Owo mi dun mi

I finally said goodbye to my lover. My lover is my old laptop, silver and shining, always by my side, keeping me busy and loving me unconditionally. He never argues with me or talks back at me, and it takes some time to boot, but nothing can stop us when we agree to make magic. My lover has been my closest pal for two years, going everywhere with me, staying up at night, producing results, and making sure we make some money. But it was time to say goodbye.

I won’t lie; it took some time to say bye, and when I did, I realised how much I had become attached to my lover.

But don’t worry; we have a new baby, and this time my baby is named — Owoduuni. Call me a helpless romantic, but I named my old laptop and the new baby according to my different love interests when the system was bought.

I named my lover after“ My lover“, and Owoduuni is named after a recent love interest, which we will talk about another day. But let it be known that I have three new Yoruba names I now like and don’t mind another Yoruba love interest.

So, my people, help me welcome Owoduuni to the family. This is the first story we are writing together, and we hope you will enjoy it.

Death

My younger sibling called me and told a sad tale of the death of her classmate, and after the call, I cried. I had no idea who the guy was, never met him, did hear her occasionally mention his name back then and will never meet him. After the call, I found myself crying and praying because I did not know what else to do or why I was even crying.

For some time, I had thought that my father’s death had made me strong enough when I hear of other people’s death, but every year I discover that the so-called hardened heart don dey soft, and when I receive a phone call that someone died or see a post saying RIP, my heart will pause for a second and I will feel grief.

On some occasions, I would ask, "Why? I would wonder how the family would be comforted and how they would deal with their pain and loss. You see, no one has been able to write a manual on handling death, and no one can predict what it will do to you.

For me, my siblings know that you don’t call me during working hours and tell me that someone died. You have successfully ruined my day if you do. I sometimes wish I could also lose the memories of those we have lost, so I don’t go about heavy with grief and pain that has since refused to go.

28+

I recently had a conversation with my editor (his name is Olubobo, but we will always call him Editor) for the purpose of my stories. As we talked about our recent fight, I remember typing that I wasn’t fighting with him and that my age did not come with the strength to fight.

28+ came with a lot of peace; some days, I’m too tired even to argue. On other days I just want to eat doughnuts from ShopRite and drink yoghurt. I’m at the point where I have handled both the steering, wheel and the entire motor of my life to Jesus. Anything he wan do, make him do because I honestly don’t have the strength, will, and drive I used to have. I just dey!

Conversations

My favourite part of living in the Genz and Obajanso internet time is that even if my closest people are on a visa and a 13-hour flight away, I can always reach them.

Over the past years, from Amen leaving the country to study to having classmates at different universities, serving in various states, and now living in other countries and time zones, I must confess that my favourite time with them is when we have conversations.

With Kevwe billionaires, it’s always too much English and how her studying is going, and threatening her to marry a white man. But the girl’s English dey tire me, and we have now resolved to use Snapchat.

With Ese Engr, it’s everyday life in the plant. Ese keeps me updated like I’m living in her room.

With AKP and Rukky, it’s either a billing conversation or something has happened to someone I know back home. Most times, I usually end up rolling on the floor, laughing out my lungs.

With mama, she usually has a dream,“ how you dey” or something has happened to a family member back home. On other days we argue about my profile picture or how I look somehow in a picture.

With Tracy, it’s men’s drama, how we will make money or how we will retire early and have money to enjoy life. With Tracy, the conversation constantly shifts to how we will enjoy life.

Amen conversations are always emotional. We usually count our blessings and remember how challenges almost shamed us, but God nor gree.

With Iyekpolor, we are wondering what Adam was doing when Eve was with the serpent and why Paul nor gree marry. We talk about how we see what God is trying to tell us from every verse we have read.

With Jennifer, it’s work, work, make money men's drama, work again, work again, and more work!!! Jennifer change

With Jesus, It’s everything, how I recently can’t seem to find strength or ginger to cook, how Ikeja electricity is stressing me, how sometimes I feel I can’t continue this life or how I want more doughnuts

It’s March already, and I’m enjoying the #28. I sometimes get scared when I see the responsibility in front of me and want to take my bag and Japa. I promised my Ibadan story and the complicated love story. I will add it to my to-do list.

Love M