Domestic Violence episode 4
15-07-25 (14:45)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
EPISODE 4
*Six years ago*
Shana was a beautiful young undergraduate of
Salem University, Lokoja where' she was studying
Banking and Finance. It was her final year and that
day she came home to visit her parents who were
celebrating their silver jubilee wedding anniversary
that weekend. It was a period of great celebration
for the Banjo’s. Her father who was a director in a
government ministry had contacts of top notch
politicians who willingly funded the occasion. Her
mother, the daughter of a one time ambassador of
Nigeria to Switzerland also left no stone unturned
in making sure that the Silver Jubilee was well
celebrated.
Prior to this time, Mrs Banjo who is herself a
fashionasta had taken care of asoebi’s which were
in different categories, depending on the guest’
closeness to the family. And indeed, their marriage
was worth celebrating for it had been 25 beautiful
years of marital bliss. The marriage had produced 3
children; two boys and one girl. Shana who was
also the last child of the family was the apple of
her parent’s eyes.
Right from her infant days, she went to the best of
schools and had everything she wanted. Her
parents had insisted on sending her to Switzerland
for her university education but she had refused
saying she didn’t want to leave her parents in
Nigeria and go to another country where' she will
not have all the privileges she had in Nigeria. Her
two elder brothers had obtained their first degrees
in USA and UK and they had settled down there
after their studies.
Some years later, they had returned home to pick
Nigerian wives and had returned to the respective
countries with their wives who had bore them
children. They including their wives and children
were expected to be home for the anniversary and
Shana was looking forward to meeting her nieces
and nephews.
On the day of the anniversary, the Banjo’s
alongside friends and well wishers dressed
elegantly drove to Our Lady’s Pro Cathedral in
Garki Area 3 where' the thanksgiving service which
was presided over by the Archbishop of the
diocese was held.
After the thanksgiving Mass which lasted for about
2 hours, guest filed to the grand reception which
was held at the International Conference Center.
The reception was indeed grand as people from all
walks of life graced the occasion. It was a show of
affluence and splendor as everyone was
gorgeously dressed with enough to eat and drink
and throw away. The Banjo’s had employed the
services of four caterers to provide both local and
intercontinental dishes to the guests. Different
artists were invited to perform at the show and the
guest had a wonderful time.
At the end of the programme, Shana who was the
only female and baby of the family was invited by
the MC to the podium to give her vote of thanks.
Dressed gorgeously in a red cord lace dress and
gold head gear, Shana although shy, composed
herself and walked elegantly to the stage. She had
travelled all the way to Ghana to sew her dress
and the effort was not wasted as the fitting came
out well, flattering her curves.
Shana: “It is a great privilege for me to be invited
to give this vote of thanks on behalf of my parents.
First, I would like to appreciate God for the lives of
the most amazing parents on earth. Every day, I
pray to God to give me this kind of marriage
where' love and peace reigns. I couldn’t have asked
for a better family, my parents are simply the best
and I am sure that you all agree with me and that
is why you have taken time off your busy
schedules to grace this occasion. On behalf of the
Banjo’s I wanna say a very big thank you to you
all for the love and support….”
While she was talking, Ayomide who was sitting
with his parents and half brother was staring at her
and day dreaming of having her as a wife.
Although he was younger than his half brother,
Femi, he was already looking forward to settling
down soon and he saw the qualities of a good
wife in Shana. He thought of telling his family of
his intention to ask her out after the reception but
he thought against it for several times his father
had warned him never to talk about getting
married until Femi had married. But he made up his
mind to visit Shana later in the evening, several
times he had been there with his parents for the
two families were very good friends with so many
things in common.
After her speech, Shana decided to move round
familiar guests to appreciate them properly, her
brothers were also doing same and she came to
the table where' Ayomide and his family were
seated. As soon as Ayomide smiled, her heart
skipped a beat because he had been her crush for
long ever since their teenage days when the two
families visited each other with their children. For
her, what she felt for Ayomide was beyond mere
crushes that come and go with time, she was
infatuated with him, what she felt for him was an
obsession. Even when they met in Church, she
would lose concentration and instead of listening to
the homily, she would keep an eye on Ayomide
because she didn’t want to miss any of his moves.
She knew that he had an elder brother Femi who
was more matured than Ayomide but she never
liked him for once. Her parents had told her that
Femi’s mother died at childbirth while she was
having him and some years later after mourning
his wife appropriately, he had married Ayomide’s
mother who gave him one child, a boy named
Ayomide.
“Hi, you look beautiful”, Ayomide said offering her
his hand and waking her from her reverie.
Shana: “Thank you”, she replied shyly shaking his
hand weakly. She greeted their parents
respectfully. “Thank you so much sir and ma for
coming. Your presence means a lot to this family”.
“You are welcome, my daughter”. They chorus.
Femi who was busy fizzling with his phone didn’t
even acknowledge her greetings. He had raised up
his head to look at her once and had mumbled an
inaudible greeting. Several times, he had met her
sitting on the pew next to him in Church and deep
within his heart, he thought her to be plain and
childish. He was interested in sophisticated girls and
this one obviously wasn’t one.
