Previously on Lonely Days (Chapter 11)
Yaremi was to finally pick a cap; an authority, a man to shield her head, a breadwinner. Numerous caps were placed before her. Caps that depicted different beautiful auras. Yet, Yaremi once again chose her dead husband. She walked away without a cap on her head, sentencing herself to a life of loneliness.
What do you think will be the lot of Yaremi?
How will the community accept her?
More importantly, you’re confused…I know why! You’ve not read the previous chapters. Click the link below to catch up!
CHAPTER 12
Tears streamed down Yaremi’s cheeks. She was unhappy and uncertain. Before the cap-picking ceremony, the other widows had mentioned that she might be self-conceited and self-opinionated, “maybe she was”, Yaremi pondered.
People had begun to change towards her. She was losing favour with people; men and women alike. Nobody greeted her, and the ones who did mumbled. The young ones evaded her, as they had been told that she was an ‘unusual’ woman. Yaremi was being gradually banished; and ostracised.
It was so bad that she thought of fleeing the village to a nearby village; Lamuyan village. Her enemies were everywhere and it was terrifying. She also considered going to live with her children at Olode, Apon and Ibadan, where she’d share her problems with Segu, Wura and Alani.
She resorted to serious prayers as a man was believed to be the originator of man’s downfall, the initiator of man’s demotion. Yaremi was positive that she would triumph that way. She prayed like she had never prayed before for protection against the machinations of adversaries and people affiliated with demonic platforms.
It was Yaremi’s habit to tend to her husband’s grave at least twice a day, seeking support. She would sit there discussing and discussing, hoping for a response. Ajumobi was a really good problem solver. He spoilt her with complete love and devotion.
(This story is not clear, because a few chapters ago…Yaremi spoke about how her husband threatened to beat her and marry another wife. Guess it was in the heat of the moment).
He would bring home different types of bush meats to soothe her wild appetite. Yaremi knew all the tastes of different bush meats. Whenever he was happy, he’d tease her with incantations, challenging her to tell him the meaning.
Let’s see a few;
“Nobody prepares food with the palm oil of a crab, and nobody pounds yam with the wooden mortar of the weaver bird.”
“Endless opening and closing jams the entrance door. Yaremi, all resolutions taken by the squirrel are wiped off with the squirrel’s swinging tail. The grass cutter throws away with his two hands, all divinations he prepares for his grandfather.”
You gerrit? If you don’t get it, forget about it!
She reminisced heavily about the days with her husband; some good, others bad, but he was still her husband and she missed him.
A woman’s first husband always remains the strongest source of her affection. There were cherishable moments;
“Moments that he’d help her lift the jar of water to her head when two lovers would raise their eyes to look at the lover’s face when lovers would sing moonlight ballads with intent as they discussed their uncertain future when they would stay underneath the leafy tree in their youth”.
How would any woman forget such?
During their courtship, the people of Kufi and Adeyipo village testified to their everlasting love. She was warned not to marry him because there were fears that their children might be half human, half animal, but they were proved wrong. Their marriage was beautiful.
With all this in consideration, Yaremi decided to flee Kufi village. She heard that a conspiracy was being plotted against her to enable her annihilation from the village. That would be disgraceful.
So, she decided to leave herself.
Goodbye to Kufi village.
Click here, for a Summary of Chapter 9.
