One

To Adesuwa home was the small path that reeks of dust whenever the harmattan breeze blows and of puddle when the angry rain of July falls, it was the tall Palm trees and the half eaten palm fruit that the monkeys that move from tree to tree threw on the ground, it was the cool air the Palm fronds makes by moving against one another. It was the old houses with rusty zinc and a wall smeared with lichen. Then it was the people, the ogoni couple that fought always, the men cigarettes had painted their lips black and finally their house,a three bedroom flat that stood at the outskirt of the street where the first thing that greeted the eyes each morning were bushes, birds hopping on them. By evening the cloud was always covered in a wonderful shade of blue, birds even in their number flying in an amazing flock across the sky

     So wherever she went she looked for home, the single story of home she brought from Port Harcourt. Port Harcourt smelled of certainty, you were certain the buses had their radio stations tuned to Wazobia FM where Akas Baba and Sisi Boma had their Wake up show every morning, you were certain there was a bad traffic at sars road, certain brothers killed brothers for land, certain the cost of acquiring building papers for a house was more expensive than the house itself and mostly certain that Ikwere garri would have increased in price by the next Alu market day, the women adamant about reducing their prices.

     Buy Uyo smelled nothing like that, it smelled instead a little of everything but mostly of beauty. Some part smelled of neglect, the tiled road that laid in the bushes of Afaha Nsit did, a small remote village where each compound had a huge canopy of pear and udara tree, the leaves full especially in season and in a greeness that is unique. It also smelled of culture, every once in a while, ekpo would patrol the street in their native and scary attire and children would gather innocently to watch and take to their hells when they fell the need to. Then it smelled of peace and had a surprisingly clean market.

     Uyo also had the refreshing smell of history, the Bridge Of No Return at Ikot Abasi did, as well as grief. It was a new definition of home here, here home was men portly and women stout, both short with usually strong stoic faces and thick ibibio accent, home were the traders who didn't have a good business idea and wasted opportunities, home was Afang soup with plentiful vegetable and periwinkle, home was the colourless rich taste of coconut rice spiced with sliced paper and onion. Although this home didn't have Baba and Iye Nogie and Itohan and Aisosa, it had Uduak.

     Uduak was one of the big girls in school, her father was the chancellor of the school and if you knew her you had levels. And Adesuwa knew her.

" Will you be coming for the Fresher's party this weekend?" Uduak asked her a cigarette between her lips and puffs of smoke coming out from the sides of her mouth "I doubt you went last year"

Last year was her first year, she was too occupied with being serious that she barely had time for fun "I don't know yet" she answered her. They were under a big tree and there was a slow susurrus rustle of dried leaves and twigs that laid on the floor. It was a cool evening

" Don't make excuses, I want you there" Uduak told her taking the cigarette between her fingers and releasing the smoke from her nose

"Would you be there?" Adesuwa asked her

"Do you think I would tell you to attend to a party I wouldn't be present?" She looked at her "Of course I'll be there"

     Sitting between Uduak and Sophia directly facing the boys, the music seemed quieter compared to what played outside.

" So Adesuwa what was your first description of Uyo" one of the boys asked her, he had a shiny earring on one ear and carried a dreadlock that stopped at his shoulders. The tin strands of hair locked together looked black and neat. And beautiful. On his left wrist there was a tattoo that made its way up to his elbow. His name was Ifedili.

" Beautiful" she replied. And it was true, when she first came the beauty surprised her

"More beautiful than where you are coming from?" He pressed

"Port Harcourt? I don't know if_____"

" How can you compare this to Port Harcourt?" One of the boys without shirt cut her short. He was wearing a ripped jeans and there was a ring pinned on his nose. Adesuwa had only heard of him, she used to shudder at the thought of crossing paths with him but for a cultist Manuchi looked calm.

"What has Port Harcourt got that you wouldn't find in Uyo" another guy, an obvious Akwa Ibomite, Ekom said

"Development" Manuchi replied

"In detriment to cultural heritage?"

"And what do you call cultural heritage, mud and thatch houses? Well cos that's all you have here"

"Language" Ekom answered " Food, clothing, art and even music. With the way people troop in and out of Port, building demolished to promote so called civilization nothing will be left for the children to see. Language? I wonder how many Ikwerians can speak Ikwere, then not to talk of music. Are there any music in your local dialect? I mean who would play ekpo in cultural rites and rituals?"

"Maybe we would borrow some of your own" Manuchi said chuckling "We have developing States in Nigeria with cultural heritage intact, despite how many people go in and out of Ariaria and Onitcha market, Igbo remains their language. Civilization is not an excuse for under development"

"Uyo is not under developed" Ekom argued

Sighing Manuchi said "One would think these Akwa Ibomite are smart only to find out how dumb they are"

" That one specifically is a dog" Uduak said

Adesuwa sitted in the midst of the cultists and notorious shakers of the school discovered something, these smokers, womanizers and whatever else evil they may be were really intelligent

"At least I'm not the only one who has a dog now" Ifedili said, it seemed he wasn't in best terms with Uduak

But Adesuwa wasn't having any of that "Are you trying to call me a dog?" She asked with an obvious displeased look

"Your friend calls my friend a dog so it's only fair I do same" he said ignoring the disgusted look from Uduak

"I don't see how that is any of my business, if you have a problem with Uduak take it out on her. And I don't know about your friend but I don't like being called a dog. So not to be on my bad side don't call me a dog" she said

He moved closer, his chin on his palm as his elbow rested on the table "What if I want to be on your bad side?"

Was he trying to flirt with her? "Whatever don't just call me a dog"

"What shall I call you then" He asked raising a brow "Princess?"

Why wasn't any body saying anything "No, I have a name"

" I don't like your name" his gaze pierced into her

"It's not yours to like in the first place"

He didn't reply, just looked at her and every other person at them "I like you"

"I don't, Jesus Christ! Why isn't anyone saying anything" her voice sounded annoyed

Just then the door flung opened to let the music from outside come in only to be shut out again when the door closed back. A guy walked in smiling

"What's making this idiot smile" Sophia said

"The criminal has gotten away with another crime" Manuchi said " Criminals like you make me wish we were colonized again" Francis laughed as he sat down, pouring himself a glass of Calypso

"With the way things are going in Nigeria don't you all think it'll be best we were colonized again" when Ifedili said that, Adesuwa wondered if it was the same Ifedili that had just flirted with her

"A country like China" Sophia said

"What will happen to our cultural heritage? Ekom asked

"And so far where has your cultural heritage taken you to?" Manuchi questioned "In what way has the food, language, clothing and music and not to forget the mud and thatch houses helped Nigeria?"

"Isn't that what makes us Nigerians?" Adesuwa said and everyone looked at her. It was obvious they did not expect her to engage in their conversation "What are we going to be like without our culture?"

"And so far with our culture that makes us us, we're here" Sophia said " Here of all places"

"Then what will happen to the labour of hero past?" That hit home and everyone was quiet for a while

"It wouldn't have been that bad" Francis said with a shrug

"It wouldn't have been that bad yet they fought so hard to make sure we their generation will be free from the claws of the colonial lions"

Admist the conversation, Adesuwa caught Ifedili starring at her more than once and it was really annoying. The man didn't flatter her when he came to letting her know that he was starring at her. His gaze was brazen to handle and he didn't care that if gazes could kill, Uduak's would have sent him six feet below the ground already. When Adesuwa left with Uduak, Manuchi told him in pidgin

"Commot hand for beans wey Uduak dey grind make she no grind your hand join am"

"Na Uduak born the girl?" Came his reply