“It is better to fall from a tree and break your back than to fall in love and break your heart”. ~African Proverb

Love is a game of the mind: you know who you love, but you can’t know who loves you. So many times we give much attention to those that do not deserve it. We share our moods, emotions, feelings and attentions to the wrong folks; but time will surely dictate the end.

Aduke is a girl you would look twice, because she had everything called gift. Her front was higher than any highway, and her back is a perfect illustration of a sinusoidal graph in Mathematics. But just like any other random Awo girl, Adukehas pretty bent legs. Her complexion was not the best, but I always die for it anytime. In simple words, Aduke is a girl you would love to have by your side all days.

Here is the irony of being a Katangite. Before I got my feet to University of Ibadan, my prayer had always been to be allocated in the best hall of residence in UI. And spending some reasonable years so far on campus, I never doubted the credibility of Indy Hall, not until Aduke broke my heart.

Here is my story. As usual, I and some other folks went to Awo hall for the usual core course (Awo101). We obviously had no target in mind, but with strong faith that our net would surely catch a fish again. This time, we caught a bigger fish. I met Aduke on her way from a practical class to her room. Her actions and walking steps spoke louder than her mouth. I knew she needed someone to approach her. Being a bloody katangite, I used my discretion and asked for her name. At this point, I almost gave up on life. She mentioned like three (3) different names within a blink of the eye. The slay queen told me she was Heritage but prefers people calling her Ben or Promise. To make her head swell, I wowed at every name she mentioned; not until one of her friends walked up to her and called Aduke. My heart crumbled and wondered why the name sounded like thunder to my ears. As a smart guy, I did not bother to ask about it; more so, Aduke is not a bad name anyways.

After few minutes of introduction, she became free and loose. She would answer any question more than the way I expected. Love, they say, is sweet when you are with the right person. Softly, I asked her another question and she answered it like a prepared speech. Now I became confused and wondered how love could be that sweet. We both smiled and asked her for a short walk.

We’ve not taken two steps before another friend called her the same name. This time I felt embarrassed. Aduke came to school to be forming tush for me. How is Aduke and Heritage the same? How is Ben or Promise related to Aduke. Well, I could speak all my thought out, but since I knew my mission, what’s my business. We continued with our walk, and finally time to say my mind. Now is the time; time to say what she had been waiting for. And probably time to cast myself too.

I surmounted the courage and looked into her eyes. “Aduke, Oh sorry, Heritage! Please listen to every word I will say from now. Love has been the deepest and most philosophical concept in the whole human history. Everyone has talked about it; even religion has talked about love in the scriptures, sermons and hymns; and even atheists have talked much about it. Such a vast word is love! But believe me; love can’t be explained, it can’t be defined. It can only be felt. Permit me to call you Aduke, because I’m convenient with that alone. Aduke, what I feel within me right now is more than what I can explain. It is more than love. I know you could doubt me. But what else could I say for you to know how much you mean to me? What else could I do for you to realize how much I cherish you? I know have been before many other ladies to say these same words. But Aduke, I can’t change the truth – love was not there. And now I know that with you alone, there is love. True love”

At this point, she was lost completely. She could no longer look into my eyes, and she burst into tears. She had never heard such sweet words in her entire life. I knew this trick works faster than any charm; and an Awo girl will not be an exception. What a world we live in!

Aduke dropped her back to pick her handkerchief, but I interrupted and drew her closer to myself. I knew how emotional people could be, so I still moved her closer again to myself that our lips almost touched. Women can tell stories of the past 40 years when they are emotionally drained. Aduke started telling stories of how a desperate boy from Zik broke her heart. I could trace the pains running in her veins – Aduke has been very unfortunate. Shockingly, she said she had a question for me. My past has not been the best, so fear gripped my feet because I had no idea of what she was to ask. I was lost. She then asked subtly, “Which hall are you?” With smile, pride and boldness I replied “the only living hall in UI”. Suddenly her countenance changed. She could slap anyone at that very hour. Well, I thought she didn’t know the meaning of what I said, so I quickly tried to redeem my image. “Aduke, I mean Katanga – Independence Hall”. Her mood was more furious. I got worried and was thinking what could have happened.

“I can never date anyone from Indy or Zik”, Aduke cleared my worries. She told stories of how she had been shamed with the so called ‘aro’ in Indy and Zik halls. She lamented that Katangites were good in nothing; not even Jaw War that ordinary Queen Idia Hall chased them off the group stage. She reminded me of the disheartening stories of rape in the hall. “I am the girl they raped”, Aduke in tears confirmed her dissatisfaction. She could list on and on. It is true that people never forget the wrong you do to them. She sent me back into past awful memories, but I stopped her.

I searched into my brain archive for sweet and loving words that could probably change her mind. I could think of good things and remarkable happenings about my hall, but her tears confused me. I could not say a single word. But I promised her that the next Awo Weds Indy carnival will be a special one for both of us. My words were like a baby’s cry to her ears. Her face was like that of a Zombie. Nothing seemed to change her mind. At least not right now. I’m back now to the former hall where my heart was shattered into grains.

Welcome to Idia101.

[P.S: It’s a fictional story; so reader’s discretion should be cautious. All characters, slangs and places used are imaginations of the writer]

WRITTEN BY: ProfThePoet™