SO BIG TO BE USEFUL.
It rained cat and dog for consecutively two days and the fact that I couldn't trek to farm due to the wetness of besides-road-grasses, necessitated such lucid discussion. If it had not rained, such morning is used to plan for each day's farming activities with Mama.
Mama had warned me to be careful the way I mingles with my village compatriots. They must have thought you came back with lots of money, she said. Although such could've been far-near to the truth, but the word 'lots' suffocated the whole truth.
It was farming period. I traveled home to invest in Agriculture, although the plan was to partially partner with Mama and also help her weed some of her farm.
The first plan was to cultivate about 35 plots of land since land wouldn't be a problem ( in the whole village, none was richly endowed more than us with land. Mama said I can't know all our lands till I settle in the village) and the second was to cultivate another 10 plots during my August long vacation.
And to achieved this, labourers are needed in both clearing and thrilling of the Lands. Planting of maize and cassava would be done by me after which mama would plant her Coco-yam, green vegetable, okro, pumpkin and cucumber, since I don't have interest in cultivating them.
On such Beautiful morning, Emeka my childhood friend visited with five other friends. We had been buddies for long; we goes to farm together when I was living with Mama and he lives with the parents who were up to date in farming and quarry. We were so small then, but hardworking and strong and I hoped we should be stronger now as youths, full of muscles and fresh.
Mama's face frown when they descended from the small hill opposite the threshold of our house. She began to murmur, claiming that Emeka is the most living lazy youth in the world. 'He can't work for you, but he would love to eat from you. That's same with all of them. They won't help you, better come to farm and supervise your labourers. Olisa you argues me much, you doubts me much. Ana m akpaghara gi oti isi uka. Every morning he comes here to eat. It pains me..." I couldn't wait to hear her rantings; old women nags a lot. Mama nags even when she was younger talk more of now and since I have lived with her, I adapted to it. We are much connected to each by story telling. She likes my stories and I love her ancient tales.
I shook hands with others but passionately hugged Emeka before taking them inside and we began to write the usual dissertation of Achara/Ezuzu -dry fish infested soup and Aribo. We would after eating flush it down with morning Nkwu enu (palm wine) which according to the taper had not smelt the soil. I prepaid for a week and he supplies it on time. Our plates now empty and another jug of Nkwu enu was brought in.
We talked much about our childhood girl friends, perhaps our sisters whom we would've by now committed abomination with, if mama had not warned us that the way we relates was so sinful than that of sisters and brothers. They enlightened me on the new trends in the villages, how short I'm even after leaving village, how I turned from childhood stingy guy to a soft hand guy, how rich I have grown to be 'sounding' Generator every night, how big and clean my phone look, lots more. Such words swelled my head and I quite Love to be treated so special; beside I have never commanded such respect over them before.
I was happy because these are my friends, whom i shall clear Mama's farm with. These are my friends, who I shall pay a considerable amount to assist me in thrilling my farm. I won't acts like an employee; we are buddies. I wouldn't shout on them when they don't thrill the soil well, rather I would correct them. I wouldn't stand like my Employee when I was a security officer and hurl odd words on them, the way I was treated. I won't call them idiots, fools and vagabonds like my former employees did to me. I wouldn't mind if I thrill the soil each day with them, even after paying them. Extemporaneously, it would be adventurous; an unplanned happiness.
But such happiness and expectations became Illusion when I made my request. Before I could come back from the kitchen with the fourth jug, Emeka was left with only a Buddy out of five.
What happened, my friends?
"They said they can't work for free" the other one said.
"But I have not disagreed to pay for the works. It's investment, it's not Mama's own but mine your Friend. I won't pay for Mama's weeding, because we have been working for each other. Is that not how we use to do it?"
"Hmmmmm, yes you're right Olisa, mana you know this is school period, I will get my friends to come on Saturday...no Sunday ... What am I even saying? Friday in fact, ka anyi hapu ya na Friday" Emeka said and the remaining buddy rose and shook hands with me and assured he would help.
'We are buddies as you always say. Even yours, we are not suppose to collect a dime from you because for the past one week you returned, you have not invited us for work yet we eats here every mourning, charges our phone every night, goes out together; we are friends my brother. If not that my mother sent me to iyi ebo, I wouldn't mind going with you now to the farm. What is there in clearing of land? We shall come mana cook well for us o" He said leaving at once and I bed them bye.
One week passed, the second passed and works are going on in my farm. Faces which I have not seen before comes in search of work. Some wakes me up from morning sleep to know if the clearing group is done so that they would start thrilling. The worked and took away five and two thousand Naira each day they come. They takes away what was meant for my Buddies, my kinsmen and brothers. It pains my heart each time I hand my hardly earned money to new faces who are financial buoyant more than my friends and I. They dress well more than my Buddies, speaks money more than them and drives their fancy motorcycles to farm, but my friends and I had no bicycle of our own. After working, they would collect their wages, eat well and dilute it with the fresh morning palm wine which I bought having my buddies in heart. They knew my Buddies that cherished me in merriments but deserted me in work and after eating they would unknowingly mock me by dropping bones for the dogs they often comes with.
On the third week, I ran into Emeka at a charging point (I no longer on Generator due to anger), and I didn't bother to ask him anything about work.
"You will say that you didn't see us again naa?"
" Hmm" I hummed but was short of words.
"Its not like that, you know...this our friends
..."
"Please accord me some respect by coming outside so that I can hear you" I said, unable to hide anger on my tone.
He obliged and followed me outside, towards the big rock where we use to play as kids. On that same same rock was where he said sorry to me the day he wounded me with stone, several years ago.
"Emii have a seat"
"I have already, Boss. You know na you be boss now because you carry power come? Oga boss bu ike..."
"Emii let's forget about Ike and power, I'm a student just like everyone of you"
"But students get levels naa..."
"What happened to our friends? Our plans... On farming. My work is finishing o....."
"In fact its better I tell you the truth" he said getting up " I heard one of them saying he can not collect salary, I mean wages from little Olisa that he beats like nothing back then..."
I couldn't stop laughing because I found it ridiculous and untrue but Emeka cemented my doubts with a lime of clarity.
"Its not funny, its not salary, but I can't work for my age mate and after he will pay me like...I can't work for you"
"Alright" I said and went home.
It wasn't up to three days, we all mate at the village field. I came to buy maize and okro seed, and seized the opportunity to take little out from fun. That would give me a new chapter if I want to write about my voyage to my village.
"Oliiii olii" Emeka hailed and I accepted handshakes from my Buddies.
They talked much about their beautiful girl friends and when it was my turn, I just maintained the fact that campus is made up of Sunday creatures, you're filled with uncertainty on whom to propose to. I told them how my crushes on each campus girl lasts only a day or two and they laughed much; we enjoyed the moment.
"Naaa Olisa let's buy Groundnut and pure water" a voice said.
I didn't see the face that said such Fidelity words, but the voice if I were asked to predict was Emeka and these could have been my reply to Emeka and other Emek(s).
1. A Friend in need...
2. If you couldn't spend a little of your time to help a Friend, who are you to have dime from him?
3. You're stupid and truly the most lazy human on earth.
I would have said many things but unplanned and unready it slipped off my tongue:
"If you consider your self so big to be useful, also maintain the big status when the reward for labour comes"
In a life to come, I look forward to the day we shall smile together for a successfully wrapped race.
Ben
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