Jollof Rice

“Olu!” Maybe if I pretend not to hear she will find someone else to do what she wants. “OLU! How many times have I called you!?” Please mum, let me sleep. “OLUWADEMILADE! IF YOU MAKE ME COME TO YOUR ROOM!” She has called me by my first name maybe it is time to get up before she willingly sends me back to God. I grudgingly get up of course as I wonder why she won’t get someone else does she not know the time it is this morning. I get to the living room and she is waiting for me thankfully she does not seem too angry right? ‘Olu. Olu. Olu. How many times did I call you?” “Three times Ma.” “Good. It means your ears are working. Tell me Olu what time is it this Saturday morning?” I look at the clock on the wall behind her. “7 o'clock” “What did you say?” “7 o'clock” “7 o'clock in the morning Olu and you are still sleeping! Who do you think will clean this house? My dead grandmother!?” “No ma. Sorry ma.” She waited for a moment. “OK. Go and bring a broom for me to sweep the compound.” I stood there for a moment. I was expecting that conversation to have gone on longer than this. That was weird. Well, good for me I guess.

I walked into the kitchen to pick up the broom when I saw Morenike mopping the floors. “Alásùn! *(someone who sleeps a lot) it seems they have awakened you. How far did you journey into the land of Nod?” I forgot this girl can be this annoying in the morning. “Don’t call me that and I did not sleep that long. It is only 7 o'clock. “Only 7 o'clock? I woke up at 6 and started sweeping the house and I am mopping now. What about me?” “But it is a Saturday today. I want to sleep.” “You know it is Adesewa’s wedding today, right? How will mummy let you sleep past 7 when she will want this house fit for the guests that are coming today.” Today is Adesewa’s wedding. I thought that was like in a couple of weeks and not today! “Ah! So, you forgot. It’s not your fault when you are always thinking of what food to eat and what films to be watching” “That is not fair. As you are aware, I also think of my schoolwork and how to handle you as a headache every morning.” She rolled her eyes at me.

“OLU ARE YOU GIVING BIRTH IN THAT KICHEN!? WHERE ARE YOU!” She had the audacity to roll her eyes at me again and pull out her tongue at me “Ode*(fool) now you have allowed mummy to shout at you again.” “Were you not the one calling me Alásùn and telling me I was in the land of Nod?” “Even you, have you not read Ecclesiastes 7:21. Do not pay attention to every word people say.” How dare she! I was already coming up with the perfect response when my mum walked in. “Olu, is today the day you want to shame me in front of Adesewa’s husband’s people? I have already asked you to sweep and you have not done anything . Is this how a child of God behaves?” “No ma” “Please go and sweep before people will start saying we cannot even take care of the front of our house.” “Yes ma.” “Good. And you too Morenike, I have asked you to mop since and you are here just standing around doing nothing. Please finish the work I gave you before you start to stand around. Today we don’t have time to waste. Understood?” “Yes ma.” I pulled my tongue out for her before I ran out to go sweep. “Olu when I catch you!” Heh she can try. It is not as if she can run fast in the first place. I finally finished all what my mum wanted me to do. When she called all of us to the living room for morning prayers (still cannot believe Adesewa and my dad slept till 8) we basically prayed for Adesewa to have a good happy married life and that her husband was faithful and good to her as she would be to him. As all this was happening I could not help but think; wherever there was a wedding there was JOLLOF RICE!

I love Jollof rice! It is an explosion of smoky, spicy-sweet flavor. It is an aromatic dish with thyme and curry that blends with the spicy pepper base, making it incredibly tasty and leaving you wanting more. Especially if there are fried plantains, a tasty salad and roasted chicken at the side! It is truly an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to eat the rice at this wedding. It will surely not disappoint as I am sure my mum would have left no stone unturned to make this wedding memorable. All the work she put into the Aso ebi*(group attire), getting necessary items needed, handling tailors…

“Olu, my son are you listening to me?” “Yes dad?” “Good you are listening. As I was saying at 10 Adesewa’s husbands’ family will be here. Then at 12 they will leave to go to the church then we will come afterwards. Then at 1 in the afternoon everyone will be going or getting ready to go to the reception ceremony. And by the grace of God, we will be done at 5 and Adesewa would have gone to live with her husband”. I still couldn’t believe it Adesewa married now. It still felt like yesterday when I would come home from school and she would just listen to me talk about my day, when she helped whenever I felt like my homework was too much and I did not understand or when she would get things like candy or chocolates whenever I did well on a test and even the best when she cooked me her infamous Jollof rice for my birthday every year. I sadly realized she might not be here on my 16th birthday. Things would surely be different with her gone.

