Chapter 3 How the journey began

I am a native of Delta state, the middle belt of Nigeria my village is ughelli south local government. Growing up in a village is what you would describe as peaceful especially to we the children. Life was fun all we did was play, eat and sleep. Although we went to the only school available in the village but all the same we had very little to worry about.

It was a regular Saturday , as usual I had gone out to play with my friends and was heading back home late in the evening. I noticed my mother had a visitor, mind you we hardly had any since mother was not the too friendly type moreover, only my mum and I live in the hut since my father is late. I wasn't the only child, mother had five children including me but all four died making me the only child alive. Getting really curious I increased my pace and got into the compound greeting my mum.

"Megwo mama"

"Nno, come my dear have your seat. Won't you greet our visitor" mother chided me

"Megwo aunty"

"Megwo my dear ".... the aunty replied giving me a friendly smile, then she handed me a snack. I couldn't be any happier , such commodity is hard to come by here moreover it's an expensive item to mama. So getting such from this aunty makes me really happy. Showing it to mother she nodded to me giving me the permission to eat it.

" Go in now Nene your food is by the basket , when you are done eating go and have your bath then come here to sit with me". Obeying mother I went in immediately, I decided to keep my snack till after having my meal . I ate and bathed in no time, as I was heading back to meet my mother, she and the visitor came in and mother told me to wait for her outside. Our hut contains only one room, which means that our visitor would be sleeping on the only form of comfort in the house an almost tattered mattress . While I and mother would sleep on the floor. I waited for mother outside patiently chewing on my snack.

"You didn't eat your snack before?" Mother asked smiling at me.i nodded shyly . Then she sat beside me clearing her throat. "Nene my child ...how old are you now?" . Perplexed at why she would ask me such question when she knew perfectly well how old I was. But I answered anyway . "I am ten mama" . She heaved heavily "I am thankful to God you know how old you are, which shows that you can also handle somethings. You know since your father died it has been hard for us to survive. Also as all of your older siblings aren't alive to ease me of the stress. After all of my endless prayer to God , ogenedo has finally said an amen to my prayers he sent us an helper. You see that aunty inside"..... I nodded yes " ehnehn she is the helper ogene sent, she is the wife of your father's friend, they live in Lagos and she has decided to take you along with her, you know it's a big city which means you are going to become very rich as she has promised to send you to school, you would also learn to trade. She gave me money to take care of myself and has promised to keep sending me more." She was weeping now. I didn't know how to console her "mama, don't cry I would go with her you don't have to worry please stop crying". I patted her back gently. " My daughter please I beg of you do not forget where you are coming from, focus on your education and do not disobey the people accomodating you. Don't do anything they won't want you to do. Listen to them and be a good child I beg you." I was crying now too, thinking of all that I was leaving behind, my mother, my friends and everything I had grown accustomed to. But my mother happiness was paramount and I realised my going made her happy. Promising to abide by every rule and also to make her proud. I went to sleep and the next morning after so much praying and weeping I left my mother to a land of no man. Lagos city ( Eko Ile) where it all began.