Chapter 3

        As I  strolled down the street to get my stubborn virgin hair plaited by Stella, I plucked Ixora flowers which I later disposed. My brown eyes danced around in observation of it's unhealthy environment.

              Area boys and cheap girls frolicked around in public display of lewd acts. Little boys played around with deflated tyres and girls are seen either helping their mother's with domestic activities or drawing circles with their legs, their eyes glued downwards; simply because a guy was wooing them.

              Just before I arrived Stella's house, a group of notorious boys I have on several occasions crossed path with, kept stealing glances at me. I overheard one of them exclaim "Kobo! See as Olamma front and back income anyhow." (Kobo! Look at how endowed Olamma is."). I am already used to such compliments that wouldn't add a star to my life. I simply rolled my eyes and progressed to Stella's house. On arrival, I was startled when I saw Stella fighting with her mother. On close observation, I found out that she had already shredded her mom's wrapper. It actually wasn't the first time Stella contended with her mother and I am pretty sure that it wouldn't be the last.

         I ran over  to the unpleasant scene of she and her beautiful mother battling and I separated them.  " Nonsense! Abeg Olamma let's go joor." Stella retreated with a hiss. She battled her false lashes against her weeping mother who kept cursing her. 

"Mama please stop. What happened?" I asked the teary woman. 

"Olamma warn your friend. Warn Stella! because I won't hesitate in killing her when next she fights me back. Can't she be like you? Today she is with Okeke, another day she will be with Okafor. " Mama lamented. 

            I looked at Stella who was ceaselessly blowing her chewing gum. Her eyes darting around like a lost sheep . Stella was dressed in her usual hot wears. This time around she wore a white mini straight cut skirt and a red and white crop top to compliment it. Her short brown hair was plaited the African 'Ghana weaving 'hair style. A one handed bag was swung across her slender shoulders. And her feet were packaged in her black fluffy slippers. 

"Mama don't worry, I'll talk to her." With that said, I dragged Stella with me. When we were out of earshot i stopped to probe her.

"Stella i don't like the way you fight your mom as if you are dealing with your mate. Make your head dey your neck o. ( You better have sense o). I advised her while pulling my right ear for emphasis. 

"Abeg fashi am. Dat woman too like wahala. Na so she dey take panadol on top my own headache. " ( Please forget that woman. She loves problem . That i how she pokes her business in to mine ).

              A cough  from an unidentified third party disrupted our conversation. Our eyes turned in slow motion to behold a mysterious guy, who is as tall as a palm tree. His head was shaped like a coconut and his eyes were the exact size of a 160 watt bulb. Birds could comfortably make love on his voluminous nose.

"Stella have you considered what i asked you?" His gaze rested sincerely on my best friend .

"Considered what? The next time you carry this your wakiri nose ( Extremely large nose) and walk up to me for scam; you will tell me if all the pants in the market can size you. " Stella spoke in absolute scorn. I felt bad when the guy looked at himself from head to toe.

"Ahn ahn na, Take am easy." (Take it easy. )

"Abeg! That one na proper legbere." ( please! That guy is a weakling. )

"Are you going somewhere,  I came so that you will plait me 'Etisalat ' "

"When i return. I dey go find money."

" Oya na, No fight o!"

"No lele" ( No problem).

                      Back at home, Mama Edo was seen pursuing her thirteen years old daughter with a broom. I joined the crowd in quest of the drama. " Mama Edo Wetin sele" a pot belled man asked with a sapele water ( Palm wine) in his hand. " This girl get mind  o. She commot meat for pot. And the meat be the one her papa go chop . " (This girl has the guts o. She removed a piece of meat from the pot. And that meat is what her father is meant to eat.) Mama Edo explained as she ran after her daughter who was already on her heels.

                  Everyone joined in pursing the teenage girl as she was soon caught up with.  She was given mass beating. She looked dreadful when she was done with.  Everywhere was on fire when Papa P dragged his wife outside. Mama p was only on wrapper. He progressed in bringing out his Koboko to whip her.

"Papa P, dis thing you dey do no good o." Aunty Mba acted like she was a saint. Papa P ignored the pleas of everyone and descended on Mama p. While flogging her  he would yell

"Shebi you no want make i dey touch you for body."

"Today! Today! You go tell me who you wan make him touch your body"

"Agaracha!" (Woman of easy virtue).

                     I felt bad that Mama P was treated that way. Mama P is a very dilligent woman who i knew wouldn't do or say what Papa P accused her of. Here she is, wasting away under the fierce beating of her brutal husband.  I ran towards them and took the koboko from her husband. Being a woman, made me a superman. 

"Olamma please give him back the koboko let him kill me." Mama P cried bitterly.