UNSUNG HERO

1998: “E gbe mi sile o…E stop kini yii” I always laugh when I remember her screaming these words as the roller coaster at the Amusement Park, Apapa went up high. She was scared of heights and this roller coaster was a terrible idea.
November 7, 2012: I’d forever remember her words to me. “You don’t pray for me do you? When last did you?”
November 13,2012: There she was…lying still…not breathing, not moving. The very last time I would be setting eyes on her. The only thing I could think of is why? Why now? Why her?
If I had known the last time I would see alive was when I went to the hospital, I would have spent every single moment after with her. I would have damned my MTH test and just stayed by her side.
But that’s not all I remember when I think of my mum. I think of how amazing she was in life and how amazing she is in death.2 years after she’s passed, I’m still waiting for that one person that has something against her.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying she was an angel. She had her own good and bad days but she was the epitome of everything good. Wonderful wife, amazing mum, adoring sister, loving daughter, Patient and understanding nurse…what else is there?
I remember her working me to the bones on some things I thought were not important and she kept saying I would understand in future. I was hurt and angry at why I had so much pressure on my neck. Well I do now. In the last 2 years I’ve been dealt blows I never thought I would ever be dealt and I’m out stronger ,thanks to her. Yes, I have wife, a mother and home maker added to my title now, not just that dreamy kid with a pen and paper.
She taught me to be selfless. To listen. To be the greatest gift the world has. To hold fast to your faith. I can’t even finish the list of all she taught me.
Do I wish she lived longer? Maybe. I would have given my right arm and leg to spend more time with her. Death took her away just when we started bonding- not as mother and daughter but as friends.
But looking at it from another angle, Maybe her leaving was just best. I couldn’t stand her going through any more pain.
I wish she had spent much more time with us. We all hurt just remembering her. I wish she had enjoyed life and living. Her selflessness would not let her address her own comfort before other people’s. All that unfortunately is wishful thinking.
I do pray she’s at peace and that Allah grants her Jannah and protects her from the torment of the grave.
I love you mum. No words of poetry or beautifully constructed lines can explain how much I love and miss you.

TWO SIDES OF A TROUBLED COIN -10

TOBI (to Wemimo)

Oh my God! What explanation could there possibly be to this? That diary has only succeeded in confusing me more than before. And the facebook page? I don’t understand how I’m the one living both Fola’s page and my page. Help me…You’re the only one who seems to have something close to an answer here. How can two existences seem like one?

WEMIMO
I can’t get airtime here and it sucks. Considering the hour, I won’t find anywhere if I leave this place. There’s no easier way to say this and it hurts even I .
Fola does not exist.
My psychologist friend says its something called Dissociative Identity Disorder. He says there are cases where people communicate with their alters and still don’t know.
I got him to agree to meet with us by 9a.m tomorrow. I hope that’s fine?

TOBI (to Fola)
Its been 3 months since I found out you don’t exist. At least not like I thought you did. You do exist in a way. You’re a part of me.
I don’t know if you remember any of this. Wemimo and I went to see Anjola (his psychologist friend) the next day. He confirmed I have D.I.D and he’s now my psychologist…or rather our psychologist.
This experience, the sessions, the “treatment”, they’ve all been really painful and hurting. My heart breaks every time but Wemimo has been a rock. I’m glad you found that boy for us. He indeed is a friend.
It so happens the rape really did happen and so did my parents’ death and they are both connected.
Long story short, the bastard that did all this was supposed to be my uncle. I remember feeling dirty…feeling like I was the one who brought it upon myself…like I made him do all those evil things to me. Every time he came over, he always found his way into my bed without anyone knowing. How do you explain to your father that his beloved only brother was ruining your life on a steady? I’ve seen it. They blamed Kudi for “causing” the rape attempt on her…Everyone did. Kudi was our driver’s daughter. That’s how it happens with rape…everyone thinks its your fault. And if you don’t report early enough, they still say you’re lying because it took forever to come out and say.
And to make matters worse, he threatened he would kill me and whoever I told. So I kept quiet. Kept my thoughts in my head and in pages of my diary. Until mum found my diary. I swear if I had known what he was capable of that night I would have told mum a lie or something. But I was tired…fed up….done with all of it so I came out straight. Unfortunately, he came over that night. It was like a battlefield….mum was all rage…Dad was another being entirely. Dad threatened to ruin his political ambition…At that point was when all hell was let loose. Right in front of me that bastard killed my parents and shot at me too. I was lucky, they weren’t. Apparently, I was in shock for the better part after I gained consciousness. And then I forgot…everything. You probably came to life at that point. You probably were in existence before then. I can’t really tell.
Anjola says people with D.I.D can communicate with their alters. This just might be the last mail I’d be sending. Half of me hopes you’d read it but that’d mean I’m not getting better and my alter can still take over.
I found the bastard. I made him pay for every single moment of my life he ruined. And so help me God, I’ll make him continue to pay until the end of time.
Thanks for the closure. Thanks for listening when I needed that ear. Thanks for being here for me. And thank you for Wemimo. I love him more with the passing of each day.

