Middle Class Love #Wattys2015

Nigeria: Army Camp

"You've probably made the worst decision of your life." Francis, my translator said as we neared the Army Camp in Nigeria,

I knew damn well that I did.

"Thankfully we've been doing well these days." he continued. The military had teamed up with a group of White mercenaries to launch a scathing attack on one of the Boko Haram strongholds. "Mr Alexander" he said, addressing me by my surname "It all came with a cost. Billions of our people die everyday and we are unable to even reach them. There are not many of us here. Corruption makes things worse."

I notes his statements in my little blue diary. "People are unhappy with the government." chipped in Alan, an army man. On stepping out of the jeep, luggage in hand, a couple of soldiers greeted us near the entrance of the camp.

"Howdy Howdy" said one of them who punched me on the shoulders in an act of friendliness. "Howdy" I replied with a smile. "You are the journalist huh?" asked another. "Yes!" I replied plainly.

"Have you no family?" asked a third soldier as he set my bags on the ground. "Its been three months since I got married" . Pitiful laughter followed. "Man, you're mad. Your really really mad!!". His body started shaking in fits of uncontrollable laughter. To me, it was a perfectly grim moment. He wiped tears from his eyes and choked "You know, there's no guarantee that you'll get out of here alive.". I knew that part as well. Somehow my mind went back to Monica, was I forgetting her in a bid to follow an exciting trail?

He got up from the floor and shook hands with me "My name is Berko. It means 'first born'." He giggled a little while saying "I wasn't the first born though. My father was obsessed with the idea of having a son but my mother gave birth to eight little girls. I arrived at last!" I laughed with him. "My name is David" I told him. He picked up my id card and said "It says Rose-han D Alexander!". I smiled and corrected him "Its pronounced Ro-shan with 'Ro' as in 'grow' and 'shan' like 'shun'. After ten tries he got it right.

"Ro-shan, hmm nice name!" he muttered "Do you know why I told you that you were mad?". I shook my head to indicate my ignorance, "You know, I was just married like you. The Boko Haram men turned my life upside down one night. They burnt our village and stole our women. I have never seen my wife since then. I joined the Army in the hope that I would find her body if not for her.". It hit me hard. I imagined Nikki crying as she'd come to know of my death. The vision killed me. Berko pulled out a black thread from inside his shirt. Attached to it was a small locket. He opened it to reveal a picture of his wife Chiamaka. He wiped tears of sadness from his eyes. "Go home Roshan. Don't think twice. Go and tell her you love her.". He wept heavily. I held his shoulders and hugged him tightly as he convulsed in agony.