“Thanks Femi, thanks Ayomide for coming. We
appreciate your presence”, she said sweetly.
Ayomide: “You are welcome, ma”, he teased while
she moved to the other guests.
That evening, Ayomide picked one of his father’s
car and drove to the residence of the Banjo’s. Few
minutes later, he was sitting face to face with
Shana in one of the sitting rooms and suddenly he
lost his voice. All the sweet words and poetry that
he had conjured in his head to say to her suddenly
flew away. Shana on the other hand was excited
to see him and she prayed in her heart that he
would ask her out which was what she had
always dreamt of.
Shana: “So, how are you?” she asked when it was
taking him too long to say a word to her.
Ayomide: “I am fine. You know, I just thought of
coming over to see how you are doing this evening
after the long day”.
Shana: “That was very thoughtful of you. It had
been a hectic week for me, and to think that I
have to go back to school next week. If not for the
event planners mum and dad employed, I don’t
know how we would have coped”.
Ayomide felt cold when she said she was going
back to school the next week but then he decided
not to allow that dampen his spirit. They continued
to chat and laugh and Ayomide found himself
talking about irrelevant things instead of talking
about what brought him to her. This trend of him
visiting and not saying any meaningful thing
continued until the next week and he was thinking
of asking his brother to help him talk to Shana on
his behalf when his brother walked on his room
one evening.
Ayomide: “Hey, bro. I was just about coming to
your room”.
Femi: “Well, there won’t be any need for that. I
have something to discuss with you”.
Ayomide: “Bring it on then”.
Femi: “It is about Shana…”
Ayomide startled up from the sleeping position he
was on the bed.
“What about her, he asked”.
Femi: “I just want you to tell me about her
because I noticed that you two are pretty close, I
mean from the way you were talking with her
during her parents’ silver jubilee, I didn’t know that
she could be so lively until that day.
Ayomide relaxed for he saw this as an opportunity
to paint her good before his elder brother, that way
his family will support him any time he summoned
courage to start up a relationship with her.
Ayomide: “Shana is a very good girl o, big bro. In
fact, she is one of the most humble girls that I
have met. You know despite the fact that her
parents can afford to send her to school abroad,
she refused to go and insisted on getting her first
degree in Nigeria. The other day she told me that
she had never been in any relationship before
because her parents and her brothers told her to
stay away from men. Can you imagine such
loyalty? Even when she went to the university, she
is still holding on to what her parents taught her.
And the girl is very beautiful o, you need to go to
their house and see her without make up, that is
when you will know that she is a very beautiful
girl”.
Femi: “Really? Is that so?”
Ayomide: “Yes o, bro. And she can so cook?
Anytime I go to their house and I meet her cooking
like this, I usually wait and eat o, let me not lie.
The aroma alone seff is enough to make your
stomach full”.
Femi: “Wow! That is impressive. I never knew that
the girl is that good”.
Ayomide: “She is o. I can’t even talk about all her
qualities”.
Femi: “That’s nice”, he left the room without saying
another word to his brother. Already, his plans
were already incubating and he knew just what to
do.
All through the night, the description of Shana’s
virtues as provided by Ayomide kept ringing in
Femi’s ear. Suddenly he began to see her in a
different light as he confessed that she was very
pretty and wasn’t as childish as he had thought. He
found himself thinking more and more about her as
the night progressed and he knew that he had to
go for her. He had noticed that his younger brother
was making efforts to get close to her and he was
determined to corner Shana to himself for he was
impressed with what he had been told about her.
With his mind made up on what to do, he soon fell
soundly asleep.
The next day in the evening, he bought a cute
bottle of nice perfume, wrapped it in a box with a
pink bow and drove to the Banjo’s residence where'
he intended to add their only daughter to his list of
numerous girlfriends. When he got to the door, he
pressed the door bell and the maid answered and
ushered him in to the well-furnished sitting room.
Maid: “Welcome, sir! What do I offer you?”
Femi: “Nothing, thanks. Where is Shana, I am here
to see her”.
Maid: “Small madam don go back to school this
morning”.
Femi: “Oh my, that was close. Do you know when
she will return?”
Maid: “Na only oga and madam fit know that one”.
Femi: “Okay. Do you have her phone number? I
used to have it but I lost my phone recently”, he
lied.
“Look who we have here”, Mr Banjo’s voice
interrupted them and the maid greeted him and
left the sitting room.
“Good evening, sir”, Femi bowed and greeted
courteously while shaking Mr Banjo’s out stretched
palm.
Mr Banjo: “How are you, Femi? And your parents?
Did you come alone?”
Femi: “They are fine, sir. I actually came alone
today. I came to see Shana but I learnt she
returned to school today”.
Mr Banjo: “Oh yes, my baby has gone back to
school”.
Femi: “Then I should be on my way home, sir”.
Mr Banjo: “Why this soon? Please join us for
dinner”.
