Meet Uloma 2

Five years ago, I attended a catholic all girls’ school located ten miles from our village. From my village we were only three girls that got admission there, the uniform a pale grey and chocolate brown was so revered in our community, the two girls and I would put on this uniform and see people from the young to the old staring at us in awe, the naked children would run after us screaming in excitement, trying to touch us. That uniform made me feel like a queen, my parents were so proud of that respect accorded to them because of the school I attended.

I met Ajuru on a Monday afternoon, on the school compound, a tall, ruddy looking eighteen year old. He was talking to Father Patrick, the white man that ran the school. I was walking with Udoka that day, one of the girls from my village, I noticed Ajuru, his height made that a given, then I saw him look at me and give a distracted smile. I quickly looked away then.

The next time I saw Ajuru I was alone, it was a Friday afternoon, I was sitting under the ube tree in the school compound reading one of our literature books. I was so engrossed in the book that I did not notice when Ajuru came and sat next to me.

“Hello.” Ajuru said.
I jumped, startled, this made him laugh, I finally got myself together, my right hand on my chest, my eyes wide from excitement.

“You scared me!” I accused trying to steady the rhythm of my heart.

“What are you reading that got you so engrossed?” He asked taking the book from my hand.

“Engrossed? What does that mean?” I asked confused.

Ajuru smiled warmly at me as he placed the book between us. “Engrossed means when your attention has been taken up by something.”

“I see. Engrossed.” I smiled and nodded, thinking of how I would confuse my mother with this new word.

“My name is Ajuru. What is your name?” he asked slouching against the tree and unfastening his blue tie.

“My name is Uloma, I am in form five, I write my final exams soon.” I said excitedly, the thought of finishing with secondary school thrilled me.

Ajuru looked at me amused, he had probably caught the excitement in my voice. He nodded as he looked at the book I had been reading before.

“So, what do you do?” I asked angling myself towards him. He looked so handsome, and full of life.

“I help Father Patrick out with things at home…” he was saying.

“Like his house-boy.” I piped in.

Ajuru looked offended by this, his eyes narrowed as his jaw tightened.

“I am not his house-boy!!” he scoffed angrily.
“I am sorry, I just thought…” I began to apologise timidly.

“If you must know Uloma, I would be going to England very soon. Father Patrick is seeing to it, I am going to the seminary school there to train to be a priest.” Ajuru said proudly.

“Really? You are going to obodo oyinbo?” I asked excitedly, all I ever heard about that place was beautiful things, the streets were very clean, no one was poor there, and everybody had a car and big houses. I was impressed.

Ajuru’s face relaxed, he folded his arms across his chest, he lazily closed his eyes a smile etched on his face now.

“Yes, in a month’s time or so, I will be in the land of the greats. Eating the white man’s food, living the life of a white man.” He said as he opened his eyes, he looked at me and smiled.

“So you want to become a Priest? Why?” I asked becoming more and more interested in this young man.

Ajuru just smiled coyly at me.

The bell went out, break-time was over, and I was so reluctant to go. I began to pack my books when Ajuru took hold of my arm. It was a gentle grasp, our eyes met. Ajuru smiled jovially at me,
“I will see you again.” He said as he let go of my arm.
I nodded, feeling my tummy do funny things I ran off towards my class feeling his eyes on me.


All I could think about was Ajuru and his new life in England; I was so happy for him and jealous at the same time. Over dinner I asked my father about England, one of his secondary school mate has been there for over six years, and often sends pictures.

“England? What about it?” my father said licking his fingers; my mum had made his favourite, oha soup with pounded yam.

“Is it nice?” I asked playing with my food. My mother shot me a disapproving look.

“Dinner table is for eating not talking.” My mother said annoyed.

“Nneka allow this child to have a curious mind.” My father said coming to my defence as usual.

“Is it not curiosity that killed the cat? Besides she is a girl, girls do not need curious minds, they need to know how to be good wives.” My mother argued vehemently and shot me a dirty look, I bowed my head contrite. Oge 6 years old then, just stared at the ‘grown-ups’ at the table.

My father tapped me gently; I lifted my head to look at him.

“England is more than nice, Obim, England is beautiful. Think of England as a place that has everything you could possibly want in life.” My father said and smiled at me.

“Rubbish.” My mother muttered to herself as she helped Oge cut her meat into tiny pieces.

My father ignored her, so did I besides, I was caught up in his description of England.

“Can a girl go to England?” I asked naively.

My father looked at me then confused, “ a girl can go anywhere. But not you my dear, you are not going to England.” My father smiled.

“Why not?” I challenged.

I saw my mother trying to hide a smile; she looked at my father as if to say ‘answer your curious daughter now’.

My father smiled in his gentle way “because we will miss you, and your family is here.” He said this and looking briefly at my mother, he excused himself from the table.

“As soon as you finish secondary school, you will get married, if your husband wants to live in England you can follow him.” My mother said wiping Oge’s mouth with her wrapper.

I said nothing in response, I began to think of how I could get Ajuru to marry me and take me with him.


The next afternoon after school, I refused to go home with Udoka the girl from my village. I lied I had to see one of my teachers, but in truth I was hanging around hoping to bump into Ajuru again.

I wandered around school idly; I began to contemplate going home when I heard someone call my name from the front gate of the school. It was Ajuru on his motto-bike; he had two heavy bags filled with Yam, fresh fish, potatoes, and beans on the back seat of his bike.

I waved to him and ran towards him happily.

“Hello lady.” Ajuru smiled at me as he took off his helmet.
I blushed, he just called me a lady, and I laughed shyly. “Are you just coming from the market?” I asked as I took a peak at the contents of the bag.

“Yes, I guess I am a house-boy.” Ajuru laughed noncommittally.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you are going to England really soon.” I replied.
Ajuru laughed heartily then and nodded “I guess it doesn’t.”

I followed Ajuru to the house of Father Patrick, it was a well furnished bungalow, on the wall were different portraits of saints, angels, Mary mother of Jesus and in the hall-way there was a big crucifix with Jesus hanging from it. It looked so real I gasped in fear and jumped into Ajuru’s arms. He held me, laughing. I pushed him away playfully feeling embarrassed.