I started primary school; when I was 6 years old; the head mistress asked me to cross my hand on my head to touch my other ear to ascertain if I was to be enrolled in school, fortunately i was.
I sensed the journey would not be an easy one; i carried my desk, to school. Was given a wooden sleat as my book,with well shined morowmorow haircut.
At 7, i observed, we were having so many farms, some we planted cassava, pumpkin leaf, okro, and maize. There was no rest, we are in the farm all the time.
My Aunt, would tell my uncle to inform me to come to the farm at the close of school, that my food was in the farm, at NTA road, I will follow ohaoda ( farm road) alone to meet her in the farm, I will eat my launch and join her in weeding the farm.
Children of my age were busy playing at home, watching Tom and Jerry, it's either i will be with my anty in the farm weeding, uprooting cassava or we are in Rumpokwu , Igwuruta market buying fire wood,or garri.
We will buy and supply to the aboki men doing suya or customer's in need of garri.
One day, I and my sister were instructed by our Aunt to go complete,the planting of cassava in one of our farms.
We had worked for hours, I decided to go rest my back a bit, under the palm tree, as I closed my eyes to rest, I felt something cold on my legs, a shout! from my sister woke me, snake!snake!! snake!!! immidiately, I opened my eyes, a snake had wrapped my legs, i started struggling to free my self from the snake, it uncoiled itself, crawled to the bush.
My sister was terrified, If I was bitten by the snake, which I was not, we packed our working tools and headed home.
The fun of children playing, or going to fun places on weekends , I didn't enjoy that. I am either in the farm or carrying cassava on my head treking from the farm to the house, on the way back by 11 am or 12 noon that is when my anty, will buy Akara and bread; that will serve as our breakfast.
On reaching home we would peel the cassava, go grind and tie it that same day.
The early experience were not fun in any way, we did not have colored Television , I will go and stand on peoples widows to watch film; Commando, Rambo, and American Ninja.
Most times these people insult the hell out of me. Chia! Mbok how man go do!
There were times, when my uncle and I would go catch fish, at Ngomini, if we did not chatch any, my anty will use cray fish and pumpkin leaf to cook for us to eat and we will be glad and thanked God we saw food to eat.
Growing up was filled with anger and pains, on Sundays! I will go to church service with old; yellow short, tight polo because that was what my caregiver's could afford at that time. Most time I was ashamed but I had no choice.
My caregivers, tried all they could do every day; to see we did not beg for food nor carry plate to our neighbors house looking for what to eat, my uncle will often remind me to be grateful to God, that one day it will be well.
My caregivers, would always encourage me to go to school; manage what I see that tomorrow will be better.
The earliest memory I had as a child was one filled with so much pains, worry, uncertainty and misery.
PS: They later bought a Colored Television, DVD, Three loader CD. And tomorrow indeed has being better.
