What Would You Have me do? – By Wale Bakare - @waleflame My name is Rolake, I live in Onike, a suburb of Yaba metropolitan area in Lagos. I am here to tell you my story or perhaps my ordeal in a humorous manner. Being the last born of a family of five has often endeared me to people, I get favour where others have been disappointed. My guiltless face with an impish smile no doubt deceived people to be overly nice to me. I took advantage of this allure to warm myself straight to people’s heart. All that was while growing up, things have changed quickly… I have out-grown my once- upon- a-charming self. I have wailed severally at the loss of my dad while in final year to the extent that good favours that usually accompanied my pretty smile albeit taking for granted then, had all eluded me. Here I am aging, but young at heart and I need to accomplish a whole lot of things like- get a good job-Car- and ultimately find my missing rib. Sad? - Don’t cry for me yet- wait to hear me bear it all before you decide exactly what to do me. I have shed all the tears i could, its Five years gone, no winner no vanquish. Your wailing and soothing words won’t change anything now; I have come to accept that life in its entirety isn’t fair as well. My only option was to move on- hoping for a miracle. Miracle? A part of me still clung to it…where lies my breakthrough remains a critical focal point in finding the much needed happiness I craved. Faith works…(singing)-”my r-e-d-e-e-m-e-r lives”…..this became my favourite song of confession which is usually the case with me whenever I am in dilemma (oh! and you too?). I waited patiently like a woman in need of the fruit of the womb. I knew I had to be strong, sooner than I realised, my resilience paid off. Adamu came from nowhere; he was a simple, charming, everyday guy. To cut the story short, I fell in love and gave Adamu the keys to my heart with the hope of driving me to my destination safely. He did not disappoint, perhaps my hope of unearthing happiness once again has been rekindled. His love for me was unparallel. He showered me with gifts I could only dream of; with him I travelled far and wide. Just when i thought my predicaments were over, my phone rang, not once, not twice, eventually I picked up. It was a call from Adamu’s office. His office has been attacked by the dreaded book haram sect and my husband to be has been rushed down to the hospital. I was devastated. Why me again? Am i jinxed? I soliloquised and dashed to the drawer for the car keys; I jumped into the car and sped off …. I was rattled by the news. Driving on the the 3rd mainland bridge wondering what sort of ill-luck this was, I was in a vacuum of my own and lost in thoughts I could neither ear the deafening noise around nor the blistering horn coming from other motorist. I was floating in a world of my own drifting away...The car steering was throbbing ….I was no longer in control and the much expected happened. I wasn’t conscious enough to narrate that ordeal. But I found myself in the hospital lying next to Adamu, we were both wrapped up a in white garb. I didn’t want to die this young … i knew I had been ungrateful to God; I made a sugar coated wish in my subconscious mind. “God please give me another chance at life; I promise to be more thankful rather than seethe at the things I couldn’t get” And guess what? My prayer had been answered as I awoke to realise that I had been dreaming all the while. Alas there was no Adamu at sight and the car he bought me had also disappeared with the dream. Oh, don’t get mad at him atleast I had you also dreaming for about 10minutes believing this story is real. And here is my poser again, what would you rather have me do? Wale Bakare is an editor and a writer, follow him on twitter @waleflame.

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