Amina

Of the many messages I saw, I opened hers first because it bore a familiar name, Amina. And the message read thus ..

" Hi Okadi, my name is Amina, I am from Kaduna and I really admire your work, may I have your number, please?"

We exchanged numbers, and we talked over the phone every night, I had called first with a different number, speaking to her in Hausa Language almost through out our conversation.

She could not guess who I was, and I made it known to her that I was disappointed at the fact that she didn't have my number anymore. She apologized and said she couldn't explain what happened, and begged that I told her who I was. I had called her by her full name, Amina Hassan. She was sure I knew her.

She could never have imagined it was I, for she never thought I knew Hausa Language and very well too. She read a of my poems, and stories but never reacted to anyone of them, and I didn't notice.

She talked about it and explained why, I felt pity and told her it would all pass.

I called to wish her a happy Eid Mubarak, and playfully asked that she sent me my share of rice and meat. We talked for a little more while, then she asked that I wrote a poem tittled "AMINA" with a promise that I'd never share it with anyone nor post it anywhere.

That wasn't going to be so much of a big deal but it just didn't make complete sense. I asked her what she would want me to write about and she said, " write about your friend who would soon die of cancer.

At that moment, words were stuck in my mouth until I managed to exclaim "wow" before I asked, "what is going on Amina?"

She promised to tell me after I wrote the poem, by then, I already suspected that she had cancer. I really hoped I was wrong.

I tried to write the poem anyway, but my mind was blank. I scrambled for words, but every word seemed wrong.

two days later, I couldn't come up with any poem and she wouldn't say anything to me until I had sent her the poem.

She called in the morning to ask if it was ready, and I said it would be ready tonight.

I sent a poem of a few lines. She replied with smiley face and a heart Emoji. I said "your turn" and she replied with an "ok"

I called in the morning and said " Hello Amina" when the phone was answered. But a sad voice replied " Amina ta ratsu (Amina is dead)

©️Okadi