Glossary of Nigerian Terms
Ahn- ahn- An exclamation of surprise in the context used
Oyinbo- A term to refer to Caucasians
Ma- Short form of madam
1989- CHRISTMAS EVE (EVENING).
Beautiful, that was what 22 year old Ikenna thought when he walked into the sitting room by almost 9 pm, that evening after the long but exciting day with his friends. The Ugeh's were in their house chattering and laughing away with his parents. Nonye, their daughter looked so beautiful; her dress, her smile, her laugh, and her long, puffy natural hair, what else? He was short of words, he wasn’t sure if he was standing straight or staggering, Nonye’s beauty had such an effect. He remembered how much they played and had silly fun even in their Junior secondary school until her family moved to Abuja because of her father’s business. She wasn’t this beautiful then, puberty hadn’t hit her yet, and when it did it hit her good, it hit her in all the right places.
“Ikenna! See how much you’ve grown” Mrs. Ugeh says almost shouting like she always does. Nonye who was discussing with Mr Kalu, Ikenna’s father about school turned to look at a person who bore a name that was very much familiar to her.
“You are already a man, Ahn ahn!, hope those oyinbo girls are not disturbing you?” Mrs. Ugeh says and they all laugh, All Ikenna can do is smile, he didn’t even hear what she had said, Nonye captured his thoughts at that point, He stared at her seeming not to be aware that his mother had noticed, giving a sheepish smile.
Ikenna finally understood that Mrs. Ugeh had been talking to him all along and he heard something about a hug and he walked across to her in the middle of the sitting room and she hugged him tightly, kissing his cheeks like she always does. This always irritated Ikenna and it still does, he remembered how he would disappear when she came to visit back then, he did not want to be pecked but one from her young daughter wouldn’t be a bad idea at the moment.
“Ikenna..” Nonye says softly as he turns to sit beside her, after going to greet Mr Ugeh. Ikenna was not the shy type, if he wanted something he went for it, he was that bold. He knew quite well how to win girls with his handsome face, muscular physic and his charming audacity. The way she said Ikenna! God help him he might just say; ‘yes beautiful’ or something even crazier.
“Nonye! Is this you? You are now so beautiful and grown, Canada is not treating you badly at all” Ikenna says laughing, knowing what exactly he meant by grown and wishing their parents would disappear, Nonye is thinking the same thing too.
Nonye is smiling widely and she is glowing, well that is what Ikenna thinks, he did not even notice how beautiful her not very brown eyes were, or did it come with puberty too?
“Ikenna, you are the one who England is treating well, see how good you look, I could barely recognise you, how is school?” Ikenna really wished their parents left, rather they seem to be fixed on their seats, laughing and probably teasing him and Nonye like they did in the past.
“Nonye, school is fine, but stressful, you know how engineering is right? You need to study hard” and that was something Nonye liked about him he was serious minded and worked hard in school, though she was two classes behind him in secondary school, she still remembers how he carted away all the awards back then and he doesn’t seem to have changed.
“Tell me about it, for law, it’s read, read, read and read” she states and they both laugh, Ikenna fondly taps her lap. “When I came my mom said she was scared because of how slim I had gotten” they continue laughing.
“Yes o! Nonye was as slim as my lap” Mrs. Ugeh chirps in unknowingly, exposing the fact she had been eavesdropping on their conversation, they all laugh.
“But ma, she looks beautiful to me just the way she is” Nonye is beaming, blushing if she was Caucasian and thinking of how Ikenna much of a man Ikenna has become; handsome, tall and charming.
“Mum and Mrs. Ugeh, I want to take Nonye to the smaller sitting room so I can show her my school album” Ikenna could only ask his mum and Nonye’s mum since their fathers were talking business and political jargons that no one could even comprehend.
“Nonye do you mind?” Ikenna asks smiling.
“No I don’t, I like pictures” she says grinning, revealing her perfect set of teeth, and she liked Ikenna too.
As they talked, laughed and remembered old times, there was intense eye contact, silent moments, elbow nudging and lap brushing it was clear they were falling in love with each other. All the one million and one signs were there.
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