LONELY DAYS BY BAYO ADEBOWALE || A COMPREHENSIVE WAEC NOTE

A QUICK GLANCE

Yeremi usually goes to the market to sell her taffeta cloth. She had changed her tray to a larger one and also had provided a smaller tray for Woye to carry enough dyed cloth to the market. She has in all three wooden trays to take to the market. The smaller tray is for Woye; both people take the finished wares to the Oyedeji market. As a habit, half way to the market, they would rest underneath a particular tree in Fadina village.

On arrival at the market, waiting customers would gather around her to desperately select their preferred cloths. Yeremi cloths are in high demand; customers come in the morning and have to wait for her to arrive with her precious goods. Yeremi used to give out her cloth on credit basis, but now she has resolved never to sell her taffeta on credit. She has a record of all her debtors marked on the wall, each debt is represented by a line on the wall. Most people find it difficult to pay back her money. Most of these people can not pay back because they have already sold their crop trees in return for hard cash from the money lenders. Most of the money they receive would be used to pay off old debts and therefore forced to borrow more from the lenders. It was even said that a man once gave his wife to a money lender for few weeks in return for hard cash. The villagers are very poor and they would convince Yeremi to give them her cloth on credit, and once they have it, that is all, it is over. When time comes to pay back they will give several excuses.

Close to the time for the next market day, Yeremi fears if Woye would be well enough to accompany her to the market to sell her wares. In his illness, Woye walks in his sleep and loudly request to be taken back to his mother at Olode village. The boy had experience a lot of strange dreams that he could vividly remember, but is terrified to share it with anyone. Yeremi becomes worried over the boy’s condition, she gave the boy traditional treatment of assorted herbs boiled in a pot and force the boy to endure the heat. Yeremi is clearly worried over the boy’s condition she is aware of the fact that as a widow, if anything happens to Woye, she would be the prime suspect responsible for the child’s death. She knows she would be lynched by those who missed the opportunity to harm her when her husband Ajumobi died.

At any time the boy shows symptoms of illness, Yeremi would lavish attention on the boy. She would treat the boy like an egg. She would sometimes promise the boy a lot of things if he stays well and healthy. She tries to cheer him up with such promises. She knows that the boy likes animal stories and she tells these stories to life the mood of the boy. Yeremi would shed tears of joy when the boy shows signs of improvement, especially when he finally begin to his sick mat. Yeremi is always happy to see the boy engage in his hobby; to collect odd items from the junk pit.

The women of Kufi village are workaholics. When day break, it is time for their endless activities and daily assignments. The women work on the farm and also keep the home; they are very dedicated to their work. They patiently wait for their husbands to return home from the farm, they are the last to eat their meal of left over. They would diligently do their work and also keep a watch out for any signs of displeasure from their husbands. They would prepare themselves for the out bursts of anger from their husbands. The husband took advantage of their superiority to play one wife against the other.

The habit of men to have more than one wife is viewed unreasonable. With more wives come more problems. The key problem will be dividing time among the women without bias. There will be scrambles between senior and junior wives for the husband’s attention. During such tussle, both women would tell off each other. When the husband eventually interferes, it would be in favour of the junior wife. The senior wives are often displeased with such out but they have no choice. The women could not tell whether a polygamous home where the man has full authority is best tradition, or a situation where in the woman lives in a monogamous home and enjoys equality to the man. Also life as a full time house wife is compared to the life of a full fledge widow.

However, a good number of the village women envy Yeremi for her liberty and freedom. They think she had mustered up the courage to challenge her disappointment and challenges of life. They think all is well with her since she is so kind with the villagers. As a result of her kindness, she becomes influential and popular in the village. The men did not like Yeremi’s popularity. They believe that no woman should attain prominence in village matters. The males prefer a woman to be passive and submissive. The men did not like Yeremi she has the qualities that the men fear; they did not like her for her self confidence and assertiveness. She never allows a man to mess up with her; she is vibrant and full of self confidence. Even though a good number of men hate her for such character, some men still find her beauty irresistible as such make advances.

Ayanwale, one of those men who made advance came to attract Yeremi with stories of his achievement as a drummer. He was full of pledges of love, care and devotion. The other man who made similar moves was Olonade the village wood carver. He too boasted of his ability and exploits in carving. He had promised to make Yeremi not to feel lonely; he would be his life long partner. The third man was Lanwa. He was a village farmer with a big hoe and a giant cutlass. He too boasted of his ability, what he knows, what he possesses and his ability to provide food. He feels he has right to Yeremi because he was Ajumobi’s half brother and traditionally has right to his late brother’s properties, both human and material.