TWO SIDES OF A TROUBLED COIN 9

FOLA.
Answer your call girl! What do you mean you killed your parents?! They travelled..You told me they did! What is going on? Reply or call me ASAP! We need to talk about this in person. Call me.

TOBI
I can’t! I can’t see you! Lord I’m a murderer…I killed them….I killed my own parents! I was going through that diary I found and I can’t believe I wrote that..all of that. I don’t deserve to live…how could I have done that!

WEMIMO
Tobi, I really need you to answer your calls. I can’t get through to Fola either. What is going on here? I really don’t understand any of this! I was going through your facebook profile and I really can’t find any logical explanation to Fola being all over your profile. You guys have met only once or twice? And I can see goodness knows how many pictures of her there. There’re only two explanations coming into my head and both of them don’t make any sense AT ALL!
Why would I find pictures of someone you’ve never met flooding your facebook profile? Why would the person I think you’re impersonating (if its even you that’s impersonating anyone) be younger than you in facebook age? Your account has been existing way before hers…This is crazy..just get in touch as soon as you can.

TOBI
What the hell are you talking about?! What manner of craziness is this?! I opened this mail thinking Fola told you about my predicament and this is what I get?! What the fuck are you talking about?! The pictures I have are mine and mine alone..with exception of a couple of my friends’….do I have to start proving myself by sending you a selfie? Whatever game you’re trying to play here I’m not having any of it. I’ve got my own problems to deal with.

WEMIMO
I mean every word I just said. I’ve compared every single picture of you both and its the same! The very same thing! How did you meet her? How did you guys start communicating? Who initiated the contact? Do me a favour. Go through her facebook profile…search the whole of cyberspace and get back to me.

TOBI
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! I can’t believe this! What is happening? This is too much for me to bear.
Fola reached out to me first. She said she’d gone to the cafe when her subscription plan was exhausted and that she found me logged in already. She logged out and then sent me a mail asking me to change my password or do something about it because I had some sensitive mails in there. She mailed me again afterwards and we’ve been in touch ever since. I don’t want to believe any of this has a sinister plot behind it. She isn’t answering her calls or replying my mails either. Why is this happening to me Wemimo? Why!

WEMIMO
I know Fola..I’ve met with her. The lady in those pictures is Fola. I have met her. I don’t know what you look like. How can I be sure the impersonator is not you? Your picture doesn’t cut it. You could have gotten her picture from who knows where for all I know. Prove me wrong. Send me your address. I’m coming over.

TOBI
Fola, I need you to reply me when you see this. Wemimo just left here talking all sort of crazies. All manner of crazies…He must have told you all already. Why do you have my pictures all over your fb profile? Are you some psychopath stalking me or something? This is dumb…its not like you’ll tell me if you are…there’s only one logical explanation for this but I don’t want to buy into it. This is crazy.

WEMIMO (to Fola and Tobi)
I had to send this mail to both of you (if there’s any such thing). After due thoughts and the little findings I made, I’ve come to a conclusion. I don’t want to impose my thoughts on you. I came back looking to see you but you weren’t home. I left your diary just by the door. I need you to go through every single page, every single word in it. Don’t just pick a page like you did before. It’d help you understand every thing that’s happening and maybe you’ll reach the same conclusion as I have.
Fola, I need to you to search your house…every part of it for an orange diary. Ideally it should be by your door but if its what I think it is, it’d be somewhere else . Search, read and digest every single word. I might be out of reach for a coupla hours. Just mail me …I’d get back to you as soon as possible

TOBI
OH MY GOD!