Anu ohia.

My mother sent me on an errand to my uncle's place.A few poles away from our new house.I was about leaving when I remembered she would have been gone before I come back.I therefore requested for some money with which to buy bread for my cup of lipton and bread breakfast.

She gave me some money for the bread.And then an additional one hundred Naira with which to buy a bag of 'pure water' while coming back to the house from my uncle's place.

After an about one hour stay in my uncle's place with my message delivered.I decided to take my leave.I was on my way home when I entered a shop to buy the bag of 'pure water'.We are new in the area.So I don't know most of the shop owners.

 In this shop was a beautiful lady of about sixty.And a boy of about thirteen years whom I thought may be this lady's grand son.Or perhaps her son if she didn't become a wife early enough.

I need not be told she was the shop owner.She was comfortably sitted with her lens on.As she read aloud from the christain's holy book.She must be reading the psalms or the proverbs I thought to myself because of the rhythmic flow of the words she read out.

I was about telling her what I wanted to buy when the boy mumbled something to her.She responded.Her words wasn't very clear.But I heard her clearly as she ended her speech by calling the boy an 'anu ohia'(the igbo way of saying wild animal)

 I nearly bit my tongue in my surprise.'Wasn't that the bible', I asked myself.As I looked at the boy whose facial expression has speedily changed.

I have heard mothers call their children worse names.But not mothers reading the bible in a genial morning.

I bought my bag of 'pure water' and a loaf of bread and .left.But all I could think of was what the woman learn from the bible.From the psalms and proverbs that she was smilingly reading out.

 I remembered my primary school days when I had acted a drama.My then mother in the drama had called me a bush boy and I had happily packed up and gone to the bush.Where I lived for days.Until she came looking for me.Found me.And talked me back home.


I was not yet home.But I laughed at my thought.As I remembered some classmates whose contacts I may never get.And how I have acted the drama almost perfectly.


It all at once occured to me what importance mother's could be.How they can make or mar their children.I smiled as I thought of my mother who will never call me an 'anu ohia'.Or a bush boy.

I just got home.Picked my pen and wrote away.And then picked my phone replied my bbm,whatsapp and facebook messages and type up my little story.Made my breakfast.Ate and continued with my daily activities.