Soon after Adesewa’s husband and his family came to our house. My family was all dressed in our respective colors of Aso ebi*(group attire) and the same with the groom’s family. Oluwafemi, this was the man to become Adesewa’s husband. As gifts were shared among the family members, small chops*(Nigerian version of hors d’oeuvres)were served around(by yours truly)and the Alaga Iduro*(represents the groom’s side) and the Alaga Ijoko*(represents the bride’s side) coordinated and officiated this marriage ceremony I was thinking of the time Adesewa came home and introduced this man to us.

I was 14 at the time and apparently, they had been seeing each other for 2 years at that time. I remember that day very clearly as we were eating Jollof rice. She apparently met him at a friend’s wedding he was part of the groom’s party and was also the photographer. Throughout the dinner Oluwafemi made jokes, my dad laughed, my mom stared at him like he just decided to misbehave in public and now everyone was staring at her, Adesewa was nervous the entire dinner, Morenike was being annoying as always and talking when no one asked her a question and making the already tense tension more tense while I was trying to savor every spoonful of my wonderful Jollof rice.

Soon after we had all finished, all plates had been cleared and Oluwafemi had gone. Everyone sat down at the table and the tension was like all those films you see on TV when the main character is about to drop a jaw, drooping secret. Adesewa in a bid to break the tension asked “So?” My mum straightened and took a deep long look at all our faces “First of all. Morenike, please do not be talking when people do not ask you a question or invite you to speak. It is very rude. And as for you Mrs. Girlfriend he seems ok. At least he has a stable job, planning to buy a house and he is not an addict. All that is left is for me to see his mother” Everyone let out a sigh of relief (including me). Adesewa was beaming. “Ahhh. Look at her she is already down the aisle.” Everyone laughed.

“Alásùn, you seem to be dreaming.” What does this girl want now can I not lay in my room peacefully now that the grooms party has gone to the church. “I’ve told you to stop calling me that” “We are about to go to the church, daddy is calling for you to come.” “Can you not do that without calling me names” “If I as your twin does not call you names who will. Ehn Taiwo*(name given to the firstborn of twins). This girl. “Olu! Nike! Where are you. Your father will drive and leave you at home oh!” We both rushed out.

The church had been decorated with purple and yellow ribbons and bows, the curtains had also changed color to match the theme of the wedding and our outfits. It was beautiful. I was sure Jesus would be smiling down at how beautiful his house was that day. Oluwafemi and Adesewa tied the knot that day and signed the papers. They were officially married now. A lot of family members were there that day, most of them I did not know and they somehow knew certain events of my life. My mum introduced some elderly person to me, and they said something like “Ah! Olu I was there when your mom was pregnant, I even helped her carry the pregnancy!” They both laughed (like what?) It was later I understood it was a metaphor. I’m hungry. I need a plate of Jollof rice a nice big piece of roasted chicken, to go with it.

Thankfully we did not get to the reception that late (we were an hour late) a lot of people who attended the church service would not be able to attend the reception so my mum (all of us) were busy getting them plates of food and small chops for them to take home with them. After that we all got in the car and drove to the reception venue. When we got there some more small chops were served among the guests. The newlyweds had a special seat just for them. We played games, everyone danced and there was simply a lot of merriment to go around. When was the food going to be served? I was hungry. I needed my plate of Jollof rice now.

My mum had left me talking with some people and I had politely taken my leave. Now it was to look for the buffet table(finally!) and get a plate of my delicious Jollof rice. As I walked over there Morenike came to me with a plate that had Jollof rice and on the side fried plantains, salad, a piece of roasted chicken and a piece of roasted fish. She was probably coming over to me to gloat. “Alásùn…” I knew it she was over here trying to “… I got this plate for you. I know you love Jollof rice” I took the plate but with every effort she took to get under my skin today. I had to check “Are you sure you did not poison it?” She rolled her eyes at me. “If you don’t want it let me, take the food and eat it by myself.” “I did not mean it that way you know.” “Of course, let us go to the table and sit.”

Our parents weren’t at the table, but Adesewa was. I gently put my food on the table “My siblings how are you?” “I thought you had forgotten us new wife.” Morenike said that. “How could I forget you? I will miss you guys.” “But it is not like you are going far” That was me. “I know but we are not living in the same house together, I’m leaving you with this girl that I know who will not give you rest. I have to put in extra prayers for your peace of mind.” “What is that supposed to mean Sister Adesewa?” “Exactly what it meant.” Morenike then made a face. (it was rather funny looking) Adesewa and I both laughed. I would really miss her, and I knew everyone in our house would too. Look at me talking like she is leaving forever (it felt like she was) It was nice that even with our 13-year age gap we still bonded like great siblings. “Do not worry you can always visit me” Yeah, we could always visit. We all talked a bit after that and shared a couple of laughs although I did more eating than talking.

Soon it was time for Adesewa and her husband to leave. She was going into a new stage of her life, and I prayed she would always be happy and that man had better treat her right. We were all happy for her plus she promised on my next birthday she would still make me a bowl of Jollof rice. That would be great. Jollof rice.