Writers Crib

'See my blother lemme tell you the fact… there is nothing in this virrage! Me I’m reaving, am going to the townchip.’ ‘Maka why? Are you reaving me behind? Eh Emeka…' 'Austin, you don’t understand. The suffeling is to much eh! O di too much, boy I don tire… see Tobenna, he is making it big in the townchip. The rast time he came to this virrage, he was liding this veli bigi jeepu… nna if you see this jeep, it rook rike a rion!’ 'Eziokwu! He must be frowing in money o. Hey Tobe of yesterday now lides a jeep? Wonders has ended!' ‘Tobe that we use to steal yams flom Mazi Okwudili’s barn is now Chief C.E.O of electlonics department. Hia! Eziokwu ki kwuru, wonders has ended.' 'Chief C.E.O of electlonics department… ‘That is why am going to the townchip, there is money in the townchip. Nwanna, man must survive!’ 'Bia Emeka, what will you be doing in the townchip, oye ki ma?’ ‘Me shi onu dia! Lemain there, when Tobe went to the townchip, oye ko’o

Written by; Honor Amaka O. 'Room 208'. The lady at the reception said to me. 'Just take the stairs, the last room at the end of the lobby.' 'Thanks!' I said, trying to produce the best smile I could barely afford. 'You're welcome' she replied me and went on with her work. My legs shook as I climbed the stairs, I couldn't still believe what it was I was about doing. I was choiceless, I had a family to fend for. I stared at the plate number pasted at the door. '208'. I muttered silently within myself. 'This must be the room'. I heaved endlessly. I couldn't count how many times I raised my hand to knock at the door. For the first time in my life, I was afraid of my own self! Finally I rapped few knocks at the door and took a deep breathe, exhaling almost immediately. 'Come in!' The voice beckoned from inside the room. My supposed uncle sat on the bed. He was bare to the waist. He held a glass of wine

Written by; Honor Amaka O. Oga landlord was having a shave when I walked into the compound; he stopped his shaving immediately his eyes met me. I had caught his attention. ‘Landlord good afternoon’ I greeted and tried to walk my way out of his presence. Noticing my hesitation to flee, he spoke; ‘I hear say you go find job… hope say you get?' I looked at him, he was the most annoying man that was yet to die, but all the same I ignored him and walked away, he was really not worth my time. ‘You dey waka pass me abi!’ he shouted after me. ‘Na me and una for this house.’ He concluded by snapping his finger at me. What did I care? He was the least of my problems. Walking halfway into the corridor, I could hear Mama Chioma’s voice at the highest pitch. There was no point asking who or what she was fussed about- it was certain that it was my mother. Probably she had come to request the money she was owed. I stood rooted to the ground, waiting patiently for her to finish y

I stepped out of Mr. Oboh's office, clinging to my document I held close to my chest. Mr. Oboh greatly disappointed me, he had promised to offer me an appointment in his company on the completion of my service year and here he was demanding for the impossible. I walked slowly along the streets of Lagos lost in the depth of my own thought. What was I to do? The hopes I had were dashed out when Mr. Oboh started blabbing and saying all sort of rubbish. My heart became heavy again and I busted into tears. What would my mother say if she heard that her brother was demanding he slept with me before he considered giving me an appointment in his company? It would so kill her. Sometimes I blamed my dad for dieing too young, leaving behind my mother to cater for myself and my four other siblings. Life hadn’t been easy since the death of my father. I was barely nine when I lost him. For all I remembered, he was tall, light skinned and handsome. Whenever he came in from work, he wou

MAMA (A mothers concern) written by; Honor Osuji ‘Holy ghost fire! I cast, I bind, I destroy every power of witchcraft, every agent of the devil…’ I tossed from one end of the bed to the other end, tightened my eyes and buried my head under my pillow; Nonye was sound at sleep at the other bed in the room which we both shared. She probably hadn’t heard mama’s prayers echo from the living room into our room.                                                                              I hissed, turned again but this time using the sheets over my head. As if she was watching me, she increased the volume of her voice. ‘…every spirit of lack of husband in Chioma’s life, Holy Ghost fire!’ Nonye sat up, let out a gasp of surprise stared in my direction and gave me that ‘did you hear that’ kind of a look. Mama’s straight to the point kind of prayer had shook her out of sleep.     I replied her with a slight nod, stood up, wore my slippers and headed for the door. ‘Lack of husband kwa?’ N