for a life-changing adventure"
"Indeed"
The compound flowed with people. Friends and family all gather to welcome their illustrious son home. It was a tradition of the people to welcome their own home luxuriously. It was a pride of the people to witness the return of their son home after so many years.
Upon arrival, Catherine heard cheers and laughter. The compound was lit all over. It was nothing she expected but everything she'd hoped for and with Deji by her side, it was where she desires to be. With him and nowhere else.
How long had it been already? Deji asked under his breath. Indeed there have been changes that indicated he'd been gone for too long. Changes he hadn't been a part of. And that wounded his ego.
He'd always pride himself as the person who is as it all figured out, the one person at the center of everything. But now seeing how much that has happened without his knowledge reminded him of his absent in the life of everyone and everything. All things being equal, he is back. Back to be part of it all over gain.
Catherine cringe at the sight of a woman running into Deji's arm. He didn't seem like she was a stranger, instead he acted like he'd known her all his life. He must have known her, she thought but wasn't convinced.
"Catherine, come on. Let's go inside"
It was Deji beckoning her to join him and the strange lady.
"Who is she?"
The lady inquired, still clinging to Deji.
Deji was drawn back to the question, he had forgotten yet again that Catherine was with him. First, he'd lost her at the seaport and now he was already deserting her, the thought stung him and the sudden lonesome expression that had settled on Catherine's face didn't make it any easier for him. As if she read his thought, Catherine gave an assuring smile, a smile that said she understands. To also convince herself that she understood the pressure Deji was in at the moment, she bent a little to pluck out a red rose from the bunch of other beautiful flowers planted in a flower pot kept on the porch.
"Who is she?"
Catherine heard the lady inquire, tugging at Deji's coat a little impatiently.
"Hi I am Catherine, please to meet you"
Said Catherine, stretching out her arm for a handshake. She does look familiar, Catherine thought to herself when the lady moved a little closer to the light.
"I am Abike, same here"
Abike took Catherine's hand.
"Ahbika"
Abike couldn't help but giggle at Catherine's effort to pronounce her name.
"ah, don't worry about getting it right now, you have plenty of time for that"
"come on, everyone is waiting"
Abike called halfway through the door.
Deji took Catherine's hand and gave her a nod of reassurance, before leading into the house filled with people. There was a banner tied across the room with a title, welcoming him back home. The throngs were mostly people he had known before traveling overseas. They were his Uncles, Aunties, Cousins, Nephew, Nieces and friends most of whom he'd never met before. It was a gathering of family and friends. It was a delightful surprise party. Abike had to make sure not to give him any clue as to what to expect when he stepped in. While everyone crowded him all showering praises and welcoming him, he sighted Abike at the corner pulling Catherine out of the midst and introducing her to other people at the gathering. Deji felt relieved to see Catherine smiling and cheerfully meeting the acquaintance of people at his welcome party. Each time he tried to reach out to her, to take her arm into his and whisper to her ears, telling her how beautiful she looked and how grateful he was having her there with him. Each time he tries, he gets pulled away.
As tradition requires, Deji prostrated at the feet of all his parents, Uncles, and Aunties, as a means of paying respect to elders. Under normal circumstances, Deji would have argued otherwise, he prostrated nonetheless. Moreover, he was going to lose the argument either way.
Catherine wasn't exactly having the time of her life, but it wasn't the worst either. She'd prepared her mental state for being the odd one amid so many people. Tonight she understood what Deji and other Africans had to endur in her country. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. It a feeling that kept you wondering if you are a friend or an enemy. A feeling that keeps you alerted of any danger or conspiracy. Hadn't she heard stories of the people's barbaric and savage ways? The thought of it made her stomach sick. And her, what was the people's thought of her? Was she the enemy? Or the enemy's offspring?
"you don't have to worry. Nobody will hurt you"
Abike whispered to Catherine. She had noticed the tension from Catherine the moment Deji slipped away into the crowd. Catherine flushed, embarrassed by her thought she tried to defend herself.
"of course, I wasn't…"
"Oh please Catherine dear, you don't have to. I wouldn't feel any different if I were you, so I won't judge"
Abike cut in. She turned to Deji's direction but found him caught up in the midst of too many people. It was his party after all.
Abike giggled when she saw the longing stare on Catherine's face. She was right after all, there was something more than just friendship between the white woman and her brother.
"men will always be men, won't they?"
"always"
Catherine replied half heartedly.
"Ok Catherine, let us get to know the girls, I am sure everyone here is dying to meet you already"
Catherine tried to refuse but like she came to learn subsequently, Abike was a difficult nut to crack, she never takes no for answer. Soon she was the center of attention.
The people were a lot kinder than she initially perceived. They seem to wear their hearts on their sleeves, eyes always smiling, lips full of praises and an outstretched hand of kindness.
The Yoruba people are as rich in their culture and traditions as they are in their peculiar clothing. Their clothes are made from a fabric known as Aso-Oke. Aso-Oke fabric is a hand woven clothe created by the Yoruba people. The Aso-Oke is used to make clothes for both men and women. The men wear buba and agbada- a traditional gown made specifically for men, the buba is usually wore beneath the agabada wore over a pair of pants called sokoto and fila-headwear, made from the Aso-Oke. The older women wore their iro which covers from waist to their ankles, while the younger women had theirs from their waist to their knees. The iro is wore beneath a long sleeve blouse also know as buba. And a long scarf known as ipele. The ipele is place over their left shoulders. Each women was adorn with ileke-accessories. Some of the women mostly the older women wore a piece of cloth wrap round their heads in beautiful shapes and styles, this is called gele.
Unlike the others Abike wore no gele she carried her hair bare, a little decoration was done over it using red ileke. Catherine learnt from Abike to kneel when greeting an elder. kneeling for women and prostrating for men according to Abike before an elder among the Yoruba people and culture simply meant a sign of respect.
"in Yoruba we say, 'Tẹriba fun arara ko da eniyan duro lati dide lẹẹkansi' meaning 'prostrating for a dwarf does not Stop one from rising up again"
Abike explained when Catherine asked why. Contrary to Catherine's initial perception it wasn't a sign of bondage nor worship. But a sign of respect and good home training which is essential in the Yoruba culture.
The memory of the night remained fresh in Catherine's heart even till her later days. It was the night she was treated like a goddess. Her hair lost its style from everyone touching it. And her skin received more compliments than she had all her life.