Change🙄

I could be wrong, I think as a man/woman – your life is shaped when hit 19. By then you should’ve made all the bad decisions you could’ve made and you should be on your own path.

(Hey, stop thinking about it. You’re way passed 19)

In figuring things out or charting your own course – you understand the need or importance of relationships.

Like Madea said “some people come into your life for a lifetime, and some come for a season. You got to know which is which”

Now, lemme tell you about this woman.

On a sunny Tuesday sometime in 2016, my family friend called me and said “guy, there’s this woman I need you to meet; I’m sending her number to you — call her and say you are from me”. At the time, I didn’t know what to expect:

1. I was broke as ******** (a child might be reading this, complete the sentence in your head)
2. I was in a funny headspace at that moment and I literally was not in the mood for any more drama.
3. I was tired.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think I speak for all the guys when I say this — there comes a time when you meet a certain woman and she just disrupts everything. They always start off very simply, then transit to the rollercoaster stage.

We’ll come back to this.

I think you should sit down

After much deliberating with my other personalities, I decided to make the call. You could tell I was hoping she wouldn’t pick; I just dialled and put my face elsewhere. After a few tries, I realised she picked, believe me — I was not excited and then I heard the most interesting intro to a phone call

“Do you not understand what it means when someone ends the call? It means they are busy and they would call you back or you should call back later. Stop blowing up my phone, that’s very rude. Leave my phone jare”

Eh Jesus!!

For about 2 hours, i was thinking about my life. Who send me? How did I make such a mistake?

How could I embarrass my generation like this?

My Lafiaji ancestors will be upset.

In this life, you either win or you learn, it was at that moment I realised that you never call someone more than twice — except they are with your jollof rice. Then you keep calling them.

My family friend said I should not call again, I should sent a text. Ofcos I was not sure of doing it, but she kept insisting. She even sent me the message to send to her because she had a feeling I wouldn’t do it; anyway: copy, paste — send!

A King.

People of God. I’m here to share this testimony.

When God says it’s your time, there nothing in this life that can stop it. Days will go by and I couldn’t stop thinking about that phone call. It was annoying me in a funny way.

Something pushed me to keep sending texts, I did that for a few days every morning at 9am.

In the famous words of Samo “Agbajowo la fin san ya. That means pe — though the sorrow may last for a flight, but joy come in the runway”

4 days later, I got a response with an address and a time!

…

Remember that part where I said “a certain woman and she just disrupts everything”. Yes, this is the part, let’s contiue.

1. She hated the way I walked.

She said it reminded her of some dude where she grew up, said I walked without confidence. One afternoon after offering me coffee and biscuits, she goes “How many heatbreaks have you had?”

Please dear, what does this have to do with this biscuit and black coffee?

She continues “Are you really tired of life? WHy do you walk like you just the ground to swallow you up?”

Me:

Eh God. I knew this beggy beggy life was not the way, small gimme coffee and they’ve embarrassed my folks at Isale Eko.

2. She changed the way I write

Growing up as a quiet child (whether you believe it or not), I saw life differently. I wanted to go to fashion school just to learn how to design clothes, why? When I saw what people wear, I took it out piece by piece (in my head ofcos — stop rolling your eyes) and redesigned it. I now started to sketch, unfortunately — I lost the book.

Lafiaji 1 — Tooni 0

Overtime, I had other interests that just grew teaching and writing. Because of who she is, she was interested in that part of my life. She gave me books to read and review with dealines from hell — but I did read them and give reviews. This in turn opened my mind — it made me a better writer and better movie addict because putting words together was very pleasing for me (for those of you who hate my movie reviews, don’t be angry — wordplay is also important in movies)

3. She changed the way I dress

Don’t get it twisted, I was not that bad. I was just lackadaisical.

Don’t worry, I don’t have some oxblood pants and green jacket story to tell (if you know, you know — *sips coffee*).

Okay, considering all other things that can’t be said, maybe I was bad but in my defence, I just needed some exposure and She gave me that.

At some point, I used to ask her at every turn if I looked good enough to represent her with every outfit — ofcos i’m much better at it now.

The game is the game , never to be caught unfresh.

4. I became a better Teacher

This one? Easy, I learnt how to do research better. I used to teach math a while ago and economics at some point; however math was my strong point — i loved numbers.

Then I started teaching in church, it was fascinating how one felt after looking at topics indebtly. It was mindblowing. Now I teach with so much swagger, you would think I’m Harvey Spectre.

5. Poise.

Dno’t get it twisted, I still make a few mistakes — i’m human. However, there’s a certain “je ne sais quoi” about me that I know i learnt just by being in her space. Trust me, its worth more than the naira to dollar current exchange rate.

In all, some people come into your life and their impact is just amazing. Just as Madea said “some people are like leafs, some are like branches, some people are like roots. You have to know which is which”.

In 2016, I met a woman who looked at me and said “you can be better” and everyday I thank God for her.

She turns 40 today. She was my Boss, is my teacher and is my friend.

Happy birthday SDJ. Thank you for watering my garden.

❤️

P.S

You thought it was a love story yea? 😂😂