Femi: “Thanks for the offer sir but I can’t have that
today. I need to run along”. He excused himself and
left the house after giving the gift to the maid to
keep for Shana.
Mr Banjo was glad to see Femi ask after his
daughter for he had a soft spur for the young man
who was a successful banker at his age. His
friendship with Femi’s father was so strong that he
would be more than glad to give out his daughter’s
hand in marriage to Femi as a way of solidifying
the bond that held the two families together. He
was a little bit disappointed when he saw Ayomide
and his daughter getting along well because he
had always thought Ayomide to be too playful and
childish. Nevertheless, he had made up his mind
not to stand in the way of his daughter’s happiness.
======
Few days after the futile visit to Shana’s house,
Femi collected his brother’s phone under the guise
of wanting to use it to make a call and copied
Shana’s number out of it. He went into his room
and dialed her number.
Shana: “Hello, who is this?”
Femi: “Am I speaking with Shana Banjo?” he
disguised his voice and asked.
Shana: “Yes, how may I help you?” she asked
suspiciously.
Femi: “Well, you are under arrest young lady”.
Shana: “What? Under arrest for what? What is my
crime? And who the hell are you to call and tell me
rubbish?”
Femi: “You are under arrest for stealing my heart.
This is Femi calling, Femi Philips”.
Shana: “Wow! Femi. What a surprise. I was
expecting your call. How are you?”
Femi: “I am fine and how is school?”
Shana: “School is fine. Last time I checked, you
never said a word to me talk more of calling me.
So, how did you get my number?”
Femi: “Well, now I have started talking to you
because change is the only constant thing in
nature. As regards how I got your number, a man
will go any length to get the thing his heart
desires”.
Shana: “That is interesting…”
They continued to talk for hours and soon it
became a daily affair. Femi would call for hours
and they would chat at any given opportunity. For
him, he was beginning to fall in love with her, a
slow and steady love triggered by what his brother
had told him about her and for her it was just a
feeling of friendship and nothing more. The fact
that he was the elder brother of her crush was
enough reason to thrill her and most times when
they spoke on phone, she resisted the temptation
of calling him her brother in law for she had hopes
of marrying Ayomide. When she asked after
Ayomide from Femi, he had lied to her that it was
Ayo who gave him her number and that he was
aware that they were always conversing.
Ayomide on the other hand was drifting away
from Shana because he didn’t want to interrupt her
studies and so he avoided buzzing her numbers
whenever he felt the urge to listen to her voice.
Soon after, he secured admission into Havard
University for his Masters and left with the promise
that he would tell her that he was in love with her
when he returned back to Nigeria.
====
After her first semester examination, Shana
returned home and Femi became a constant guest
in their home. Although she would have preferred
the presence of Ayomide to his own, she didn’t
mind having him around for his presence alone
reminded her of Ayo far away in the UK studying.
Femi would visit her every evening after work with
all sorts of gifts for her. Apart from the fact that he
was well paid at the bank where' he worked, his
parents were rich and he had all the money he
needed to get her unique gifts which was his way
of enticing girls. He had tried this trick with all his
girls and it had never failed him. Shana on her part
was carried away by the gifts even though her
parents provided more than what she needed.
That evening when Femi came to visit her as usual,
he asked to take her out for dinner and she
accepted because she was already getting bored of
sitting at home.
They got into the car after she had taken
permission from her parents.
Femi: “So, where' do you want to go this evening?”
Shana: “Anywhere', you were the one who
suggested that we go out so you should have
plans of where' you want us to go”.
Femi: “Okay, I will take you to the Blue Cubanna, I
am sure you would love there”.
They drove to Blue Cubanna where' they had
dinner and there after the meal, Femi took Shana’s
hands in his and told her how much he had fallen
in love with her over the time and how much he
wanted to start a relationship with her.
Shana: “This is surprising. I mean I wasn’t expecting
you to ask me out”.
Femi: “What is surprising in a man asking a
beautiful girl out?”
Shana: “It’s just that I thought you only wanted
friendship”.
Femi: “Well, I actually wanted friendship but now I
want something more. I want an intimate
relationship with you”.
Shana: “I am not sure about this”.
Femi: “Why? Are you in a relationship already? Few
days ago you told me you weren’t in any”.
Shana: “Yes, but Ayomide…”
Femi: “My brother? Has he asked you out? If he
has, I will advise that you stick to him since he
came before me. I don’t want to be seen as
dragging a girl with my kid brother”.
Shana: “No, he didn’t ask me out”.
Femi: “Then what is it?” he snapped lightly, he was
beginning to lose his temper at the childish lady
who was finding it difficult to take a simple
decision on her own.
Shana: “Ayomide is my friend, in fact he is my best
friend and I promised him that I would tell him
before accepting to date any man. Give me some
time to talk to him about this, I am sure he would
approve of us”, she lied because she didn’t want
Femi to know that she had a crush on his younger
brother.
Femi: “Fair enough then. Can I drive you home
now?”
They walked out of the restaurant holding hands
with a lot going through Femi’s head, he was
thinking of a plan B that only him knew about.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 5
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