Kingsley Okeke @kingsleychi

When most people that I am in touch with talk about going to the village and spending time with their grandmothers, I am often shocked. They shocked me because I, too, traveled to the village this time aroun. Perhaps for Easter are usually spent with grandmothers?

So I went to the village during this festive season to celebrate with my grandmother but instead of celebrating, I was turned into a broom maker. You won′t understand this until I explain.
It′s known in my village that the youths, especially the young ones in the village, either make baskets or brooms from palm frond branches.

Any youngster who don′t join them in making these items, they call you lazy and indolent. Whether you′re a visitor or not, it′s expected that you learn.
At first, I found it engaging to learn from my fellow peers in the village how to make baskets from palm fronds. However, it was too hard for me.

When I wanted to retire and tell my grandmother that I didn′t need the proceeds from it, she suggested that I try broom making instead. It puzzled me because broom making is usually set aside for women or those who aren′t skilled enough to make baskets. She showed me how to peel out a palm front and chisel it until it shaped like a single broom stick.

We would repeat this process until we had a bunch of brooms. It could take around seven hours to make just one or two brooms. You can imagine how hard it is, and when you sell it, you get less than 1,000 naira. After some time, I told my grandmother that I′d be going back to school since school was about to resume. Initially, I hadn′t planned to go back early, but I changed my mind.

I′m bursting open with excitement as I prepare to join my uncle in Anambra state for the Easter celebration. His unexpected invitation was a beacon of hope, especially since I hadn′t planned on traveling to my family′s home in Lagos due to financial constraints. As a student, the short festive period wouldn′t justify the expense of a trip home.

But my uncle′s kindness changed everything. Not only did he extend the invitation, but he also sent me transport fare, ensuring I could join him without worrying about the cost. Today, I′ve been busily packing and unpacking, trying to decide on the essentials to bring along. My joy knows no bounds as I think about spending Easter with him.

My uncle′s gesture has lifted a weight off my shoulders. I would have spent the holiday season feeling lonely and perhaps even borrowing to make ends meet. Instead, I′m filled with gratitude and anticipation. I′ve packed the clothes I think I′ll need, but I′m sure I′ll remember other essentials tomorrow morning. Until then, I′ll continue to pack and unpack.

This week has been incredibly stressful for me. The institution where I study has been demanding a lot of payments, and I′ve been running low on cash. Yesterday was my breaking point; I spent my last penny, leaving me wondering how I′d manage today.

My primary concern was how I′d get something to eat for the morning. Feeling uncertain, I walked out of my room and strolled around the compound just to clear my head. That′s when I ran into a friend who had just returned from the village. We were both excited to see each other, and we exchanged warm greetings. He′d been away for a while, and we all had missed him.

As we chatted, he mentioned that he was about to cook lunch.
He jokingly warned me that I should either choose between a small sized bread or a plate of food. His comment, although humorous, lifted my spirits and gave me something to look forward to. I went back to my room, trying to conserve my energy until he finished cooking.

As soon as he was done, he called me over, and I received a generous serving of delicious jollof rice with boiled egg. I′m still enjoying the taste as I speak, feeling grateful for my friend′s kindness and the satisfying meal that meant a lot.